Face Paint Split Cakes

[Sherry]

I have an event today celebrating the anniversary of our children's hospital.  I've had these mini split cakes I made up ages ago and never really get to dip into them much, save the pink and purple combo.  People normally want exactly what is on the picture board and rarely go for different color combos.

 Today is the day.  I made up a small table sign that only lists choices... no pictures.  I'm going to give it a go.  Wish me luck! 

[Glitterfly Faces]

Best of luck and have fun.

[Alison]

WONDERFUL!  I hope you had a great time Sherry.

I'm curious about your experience -
Did you take advantage of the freedom to create each face anew,
Or did you end up doing the same things over and over because you couldn't focus on making up so much new stuff?

[Sherry]

The second part Alison.  I was super busy, despite the rain and couldn't really focus on creating many new things.  I think when you have a sign and no pictures, people go with what they've already seen on others.  I can hear them discussing the designs as they're moving along in the line and I think they're afraid of what the possible results will be. 

Once someone takes a chance on a different design, that opens up the floodgates.  For example, one of the first designs I did was the heart puppy, that became one of the most popular designs of the day.  The same thing happened with the butterfly choice and eventually Hello Kitty.

I wish I was better at doing designs on the fly, but I seem to get a "standard" and repeat it over and over.  I learned the butterfly I did yesterday from Clash the clown videos.  But I did get to try my designs in different colors!  Yes!   


Here was the top choice heart puppy

[Sherry]

[Sherry]

Fire Face was the favorite for boys and men alike.

[Glitterfly Faces]

I love the designs and everyone seemed super happy.
Was it a PPF or did the hospital pay you to be there?
I am always nervous about renting a booth and charging per face. Just incase I am not busy.  I hate to loose money on an event.

[Sherry]

I did this event for trade. 

I agree about the worries of PPF.  I've had too many where I've paid to be there.  All the preparing the week before.  Lugging all your equipment there.  Making a small or nonexistent profit and then tearing down your setup and lugging it all back home.  It's a lot of work!

So I try to take my time and size up PPF events before jumping right in.

[reginanewsum]

I to in the beginning had events where I was in the RED after the event was over, live and learn I guess. But i nigotiate every event if they have a space rent, where I don't lay out any money before the event! Tell them you are not a crafter, that you have nothing on your table to sell, that you must sell your talent, so you are not a crafter, you are an entertainer! Tell them it will draw a crowd of people even if they just watch you, and offer them 10% of your total sales for the day, some times they want to go higher in percent, but a great gift of gab will bring it down!  I have now done events where I was to pay 10% and when I took the envelope to them at the end of the event, they wouldn't take it! Thy would say the children loved you, will you come back next year? At no space rent for you! Now thats a great thing! And can we include you in our advertisement for our next event? And great thing to, I don't have to pay for that!

[Sherry]

Awesome Gina.  I wish I had the gift of gab!     I'm slowly, but surely trying to make my voice heard when it comes to the PPF events.  Sometimes, I've found that the people that won't come down or make any concessions end up not being worth my time anyway.  When I've went along, I've regretted it.

On the other hand, ones who have worked with me have ended up being pretty awesome at times.  Last year, I contacted a fair that I was interested in doing.  When they came back with the price, I thought it would be too risky to go that high.  When the man heard my hesitation, he knocked $100 off the top.  I took the chance and it ended up being one of my best paying events last year.  I'm so glad, because the fair I did just a month before was just the opposite... slooowww.

[reginanewsum]

yup we all live and learn from our gigs! So glad to hear you did great at that fair.  I did a fair at the end of september monday thru saturday, 12 pm to 8 pm, long hours, some hours I was swamped and other hours I just sat and watched the people go by! I did $2200.00 for the 6 days, that broke down to $367.00 per day. or $48.00 per hour, and I had to give the fair $220.00 for the week, I guess any time I can make over $40.00 per hour nd set and watch for a break thats ok. I am signed up for it again this year.  I do have some very very big gigs for this year tho, a 5 weekend sat and sun rennasance faire, that brings hundreds of people, a two week end rennasance fair sat and sun, two county fairs each one week long, my city hired me for a 6 week program mom, wed and fri to do summer camp. and a couple superfests at churches that are three dayers. so I can't wait for the weather to break. and none of these are over 10% fee, some are 5% fee ,and the churches are 0%. You just gotta sell yourself!

[Sherry]

Nice Gina.  All your events sound fun and exciting, but especially the Renaissance.  Maybe because I haven't done one yet.  I always thought they would be cost prohibitive.  Now you've got me thinking about contacting one and seeing if they will take a percentage instead.  Do you worry about competition at your events?  Or do you find it not to be a problem?

[Alison]

Great ideas - I dont' sign up much for events - because I want to be open for Parties.
But I do think it's a good idea - Maybe (and that's just maybe) I'll do it this year.  

Aren't you torn if you've arranged for a PPF, and an hourly gig comes in?

And Thanks for the Pictures, Sherry!  Real nice application on that heart-dog.  And I love how the fire-man ended up looking - I think he's my favorite.  Your experience is real.  I found that, photo-samples Or word-lists, I only get creative when it's real slow.  And then, because business is slow and I'm dawdling over the customer here and there, I start to feel unprofessional.    The most creativity comes when I'm real busy and people keep asking for the same thing over and over - Then, to avoid getting bored or something, I'll end up making changes within the basic design.

[reginanewsum]

No I don't worry about compitition! I LOVE compitition! I don't think there is a face painter around me within 50 miles! Well I know of one about 30 miles, but she uses acrylics! And I don't consider that a true safe face painter! And she only does little doodle art on the cheek.  I thought about parties coming in during the big events, but I will try to work around them, I think these great big events in my area will help get my name out, I will be ready with tons of business cards, flyers, frig magnets, and the gift of gab! I must have a couple thousand frig magnets! My hubbies friend made them up for me at his printing business, for FREE!

[Sherry]

Yeah, I worry about bookings coming in when I do PPF events, because they usually do.  I have a couple artists who work with me, so I send them out when I'm already booked.