So, how did the last 2 events in June go for me? Well I think it’s safe to say that June is a poor month in which to be selling candles. Yep, June has ended as it started, pretty crappy to be honest. But it isn’t surprising, I mean candles are there to create a nice warm, cosy feeling in the home. Trouble is during the summer, nobody is home. Everybody is out and about going to barbecues, sitting in beer gardens and doing everything they can outside while the weather is fine. And who can blame them, especially here in Britain whereby as soon as a glimmer of sun appears, we strip our winter woolies and soak up the sun for a matter of a couple of days!! Actually as I write this we are in the middle of a lovely warm spell which looks like it’s going to continue for a while longer.

As this is my first year actively doing public events, I’m experiencing this seasonal slump at first hand. Usually, I have some web sales but these too have been few and far between this year. I’m just putting it down to the recession and that candles are deemed as a “luxury” item. Even though my prices are very reasonable (too reasonable to be honest) it is not a priority item. This has started me thinking that I really have to expand my range to other home fragrancing areas like room sprays, simmering granules and incense. It is going to mean more investment in R & D, but if I’m careful enough then I shouldn’t overstretch my small budget.

So, onto July. Well, I have a very busy week coming up soon. Lots of pamper nights and fetes. What my sales will be like, heaven knows. However, I have to swallow any losses during these summer months in order to get my name out there amongst local communites for forthcoming events. Come September they are going to be thinking about organising events for Christmas and that is a candlemakers busiest season. We normally end up working flat out attending events and replenishing our handmade stock in order to attend more events. However, in order to achieve that goal, we have to endure some losses during the height of summer. Hey, nobody said this would be easy and we all know that as small independent crafters that we have to take the rough with the smooth.

Bring it on!! Oh yeah!!

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