Show Review

I began my craft show season on July 3rd. It was a good show with only a few stories to tell.

For starters, some chick kept stealing my husband to help her with her very faulty tent. I'm all for charity. In fact, the first time, no problem. My husband is nice, and I would like help from someone if I needed it, but... it was taking a long time, and the event person kept coming and telling me to move my car, which had my kids in it, and I told her my husband was but he was helping someone else (which I of course pointed her out). She came by twice to tell me to move the van. Another time she just gave me a dirty look. Then, I wasn't too keen on the lady taking my husband to help her. She never got her tent up during the show.

For seconders, (new word...) I forgot my sunblock. I turn on the cell phone to call him to have him bring it to me, and the little notice comes up, "battery low, powering off." Super. Now, I have a tent, but it is crammed full of product, so I usually sent behind it. Well, that day was super sunny, and as much as I tried to stay out of it, it found me. I got toasted!

I was going to ask my neighboring tent to borrow their cell phone to call John, but they were a little strange... Strange, like, weird. Not just because I made a joke to him about trying to steal some of his shade (I could feel me burning), and he didn't even acknowledge that I said anything, he just kinda looked up at me... Also, strange, as in having your zipper down most of the day strange! AND John pointed out that he also was not wearing any underwear. So, yes. I was stationed next to an exhibitionist. Sweet!

Another thing that never ceases to amaze me is the people that try and bargain with you! Really?! "Will you take any less for this quilt?" "Since we are getting this other thing, will you give us this bow for free?" People! I'm practically giving it away as it is!!!!! Really??? (That's what I tell them. I'm not shy...) People! This is not a yard sale!

I think people forget the value of a handmade item. Let me share...

First, you have to shop for the supplies to make an item. That item might have four different supplies needed to make it. Ribbon, hot glue, hair clip... you get the idea. Not only do you have to shop for those items, but you want to try and find the best deals on those items to keep your cost low. That takes TIME! And, don't forget the gas it takes to go to these stores, or the shipping I have to pay for what I find online, after I've looked at a thousand sites trying to find the best price.

Second. You have to design an item. What looks best with what? Maybe this button will look better. No, try this one. Sometimes this takes a while when you are cranking out 100's of headbands. I am not an assembly line in CHINA!

Next, I actually have to make it. Not an assembly line in CHINA!

Depending on the product, I package it. Which includes packaging I buy online,or packaging I create online, and packaging I print off at home using my card stock and my ink cartridges.

Lastly, I pay a fee to enter shows and sit there all day to sell you that darling item you are holding in your hand...

"No! I will not give it to you for free!"

People do not value my time, but I do...

We watched some fireworks that night with some friends. I found the glow sticks that I bought last year for the fourth of July, but forgot about. Maybe, I'm becoming a little more like my mom after all...

Show Report

I have decided to do a little report after each of my shows, because it's that entertaining for me. In case you have never seen me at one of my shows this is what part of my display looks like, and it is usually set up different every time.


I did a show in my home town last weekend at a city festival, and it was a success. I saw a lot of people I knew, some didn't recognize me at first, and some said they wouldn't have recognized me if I hadn't said something. Do I look that different?

When I graduated from high school...

last Sunday...

Okay, maybe a little bit...


Anyway, here's some highlights:

1. As always, my dad was great helping me set up, take down, feeding me, etc. I also had two of my nieces to help me too. After walking around looking at all the other booths, my oldest niece, Laurajane came back and said, "I felt bad looking at all those booths and not buying anything." "Why?" I asked, "Because you know how much work goes into it now after helping me for two weeks?" She nodded her head yes.



2. My market has tripled. When I started making hair clips and bows I pictured mothers, and grandmothers buying bows for their little girls, but this past weekend I made the most money off of teenagers. I didn't know it was so "in" for teenage girls to wear baby hair clips in their hair. I am so behind. But, they were "in heaven." I also had a lady wanting to buy hair clips for her dog, that's a first for me.

3. I introduced some new products...

Molly Makeover Dolls, made from recycled sweaters

(when I made the first one, I thought I might have to call her Creepy Cammy)

and I made some new quiet books, here is one of them, a Halloween counting book.

4. I heard the name Aniken used in real life and not just in Star Wars. Really? Seriously.

5. I enjoyed the flattery when people asked where my store was located, when they walked around my booth with a smile on their faces (that's my favorite), when they took pictures of my stuff with their cell phones (not always my favorite).

6. Did not enjoy the people that would say to whomever they were with, "Oh don't buy that, I could make that for you." Or the people that would say TOO loudly, "We aren't going to buy anything, I just come here to get ideas... that's just a piece of wood painted... that's just a ribbon... that's just a patch sewn..." Yeah, I get it, it's not rocket science, but I'm selling it, if you don't want to buy it, please exit.

7. You would have thought I had a "No men allowed" sign posted. There seemed to be this invisible line where the men thought they had to stand behind. Probably only a few men actually came to peruse my little booth, the rest stood right outside and waited for their significant other. It was pretty funny.

8. Why do we as women ask for our husband's or significant other's opinions? I think it's so funny watching women ask men about hair bows, clips, or hair bow holders, "which one do you like better?" Usually I choose the opposite of what John suggests. But, a lot of women have to do it before they decide on a bow.

9. I like people watching while doing these shows. I always bring books to read, etc., but I end up watching people. One evening I was watching a 13 or 14 year old boy try to make out with his girlfriend, and all of a sudden I thought about Trevan and Mallary dating, and my stomach literally did a flip, I felt sick!!! Ugh... Then my dad came back and I told him about it, he laughed and he said, "Do you feel the same way about me dating?" I said, "YES."

Overall, it was a good show, good times, good money, and fun observations.