Putting together my shop

I have taken the leap and signed my contract, picked my booth, paid my fees and I'm officially a vendor at Cross Roads. Wow! Now how do I set up this blank canvas to best showcase my fused glass pendants? Each piece is unique. I don't have much money to purchase "store" type displays. What could I do? 


Let's start with what I know. The space is 10 foot deep and 15 foot wide, purple sponge painted and has 2 sets of flood lights. I have permission to use an extra counter that was floating around Cross Roads. The clothing rack is also available for use. Ok, now to figure out how I want my booth to look. I had thoughts of walls of squares that each could hold one pendant on a bust, a victorian sitting room, a rustic look and a hundred others.





So many ideas and no money to create any of them. I knew I would need lots of lighting. Curio cabinets, china hutches those things have lighting in them. I needed to get the product up where people could see it. Off to Craigslist....Wow, found several pieces but they were way out of my price range. Guess that idea was a bust. I guess I just have to look at what I already have available to me. I found some small tables, an old cast iron sewing machine in a cabinet and part of a hutch. Well, it's a start.  My mom offered a small Barrister bookcase and Grandma's lighted curio style cabinet.  Sweet, I'm on my way.  I found a table with a drawer that would fit under Grandma's cabinet and painted it black to match the cabinet. A beautiful focal point!  I checked with mom to see if I could drill holes and put nails in the bookcase, I was told to go for it.  So I added a couple strands of white Christmas lights.  The bookcase would fit on top of the hutch base. Two displays created.  My mother also offered me a jewelry armoire that would hang on the wall. I accepted her generous offer. Three displays! Things are coming together.

Ok, I'm off to a good start, but I have over 100 pendants to display. At this point I can only show about 25 of them. I need more display ideas. I have a lot of purple wall space. I know! Wearable art! Picture frames! Off to the box in the attic! It is full of old frames. I didn't even take the pictures out of them. I covered the glass with paper and glued cardboard busts to them. I did buy a few of the segmented frames at Walmart and put scrapbooking paper in them and stick on hooks.  Some garland (my mom's great idea) across the back wall to hide outlet boxes. A tree decal, a couple small wall shelves, some decorative elements and we have a boutique not just a shop or booth. 

When creating your booth, use the same creativity you put into your products. Your space doesn't have to look like everyone elses. It should reflect you and your products. Work with what you have. You can always add or remove display items, rearrange them or repurpose them. Make it what you want, what you love, what you feel comfortable with.

Part 4 will be my experience as a full time vendor at Cross Roads.



Part 1- My first visit to Cross Roads
Part 2- Opening a shop at Cross Roads, is it really possible?
Part 3- Putting together my shop
Part 4- I did it! You can too!

Worth a weekly visit. Fudge N' Stuff, homemade fudge for everyone.

Just some of the 100+ varieties of fudge.

Every Saturday from May through December I get to hear the cheerful voice of Wendy talking to any patron that walks by her Fudge & Stuff shop.  She offers free samples of fudge. And you can try as many flavors as she has available.  How awesome is that. Being directly across the room from her, every time I look to my left I can see fudge, fudge covered apples and fudge covered marshmallows. Good thing I'm not on a diet. Actually that wouldn't really matter, Wendy thinks of everyone, she has sucrose free fudge. A great way for dieters and diabetics to get a sweet treat.

Dave comes in to make fudge, here you see him making 1 of over 150+ recipes. On any given market day you will find, on average, 20 different "regular" flavors and 6 sucrose free flavors. Oohh, let us not forget about the flavor of the month! Every month is a special flavor.  Last month they had apple pie, so nummy, and this month it is pumpkin pie and next month will be candy cane.

The best part about FudgeN' Stuff maybe their specials. If you buy 1 pound of fudge you get 1/2 pound FREE. You can pick up to 6 flavors!

If sweet and tart is what you are looking for try the fudge covered apples. $2 each or 3 for $5. A great way to get the little ones to eat an apple.

Fudge covered marshmallows are $1 each or 6 for $5.

Bavarian Glazed Nuts - peanuts, pecans, almonds & cashews $3 each, 2 for $5, 3 for $7 or 4 for $9. A great protein packed snack to help keep up your strength for the other 2 buildings.

A New Vendor at Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market, Westfield, NY

Come meet Cindy Robison! She is the owner & designer at Shades Etc.

In 2005, Cindy took a lampshade making class in Vermont. She loved it. A friend suggested she should make shades for welcome lamps and sell them at craft shows. That started her desire to make different kinds of shades. She also took classes in Victorian handsewn shades and learned on her own how to make hardback shades.

