It's Monday... and all is well :)

So this past Saturday I showed my wares at the Trenton Ave Arts Festival and it was a great experience, I even made a profit this time... hahaha. The show was huge, the biggest one I have been to yet. Tons of people, lots of music and a lot of fun... even if it was a long tiring day.

The night before, with the help of 8yr old Jonny, I was able to pack everything into the subaru. It was a tight fit, but with the creative suggestions from Jonny, I was able to make everything fit... even the all important table that I actually forgot about and had to pack up Saturday morning... hahaha :)

Saturday morning I woke up early, printed off directions and left with my boyfriend John in the car with me. I had really no idea where this show was in the city and neither did John, so it was good that I printed off the directions since both of our phone GPS navs couldn't get a single. We arrived safely though and set up the tent and all my wares in the right space (we double checked several times... hahaha). Everything looked good, even if the sign was a tad crooked and the shelves leaned a little due to the very uneven cobble stone road we were on.


For this show I had gotten a folding pegboard display wall to hang my mirrors and hooks on. It looked good... and then a gust of wind came up and blew it down. I think I might have let out a scream when it happened but I'm not sure... hahaha. I ran over and slowly started to lift up the display. In my mind all I saw was all the glass and mirrors shattered on the road. But as I lift the display I saw that nothing was broken or damaged beyond repair. I was so amazed and relieved!! The other crafters and vendors around me were such a help in giving me string to use to tie the display to the tent and picking up everything that fell, and to them I am so so grateful. I was even more grateful when it happened again... Yes, it happened again even though it was tied in place. The string was that really slippery kind and I think with the breeze rocking the display back and forth it just loosened the knots enough to give out when a stronger breeze came along. But again, nothing was damaged and everyone around really helped me out.

By the end of the show I had sold 5 items and actually turned a profit... first time that has happened... hahaha :) So to me, it was a very successful outing. And the breakdown of the display and tent went very quickly. I really couldn't have asked for more :)

Sunday was spent not doing a whole lot... hahahaha. My feet needed some rest after standing for 8 hours straight and I just needed to relax and sleep a little. Sleep is always good... hahahaha.

I've included a couple of pics of the booth along with the leaning shelves... hahahaha. I hope you have a smooth Monday and great week!

~Jennifer :)

Trenton Ave Arts Festival... Only 5 Days Away...

It's Monday and my second big arts and crafts show is this coming Saturday... and Saturday seems to be approaching faster then normal. Even though this is my second big show, it's going to feel like my first. The Malvern Blooms show was my first, but with the bad weather and small turn out, it wasn't that big. The weather for the Trenton Ave. show is suppose to be nice, and they have had huge turnouts the last few years, so even though this is my second large outdoor show, it'll probably end up feeling like my first.

Before the last few shows, I felt the need to make a ton of items to build up my stock and to have items to show that were not on my website. With this coming show, however, I don't feel the need to do that since there was such a small turn out at the last couple of shows, my inventory is still at a good level. I'm still working on some new pieces for the show though... I just can't go without anything new... hahaha :)

So since I am not acting like a mad beaver working on frames or home decor pieces, I feel a little more relaxed with this show coming up. The kids I nanny for aren't seeing as much paint on my hands. And I am a little calmer around them... which I am sure they appreciate... hahahaha :) And since I am not making one project after another, I think I'll be able to be a little more prepared for the show... I'll have my items marked with prices before the show, they'll be better organized in their boxes, best of all, I'll be less frazzled... hahaha :)


The youngest boy I look after, Jonny (8), has been asking, on the verge of begging, to come to the show with me and help. He wants to sell my items for me, because in his words "I'm an excellent sales person Jenn, you need me to come!" hahahaha... He even told me that he wanted to walk around the show with one of my pieces to try to sale it... of course I told him that would not be safe or a good idea at all... but I still thought it was very sweet of him. Even though Jonny won't be at the show with me (it is my day off from watching him... hahaha), he will have a presence there, he has designed one of the gift tag sets which he is very proud of. He is even more excited by the fact that if those tags sale he gets the money from them. So for him, I do hope those tags sale this coming Saturday.

With all that said, I am off now to do a little nannying and to work on some magazine holders. Have a fabulous Monday and enjoy the little things in life!

~Jennifer :)