The first craft fair I participated in was organized by my neighbourhood Lions Club. It was a Christmas craft fair at the community centre. The table cost $35.00, and the sale hours were from 9:00 to 5:00. I spent three weeks before the sale furiously making inventory, not sure how much I might sell, or even how much inventory I would need to cover my table. A 6-ft. by 3 ft. table and two chairs would be provided. My booth design left a lot to be desired. For a table cover, I had a piece of black felt that I'd liberated from one of my bulletin boards at school. I didn't know until it was too late that black felt is a magnet for lint, hairs and fibres. I fashioned a necklace display from a huge piece of plywood that I covered with a layer of cotton batting and some black and green crushed velvet. The plywood was propped up on the table with another piece of wood behind, like a picture frame. I pinned necklaces to this display. I also had a matching black and green velvet bracelet t-bar sort of thing, and a silver hand towel holder, from which I hung more necklaces. Finally, I had a copper rotating earring rack with holes for the earrings to be put into. The rest of my jewellery was strewn over the table. Even with a friend helping, it took us a good hour to take all the jewellery pieces out of the little plastic zip bags in which I was storing them, drape them onto the racks, and pin the necklaces on the necklace display. Repeat at pack-up time.
