Well, I think it's safe to say that candle selling is over for 2010. It's not been too bad a start, we have to bare in mind that this is my first year and I'm just starting out on a long journey.
In January, my website (www.fourteencandles.com) will be 1 year old, and I think I will be renewing the web address for another year. Even if I havent had a single sale from the website yet, I think it is important to have one to direct people to when they ask what you have to offer.
I foresee 2011 being even better for my candle sales, as I strive to make this my career for the year ahead! It's onwards and upwards for Fourteen Candles.
This will be my last post for 2010 I expect, so I want to wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!!
Best wishes to all, speak again in 2011!! x
HANDMADE CANDLES WITH A VINTAGE TWIST. Fourteen Candles is a small homebased company in Bridport, Dorset and has been running since January 2010. Inspired by my love of candles and delicious scents, I make handmade candles using recycled jars, teacups and other items I find on my travels, making my candles both unique and environmentally friendly.
Tuesday 21 December 2010
Thursday 2 December 2010
Dorchester Christmas Cracker Night
After such a successful event at Chickerell on Sunday, I was keen to book myself into more events to sell my candles. So I was very excited when I managed to get myself a last minute table at the Dorchseter Christmas Cracker Night on 1st December. I was sure this was going to be great as late night shopping for Christmas is always busy.
Oh how I can be so wrong!
I paid £10 for a table from 6pm - 9pm. And sold £6.75 of candles. Oh dear. Not so good.
There were no people to be seen where I was, it was so incredibly cold that no one was interested in shopping or hanging about to browse even. I was located in the Corn Exchange, which was at least indoors and warmer, but people were only coming in for the free tea and mince pies.
What a shame, I was convinced I would do well here - goes to show that you never can tell.
So, I am on the look out again for more events in Dorset - let me know if you know of any. Speak soon, and in the meantime, enjoy all the snow!!
Oh how I can be so wrong!
I paid £10 for a table from 6pm - 9pm. And sold £6.75 of candles. Oh dear. Not so good.
There were no people to be seen where I was, it was so incredibly cold that no one was interested in shopping or hanging about to browse even. I was located in the Corn Exchange, which was at least indoors and warmer, but people were only coming in for the free tea and mince pies.
What a shame, I was convinced I would do well here - goes to show that you never can tell.
So, I am on the look out again for more events in Dorset - let me know if you know of any. Speak soon, and in the meantime, enjoy all the snow!!
Sunday 28 November 2010
Chickerell Christmas Fair
What a fantastic and very successful day today!!!
The Christmas Fair at Chickerell today was amazing. From 1pm - 4pm, I SOLD SOLD SOLD! Loved every minute of it. From talking about the handmade candles to encouraging people to sniff and buy! It really was a great day had by all. And to top it off, we made £45.75!! Our biggest day ever for sales - I am so very very pleased! Plus, it made packing away much easier at the end of the day! ;)
So thats all of the fairs and events that I booked now, so if anyone knows of any fetes, fairs, bazaars etc within Dorset, please let me know! Also, if anyone local knows of any shops that may be interested in displaying a few of my products then I would be very grateful for any info.
Thank you all for your support! x
The Christmas Fair at Chickerell today was amazing. From 1pm - 4pm, I SOLD SOLD SOLD! Loved every minute of it. From talking about the handmade candles to encouraging people to sniff and buy! It really was a great day had by all. And to top it off, we made £45.75!! Our biggest day ever for sales - I am so very very pleased! Plus, it made packing away much easier at the end of the day! ;)
So thats all of the fairs and events that I booked now, so if anyone knows of any fetes, fairs, bazaars etc within Dorset, please let me know! Also, if anyone local knows of any shops that may be interested in displaying a few of my products then I would be very grateful for any info.
Thank you all for your support! x
Saturday 27 November 2010
Royal Manor Christmas Bazaar, Portland
Last night Fourteen Candles attended the Christmas Bazaar at the Royal Manor school in Portland.
Although we were apprehensive about the school fair when we first arrived, I must say it was very enjoyable and much more worth while than Wimborne Market.
The stall cost £5, and I sold £9.75 of candles - it doesnt sound much, but its an improvement on last time, and I enjoyed it which is important. Things can only get better. Plus, I'm starting to get the company name out there, recognised and my products on display.
BREAKING NEWS!!! - I sold my first Candle hamper, which felt great - someone likes my hampers! Woohooo!
