I am turning an ornament out of Yellow Heart and a deep red scrap that could be one of several that I've used. During a glue/clamp dry up I got on line and looked at some other ornament for sale for ideas. WOW, did I get a surprise at the selling price of the ornaments. Most of the nice ones start at $100.00. What!! I must have a fortune hanging around my house on display. All that I saw were much the same design. I've only made 4 of  one kind, canary cage with bird. I didn't want to make another one, after the first one. However, my wife showed our daughters and her friends. That was followed by Please, Please dad, I really want one. After 4.........no more. I could sell some, but I prefer to give them to family members. The whole point of me making them is that I really like to turn new ideas and be inventive. I enjoy it. If it became a job........I wouldn't do it.

Wow, Ron, that is a real surprise.  I had not thought of selling any, but making some for Christmas.  Family members are all raving for at least one.  So, I have many pieces of scraps so lots of Titebond III is going to be used this summer.  And, I hope to get good with finials to attach.  Thanks for posting as you have some really beauties hanging around your house.  I wonder what the market would bring for some of yours.  Thinking through a keyboard.  

 

Interesting.  I bought my lathe 25 years ago to make pens and get some extra cash for more equipment in the shop.  That worked and was reasonable with my time invested.  BUT, wow did I have to listen to a load of trash about how much for a pen.  Or hear Oh I like this wood but want it on this pen and I want a different this or that.  Give a quote, OMG that's crazy!  Got to the point where before I opened the box I announced this was all that was left, limited run and the price was the price.  

 

Just became too much of a hassle.  Like you said it became a job, not fun anymore.  

Depends on where you live.  The Butler Institute of American Art puts on a Christmas Craft Show every year.

 

 

Quote:  This year, 76 vendors were hosted by The Butler for its largest fundraiser of the year.

Anderson said the show is juried, which means vendors have to send samples of their work to be judged so they can get a table. “That makes it a little different from many craft shows,” she said.

 

$100 asking price is one thing.  These sold for $20.00 each at this show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

I'm like you, Ron. I do it for the fun.

Like Dan Asking Price is one thing and yes I know of ornaments going for 100 and more but they are much more than what we do. Usually they are hollowed , pierced, carved, colored and more. My hollow ornaments I have marked 45 and still have not sold one. In the right market anything goes, but here my tops at 5 and snowmen at 8 are the best sellers.