Do You Blossom In Spring?

Oh my gosh....if I don't get my workshop cleaned up I am not going to be able to start working on new things. Right now everything from the craft show is piled up on my workbench and on the floor...boxes upon boxes.

Irv and I were brainstorming and I we are seriously considering setting up my booth in the driveway as soon as the weather is a bit warmer and having my own little craft show/clearance sale. I wouldn't lose any money! HAHA! We really are thinking about it. I am sure I could even find some supplies I will never use that I could sell. Crazy idea?

I made a connection at the show too....there was a girl that came over to my booth and said that she had tried selling older china on e-bay and it didn't go well for her. She has boxes of stuff that she wants to get rid of! How perfect is that? She's going to photograph some of it and e-mail me so I can get an idea of what she has. I'm hoping to get some great stuff for future projects.

Tresa also has a lady in her building that sells all kinds of stuff, including dishes, at flea markets. She going to ask her where she is going to be this spring. I got some really great deals from her last fall.

Why do I need all the china? Well, I will be doing some cake stands for the consignment shop....and......some other things. Sorry, still can't tell you. I will show you once I get what I need and get some made. I can't wait!!

Got a couple of other things up my sleeve as well. It is spring and things will be blossoming outside and in my workshop. Are you making any changes this spring in your business or your personal life? Spring just feels like the perfect time for change doesn't it?

Off And Running Day Two

Happy Sunday! Just a quick note to let you know how the craft show went on Saturday.....it was the pits! We woke up to snow and wind and it kept people away early on. It did pick up right before lunch and then again later in the day, but in between...it was snoozeville.

I have NOT made back my fee for the show and if I don't do well today...this will be the first time I will take a loss. The weather is suppose to be better, so all of us that didn't see the sales yesterday are hopeful.

What DID sell? Food products like soups and sauces, fake flower arrangements and the always great selling garden stakes and lawn ornaments. I told Irv he really needs to learn how to make those things. They always do well.

So we are off and running again today for Day Two, and hoping for a better day than yesterday. I hope you have a fantastic day today. Be sure to do something nice for yourself today....like take a nice walk! Chat with you soon.

It's Showtime.....Almost

I am really busy getting ready for the show, but I wanted to share a couple of pictures with you. These are some of the fabric wall and desk clocks I made for the show. I'm curious to see if they sell at the craft show. Might not be the right venue for them, but we'll see. You can see the skull and rose ones. Sorry for the awful pictures, but as you can see, I was shooting right by a sunny window!

This is one of my favorite spring fabrics so far. All of the little bumble bees and the daisies. It's just so darn cute!

I LOVE this green fabric. This clock would be a keeper if I had somewhere to put it....plus I already kept one. :)


Here are the cell phone cases I made. I just love these little guys, especially since I found out that they also fit a digital camera just right too. I'm hoping they catch some eyes at the show!

On a different note...the weather has really been quite nice this past week. I am taking advantage of every nice day and walking outside. I took this picture over the weekend. It was such a pretty day. I think it looks almost like a painting...the sky and clouds are so awesome!


I am trying to write blogs, read blogs, comment on blogs and respond to blog comments....however if you don't see me much the rest of the week...I'm here...I'm just finishing up my show preparations. Have a fantastic rest of the week.

Get out there and take a walk too. No sitting around people. Walk, walk, walk. Geez, I wouldn't make a very good drill sergeant would I?

Keepin' Busy

Just a quick hello today my friends. Yesterday I worked all day on the cell phone cases and didn't quite finish them up. So, today I need to get that done and unpack all of my things for the craft show next weekend, make sure everything is priced properly, iron aprons and totes, and then repack everything.

In addition to that, I need to get all of my normal weekend "stuff" done...like laundry and cleaning. It will be a busy day, but the sun is suppose to shine today and for that I am grateful. That means I can get outside for a nice walk. Yesterday was the pits. Cold and raining.

So, enjoy your day today! Be sure to do something nice for yourself too. As I am packing things up, I'll try to get some photos of new things you haven't seen yet. Make it the best day ever!

This That and The Other Things

I went on line the other day and Googled "Lip Balm Addiction". I had to laugh when I saw that there is a support group. Hopefully it was a joke. I did find an interesting article that suggested a product called, Aquaphor. I ran out and bought it immediately and globbed it on my red, chapped lips. I really don't like petroleum on my lips, but it is actually helping.

Irv and I are thinking about having our grandchildren call us Mimi and Papa. It sounds so strange to even say that. Our Thursday e-mail from Tresa said that the baby is the size of a lime this week, and it's reflexes have developed! Unreal!

I have tons of ideas swirling around in my head of things I want to make for the consignment shop. Irv purchased a drill bit for drilling through glass.....I can't tell you what I am going to try, but it's something I've wanted to do for a while now. Let me just say that I am bouncing off the walls with excitement.