Tomorrow we will be attending the Chickerell Christmas Fair, I'll keep you posted as to how it goes!
Although we were apprehensive about the school fair when we first arrived, I must say it was very enjoyable and much more worth while than Wimborne Market.
The stall cost £5, and I sold £9.75 of candles - it doesnt sound much, but its an improvement on last time, and I enjoyed it which is important. Things can only get better. Plus, I'm starting to get the company name out there, recognised and my products on display.
BREAKING NEWS!!! - I sold my first Candle hamper, which felt great - someone likes my hampers! Woohooo!
Tomorrow we will be attending the Chickerell Christmas Fair, I'll keep you posted as to how it goes!
Sunday 21 November 2010
Onwards and Upwards!!
So, after some great feedback (Thank you followers of my blog!) and some time to think, I'm feeling quite positive again. I have decided to continue with the original name of Fourteen Candles as I have spent nearly a year raising awareness of that name online so it would be a shame to have to start again.
Please feel free to visit my facebook page, the more the merrier! Just type Fourteen Candles into the search box and there you should find me.
This week I shall be setting up a dummy table at home to practice the layout of my stall, hopefully I can get it looking very proffessional and inviting to look at - I want everything to look great and scream BUY ME!
I have two christmas fairs to attend this weekend which is very exciting! I will be at the Royal Manor Christmas Bazaar in Portland on Friday 26th Nov from 7pm to 9pm. Then on Sunday 28th Nov, I will be at the Chickerell Christmas Fair from 1pm - 5pm. If there are any local people reading this blog - it would be great to see you there!
Please feel free to visit my facebook page, the more the merrier! Just type Fourteen Candles into the search box and there you should find me.
This week I shall be setting up a dummy table at home to practice the layout of my stall, hopefully I can get it looking very proffessional and inviting to look at - I want everything to look great and scream BUY ME!
I have two christmas fairs to attend this weekend which is very exciting! I will be at the Royal Manor Christmas Bazaar in Portland on Friday 26th Nov from 7pm to 9pm. Then on Sunday 28th Nov, I will be at the Chickerell Christmas Fair from 1pm - 5pm. If there are any local people reading this blog - it would be great to see you there!
Sunday 14 November 2010
Wimborne Market
Last Sunday I attempted to sell my candles and gift baskets for the first time, at Wimborne Market.
I was massively excited to do this, as I had never attempted to sell any of my stock before and a great deal of planning and effort went into it all. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the customers at Wimborne Market.
Having got up at 6am to set off to the market, set up my stall at 8am and stand in the freezing cold all day, it turns out that no one was there to buy candles.
Paying £14 for the pitch, and taking only £3.75 in candle sales means I was £10.25 down on the day, which also happened to be my mums birthday. She had very kindly given up her day to help me on the stall. Bless her, my mum is so very supportive of my candle venture.
So my first sales opportunity turned out very unsuccessful. Which leaves me with a dilema - should I give up? Does no one want to buy candles? Am I pursuing the wrong thing?
On the other hand, should I just see it as a bad day and try again? Perhaps Wimborne Market isnt the right venue for me, but somewhere else might be?
I have two christmas fairs booked to attend, so I will pursue those next. Portland School Christmas Bazaar on 26th November, and Chickerell Christmas Fair on 28th November. Hopefully, fingers crossed, these will be better. Until then, all I can do is keep praying.
As for the great name debate, I'm still confused. The name I used for Wimborne Market was 'Candles by Tanya' although I am not entirely convinced. My Fourteen Candles website expires in January and I am unsure as to whether I want to continue with it....
I was massively excited to do this, as I had never attempted to sell any of my stock before and a great deal of planning and effort went into it all. Unfortunately, the same cannot be said for the customers at Wimborne Market.
Having got up at 6am to set off to the market, set up my stall at 8am and stand in the freezing cold all day, it turns out that no one was there to buy candles.
Paying £14 for the pitch, and taking only £3.75 in candle sales means I was £10.25 down on the day, which also happened to be my mums birthday. She had very kindly given up her day to help me on the stall. Bless her, my mum is so very supportive of my candle venture.
So my first sales opportunity turned out very unsuccessful. Which leaves me with a dilema - should I give up? Does no one want to buy candles? Am I pursuing the wrong thing?
On the other hand, should I just see it as a bad day and try again? Perhaps Wimborne Market isnt the right venue for me, but somewhere else might be?
