Hosting a home show has always been a success for me.  My home show is always my biggest show in sales every year. I make large quantities of crafts and host an open house in my home for several days.  I have it around Christmas time so that handmade holiday items can be included.

To have a successful home craft show the atmosphere of your home must be nice and comfortable so that your customers are relaxed and feel comfortable going through your home.  Soft classical or Christmas background music, decorations inside and out, lit candles, and snacks and coffee or punch are a must.  Last year I made 2 of my best dips that I usually serve at parties and offered the recipes, that went over real well.

   Customers want to see a large selection of handmade crafts, quilts, and holiday items.  If you can invite other crafters to participate and bring their crafts into your home show.  You can either charge them a percent (20% is the norm) or ask them to help you out the show and don't charge them at all. Customers also want to see a variety of crafts.  If you sell only fabric crafts then invite a wood maker, and a jewelry maker to join in.

Your handmade crafts should be displayed by color, or by theme.  As seen in the photo to the left, the color scheme is red, white, and blue, and the theme is patriotic and nurses. Also notice there is dolls, quilts, wood, and signs mixed in the group arrangement.

Make sure you have a accessible bathroom, plenty of change, and plenty of paper and pens. You want to make it convenient for your customers to buy so accept personal checks made payable to you, and if you can, take Visa/MC.  Statistics show that 70% of all sales are charges.

   Use all the furniture you can to display your crafts.  Once again, notice in this area of the home we displayed snowmen both fabric and wood.  We used a CD holder to use to display the crafts. As I stated before costumer want to see A LOT of crafts, they want a BIG selection. The photos on this page were taken AFTER my show was done, so you are looking at my leftovers. Imagine about 5 times the crafts shown to be on display.

    I usually don't advertise my home show because my family is involved in so many activities that I only invite people I know.  I send out invitations to my family, friends, church friends, school friends, gymnastic friends, dance friends, sewing students families, and the list goes on.  Advertising is up to you.  Some people are not comfortable having strangers in their house and only invite people they know.  If you do want to advertise I would suggest making up flyers and putting them in your neighborhood doors, and writing an article and sending in a photo to your local newspapers.  Make sure you put "Handmade Gifts Open House" and you should not be charged for it. Send it in as a write up not and advertisement.

Best of luck to you in your home craft show and make it fun for you and your customers with a nice friendly atmosphere, great snacks, light music, candles burning, lots of quality handmade items for them to chose from, and finally lots of friendly chic-chat.