No Photos Please!

Recently, the biggest issue that I face at handmade shows are the people that want to take photos of my cards. They see the cards, laugh, whip out an iPhone, and then state to their friend, "I'm totally taking a picture to text to so and so! This is so perfect for them!" This scenario is my biggest pet peeve of shows. To me, it's as if they are stealing my art rather than spending $4 for the actual thing. I tend to get a bit snarky with these people. I have no problem stopping them dead in their tracks with a "No photos please! This is my art and I'm sure your friend would actually really like to be surprised with the real card instead of a text message."

The offender usually puts away the phone and apologizes, but do they buy the card? No. Usually they don't because that wasn't their intention to begin with. This is something that has really bothered me a lot along with random people tagging their friends in my Instagram photos of my cards (ummm, no, I will delete your comment, you cheap jerkface with a face of a jerk!).

While preparing for Richmond, I decided that something needed to be done. I thought about signs that I could make or things that I could say to battle the issue, when I suddenly realized that I should just make a card, obviously! So make a card I did, and I placed it front and center of my display for all to see. Did anyone attempt the photo op this time? No. Was it completely related to the card that I made? That is up for debate. But either way, I was a happier card maker in the end.

And it is true. Wouldn't we all prefer a little surprise snail mail in our lives over a quick text message? Cards are more thoughtful and meaningful than the few seconds it takes to send a text.