What did you buy a long time ago that you have yet to use? I bought a watering can, the spout is

[applegrove]

the shape of a honking goose. I love it. It has moved across the country with me. Since I have lived in small apartments or basement apartments, I have not had any plants. Some day I'll have a whole indoor garden and will need it i know.

[HeiressofBickworth]

1. Another symbol of my many failed ventures

One year I decided to sell my hand-made jewelry at the local street fair. I bought a large square tent -- no sides, just a top. Turns out the town furnished an awning with the rented space so I didn't use it. The entry fee was $80 for the space and the awning. I sold $30 worth of goods, net loss $50. I chalked it up as something that sounded good, looked good on paper, but was a failure. When they asked me to show my jewelry at the next year's fair, I declined. Can't afford it.

Awning is in the garage, still in it's original wrapping.

[applegrove]

2. I was going to sew swimsuits and swimsuit gear. I made a whole bunch of samples. Some nice, some not

so nice. I made one for a women and some summer pants for a friend. I had made one for myself as a young adult and it lasted for years. I loved it. Then one day I was sunning on my back deck and I noticed a rip in one of my newer swimsuits. Seems the one stretch seam I had been using was more of a 'tear here' line. That was the end of sewing my swimsuits. LOL! I had a fun time doing it though. Got my creative juices flowing.

[MadrasT]

19. "Seems the one stretch seam I had been using was more of a 'tear here' line."

I've done stuff like that.

[applegrove]

25. I know. I should have tried to wear my actively wear my swimsuits made with that new sewing machine

sooner. But hey! I had fun.

[crunch60]

26. Hey, when your sunning on your back deck, just wear a G-string, wa la, no seams to tear!

[Chan790]

12. That's usually how street-fairs go.

Trying to make money on them is not really the best approach. If you break even, you're ahead of the game. The better approach is to use it as a show-space. The goal should be to show off your best work and hand out business cards with your contact information and the web-address of your Etsy page. (Have an Etsy page first-of-all, it's changed the dynamics and finances of your industry.) You can get such business cards from VistaPrint for the cost of shipping...around $8.

Beyond that, if you only made $30 and I assume you sold more than 2-3 pieces, you're probably selling too low. Most people adjust up their prices a dollar or two to cover increased overhead. Also, I assume that you do custom work...this again is a reason to focus on promotion at the street fair. Would you rather sell one piece for $10 at the fair or get contracted later by someone who liked your work to design to match someone's dress, supplying earrings and a third piece (bracelet, necklace or brooch) for $80?

(This is my free good-deed marketing advice for the week.)

[HeiressofBickworth]

16. Thank you so much for the information

I really appreciate it. You seem to have the voice of experience, which I certainly lack.

I did not sell any of my jewelry at the fair - what sold were six pairs of little girls socks on which my daughter crocheted beaded edges. They were real cute and at $5 a pair, parents had no hesitation in buying the little sweetie a pair. No so with the jewelry.

I was told that a way to price items was three times the cost ( cost + taxes + profit). I made costume jewelry so there was nothing very expensive to start with. My most expensive set was a necklace/bracelet/earring set for $50. Least expensive were some single strand, small beads. No real gold or sterling. Beads were glass, some hand-made but most I purchased wholesale and where made in India.

After talking with the six other jewelers at the fair (everything from expensive gold/silver to cheap plastic) I learned that when a street fair has rides for children, adults spend their money putting kids on the rides rather than buying jewelry. When they have kids in tow, they do little browsing either. Despite the wide range of the quality of components and the wide range of prices, the most successful one only got back her $80 entrance fee.

I had cards available to the few who browsed, but never heard anything. I haven't done custom work, but I wouldn't be opposed to it. I got started in this because my daughter taught me how to do the technical stuff with beading. I loved it and went entirely over-board in making things for myself. To the extent that I wound up with more than I could wear myself. I thought I would sell the excess. I'm a large woman so my jewelry style is large, bold and colorful -- just the kinds of things you can see on TV and in the streets today. In fact, I've seen people on the news with necklaces of the same beads I've used. If I had sold some, I probably would have made a greater effort to market the stuff. I still might, if the economy improves and it appears that people are doing more discretionary spending.

Like I said, this was not one of my better ideas. But I had fun making them.

Thanks again for the information -- I'll keep it in mind if I try it again.

[femmocrat]

3. Lots of stuff.

Most recently, I bought a stack of books when our local Borders closed. I will get to them eventually!

