Craft Show Calamity

Irv and I were on our way to the craft show and my main focus was on how I was going to set up my booth. We weren't taking my big set up. The show was only five hours long. We were going to use the bookshelf, a clothes rack, a coat rack and the two tables they were providing. I was trying to figure out how to arrange everything in my 10 by 10 space. Irv was in the truck in front of me as we made our way to Hoffman Estates.

We arrived, loaded up the cart and made our way in. A nice lady greeted us at the door, checked us in and lead us into the gym. As we entered the gym, I quickly looked around and thought, "Uh oh!" Really, the words I thought were more like WTF???

The booths, were not booths at all....they were spaces with 2 tables and 2 chairs. I looked at the lady and said, "These aren't 10 by 10 booths." "Oh, I know, we ended up with SO many people....we were here late last night trying to figure it out and this is the best we could do."

THE BEST THEY COULD DO?? How do you advertise a 10 by 10 spot and have people pay...thinking they are getting a 10 by 10 spot, and bring things that can only be accommodated by a 10 by 10 spot and then give them a 6 by 8 spot???? ARE YOU KIDDING ME??

Okay, calm down Kathy. There has to be a way to make this work. They did their best. It's a tough job. This is the school where Irv works. Be nice. Breathe, breathe, breathe.....all Irv could say was, "I told you there was no way they could fit over 40 crafters with 10 by 10 spaces in this gym."

He had said that, but I told him they couldn't sell you a 10 by 10 spot and then not give you a 10 by 10 spot....silly Irv! HAHA!

The best they could do was to move me to a corner near one of the back doors and the bleachers.

It allowed me to set up the rack with my aprons and the bookshelf with my cake stands in a little indentation by the door. We were all packed in like sardines and most people were not happy.

There was no where to go with the coat rack with my tote bags on it. It ended up in back of the tables with me and no one even noticed them....in fact, you couldn't even tell who they belonged to! Can you see how much space there is between my tables and the tables behind me? Our chairs almost touched. It was NOT very comfy.

The lady kept apologizing and I kept telling her that we would make it work, and make it work we did. Everyone was practically bumping into the person in the booth behind them, and for someone like me that isn't into small talk...it was a long day. The girl behind me was nice, but I know more about her life and her family than I ever wanted to. :)

The day was long and the customers were not in abundance. It was 72 degrees and gorgeous outside and that is where most people understandably wanted to be. After all this is November in Illinois and those kind of days are a rarity for sure.

I had a sale here and there and over the course of the five hours had sold enough coasters, aprons and light switch covers to pay my fee and make as much as I have at any of the big expensive two-day shows that I've done so far. I didn't make a ton, but it was a descent show.

As a craft show novice, I always try to learn something from each show I do. This weekend I learned to "expect the unexpected" for sure, and that the small shows may not have the crowds that the big shows have, but the fees are a fraction of the big shows. When you tally it all up at the end of the day....those 5 hours could end up being more profitable than the 15 hours you spent at the big show. Something to think about for next season.

I am done with shows for this year. With this being my first craft show season, I did two in the spring and three this fall. Next year I will choose carefully and do shows closer to the holidays. The ones I did this fall were way too early in the season. Maybe I'll do one early and a couple later. We'll see.

I have so much to do now. I have a ton of things to photograph and list in MyOtherShop on etsy. I didn't sell a single brooch or wine bag at the show! Go figure! I am off on Wednesday this week and have a HUGE photo shoot planned. Be watching for the brooches, wine bags and holiday coasters soon after! Have a great week everyone.

A Roller Coaster of Emotions

The craft show went well. I paid my fee and made the most I have yet. I once again learned a lot and I will take what I've learned with me to the next show. I was actually thinking about doing one more big one this season if I can still get in until I saw poor Irv hobbling around this morning. His back is a mess from lifting boxes, crates and the booth. :(

Thank you so much for all of the birthday wishes yesterday. That was so kind of all of you. It was a wonderful birthday.

On a sad note....Matt's first Search and Rescue ended sadly. My heart is just aching for a family, for everyone that helped search including my little boy.....A woman in her 50's had dropped her husband off so he could hunt on the mountain. They set up where they would meet for her to pick him up. When he got to the location that evening, her car was there with their dogs in it, but she was not there.

They searched that night until they couldn't any longer and then Matt's group joined them Sunday morning. They had a helicopter and ATV's, people on foot and people on horseback. Matt hiked for hours calling her name and following the instructions from the command center on where to search next.

Late in the day, the helicopter spotted the woman not far from her car....where people had already searched, but apparently had missed her. Matt and his partner sped on their ATV following instructions being given to them by the helicopter. The woman's husband and his partner arrived first to find her already deceased. Matt and his partner arrived next. The paramedics arrived and determined that there was no sign of a struggle or injury, so they are assuming she might have had a heart attack.

Matt is having a difficult time, which is to be expected, but knowing that they helped the family find her after her being missing for almost 24 hours is helping. He is very tired and overwhelmed by the whole day. I'm sure it will take time....

Things like that really put life into perspective. The little things that bother us or the petty things we complain about....really aren't such a big deal after all.

The Girls

Irv has been working so hard on the hangers to display my aprons at the craft show next weekend. It was a lot of work to cut them out, sand them, paint them and attach a piece of wood to the back to attach the rope to....but he got them done this week!

Once he finished his part, I grabbed a bunch of markers from the drawer, drew a template for the eyes and lips and went to work. It's not really easy trying to color with regular little markers on painted wood, but I am more than thrilled with the results.

Meet the girls!

I think I will start watching at garage sales this fall for some really big long dangling earrings for the girls. I think that would be a great touch! What do you think?