I have two christmas fairs booked to attend, so I will pursue those next. Portland School Christmas Bazaar on 26th November, and Chickerell Christmas Fair on 28th November. Hopefully, fingers crossed, these will be better. Until then, all I can do is keep praying.
As for the great name debate, I'm still confused. The name I used for Wimborne Market was 'Candles by Tanya' although I am not entirely convinced. My Fourteen Candles website expires in January and I am unsure as to whether I want to continue with it....
Wednesday 6 October 2010
A new company name - Suggestions Please!
Fourteen Candles needs a catchier and more memorable name - the winning suggestion will win a beautiful candle hamper!
Any suggestions welcome please - a name needs to be found by the end of next week (17 october).
Get your thinking caps on!!
Any suggestions welcome please - a name needs to be found by the end of next week (17 october).
Get your thinking caps on!!
Friday 17 September 2010
Wicker Baskets Have Been Ordered - Christmas Is Coming!!
The wicker baskets have been ordered and are on their way to my home to be turned into beautiful candle gift baskets and hampers! I cant wait to start putting them together, there's nothing more exciting than creating hampers with home made items, wrapping them, choosing the perfect colour ribbon.....oh the fun I will have.
I hope that people will like them as much as I do, as I have my sights set on selling them at my first christmas fair! Yikes!
Pictures will be added as soon as the hampers are made! Perhaps you know someone that they will make the perfect gift for....
Saturday 4 September 2010
Poll Closed - What is your favourite scent?...
So after two weeks, the 'What is your favourite scent?' poll has closed and I can reveal that the most popular scent - with 50% of the vote is.....
Banana!
With that in mind, check out my website for a delicious Banana Leaf scented votive candle for only 75p each! They smell fab and are Colonial home scenters which is a really great make of candle.
A new poll will be available soon - happy voting!
Banana!
With that in mind, check out my website for a delicious Banana Leaf scented votive candle for only 75p each! They smell fab and are Colonial home scenters which is a really great make of candle.
A new poll will be available soon - happy voting!
Friday 27 August 2010
Bank Holiday Weekend - A time for creativity and productivity.
Bank Holiday weekends are seen as an opportunity to kick back, relax and have a well earned rest. Not for me!
I will be spending my weekend elbow deep in melted wax and wicks and candle moulds. The weekends are my candle making time and I intend to be creative!
I have several vintage tea cups that need filling with wax, a roll of cellephane that needs wrapping round my creations and all of it needs to be added to the website! http://www.fourteencandles.com/
By the time the weekend is over I'll need to come back to work for a rest! You never know, I may find time to add some pictures of the candles I make on here! x
Monday 23 August 2010
So what do you have to do to get someone to read your blog? Answers on a postcard please!
So, Fourteen Candles has had a blog for over a week now. I know I'm not the most patient person ever, but I was hoping for a few followers. Otherwise, these poor words I type will never be read. If nothing else, my fingers tapping away on the keyboard has proven very popular with my very baby kitten who would like nothing more than to pounce on the laptop and chew off my fingers one by one.
If anyone reads this, please let me know how you successfully gather followers to your blog, and I will of course respond, should the kitten let me!
If anyone reads this, please let me know how you successfully gather followers to your blog, and I will of course respond, should the kitten let me!
Sunday 15 August 2010
And so it begins....
Fourteen Candles is writing its very first blog, in the hope to create some awareness of the business. Scary stuff.
Fourteen Candles has been running since January 2010. I'd had a hectic year with a lot of bad luck, and so at the grand old age of 21 and a new year ahead of me, I decided to set up my own candle company.
I've always loved candles, and with a creative mind I had a desire to learn to make them also. My dream is to one day have a candle boutique in my home town, selling my unique handmade candles. Until such a time when orders are pouring in and I can afford a shop, I hope to raise awareness on the internet and sell via fourteencandles.com.
I hope that someone reading this out there will love what Fourteen Candles has to offer. In return, I ask that you spread the word.
Fourteen Candles has been running since January 2010. I'd had a hectic year with a lot of bad luck, and so at the grand old age of 21 and a new year ahead of me, I decided to set up my own candle company.
I've always loved candles, and with a creative mind I had a desire to learn to make them also. My dream is to one day have a candle boutique in my home town, selling my unique handmade candles. Until such a time when orders are pouring in and I can afford a shop, I hope to raise awareness on the internet and sell via fourteencandles.com.
I hope that someone reading this out there will love what Fourteen Candles has to offer. In return, I ask that you spread the word.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)