And the Winners Are.....

Leilani Lee of Ozark Oddments and Jen of jdavissquared. Leilani and Jen guessed a sleigh/sled so I decided to have two winners! Chee hoo!

I made my first little craft stick sled back in 1984. My kids were 10, 4 and 1 at that time and Christmas decorations were a big thing at our house. Everything on our tree was handmade by either myself, the kids or another crafter. I love the way the old one has darkened with age!

I will be listing the sleds in MyOtherShop later today...hopefully. They will come completely naked, or with the holly and the 2009 painted on them. If people want a person's name or their family name on them, I can do that as well. The one with "The Krolls" on it is a reject that didn't pass inspection, but at least you can get an idea of what they look like.

I had fully intended to make these and a couple other ornaments last year and just never found the time to get them done. I am doing a tiny little craft show at the church/school where Irv works in November, and I thought they might be cute to offer there too.

For being the first ones to guess, Leilani and Jen get to choose an item from FourDogDay, which is my other shop....not to be confused with MyOtherShop which is my other shop. What on earth was I thinking when I named my second shop, My OtherShop? Anyway, they will get to choose a photo or a card or gift tags from FourDogDay! Congratulations Leilani and Jen. Just visit FourDogDay and leave a comment on this post to let me know what you would like and I will be in touch.

Thanks for playing along everyone and now it is time to get to work! Other ornaments are in the works! I'll show them to you when they are done.

Guessing Game Day 2

To those of you that took a guess yesterday at what I am making for MyOtherShop...no it's not a spider web on a stick, a funky dream catcher, coasters, plant identifiers, a mat for hot things, a mobile, a regular dream catcher, a basket or a cross thing! Great guesses though.

Headchange got the right category when she said Christmas Decor.....but we need the exact item.

Here are the craft sticks cut and ready to be assembled, and a piece of the twine the size I will be using. I will be using glue to assemble it.


I am expecting a winner today, so start guessing! First person to guess what it is wins a little prize. Chee Hoo!

It's Guessing Game Time!

Last week I mentioned that after the craft show I was going to start working on a couple of new things....well, I have been. The new items will be for MyOtherShop.

Let's play a little guessing game! I actually hate games, but since I'm not the one playing, I think I can get through it.

Here are the materials I will be using for one of the new items I am making. Looks rather primitive and childish if I do say so myself! Not very artsy either!

You have to guess exactly and not just a category. Fair enough? The first person to guess will win a little prize.

If no one guesses, I will give you a clue tomorrow.

So.....what am I making?

Internet Issues

I got home from work yesterday to no cable....that means no tv (no big deal for me) and NO COMPUTER!!!!! That pushed me right into a major anxiety attack! Just kidding. It was strange to be in my workshop all evening with no computer. I kept turning around to look longingly at it and once in a while I would try it....but no luck.

I came into work early to check my e-mails and write this. :)

Comcast will be out this afternoon, so once I am up and running I will get a post up. We are going to play a little guessing game with a little prize for the winner. Details later tonight or tomorrow.

Have an awesome day everyone!

Memorable Moments

There were a few memorable moments this weekend at the craft show that I thought I would share with you. One of them was the booth directly across from me. I am not the type of person to be critical of anyone or really much of anything.....this is really more of a business tip.

I sat across from this booth for two full days. The girl did embroidery. She was a super nice person....very friendly. She had her computerized machine there and embroidered items for people while they waited.

The first thing I noticed in her booth was a sign that said, "Free Personelization with Purchase". I almost went over to quietly tell her that I think personalization might be spelled with an "a", but then I noticed a Santa hat she had embroidered that said, "Ms. Clause".

I wanted so much to tell her, but I didn't want to embarrass her. I wasn't sure what to do, so I didn't do anything. There is a fine line and I wasn't sure if I should cross it. Maybe I should have. What would you have done?

On Sunday morning she was making these cute baby t-shirts. One said "Bears Fan", one said "Cubs Fan" and the last one said "Soxs Fan". I actually heard a customer tell her that Sox was just Sox and not Soxs, but that t-shirt hung there for hours before she replaced it with one that read "Sox Fan".

I know we all make mistakes. I make plenty, but when you are putting it all out there and advertising your business and the awesome work you do....you need to get it right.

We had a little excitement on Sunday afternoon when the fire alarm went off! No kidding!! A recording came on that said something like, "This is an emergency situation. Leave the building immediately." It kept saying it over and over with the alarm going every two seconds. We all stood there looking at each other. Are you serious? Slowly customers started heading for the door and some of the vendors followed. Some of us just continued to stand there dumbfounded.

Then a security person came around and told all of us that we had to leave the building. It turned out that someone in the elevator pushed the fire alarm button by mistake, but we had to wait outside for the fire department to come and check things out and tell us it was okay to return. They did finally let all of the vendors in followed by the customers and the show resumed. It was interesting to say the least.

Last was my favorite shopper of the entire show. Picture a little old lady....really tiny with white medium length hair. Make her the cutest little old lady you have ever seen. Now give her nice little navy blue dress slacks with matching flats on her tiny little feet. Of course she's carrying her big purse and of course and it matches her outfit....it's navy blue.

Now put a navy blue T-Shirt....yes, a navy blue t-shirt on this darling little lady and on the front of it put a GREAT BIG beautiful screened butterfly. Next, on her ears give her two gigantic butterfly earrings made entirely of seed beads in navy blue of course...and be sure they are gigantic like maybe 2 inches by 3 inches. Next, give her two enormous seed beaded butterfly hair clips....one on each side of her little tiny head, holding back her beautiful white hair!

