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Johnna's Mohair Store - Specializing in hand dyed mohair and alpaca
Past Time Bears - Artist bears designed and handcrafted by Sue Ann Holcomb

clare14 Country Bears
England
Posts: 3,066

I'm nearing my show, and being a total 'newie', I quite fancy the idea of a big cloth with platforms, or boxes underneath to make little plinths to sit bears on.

I just wondered what you used, (if you do it this way) it would have to be quite strong as people will inevitably pick the bears up and plonk them back down!!:/

If you don't do this, I'd love to know what you do do..............

Oh also, how do you display your name on your table?   In a picture frame?? Or what??   

Sorry, terribly nosey!!:P

Kirsten So. Cal.
Posts: 302
Website

My mom does antique shows and she buys plastic risers to put on top or under the cloth. Boxes work well also, or if you want it to be seen, small suitcases, chairs, flowerpots, old books, doll tables, etc can be used. I think your name in a nice frame would be great!

ellen ontario, canada
Posts: 324

*anxious to hear some ideas*
i was just discussing this with a friend - wondering how to display.  "plinths" to "plonk" bears on sounds grrreat too!
bear_laugh

Daphne Back Road Bears
Laconia, NH USA
Posts: 6,568

Wooden apple crates...

For UNDER table covering: Use the plastic totes with covers to transport your bears in. They come in all different sizes, stack well for loading in the car and protect your creations from the weather or otherwise getting mangled. These totes can then be put on your table, coverd with a cloth and now you've got a place to put your bears. They are indeed sturdy and strong enough for plunking and give you plenty of height and options. The less you have to haul in and out the better in my opinion.

Or you can go to the extreme I went to and build shelves. I do NOT recommend this unless you'll be doing lots of shows. I do juried artisan shows that require a 'fancy' display so did this:

booth.jpg

Be sure to take pictures of your display and check out what others do while you are there!!

Daphne

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,932

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

PTBquiltedsign.jpgSueAnn-at-Schaumburg2004.jpgThis is my table.  You can't see it, but I have put my business name on some fabric printer paper, then " quilted" it to make a sign.  But, you can also see my name on a placard that was provided by Connie and Amber from ABC Unlimited Productions, as this photo came from the Schaumburg show.  Will try to get a photo up of the sign I made.  Good luck, Clare, with your display.  (Addition)  Here's the sign I made using the fabric printer paper that we've talked about before.  It has all sorts of uses!!

psichick78 Flying Fur Studios
Calgary, Alberta, Canada
Posts: 3,073

ooh Sue Ann, what eye candy. I've been staring at all your bears for a while now. How cool to have soo many at once. That's why I'm making lots before I start selling.
Wonderful, thanks for sharing

plushkinbear BEAR ME SHOOTKA
Vladivostok, RUSSIA
Posts: 2,139

Daphne, great table!

Sue Ann, wow! You're a queen! Great bears!! And so many!!

Julia

Delartful Bears Delartful Bears
Australia
Posts: 3,518

Ooh what lovely table shots, thanks for sharing!

Sue Ann, your face always makes me smile! You have a beautiful smile, and oyu are so friendly looking!

Danni

SueAnn Past Time Bears
Double Oak, Texas
Posts: 21,932

SueAnn Help Advisor, Banner Sponsor

Thank you much, Miss Danni!  You know how to perk up an old lady's day, for sure!

melissa Honeythorpe Bears
Wellington, New Zealand
Posts: 1,789
Website

Because I'm usually travelling by air to any show I attend -  I have a fairly simple table set up.  I use lots of cardboard boxes .  I put one big piece of panne velvet on the table - set up the boxes and then drape another piece of velvet over the top


One clever idea I have seen is to use that corrugated plastic stuff that they make real eastate agents boards from.  Cut it in a variety of rectangles and attach sticky backed velcro bits to each corner (2 fuzzy and 2 grabby bits)  Roll up the rectangle into a cylander, fastening the velcro and pop a heavyish cardboard or mdf square on top - cover with your fabric and you have lovely columns for dispay and super easy to transport too.

doodlebears Doodlebears
UK
Posts: 7,414

doodlebears Celebration Ambassador

doodlebearstable.jpgHere is a picture of my table at a show. I had to travel by train to this show so I could only take what I could carry. I bought three folding newspaper racks which fold flat. I opened them and stood them upside down and put a board along all three and covered them with cloth this made a shelf for some of my bears to stand on. The table cover is a black, very soft, velvet type material. I made the name banner to hang across the front part of the table out of white cotton and painted the name on with fabric paints. I take around twenty to twenty five bears with me each time, also hand painted tee shirts ,which my daughter Sarah paints. Hand made Teddy clothing and lots of flyers (the next show I will have some for Teddy Talk) business cards and a visitors book. I packed all of this into one suitcase and one holdall and nothing was crushed. 

Jane

jenny Three O'clock Bears
warwickshire uk
Posts: 4,413
Website

I have to re-design my table....my husband made lovely boxes...which we re-paint all the time...but it's like moving house every fair...the car is loaded up with them...they are good for carrying the bears in too though...but they are so heavy. I love the stands with the vintage bits on ....like suitcases etc....they don't work with my bears though.

I don't have a sign either...which I never know whether I am doing the right thing...I have an old  clock with the hands on  the 3'o'clock..

Cheaper than making a sign..

Jenny

All Bear All Bear by Paula
Kent
Posts: 5,162
Website

allbearstandaug.jpgMine's a bit cumbersome, but works okay with a trolley to haul it all from the car!

vkallum Humble-Crumble Collectors Bears
Essex, England
Posts: 334
Website

Hi Clare

I use a selection of hamper baskets and chairs to display my bears - not that I get to many shows.  As for the sign though, I bought an A4 perspex(??) stand up frame (the type you often see at check outs in shops) from a company called Morplan. They do shop all sorts of shop supplies including some nice paper craft bags and acid free tissue paper. I have printed my logo and name on a sheet of A4, popped it in the frame and then I just stand it at the front of my table.  It doesn't take up any space in the car either.

Good luck.

Vicky

Roxanne Bear Paws by Roxanne
Odessa, Tx
Posts: 917

Oh, I just LOVE seeing the pictures from your shows! I have never attended one, so this really encourages me to work towards doing so. They are all lovely displays.
Keep on adding your pictures PLEASE. bear_laugh:D

starlite Starlite Bears
Renfrew,Scotland
Posts: 1,676

fair2.jpgHi Clare
I found a picture of my table too - sorry if not a good picture :rolleyes:
Living in Scotland I only do a couple of shows at most in a year but I use collapsable crates now that fold into themselves to they are flat, also I have used a tiny music box chest of drawers for bears to climb on and my standard accessory is a small staircase that my partner John made for me
I array the boxes around the table end to end and also the stairs then use a different  coloured drape dependant on season and then put some snow for winter or scatter flowers for summer.  Always have star confetti scattered around (terrible mess a t the end but eye catching bear_laugh for collectors)
I have a sign which is effectively a slice from a tree - varnished a number of coats and then I had a sign maker guy (you know the kind who make plastic letters for signs and notices and tee shirts) anyway I got him to do my bear name in plastic and apply to the sign.
I do not know how I would travel far with all this stuff though as we go in the car
All the other idea sound great but I agree if a bear is raised peple can look him/her in the eye and you know that they say good eye contact is the way to make friends :lol:
I think plonking of bears is maybe not so common - most collectors I have met handle the bears a bit like babies or little animals (live ones I mean) - with great care and respect for their person.

What ever you decide Hope the show goes really well for you
Maybe you could post pictures after
Hugs
Anne

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