Cindy loves all things feminine, frilly & lacey. Her shoppe at Cross Roads proves this.  I stopped by on Saturday and was in love myself. It smell absolutely wonderful.  I saw a variety of products. Cindy is passionate about supporting local artist/crafters and so you will find several products in the shoppe on consignment, along with their business cards and biographies.

While checking out our newest vendor I saw: a variety of lamp shades large & small, handmade bath salts, Goats Milk soaps, Victorian style note cards. All of which have been presented in a Victorian setting.  This is a great addition and a unique experience.

Stop by her shop and say hello. By the way she has everything in the shoppe 15% off as a welcome gift to all who stop by.  If we can make this good for her maybe she will stay and become a permanent vendor.

My First Visit to Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market Westfield, NY (part 1)

In 2012, the last time I did a "Craft Show", I accepted an invitation only set-up to the Cross Roads Farm and Craft Market in Westfield, NY.  It was the 1st annual, Invitation Only Craft Show. I had know about the market for years and it is in my area, yet I had never even stopped to take a look at it.  Wow! My bad! I knew I had driven past it before but I couldn't remember where it was. I had one of their flyers with a small map on it. It was a life saver.  I found my way to Sherman, NY and from there followed the blue information signs along Chautauqua County road 21 (Westfield-Sherman Road). About 5 miles down the road the 3 large buildings appeared just over a small knoll. I blew right past the driveway!  Thank goodness the powers that be at Cross Roads had the foresight to put in a second driveway at the other end of the large parking lot. Did you know you could park a fleet of tour buses in the parking lot and still have room? I was nervous. I thought the people would be uppity and un-friendly. Boy was I wrong!  Mrs. Gerry Vacanti owner of Peaceful Designs, was the woman in charge.


She set me up just outside the door to building 2 on the edge of the paved blacktop walkway. I was very impressed by what I saw. The view was beautiful. The grounds were immaculate. The breeze was present, as always. A beautiful day. 3 buildings full of shopping. When Cross Roads first opened in 1997 all vendors were not able to sell retail. Everything they were selling was handmade. Wow. Lots of neat stuff.

Throughout the day I wandered through all the buildings, my daughter stayed with our booth. This the first time I tried Merritt Estates Winery's XTC wine. I am not a wine drinker but this stuff was good. I bought 2 bottles. As I wandered though building 3 I found jams, jellies, cheese & olives. Every kind and flavor you could want.  Here is also where I found Peaceful Designs. Mrs. Vacanti was a wealth of knowledge about Cross Roads. She told me about rent fees and what was included. The difference between an occasional vendor and a permanent vendor. About the need for a NY tax ID number and liability insurance.

I was in love. If I became a vendor I would no longer have to load up my vehicle on Thursday or Friday night, get up with the chickens on Friday or Saturday and find my way to this weeks craft show location. I wouldn't have to find a place to park while I found the person in charge. I wouldn't have to look for my space, hope I could drive up to unload, unload, set-up, move my vehicle. I wouldn't have to make sure that I had the sides to my tent in case of rain. I wouldn't need to make sure I was dressed for the weather. My daughter would be graduating in a few years and I would no longer have her constant help at the craft shows. She did a lot of  fetching and toting for me. Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market seemed like a dream come true.

Part 1- My first visit to Cross Roads 

Part 2- Opening a shop at Cross Roads, is it really possible?

Part 3- Putting together my shop

Part 4- I did it! You can too!

Welcome To Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market in Westfield, NY

Historic Spot

Overlooking two valleys:

The first settlement in what is now Chautauqua County, New York, was the "Cross Roads" along the portage trail between Lakes Chautauqua and Erie. We're atop a steep escarpment that divides two watersheds and offers breathtaking views. What was just a fallow hilltop field in 1995 has become a thriving shopping community. Cross Roads Farm & Craft Market is a Co-op of over twenty five member-owned shops.

Featuring over 22,000 square feet of entertaining sights and smells only found here. At Cross Roads, discover exceptional values in a unique market ambiance and support local farmers, craftsman and artisans.

Never go hungry! Enjoy fresh bakery goods, mouthwatering breakfasts, lunches and dinners, organic and seasonal local produce. Peruse our variety of bulk candy, sensational spices, coffees, cheeses and maple products. Relax over a wine tasting at one of our wineries, or get the supplies to make your own beer at home.

We feature collectibles, miniatures, Amish-made furniture, and hand-built pottery. Looking for unique jewelry, cutlery, tole, or hand-sewn pieces? We've got you covered!

Cross Roads - the jewel of Chautauqua County. Come and see why.