I have clothes in my closet with tags still hanging on them, while I wear the same old things over and over.

I also bought some fancy dishes that I never use because they have a silver rim and are not dishwasher safe.

[Major Nikon]

4. I've got a whole set of air tools I have yet to use

I've had them for years. They are in a nice case. There's an impact wrench, a grinder, a socket wrench, and all sorts of other things in there. I have used the blower attachment, but that's about it. The sad part is I've had a number of occassions to use them, but I never remember I have them when it comes time. So they sit in their nice case inside a cabinet in my garage, still shiny and brand new.

[crunch60]

27. Well, I bought a nail air gun, but.. no compressor, so there it sits. Wanna buy an air gun to go

with your collection of unused air tools?

[Major Nikon]

32. I already have a finishing nailer

I use it fairly often. I don't really have a use for a bigger one, and if I ever did I'd probably just rent one.

[crunch60]

33. A finishing nailer.. thanks lol. not an air gun!

[Baitball Blogger]

5. I have a "Box of Bad Ideas."

Lanterns I bought on the cheap which I intended to make look more expensive using stainless glass vinyl.

Small highlighting lights.

[Generic Brad]

6. A reel with 14 lb test line

I bought it last year before I went on a wilderness camping trip. I decided I needed to have a spare reel on hand in the remote event mine broke. Turns out, I did not catch many fish and my old reel held up. Maybe this will be the year.....

[hlthe2b]

7. That's funny... I just moved recently and searched everywhere for my watering can with same "spout"

I too had almost never used it, but rather a much smaller indoor model. They call that kind of spout a "rose", btw.

Searched everywhere and almost went online to try to buy another, but couldn't find one similar that wasn't really costly. Low and behold it showed up among some storage items. I've used it to start a patch of grass I'm desperate to reseed and all my outdoor potted plants. I can get nearly two gallons in it and it is so well balanced, it feels almost weightless. I love it.

Here's a pic of one similar to mine. Yup, I love it.

[bluedigger]

8. Condoms.

[applegrove]

9. LOL!

[dawg]

22. Yeah. How long before those things expire?

[bluedigger]

23. My best guess is however long it takes me to "get lucky", minus one.

[crunch60]

28. birth control pills. Yikes, hope Limbaugh dosen't read this thread, he'll say I'm a slut.

[bluedigger]

29. Um, I think you're doing it wrong.

You aren't getting your birth control advice from Rush, are you?

[kentauros]

10. I know I have comicbooks I've never read.

They're in storage (i.e., a packed "walk-in" closet.) Same for books I've never read but keep "just in case." I'm sure I have kitchen equipment I've never used, too, such as the English Muffin rings and the meat-grinding dies for the KitchenAid mixer. I know I'll likely never use those, however

[Kali]

11. a new pro string mop (I have a good janitor's bucket with a squeeze)

and I am way too embarrassed to say how long ago I bought it

[Chan790]

13. A pair of $80 Bogs weather boots.

Since I bought them, we've had neither snow nor a big flooding thunderstorm.

Last year, we had nothing but snowstorms and flooding and I kept getting stranded in bad weather including having to walk 5mi at 4am in slush in damp holey sneakers.

[IcyPeas]

14. a router....

I planned on going wireless but I'm still hooked up to wires. I can't be bothered.

[Ikonoklast]

24. Must be a pain to leave the house.

[dimbear]

15. Hmm. WWII Australian bayonet? WWI field telephone? Two man lumberjack saw?

It's hard to work these things into a humdrum life, but it gives you an idea of the decor.........

[Ron Obvious]

17. A cemetery plot

A cemetery plot. I'm not keen to start using it yet.

[Yavin4]

18. My Very Expensive Education

Could have done this job with my high school skills.

[MadrasT]

20. Power tools

Saws and stuff. I keep thinking I'm going to make something... the tools are still in the boxes.

[jakeXT]

21. 3 kites

Someone from my family said they want one, I bought 3 of them. When I came home the person said she was just joking. I made one kite ready, but it was just lying around and the wires were all a mess and I had to untie them. Now everything is back inside the wrapping.

[annabanana]

30. oh lord.. I bought a small loom designed to make beaded

bracelets & necklaces etc. It's still in the box.

About 2 or 3 times a year I mistake myself for someone who's "crafty"

[RedCloud]

31. Some hurricane repellent

Hasn't been windy since. Must be working.