Diva Blog

How to sell at your local farmer’s market & craft festival- part 1

Are you interested in selling your product at your local farmer's market? Perhaps at a large festival?  Not sure how to start? Well, here are some tips from yours truly.

When Diva Dog Bakery first got started, we used to set up shop at a few farmer's markets across town. We also participated in craft festivals across the central Florida area from coast to coast.

Since there is so much to discuss, I am going to break up this post into a few different segments.

Today, I want to discuss supplies. If you are just getting started out, you will need to invest in the basics. This means you need to get a 10 x 10 white tent, some folding tables & chair, table cloths, and decor to decorate your booth.  It is also a good idea to get some weights for your tent (as in, you don't want the tent to blow away and hurt someone.)

I shopped around a lot before purchasing anything, especially for the tent.  My first tent was an EZ Up Tent. Plan on spending between $170-$220 for a good one. And trust me, you will want a good one.  It's always a good idea to check Craigslist as well, but I opted for buying brand new.

I also made sure to purchase folding tables that had a handle on them once they were folded.  This made the table much easier to carry.  Shop around for this- I found two really good deals at Target and Walmart for about $30 each. I purchased a 4' table and a 6' foot table and set them up in an L-shape.

You are also going to need a banner with your company's name on it. My banner was 3' x 8'. I wanted something large that I could display hanging from my tent. Make sure to order one that has grommet holes in it. This way you can use string or bungee cord to hang it.

Here's what my banner looked like:

Not sure what kind of weights to use to secure your tent? If your market or festival takes place in a field, you can use the stakes that come with the tent. You just need a hammer to bang them into the ground. However, every market I did took place on the pavement, so I had to get creative.  Taking advice from the other vendors, I decided to make my own weights. This is a GREAT tutorial to use.

Here is what my booth display looked like!

Happy Valentine’s Day

Christmas Photos!

This past weekend I took the girls to get their annual Christmas portrait with Sandra Johnson Photo.  Sandra took Bella's first photo back in 2004!  She is amazing. The girls always seem to remember her and feel very comfortable around her.  I can't imagine going anywhere else.

Aside from picking out their photo for our Christmas cards, I love to check out the proofs that didn't make the cut.  These ones are actually my favorite because I can always see the girl's real personalities.  Here are some of my favorite photos from the shoot.

What are they looking at?

Montana is probably thinking about food in this picture.

Again, where are they looking?!

Free shipping on dog treats!

Head on over to Etsy and check out our shop here!

Receive FREE SHIPPING on orders over $20 by using code Holidays2011.  This offer is good until end of the year!

Congrats!

Congrats to our 200th follower on Twitter!  ShopPinkGlitter  will receive a $15 Gift Credit to use in our Etsy store!

Holiday Shopping-personalized collars

With the holiday season approaching, we are helping you find the best dog gifts out there, whether it be for a friend, colleague, teacher, or pooch.

Are you looking for a fun gift for your pooch? Then check out these personalized collars. These rainbow colored collars are from the well know company Orvis.  I personally own four of these, 2 for each of my furgirls.  I alternate the collars regularly and so far each collar has held up for well over a year with no signs of wear & tear.  The collars are machine washable, which is always a plus! The collars range in price from $19-$29.

However, if you are looking for a bargain, I have good news! If you subscribe to Orvis's Daily Deal, these collars do go on sale! I managed to score two collars for less then $7 each, including shipping! Please note, the color selection was limited, and I opted for red and green dog collars, which are great for Christmas! After receiving these and determining the quality, I ordered two more and have not been disappointed!