This precious little lady walked into my booth and I couldn't take my eyes off of her. She was just as cute as could be and so proud of her fine Sunday outfit! When she walked out of my booth, Irv and I just looked at each other with our eyebrows raised and our eyes wide and just smiled. Bless her heart....she made our day!

Imogene Pass Run

On Saturday while I was at the craft show, my 26 year old son was competing in the Imogene Pass Run. I talked about in a previous post. You can read about it here.

Matt really had every intention of training long and hard for this grueling race, but ended up only running a few times to try to prepare. He took a 5 week road trip this summer and then with work and everything else he does...he just didn't train.

I waited patiently for his call on Saturday. His goal was to finish in four hours. I couldn't do it in four days!!

Well,the call came and he finished in 3:22:43. He was 24th out of 88 in his 25-29 age group, and I think he said he was 171st out of the 1200 runners that finished! Not bad for someone that didn't train. I was looking at the race results and there is a 70+ category! WOW!

Congratulations Matt on a great job. I'm proud of you.

Still Learning

I am SO glad that I took today off. My workshop is filled with boxes and bins and bags and I was way too tired last night to do anything about it!

Irv and Michael setting up Friday afternoon

Sunday was definitely better than Saturday at the show. I did manage to make enough to pay my fee plus a couple of dollars....and I mean...a couple of dollars, but once again I am not discouraged at all. I learned more at this show and we will put some of it into play at the next show in three weeks.

Me trying to figure out where to put it all

If you factor in the cost of all of the fast food meals and Irv's flat tire yesterday and the cost of my new booth....we are way, way, way in the hole....but it's all part of building a craft show business and it's an expense we are willing to incur. Irv and I both agree that we will make money with this eventually.

Me wishing I had some clips for my hair while setting up Friday

I think people were a little "frightened" to come "into" a booth like mine....maybe they were afraid we wouldn't let them back out. We had to do some encouraging at times, but when we noticed people not even getting in far enough to see the things on the sides, we remembered what Tresa told us last show...and that was to showcase a little of everything out front where people can't miss it. We did and when people saw the "tease" it drew them into the booth.

Arranging and rearranging on Friday

We had to use my check out table to put the little assortment of items on and it was a bit difficult to check people out without that space. I think what we are going to do is add shelves to the front end panel of the booth and display an assortment of things on there rather than on my little check out table. On the other end panel, we will leave the hooks so I can hang some tote bags...oh yes, the tote bags. I sold one. Chee Hoo!

Saturday morning...almost ready

People loved the girls, but I didn't sell a single apron. I did have a lady looking for a style that I have the pattern for but just haven't had time to make. I might find the time now. She took a card and asked when I thought I might have some done.

I had a girl at another booth ask about the vendor apron I was wearing. She needs two of them. It turns out she lives a few miles from me and we are going to be in touch, so I might get a couple of apron orders from her.

Some of the tote bags

Once again, I sold 5 cake stands. People really seem to like them...and the more unique the better. I guess I will keep making those.

Cake stands and one tote bag that was falling off the hook

I did sell some coasters and one little light switch cover. I'm finding that with the light switch covers, no matter how many you have of each style, you never have the right style in the right fabric....I might not be making any more of those.

I thought this looked really cute

I had to laugh when I looked at the pillows after I set them up. First of all I set them up facing the left which is how the compulsive side of me has to have the clothes hanging in my closet....the front of the booth was to the right! Then by facing them to the left, all you could see was price tags! UGH! I got them turned around before the show started and they looked great. I didn't sell any.

How NOT to display pillows!

So, I am headed to the craft store today. I have new things I am going to be working on. I'm not sure if the show coordinator will let me bring them to the show in three weeks since I didn't include them on my application, but if not...they will be on etsy soon and I'll take them to the little church show I'm doing in November.

This is the little "teaser" table we set up. It really helped get people into the booth.

The shows are a lot of work and it is a long weekend. When you are packing up and you know you didn't make a profit....it's a tedious job. I am still waiting for my "break out" show....maybe in three weeks!!

I have to send out a HUGE thank you to Irv, because there is no way I could do this without him and I love doing this! I also want to thank Michael, Bernadette and Tresa for coming to the show and lending their support. I love you all.

I am happy I was able to cover my fee and make a couple of bucks. I'm thrilled that each show I am learning more and more about what I should and shouldn't be doing. I'm excited that I get to do it again in three weeks. I'm not sure Irv is as excited as I am though!!

Bring on the Rain!!!

Just a quick hello. We are getting ready to head out to Day 2 of the s-l-o-w-e-s-t craft show in history. To make it brief....the show itself is awesome. Everything about it was perfect....the only downfall, which no one can control is that this is the most beautiful weekend ever. It's in the low 80's the sun is shining and who on earth wants to go to an indoor craft show when it's like that? Obviously, no one....except for the very elderly and they weren't buying. They were just out for a stroll.

Everyone was disappointed with their sales...or lack of....even the seasoned pros. Apparently you are suppose to pray for rain when you do indoor shows and sun when you do outdoor shows.

Why is that every show I do, ends up being the worst they've ever had? HAHA!

We sold a few things yesterday, but not near enough to even cover our fee. I am bringing a few things with today that I didn't have out yesterday that the "older crowd" might enjoy.

My booth worked out really well, but again, we learned some things that we will be changing for the next indoor show in three weeks. I'll fill you in on all of that tomorrow. I'll have some pictures for you too.

Have a wonderful day and I hope if you are not doing an indoor craft show today, that the sun is shining brightly where you live!

Chat with you soon!