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Cricut "Competitors"

Arlo Kalon 2.0

New Member
It happened again this past weekend. Set up at a large craft fair with my line of small hand lettered interior decor signs. After awhile I walked through two gymnasiums and hallways in the school checking out the other vendors. There were three booths with people selling their identical looking Cricut signs. One even had four inch white ceramic bathroom tiles fashioned into coaster sets with a black vinyl state of Texas graphic applied. Yeah, vinyl is gonna last a long time with hot coffee placed on the coaster!

The difference between my signs, the result of an apprenticeship years ago with 3 master signpainters, and the stock Cricut library was like difference between night and day. People were fascinated at my booth when I'd say things like "no stencils used to letter these, it's all done old school by hand with a brush". I sold almost $300 worth in about 5 hours and never saw anybody carrying a Cricut vendor's sign around. Afterwards while loading out, I passed one of the Cricut folks and asked "well did ya sell many today?". She said enthusiastically "no but I got my name out!". All their signs are the same, premade wood blanks from Hobby Lobby.

At the next one in a few weeks at another high school in an affluent neighborhood where I sold over $600 last year I'm going to take a portable easel and be hand lettering signs on site. I've done this once before. I was directly across from another Cricut vendor. Their reaction to my display was amusing. Towards the end of the fair they tried lowering their prices but people were still buying mine instead and I even took a few high dollar custom orders. I can't fault these people's spirit about what they're doing when I talk to them. They're so enthusiastic about being "sign makers". I guess us dinosaurs aren't really extinct after all.
 

Marlene

New Member
They are craft people so not too surprised they get their blank at Hobby Lobby and use a Circuit.
 

sardocs

New Member
Thanks Arlo for the inspiration. As another "old school" brush brother who can see the retirement light at the end of the tunnel, I am glad to see you found an outlet for your skills. I look forward to hauling my printer and laminator to the dump in a year or two, but I'll keep my brushes forever. I want to become the old grumpy guy who still letters boat names by hand.
 

Arlo Kalon 2.0

New Member
Thanks Arlo for the inspiration. As another "old school" brush brother who can see the retirement light at the end of the tunnel, I am glad to see you found an outlet for your skills. I look forward to hauling my printer and laminator to the dump in a year or two, but I'll keep my brushes forever. I want to become the old grumpy guy who still letters boat names by hand.
Yeah I'm having a blast out in my shop I built on my rural property. Feels like it did in my 20's when quitting time always came way too soon because I was in the zone. I used to go home, have dinner, and go back to the shop where I worked to keep lettering on my own time. Only complaint now is the poor quality of 1 Shot unleaded.
 

d fleming

New Member
Glad to see you still rockin it out old school Arlo. I would definitely have an easel and be working in front of the booth. Just seems to me that would draw them in and start the conversation quite well. I'm taking a different route into the golden years, starting a rum distillery in my warehouse. We got our state inspection finally yesterday and passed, already have federal done. We should do our first ferment shortly. Couple more years of signs and then just sell rum while I play my guitar in my recliner next to the still, lol.
 

clarizeyale

New Member
I think I've said this before but handmade and custom is really coming back. That's great you did well at these! There's definitely a difference between those (at least in my generation) who do hand painted lettering (at a higher price) and those who do cricut like things (at a quick but low price and quality) and people are definitely gearing towards the former...

I bet you'd do well teaching us youngins about handmade signs at creative events (similar to Letter West)
 

Arlo Kalon 2.0

New Member
Glad to see you still rockin it out old school Arlo. I would definitely have an easel and be working in front of the booth. Just seems to me that would draw them in and start the conversation quite well. I'm taking a different route into the golden years, starting a rum distillery in my warehouse. We got our state inspection finally yesterday and passed, already have federal done. We should do our first ferment shortly. Couple more years of signs and then just sell rum while I play my guitar in my recliner next to the still, lol.
.I play my guitar out in the shop every day. I write songs out there that are getting attention from Nashville heavyweights. Here's latest.
https://www.facebook.com/david.kellems.7
 
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