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Hurry up and wait

When I was growing up riding horses, the phrase “Hurry up and wait” was thrown around a lot.  It meant that you were always in a mad dash to get you and your horse ready and at the show ring to school (practice).  You would then wait around while everyone got their turn to jump around the course which could take forever.

The craft show this past weekend felt like that.  I have been working hard to get a lot of things made during naps and after bed time.  There was one night I was waxing chairs at 11:30 pm.  I was working with new items ideas for my shop and the prototype stage is always a fun one.  I was getting to work with all those fabrics I have been storing for “someday” and figuring out the best way to use them.  I was learning new techniques on my sewing machine.  Having to work during naps means that I have to set up, sew and clean up before I can let the tiny person loose since there can’t be hot irons and pins laying around.  It was a rush of creative activity that I really loved.

Then last week I started preparing everything for the set up of my booth.  This was the first show with the new name so I had to redo all my price tags which took one whole night.  Last Friday I set up the tables I had and did a mock up of my booth.  This way I would know where everything went for the best fit and presentation.  I had signs (picture frames) with descriptions of what was for sale so I wouldn’t have to explain everything.  People don’t always want to feel pressured while they are browsing but the cool part of a lot of my stuff is that it’s recycled or repurposed in some way and has a story.  I figured the signs would mean they could read while they browsed.

I was pretty excited about the set up.  Here are the wine gift bags and cork keychains set up on an vintage drafting table.  I haven’t gotten to refinish it yet so I used a white table cloth and a gray runner I made for my wedding with gray wool.  The sign wasn’t done yet (the frame had some old wording in it) and everything was a bit wrinkly but you get the picture.

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The second picture has a bunch of reusable flour sack cloth bags along with the newest addition to the shop – aprons!  I made myself my own vendor apron and liked it so much I made some to sell.  I also have started to make adjustable full size aprons which is what you see on the hangar behind the table.  (You can also see pictures of me on horses!) Again the sign wording wasn’t done but I at least new where everything was going to go so if it rained I wouldn’t have to waste time.

And oh, did it rain.

I don’t know if I have ever been this ready for a show ever.  Everything was done and packed in the car by 6:30 pm the night before.  In fact our friend came for dinner and I was able to relax.  The reports were for rain, causing a 5 minute freak out, but I just figured I would do the best job I could and see how it went.

We woke up and the forecast was for light rain.  Ok, I can deal with that.  We got to the show and it started pouring.  We set up the tent and put on the sides.  And that is as far as we got.  The wind was going sideways, we were a few blocks from the beach after all, and the sides had turned the tent into a sail.  Once we realized that the metal frame was starting to bow, we called it.  It just wasn’t safe for us or all the inventory I was going to put inside.  We weren’t the only ones either as most of the park was empty.  We headed to breakfast instead.

And that is why you are only seeing my terrible mock up photos in my office instead of nice photos of my beautiful booth.  So after all that work and excitement, nothing.  I love being at shows and talking to people and getting feedback on my stuff.  Hurry up and wait.  So now I start the long process of taking pictures of everything, editing the pictures, and writing all the listings in my Etsy shop.  Some of the pictures are done so there should be more fun things to buy in the shop very soon.  I will keep you posted.

 

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