I can't believe I have a craft show in a week! I am so not ready for it, and I am so not worried about it! What an awesome feeling!

I got these darling earrings from Cathryn over at Chile Cats. She makes beautiful jewelry and sent me these because I am a regular reader of her wonderful blog! I couldn't wait to wear them!

Temps in the 50's means bare feet to me. They aren't pretty after being covered all winter, but they sure are happy!

What are you up to on this fine Saturday?

Uh Oh.....

I think this is going to be short and sweet because I still really want to read all of your blogs. I have a show coming up in two weeks, so I am really hustling to get new items made. I finished another tote bag tonight and cut out nine cell phone cases. Then I jumped into the shower on an American Idol commercial....and only then did I realize that I didn't walk today! Here I am telling all of you to get out there and walk....and I forgot today. That means I will do extra time tomorrow!

Irv asked me to get a list together of all of the displays that I need for the show so he can dig them out of the garage and touch them up so they look nice. I have to get that done in the next couple of days too.

Hmmmmmm....seems as though things are getting a bit busy. Will that rattle me? Nope! No reason to let it get to me. I will just take one day at a time and it will all get done!

What are you up to these days....anything exciting? Have I mentioned that I am so anxious for spring to get here!! It's going to be close to 50 this weekend. Heat wave!!!!

Off And Running

Today is the little craft show. We have to leave at 6:15 a.m. so we can be setting up at 7:00. The doors open at 9:00. I really don't know what to expect. This is the type of event where people stroll over to the "market" in the gym after church. Not sure how many will stroll over...it's suppose to be 70 again today. That isn't usually a good thing for craft shows, but we will see.

My 10 by 10 space will have two provided tables and then I am bringing my book shelf, a clothes rack and a coat rack. I am bringing a bunch of stuff from MyOtherShop like small cake stands, all of my coasters, light switch covers, pin cushions, ornaments, aprons, tote bags, my brooches and my new wine bags. Something for everyone and hopefully there will be lots of everyones!! :)

I will post tonight when we get home if I can and let you know how it went. Enjoy your Sunday and I will chat with you soon.

Super Busy Saturday

Tomorrow is the little craft show and I have a lot of things to get price tags on and get packed up. I was experimenting with felt and came up with these funky little pins. I'm going to take them to the show and see if they sell. Just an inexpensive little thing that might catch someone's eye. We shall see! Making these did give me an idea for another pin....when I have time.

I also need to grocery shop today since I won't be able to do that tomorrow, do laundry, pick up this house and have clothes ready for work for the week.

So, with that I am going to scoot. I have my list and I am ready to rock and roll. Have an awesome Saturday!

I Am Having So Darn Much Fun

I am almost ready for the little show I am doing Sunday. I am having so much fun making things. The lady called me today to confirm times and things like that. I was up early Wednesday morning and made some holiday cake stands and last night I made some awesome red wine bags.

I still have a few more that I would like to do, but I really need to finish them up tonight.

I wanted to make more of my pins too, but I'm not sure if I will have time before the show. Here are a few of them. Sorry for the bad pics, but I took them at night with a flash. :(

I have plenty of stuff for the show...it's just never knowing what the people might want that makes me nuts.

I am going to be selling my little sled ornaments. I had no idea how I was going to display them and then Irv came home with this.

He actually made it for me. He's painting it red. I think it will be perfect! :)

Well, I still have more to get done here so this is going to be short. Have an awesome day today!!

Creative Countdown

I am SOOOO ready to be done making things that I feel I NEED to make, so that I can start making things that I really WANT to make again. Don't get me wrong....I LOVE what I do, but I seem to be in this rut of making things that I think I should be making rather than the things I love to make. I am counting the days.....

Right now I am making some Christmas ornaments I really don't feel like making. It's just a silly little mouse in a walnut shell. It's darling, but it's tiny and it's hard to work with and I am really just don't feel like making them at all. Therefore, I'm not going to!

Wow! I feel better already. Liberation is awesome!

I bought some great fabric to make wine bags and that is what I really want to be making right now....but I can't because I need a wine bottle to make the pattern. Irv is picking some up for me from Michael and Bern tomorrow. Then I can start those. I would like to make about eight of them for the upcoming show.

The holiday coasters are drying, and the cork is cut. I'll put them together in a couple of days and they will be ready to go too. I have fabric to make a few holiday aprons.......that is on the list for this weekend.

I have totally neglected my shops since spring, and I have a ton of work to do this winter with both FourDogDay and MyOtherShop. I am so off track since deciding to do craft shows that I am actually looking forward to cleaning up and reworking my shops. Throwing around some ideas....just not sure what direction to go.

