Paper Trees, Exhaustion & Yet Another Show

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Martha's trees are beautiful, aren't they? I should make some and "Stefani" them up a little bit with tiny paper decorations or something.

But for now, I'm having a low-energy day and recharging from a very busy craft show season. I'm happy to report that I killed at yesterday's show at School 46! Being in the gym made a major difference to my sales. I was 77% over last year - and I made my goal by 140%. She shoots, she scores!

Yesterday was going to be the make it or break it day for me at that sale. In fact, when it got started, I was pretty much convinced I wouldn't be doing the show again. I'd noticed how much purchased product there was, as opposed to hand crafted. I even saw people walking around with Avon bags so there must have been an "Avon lady" there as well. I strongly prefer shows with 100% hand crafted items.

I knew I should decide by the end of the day because vendors are given an opportunity to sign up for next year on the spot. I obviously couldn't count my money right there in my booth and I worry about trusting my instincts as to what my sales might be. But it felt right and I was told I can definitely have the same spot again next year, so that clinched it. I signed up and paid my fee so I'm committed to doing it next year and I'm very happy about it, not conflicted at all, like I was going in to this year's show.

So I've been saying this is the last show of the season for me but here's the thing. I was skimming through my overflowing in-box last week, looking for something in particular and I noticed an email from a craft show friend, titled "Holiday Sale". Ruh-roh - how did I miss this email??

Besides running her related craft business, Kathy Houser runs the Valentown Museum gift shop in her Tea Room, which opened this past summer. The museum gift shop (in it's former location within the museum) has carried my Sticky Notes as a consignment item for a couple of years now. It's extremely low volume but there's no work involved, really.

So because my Sticky Notes are already there - and I'd do anything for Kathy because I think she's very cool - looks like I have one more show to do. I only have to work a few hours over the 3 days so it will be pretty easy. However, I need to get some more things made by Wednesday, when I said I'd stop over to help set up at the Tea Room. Mostly I need to make pins because I ran out of the angel pins on Saturday and only have a few Christmas tree pins left. The Sticky Notes sold well, of course, at this past weekend's show but the pins were really a great seller too. I have lots of things punched & cut, ready to be assembled.

So this show will bring my total up to 9 shows in 9 weeks. I told Steve it felt pretty daunting in theory, prior to the shows but once I was into them, it was sort of as I expected - just one week at a time. But now at the end. I'm beat right down to my socks. It's weird to not feel like I want to work on the business or clean my studio or make anything - I usually have endless energy for this stuff! Thank goodness I know it's temporary. Very temporary.

I said to Steve, "What the heck are we going to do with all our free time now??" I was kidding because we have very long to-do lists, both separately and together - mostly house stuff. It needs deep cleaning - even painting - and I'm really going to crack the whip over Simon. His stuff is still all over the basement from when he moved back in, in September. Like I've mentioned before - several of these reorganization projects all depend on the previous one - sort of a chain reaction.

But today, I'm feeling so overall exhausted I am taking the day off. This is one of those days where I worry if I'll ever get my energy back. But I know I'll be fine tomorrow.

I went to bed at 7:30 last night, much to Steve's chagrin - and slept 10 hours. And I might just feel a nap coming on today.

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Kathy and her husband restored the tiny house that holds her tea room. She gave me a tour last summer when they were just finishing up. I can't wait to see how she arranges things for this show. She has a true flair for this stuff - she's just a fascinating person. She's a retired art teacher and school principal. I hope you'll stop by if you're in the area. I'm not sure when I'll be working there. I told Kathy I'm available all day Saturday and Sunday so stick me in the schedule wherever she needs me.

Valentown Garden Club
Holiday Open House & Gift Sale
Miss Lillian's Tea Room
at the Historic Ichabod Town Homestead
267 High Street, Victor, NY
Valentown Museum Grounds

Friday, December 12, 1:00-6:00 PM
Saturday, December 13, 10:00-6:00 PM
Sunday, December 14, 10:00-5:00 PM

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