Displays?

[PapelShop]

I'm hopefully going to be selling at a convention later this year in Atlanta. (Registration just opened up today actually!)

Whether I get accepted or not, I'd like to know if anyone has ever sold at art shows, conventions, etc. before? I've tried to look up ways of displaying buttons for sale but I'm not finding much info.

Table size is 6' x 2' but I might be sharing it with a friend, so I'd have about 3' to display. I've heard of using a binder, but that isn't very eye catching to me. At some con's I've seen people just selling them straight from crafting storage boxes that have compartments. I suppose I could do a variety of things, as I have quite a large assortment of pinback buttons.

[hornandcastle]

I use bead/craft organizers. I found them at Hobby Lobby for $1.99 each. They have lids, but you can cut them off and fit about 25-30 one inch buttons in each little compartment. The lids are easy to snap back on for transportation, and it makes setting up easy. I got the idea from Barrel of Monkeys - she has pictures on Flickr.

[Former_Member]

For my farmers markets, what i do, is take an old picture frame, and buy a piece of fridge magnet... replace the glass ect, with the magnet, and then your buttons will stick to it. So, I don't put the backs on them, until they sell..

Then you can stand up the frame, and display them.

I have seen people display them on cake tray too :)

[PeriwinkleDzyns]

I use vintage cake and dainty trays as they fit with my upcycle theme
here's a picture
http://periwinkledzyns.blogspot.ca/2011/12/last-chance-craft-sale-wrap-up.html#!/2011/12/last-chance...

[Former_Member]

Well, it usually depends on the conventions rules. Sometime I just have bins. At AWA, I have some bins but a magnetic board to stick one of each button on that displayed over the bins since that con allows decent size signage.

Well, here is one image of the display where my friends and I had buttons and keychains up at AWA http://a2.sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/62016_10150265299495710_723215709_15076692_4429743_n....

[Former_Member]

I pin mine to fleece, hang it over the table, over a box, move the table back and make walls to sell a whole bunch. (Hanging it from the tent, if one is provided. "walls")
You could cover SO many thing in fabric and just pin buttons on for an awesome display. Make shapes from wood etc. Maybe have big letters in your font cut out if your name is short and cover them in your usual color, using fabric. Then pin ! :D

Would love to hear new awesome ideas.

Brann :)

[PapelShop]

Thanks everyone!

Will probably make various displays by theme/series using fabric coverings or such. I'll have a whole table to myself now though, since my friend dropped out. I haven't heard back from the AA director yet, though.

[PeriwinkleDzyns]

good luck! take pictures to show us how it turns out

[naniwear]

been doing conventions for 10 years now.

here's the thing: stop thinking 2dimensional. you have so much space ABOVE the table you can use. go vertical, go behind. remove the table all together! those wire cubes are AMAZING to use; they're so modular and easy.

the more stock you get on the floor, the more you can sell. the old way to display is old and broken. think 3-dimensionally when setting up your table.

good luck!

[Former_Member]

I have mine organized in a scrapbook drawer thing. It holds 5 rows of buttons per drawer, 80ish buttons per drawer, and has 10 drawers. I have each drawer lettered and then each button has a number. I put all my buttons on a display board with their letter and number and then pull the buttons as people buy them.

Doing this shows off my product, makes it easier to group like items without trying to fit them all in the same bin (like what I used to do) and keeps my product from wandering off.

[Former_Member]

The bead organizers are great for storing them (trust me, you need to have a way to easily find the design you want, especially if you have a lot of different designs) but they won't really do much in terms of displaying your buttons. What I have done is make a cloth "scroll" which I pinned all the buttons to. It has two small wooden rods sewn in- one at at the top and one at the bottom. This keeps it extended, showing all the buttons when unfurled, but it is able to roll up into a small tube for storage and transportation with all the buttons still attached! I have hung it from the wire cubes previously mentioned, laid it out on the table, and also dangled it over the side- it's pretty versatile! It didn't take much time to make either, only about 15 minutes with a sewing machine.

I have also used a blank stretched canvas to pin buttons to - it can be propped up or laid down on a table. The issue with that is that it is harder to transport and the positions of the buttons is trickier to adjust.

Having the display buttons pinned down instead of loose means that they are much less likely to walk off in the pocket of someone, and you won't have to keep replacing the ones for display as they sell - simply grab some of the ones you have stockpiled in the containers!