What a weekend!

Wow, what a weekend! On Friday late afternoon I went to set up my little stand at the Hof Party.  Then on Saturday I was at Stilblüten#8 all day.  It actually went really smoothly with the taxi in the morning and setting up. When that finished at 20:00, I went to the Hof Party to see what the atmosphere was like there and repack everything. I got home at 23.00 or so, which is very reasonable.  But there was a big street festival here too.  It was so loud, it felt like the crowd was actually in the flat, even with all the windows closed.  So I didn’t sleep too well and so was rather pooped to start the Sunday.  But I got up early to catch up on what had been sold and repack a few things. I was at the stand all day then came home and died I didn’t even bring the stuff back.  Instead I went back this morning when it was quieter.  I thought that it would be easier that way, especially with the taxi.

I know that it sounds like I’m complaining but it was actually GREAT! I love the busy days and it was great to be at an event and seeing people.  The feedback about my bags was great!  It feels sooo great when people compliment you on your work.  Plus I sold loads which is obviously even better than any flattery!  The whole atmosphere was great, there was a DJ playing some funky music, plus somewhere to get a bite to eat or a drink. There were many more and new designers participating, so the variety was great.  There were of course loads of visitors and many people that I have met from other fairs or through my bag business came by to say ‘Hi!’. I even met Morven, she sent in pictures of her handmade bag last week: What’s in your bag? By the way, please feel free to continue sending some pictures of ‘what’s in your bag’, so that we may continue that category, it would be fun.

Oh, and here a just a couple of pictures.

 

 

I actually forgot to go around and take pictures, the ones of my stand were taken as I had just set up.  Many of the bags in the pictures have now founds new homes The last picture is the view from my stand, I know that it’s really bad that I don’t have more pictures but it was really busy. 

Anyway, that’s it for today, I will tell you more about it in the days to come.

If you were there, why don’t you tell us what you thought of the event.

Stilblüten #8

Not long now until the hectic weekend, I have two big fairs coming up.  I am really looking forward to it, though it will a little crazy as my husband wont be there to help with the carrying of boxes or driving The planning will therefore be very important.  

 The flyers for Stilblüten #8 have just been sent to everyone. I think they look great, though I obviously would have like some of my bags to be on them too.  All the pictures are of different outfits from many of the designers that will be participating. Anyway, I hope that if you live in Frankfurt that you will find the time to come and check it out. The atmosphere is usually super good with a DJ and a somewhere to drink a coffee or some wine in the sun.

 

Afterwards there will also be the after-show party. I wont be able to make it as I will go to my other fair: Hof Party, for more information about that one, go to my exhibitions page.

 

So hope to see you at either fairs next weekend. For those of you living too far, I will take loads of pictures and tell you all about them next week.

Sunday

I got a little carried on Sunday when I went to my favourite material market to buy some supplies. I had even prepared a list so that I would stick to what I needed but instead I got stuff that I didn’t particularly need but I thought looked great, then ran out of money and couldn’t get what I did needed silly I know.

My husband came with me this time and although I new that it would be totally boring for him, so I asked him to take pictures for the blog.  I am very grateful but to be totally honest we have very different tastes.  I like close ups, details and colour. He likes to get the feel for the place so he doesn’t zoom in the way I had imagined…  I guess I should have explained what I wanted. Anyway, I hope you like the pictures, they do give you a good idea what it’s like there. We went near the end, so it wasn’t crowded either, which helps.

  

Here are also a couple of pictures of what I bought:

This is definitely my favourite picture:

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As you know up until the 20th of May I shall be participating in the Blogparade so if you want to read other Fashion and Designer Blogs from Germany: click here 

As promised

As promised last week, here are a few pictures from last week’s fair, Lokale Helden in Wiesbaden.  As I said in my entry about the event ‘Disappointent’ I loved the location and thought my stand looked great, especially as I was just next to the DJs.  The only problem was that we had no visitors.  To be totally frank with you, I even complained to the organizers.  I wasn’t the only one who complained either.  I wonder if they will actually do something about it though. 

 

  

It’s actually thrown me much more that I thought it had.  If your read my comments I had said that I wasn’t going to fall into self doubt as no one had sold well that day.  But it still has made me rethink the whole thing. I think that I will concentrate more of my energies into getting some shops to buy at wholesale from me, rather than participating at all the fairs I can find. 

So if you own a shop, why don’t you contact me for a wholesale price list  

Or if you know a shop near you where you think my bags would fit with their stock why don’t you let me know the name of the shop

Coming Soon

I’m still hoping to get a spot at this springs Stilblüten #8, a great fashion fair here in Frankfurt that I’ve already participated in twice.  The application deadline was last Monday, so I hope to get a mail soon confirming my spot.  I know for a fact though, that they have received many more applications than actual spaces. They were looking for a bigger exhibition hall but as they want to keep it in Sachsenhausen, this part of Frankfurt, they are very limited.  It just goes to show you how good a fair it is, they have had applications from all over Germany and even Switzerland and Austria.  So please keep your fingers crossed for me

Awkwardly or luckily, I do have a spot at a freind’s Open haus, which also sounds great but falls on the exact same day.  They were nice enough to let me participate anyways.  Basically they are three people who share a workshop and they were each aloud to invite a friend or two for an open workshop and garden party.  So when my friend ‘Miss Tula Trash’ invited me as her plus one, I was really flattered. They did one last year and said that they had a great turn out.  

