Back from the brink of exhaustion.
Not really the brink. I was fully there. This stress/anxiousness/sleep deprivation induced cold sore on my lip is proof.
But I'm back. Because my first major craft show is over. All that's left now is wrap up: figure out money and inventory stuff. Load leftovers on Etsy. Get every piece of jewelry out of my sight before I scream bloody murder. I don't want to look at another piece of wool for at least a week.
That is, after I finish the three custom orders for four pieces.
But I digress.
The weekend was fun. Rainy and dismal. But fun.
The public still managed to come around. They brought their jackets and umbrellas.
But to be honest, I was disappointed. I wanted so badly for my very first show to be successful, and by my own wildly unrealistic standards it wasn't.
Some of the factors were out of my control. Like the rain. As hard as I tried to use my mental muscle to push the clouds out to sea I just couldn't make it happen.
And then there's the economy. I'm not going to pretend to know what the heck this means, I just hear everyone else use it when things go wrong so I can assume I have a 50% chance of being correct when blaming lack-luster sales on "the economy."
But then there were things that I could have controlled. Like the layout of my booth and its lack of whistles and bells.
Dangit Stacie! Why did you forget the whistles and BELLS?!
But alas, I know what to do next time.
And now that I've had a day to recover, assess the damages and let my brain fog clear I can say there will be a next time.
I pretty much had that figured out, though, at the end of the show Sunday when I met a fellow jewelry maker who clued me into the world of trading.
"Wait, so I can buy your earrings by giving you a pair of mine??"
If only I had known about this when ordering my second crab cake sandwich, the one that cost me my entire profit for the weekend...
I'm only slightly exaggerating.
It was worth it.
Now, on to the goods:
I used a lot of things I had on hand and/or freebies for my props. Like the driftwood I smuggled in my suitcase from my trip out to Washington. Oh, and the little silver trays I collected at various garage sales.
These hair accessories went like hot cakes. Like chocolate chip, Mickey Mouse shaped hot cakes.
This display is courtesy of Corey Lucas.
I am most proud of this "bracelet stand." Also previously known as two pieces of driftwood I found laying on the beach among others I also wanted and ended up kicking part of the way back to the house we were staying in because I just couldn't hang on to it all.
I painted my silver trays with chalkboard paint, swiped flowers from my mom's yard, and grabbed the milk glass from Mrs. Buck's house. My parents' bought a lot of things, too, to help me out. Like this pie shelf. Which I hope to keep stocked with pies. As was intended.
And these little bathing-lady figures you may see standing around. They are the most darling little things...
Sometimes I call them my fat-bottomed girls.
They make my rockin' world go 'round.
Get on your bikes and riiiide!
But I digress.
I was happy to hear so many positive comments.
"So pretty!"
"Very unique."
"I like this a lot."
"They look like moth balls."
And then, of course, there were a few who I would not consider fans.
But I'm pleased with the overall response. Pleased enough to see what happens next year.
...
**Update: find more ideas from my 2012 show on my new craft blog here!
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