My Absolute Utter Craft Show Fail and learning to Relish Feedback.
- May 28
- 4 min read
Updated: Jun 1
The CRAFT SHOW FAIL That Taught Me More Than My Biggest Win
If you've landed here expecting a story about a terrible relish, I'm afraid I'm going to disappoint you.
The funny thing is, my relish is actually really good.
Every Christmas, friends, family, teachers and clients ask if I'm making another batch. It's become a bit of a tradition in our house and, for me, it's one of the things that officially kicks off the Christmas making season. There is something special about chopping fruit, stirring a bubbling pot on the stove and filling jars that will eventually be gifted to people I care about. It simply doesn't feel like Christmas without it.
So when I decided to enter my relish in a local show, I felt quietly confident. After all, I'd made it many times before and people genuinely loved it. But this time I made a mistake.
Not in the relish itself. In my thinking.
Instead of doing what I normally do, I overthought everything. I researched, second-guessed myself and became caught up in trying to make it perfect. I'm usually a fairly intuitive cook. I trust my experience and enjoy the process. But somehow, entering a show made me forget that.
The irony is that while creativity and intuition are wonderful things, preserving is also a technical skill. The balance of fruit, sugar, acidity and safe preservation methods matters. Like baking a good scone, it's often the little details that make all the difference, these special little tid-bits that are usually passed down from one generation to another.
My mistake turned out to be a simple technical one. I left too much space at the top of the jar. That extra headspace meant the preserve didn't meet food safety or the show's requirements and was disqualified before it was even judged!
At the time, I was disappointed. I'd stepped outside my comfort zone and entered a category I'd never entered before, only to have my entry ruled out before it had a chance.
But looking back, I'm genuinely glad that my craft show fail happened.
Entering a craft show means you get valuable feedback from expert makers! Mistakes make better makers.
Creativity is contagious and needs to be shared with the world! You may inspire someone to start a new hobby!
That little jar of relish taught me more than some of my biggest wins ever have.
It reminded me that there is always more to learn. It reminded me that traditional skills are full of small techniques and pieces of knowledge that have often been passed from one generation to the next. Things like lining a cake tin properly, preparing a surface before painting, blocking crochet, preserving food safely or knowing exactly when a batch of scones is ready to come out of the oven.
Those little things create the whole.
They're easy to overlook, but they're worth preserving. (oh I love a good pun :))
That's one of the reasons I'm so passionate about encouraging people to enter local shows. Whether it's crochet, sewing, baking, knitting, preserves, woodwork or gardening, these events celebrate skills that deserve to be passed on. They connect us with experienced makers, generous judges and traditions that might otherwise disappear.
Most importantly, they help us improve.
Feedback makes us better makers.
Learning from people at the top of their craft is an honour, and I genuinely value the knowledge they share. So while that jar of relish never received a ribbon, it gave me something far more valuable: a lesson.
Local shows like my favourite, the Mudgeeraba Show are all about preserving handmade skills and passing them on to the next generation.
And sometimes they’re about learning important life lessons from a jar of relish.
So if you’re sitting there wondering whether you should enter something this year, this is your sign!
Do it.
Enter the thing.
Try the new category.
Take the risk - learn something.
You might win. You might not.
But either way, you'll grow.
And who knows? You might even relish the experience. (Sorry. I had to.)
If you need help to get started click the link below to download my 10 tips to enter your local show and remember - be brave with your creations, the world needs more handmade so be sure to make it - wear it and share it!
Why Participation Matters More Than Winning
Winning is rewarding, but it is not the only measure of success. Entering a competition or show is a chance to:
Test your skills in a real-world setting
Receive feedback and learn from others
Meet people who share your passion
Build resilience by facing challenges
Create memories and stories that last
The relish that never got judged taught me that showing up is the most important step. Without participation, improvement and confidence remain out of reach.
CRAFT SHOW FAIL - Final Thoughts
Mistakes are part of every journey, especially when trying something new or challenging. The disqualified relish was a setback, but it became a turning point. It reminded me that rules matter, but so does courage. It showed me that every exhibitor, no matter how experienced, faces moments of doubt and error.
I will try again one day - I will let you know!
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