So if you live in Frankfurt or plan on being here that weekend then you are formally invited to pop around, have a brows, have a drink and maybe you will even find something you like. Bring a friend too, the more the merrier. 

One of the people who shares the workshop is a graphic designer and he was the one who designed the invitation card.  I think that are absolutely amazing! Super funky! I love the choice of colours and the whole look of it.  It communicates so much information in such a short time…  I simply love it!

So I hope to see you there, and don’t worry I will remind you again when it comes nearer the date.  I just received the invitations and wanted to share them.

Disappointed

Well to be totally honest the fair last Sunday was a total flop! 

What a disappointment

Not everything about it was bad, I mean the location was super cool.  It was in a very funky hairdressers, the whole interior is in cement and all the decorations are white, super cool!  My stand was also in a great spot, I was right in the middle of it, next to the DJ.  The music was was good too.  The other stands also looked cool; there was a real variety of designers and local shops.  The problem was that there were no visitors.  I don’t know what happened or where they went…  They sure didn’t come to visit us.

I could have fallen into a pit of self doubt as I didn’t even sell enough to cover the cost of the stand, which was by the way rather steep for just the day or afternoon to be exact.  My sales didn’t even come close to covering the costs, but anyway, I’m getting lost in the details. The reason why I’m not wallowing in self doubt, is that noone I talked to made enough to cover their costs.  Some sold NOTHING! 

The biggest problem for me is the fact that it was promoted or sold to me as ‘THE’ event of the year, the best event ever, that we would get sooooo much publicity, that there would be all the local papers, that there would be reporters, etc, etc…  Basically it was going to be the next best thing since sliced bread, when in reality there were maybe a grand total of 200 people (and I’m being generous) and about 50 of  those were friends of the organizers.  That’s not a good turnout!  So not only did I lose money but all the expected sales didn’t materialize. These expected sales had been made much higher than normal due to all the hype.

Well all this does have one positive side especially for all of you out there.  There are many more bags on my website and many more to come as I had produced many new ones for the fair, I can now be sell these online   So why not check out my site, there’s already many new bags on there and many more are coming.

(Pictures of the event to follow)

New Make Up Bags

Preparation for Sunday’s fair continues; yesterday and today I’ve been working on loads of new Make Up Bag, Wash Bags or Cosmetic Bags, how ever you prefer to call them.  To be honest it is such a pleasure to be sewing with my new machine and sooooo much quicker.  I could spend all day, every day sewing.  But I can’t really let all my other duties, like writing the blog, fall behind

These are not only cute and colourful but also very practical; they all have a plastic lining so if something were to spill, it wont reuin the bag.  They are great for carrying a few bits in your handbag or they make a cute yet practical decoration in the bathroom.

So I hope to see you at Lokale Helden on Sunday.  If you are not from the area, you will find many cute Make Up Bags on my on-line shop, on my Esty shop or even on my Dawanda shop.

New Small Purses!

In preparation for Lokale Helden, next Sunday’s fair I’ve just spent the day making loads and loads of new little purses.  They are always popular as they make a great little present or a great treat for oneself, as you can never have enough little bags for your big bag  

 

  

 

My display box is now full again, which is good, as there is something for every taste. I love this little display box, I know it’s not to everyone’s liking but I love the colour and it’s just the right size.  It’s actually a flower box, well, I guess it’s pretty obvious. 

Still I love the effect. It’s just so eye catching!

  

 

 

 

 

Coming up

ALEX-Original Handbag’s first fair of the year will be next Sunday, May 3rd in Schönschräg  in Wiesbaden.  It will be the first time that I participate in this particular fair but it is also the first time that it ’s open to designers from all of Hessen.  Up until now Lokale Helden had concentrated on offering the stands to designers from Wiesbaden only.  But this year its evolved into quite an event that will go on for a whole week verses the one day that it used to be. Lokale Helden with it’s designer stands will only be for the Sunday but there will be other activities throughout the week.

To see who else will be participating on the Sunday press on the placard below.

Why not come and check it out! 

As well as funky stands to explore there will also be a DJ and snacks to get you into the spirit.  There will even be a wii station where you can drop off your boyfriend or husband so that you can shop around in peace

For more information, an article about the whole event can be read in the Frankfurter Rundschau (30.04.09) or on their online version: click here.

Hope to see you there!

Holy Shit Shopping

Wow, what an event! My last weekend at Holy Shit Shopping in Stuttgart was absolutely amazing! it was such a great way to finish off my year. 

To be totally honest when arriving on location I was a little sceptical.  The building looked more like a barn and the drive way more like a junk yard than a place for a designer fair.  But past all the rubbish was a cool hall.  At first I was scared no one would find the place as it was in such a wired location but boy was I wrong! I think they often have shows and events there, I’m not sure as we don’t live in the area.  There was actually a queue to get in on both days!  I didn’t have time to walk around to look at the stands but what I saw when building up the stand was very good quality stuff and all sorts of stuff too.  From clothes, to books, to art work, to jewelry, to porcelain, to name a few. Oh and bags of of course.

Here are a few pictures of my stand and from my stand looking out.  

 

 These were obviously taken before it became too busy. Still though you get a bit of a feel for it.

They do them in other cities as well, I’ll let you know when I’ll be participating again, this was the last fair for this year though.

So everyone have a great Christmas and a happy new year and I’ll be back in the beginning of the year with new stories, pictures, etc.