Homegrown for the Holidays -- a Wrap-Up

Whew! That really sums up today -- busy, stressful, long, but so rewarding! This was really a great show, one that I look forward to visiting again next year :).

First, I got there at 8:45 to set up, by myself! I didn't know where half my stuff was (as we haven't done a show since October), couldn't find my table cloths (I purchased two holiday cream ones on clearance from Target for $7) and was generally frazzled as I tried to get everything set up and looking pretty before showtime... I don't think I did too horribly bad on my own...


So, I get myself set up and decide to wander around and who do I see but some of my fellow Orlando Arts Team members -- Pinka, Le Petit Poussin, Raven's Repose Soaps, Baby Bow Madness, Bollinger and Surpreyes !!! Yay :), I love hanging out and chatting with friends :).

Since everyone but Surpreyes were across the way from me, I chatted with them first... their shop looked awesome when completed ! I love them all! I've used Raven's Repose soaps and they are fantastic -- the quality of Le Petit Poussin and Pinka's items are so high (oh, if it were only socially acceptable to stick my son in cute skirts... I'd have blown all the money I made. My husband is thankful).


I went down the hallway to where Surpreyes was creating her craft -- she was recently honered with a POW award and selected to go to the Craft & Hobby Association’s Indie Crafter booth!! Awesome! Her work truly is marvelous, I'm seriously in awe of her mad creating skills. This is Heather humoring me in her booth!

Oh, yeah, this is my Santa. Back off and no one gets hurt.

I'm thinking I might be able to sucker her into trading me that Santa for my OOAK vintage silk sari quilt -- what do you think?

One final shot -- her beautiful chakra dolls made from scraps of fabric... aren't they amazing?

Anyway, pretty much at 11 am, people starting coming. In droves! We were busy pretty much all day long. Not overwhelmingly, pull-your-hair-out busy, but pleasantly occupied. Everyone we met was fantastic -- from the fellow vendors to every customer. I've never been to a craft show yet where there wasn't one negative nancy, but *not* today. Maybe everyone was in the holiday spirit, the stars were aligned properly or the clientelle at this event draws from a happier segment of the population, but everyone smiled... many shook my hand, everyone stopped to chitchat, and no one was rude! Amazing! Anyway, we did really well today. The hubby stopped by with little man, and they played around with the "soap snow" and listened to the musicians and entertainers over by the Dandelion Cafe.

At 7 pm, it was time to close shop after a long 8 hours there. Honestly, I *wouldn't* have closed up, but my toddler was there and he was getting a little hungry... so I made the executive decision to close. We could have stayed open til 10 pm but the area we were in closed at 7 because the drum circle and dancing started next door.

We ate at the fantastic Dandelion Cafe (yummy vegan food... mmmm.....) and danced at bit at the Winter Solstice drum festival before leaving at around 9 pm. The toddler was *definitely* at the end of his rope (even though he wouldn't admit it to himself!).

All in all, a wonderful day. I got to sit outside in beautiful weather, meet fantastic people, chat a bit with friends, pet some fun dogs (including an adorable welsh corgi) and make some money. You can't ask for a better day than that, now can you?

Take care all and Merry Christmas if I can't get back to blog before then!

Jen