Do you have any special plans for your etsy shop if you have one? Any creative ideas you just can't wait to get started on? Please share.

Hubie's Market

The church and school where Irv works is having a very tiny little "market" on November 8 from 10:00 until 2:00. It's St. Hubert Church and School in Hoffman Estates, Illinois if any local readers are interested.There about 40 crafters and business vendors participating, and I am one of them. It sounded like they had a lot of nice businesses signed up. My understanding is that they use to have a big craft show, but over the years lost the volunteers and they stopped having it. This sounds like an attempt to get something going again. I thought I would lend my support.

Even though it is an indoor show, we aren't going to take our big setup. It's just way too much work for four hours. Instead we are going to do the two tables that they provide. I'm going to take some Christmas ornaments and the new brooches I'm making. I will be personalizing the sleds for people. The brooches will be in gift boxes on the table and I'll have ribbon for them.

I'll take the holiday coasters and a few non-holiday ones, and put them in gift boxes with tissue and ribbon. Then we'll bring the white bookshelf and put out some small cake stands, bring a clothes rack to hang my aprons on and a coat rack to hang the totes on. Irv said not to expect too much, so I am not going to go overboard....but then you always need to be prepared.

I'll have plenty for people to look at, but with a lot less set up and take down. It should work out fine. I'm sure some of the teachers and office staff that Irv works with will come by, so I thought it would be nice for us to participate.

Have you ever done any tiny little shows like this? Anyone show up? :)

Craft Show 101

I had Matt on my mind yesterday, but I did have a few things to tell you about the craft show this weekend.

My location was pretty good. It will be a while before I earn my way into the prime rows, but we were in the middle on an aisle and it worked out well, except for an hour or so each afternoon when the sun blasted in the skylights right on my check out table! We joked around about it just being my "heavenly glow", but it was seriously blinding at times.

Instead of the "teaser table" I had out front at the other show, Irv added awesome shelves to one side of the front of the booth and they worked beautifully. I had a couple of cake stands, some coasters and some light switch covers on them and people would stop, look at those things and come in. It was great!

I did learn a couple more very important things. One is that signs are a must. I kept thinking they would look like clutter, but when I was busy talking to someone and another person looked interested in something....even though I couldn't talk to the second person right then....a cute sign with the right words....spelled correctly would have worked. So, Saturday night I made some cute signs and put them around the booth with little bits of info about my totes, the aprons and the coasters. People actually read them! I did them on the computer on card stock and accented with scrapbook paper. Easy, inexpensive and useful!

The other BIG thing I learned is that even though I am not a seasonal decorating or dressing type person...hundreds of people are. I saw so many people walking around with Halloween and Thanksgiving stuff. It's not my thing, but that doesn't really matter. I must learn to please the masses. So, on that note, I will be making some holiday themed coasters and aprons for my shop and for the little tiny show we are doing at the church/school where Irv works. We'll see how it goes.

Here is a funny for you....this was my fourth show. At shows one through three, my cakestands were by far my best seller. I had decided that I probably wouldn't make any more light switch covers or coasters because they just don't sell. HAHA! Guess what sold the most at this show? Of course, coasters and light switch covers. So, what do I know?

Craft shows are a whole lot more than I ever thought they were. They are like a little business venture of their own. I am having fun, I'm learning, I'm meeting so many wonderful people...customers and other vendors and I can see where with time, this could become a nice way to supplement our income.

Oh, I have to say hi to my sister Karen in Tennessee who informed me yesterday that she reads my blog every day. I never knew that. So, hi Karen! Love you!

Now I need to go make some Christmas coasters! Chat with you soon!

It's Going to Be A Marvelous Day, but Aren't They All?

Whoa Baby! Today is October 4th....and a remarkable day in history! 58 years ago today.....my parents were blessed with a rather plump little baby girl.....ME! I can't believe I am 58 years old today. How the heck did that happen? I feel like I'm about 40...but then I guess that isn't possible when my daughter just turned 35 now is it?

I hope to do a Giveaway of some kind this week in honor of my birthday...so stay tuned.

I was up early this morning making a couple of signs for the craft show booth and then I need to run to Walmart for some more candy....it went over well yesterday...although I think Irv ate a lot of it!

I had insomnia last night. It could have been caused by the excitement of the craft show, but I really think it was the Chocolate Chip Paradise Pie from Chile's that I had for dessert last night....and I only ate half of it!

While I was laying in bed awake at about 11:30 p.m. my phone rang. It scared the heck out of me. Needless to say when I picked it up to see who it was it took a moment for my eyes to adjust....it was Matt. Then I was really scared....he doesn't usually call that late.

