Note to self: Never, ever, ever agree to show your jewelry at something called a "Festival" again!!! I know this. I do not do well where the emphasis is on music, or food, or wine. My work sells best at fine art shows where people come to appreciate and, hopefully, buy high-end art and craft. When my $100 pieces of jewelry are displayed next to hand-made soap or, what my Mama always called "Pigs on sticks", people just walk on by. I heard Dionne Warwick singing all weekend.
Shows, especially outdoor shows, require an incredible amount of work. The tent frame itself weighs 90 pounds and requires two people to set it up. If I don't have a helper with me, I just look wistfully at the other vendors and someone usually steps up. You can never count on the weather. Rain is the worst, but wind can be pretty bad, too. I've seen several of the lighter-weight tents that you can buy at Sam's Club ending up as kites flying across parking lots, stopping with their spindly little legs twisted into unrecognizable balls of metal.
So, why did I agree to do the Chatham Hill Winery's Harvest Festival last weekend? Because the economy is bad, my sales are down, and my sister thought it might be good for me. All poor reasons, but what the heck. Might as well give it a try - who knows - I might make some money. HA! I knew better, but agreed to go anyway. This is exactly why I now call myself a "Craft Ho". Schlepping that stuff around in any weather just to make a buck or two. Good thing I'm my own pimp.
3 comments:
you're so funny, "craft ho", that's a new on, ha ha.
sorry it didn't go well, i know the feeling. the last craft fair i did in bad weather, brought few customers and no sales. blah
i'll remember not to do any wine festivals.
I felt the same way at the Leaf Festival. Have seen the tent flying across the lake. In fact, Carol pointed to it and said. "Look at that tent!" and it was ours! Lots of people juking around with the music but no buyers.
oh zoe i just love your take on it...i think i see the tents aflyin' - but bummer that you didn't do well...it doesn't seem anybody is spending right now...this happened exactly at the same time last year to me, and just kicked in again. geez i'm getting to old for this!
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