Ring display and banner ideas from Alice Istanbul

Alice's banners drew me in. Two large images of her jewelry on live models hung from a pole that had been threaded through the roof trusses of the booth. I whispered loudly to my sister-in-law to check out the banners, “they say images on people sell better...what do you think?”

Super-friendly, Alice wanted to know who “They” were. We agreed we had gotten the info from craft show guru Bruce Baker... then Alice drew us in to more conversation. Initially, I thought I was just going to steer my group in, and out of her booth since I wasn't in the market for quality jewelry. Most of her wares were in two large glass cases on top of tall tables. But Alice's open discussion and enthusiastic participation kept us there. Long enough for my sister-in-law AND my mother-in-law to buy beautiful earrings!

• Don't assume a dishy conversation about business won't result in a sale! Be nice.

The banners? Alice says the jewelry on models DOES make a difference in the positive response she gets from customers. (again, I will bring my better camera with the wide angle lens next time!) My sister-in-law is a crafty gal, a Harvard MBA and a biz consultant. Qualified! She felt images of jewelry on a model makes the piece look more expensive. (In a good way.) Food for thought!

After I looked closer, I realized Alice used a very innovative technique to secure her rings.

She used two free standing towel holders as a base, and created some wiggly wire pieces that curl around the support. Alice's rings are threaded with ribbon and hung from the wire. Customers are able to try on the rings, without Alice having to worry that they will walk away! Her rings also have a lot of texture and design on the back side, so although the rings hang upside down, there is a lot to see. She has placed a mirror under the rings to view the topside.

This display is the complete antithesis to the rings shown on a block of wood with nails that I shared with you here. Which suits your style?

The little birds on the towel stands blend nicely with the vintage iron elements used to drape and accent the jewelry within the cases. Alice's jewelry does have a bit of an archeological feel to it, so the architectural pieces support the aesthetic beautifully!

I had so much fun visiting with Alice...after we exchanged cards, we realized we had tweeted in the past. Warm and fuzzy crafty community feelings all over. For my next show, I am going to print out my avatars from Etsy and Twitter to put on my table, and hopefully some of my tweeps will recognize me and say hi!

See more pictures of the ring display on Alice's blog and visit her website!  Alice Istanbul