He was at the bar with some friends and his Search and Rescue pager went off! It said to meet at their lockers at 6:30 a.m. and to dress for snow and wind. He immediately left the bar and was on his way home when he called me. He needed to get his stuff together and get some sleep. He has no idea what the call is, but it's in a neighboring county about an hour away. He is thinking maybe a lost hiker....I told him good luck and that I will be hoping for a happy ending to the story! I will let you know.

With that, I am going to go finish my signs and get ready for Day Two of the show! Have a wonderful day everyone!

Craft Show Update....

Well, the show is really nice. It's a huge exhibit hall at the county fairgrounds. It's only about a year old, so everything is still clean and neat. My booth worked out well.....and.....I already made enough to cover my fee and made a very tiny amount of profit....and we still have tomorrow! Sunday isn't usually real busy, but anything I make is profit so I am extremely happy.

I even sold a nice tote bag and two aprons, so that was really cool. I had a lady that works in a bakery ask if I could make her an apron with cakes or cupcakes on it, and she is going to e-mail me and we'll do it though my shop. Someone else wanted a couple of different style light switch covers and she is suppose to e-mail me as well. Hopefully they. That would be really great!

Handed out lots of cards and talked to a lot of people, so no matter what happens tomorrow it's been a successful show for me.

I have some things I need to do to get ready for tomorrow, and I'm tired and hungry. I need food and my pj's! Have an awesome evening and I will be back to chat with you soon!

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!

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!!

It's here! Chee Hoo!

Well today is Friday. Irv and I are both working a 1/2 day so we can set up our booth for the craft show this afternoon rather than on Saturday morning. I know this was a wise move for us. Michael was so sweet and took a 1/2 day off to come and help us set up, and then Bernadette is working the booth with us on Saturday and Tresa on Sunday. It's so nice to have the support of your family. :)

The truck will be piled high with the walls for the booth, all of the shelves and Irv's tools.

My little Prius will be jam packed with the little check out "table", three bins of cake stands, three huge bags of pillows, aprons, tote bags, coasters, light switch covers, bags, credit card payment stuff, my signs, my props, ruffles, skirting and me!!

We plan to arrive there around 3:30 this afternoon. If we aren't there all night setting things up, I will check in when we get home and let you know how it went and post a picture of my booth with all of my stuff in it. If you don't hear from me tonight, then you can assume set up didn't go according to plan.

Have an awesome day today and if I don't chat with you again tonight, I will pop in when we get home Saturday if I'm not too tired!

Almost Done and Dog Gone Tired

We worked hard yesterday and finished up everything for the craft show, except if I want a vendor apron....I'll need to make it in the next four days. I have the fabric......Zzzzzzzzzz.....but I am SO tired. We'll see.

Our trial run setting up the booth went really well...better than we expected. The booth went up smoothly. While it was up, Irv did a little touch up, we figured out where all of the hooks had to go and my little Welcome and My Other Shop signs and we are good to go...and it is only Tuesday!!! Chee Hoo!

The girls look kind of cute hanging there, even though they are naked!

Wrigley kept peeking at us through the gate while we were working.

We finally brought her out to the driveway. She has to be tied to something or she just wanders off and manages to not hear you when you call her. Even dogs can have "selective hearing".

I do need to get some props like bars of soap and candy to display on my little baby "cake stands," and that's it. I put all of them on the kitchen table so I could pack them up. Just don't anyone sneeze! Aren't I daring? HAHA! With some very creative packing and a lot of bubble wrap, I managed to get all of this into one large and two medium bins!!

I looked at everything I've made and smiled. It looks good. Then I looked at the little bin of old buttons and jewelry pieces sitting on my desk....and smiled again, because I can't wait to start on my next project.

Have an awesome day today and I will keep you posted on my vendor apron progress. I put the fabric next to the sewing machine...maybe some little elves will come and complete it for me while I am at work today!

Sooooooooooo BUSY!!

My craft show is in two weeks and I have so much to do yet. On my TO DO list is to finish my last tote bag, make myself a vendor apron, iron all of the totes and aprons, price all of the new things I made, make a few more small cake stands, make the skirts and ruffles for the craft show booth, get everything packed up and ready to go and take down the booth, set the booth up again to be sure it is "easy" to do.

Not much time, but somehow I will make it happen.

So, to be sure that I am able to accomplish that....this is going to be short. I will leave you a picture of step one of the "hangers" we are making for my aprons. This one is just cut out of some scrap wood, but you get the idea. Irv has lots of cutting and sanding and painting to do and then I have lots of faces to draw. For now you will have to visualize.

They will be plain white with eyes and lips drawn on. The aprons will hang on them and then they will be hung on some kind of pegs or hooks using rope attached to the back of the "head". What do you think?

CHEE HOO! Have an awesome rest of the day!