August 21-27 Week 34

This week was another of just rest and relaxation as much as possible. I planned on doing a show over the weekend, but instead a raving migraine and a big rain storm kept me at home. I probably would have gone to the show if it was sunny and I had a headache, or if it was raining and I felt fine, but the combination of the two was too much for me to take and to try and work through.

Monday: I went to the bank to make my deposit- accidentally depositing the money I use as change in my cash register- forcing me back to the bank on Friday for money for the show that I ended up not going to. I paid bills, caught up on laundry, ran the credit card sales from the show, got out an order, and did some other miscellaneous paperwork and phone calls.

Tuesday: I got my hair cut. I really like my new hair stylist. Her name is Sandy and is at the Artisan Salon & Day Spa here in Emmaus. I also went to the grocery store in the hopes of actually cooking some real meals, went to the post office, and made an appointment to get my oil change and a recall on my van fixed.

Wednesday: Not much during the day other than making soap, but at night we went to dinner with B&M to celebrate M’s birthday. We got him a trivia game based on the Soprano’s. I think he wishes he grew up as part of the Italian Mob.

Thursday: Made more soap. I really need to get caught up on some inventory. I don’t think I have enough lye in the house to get what I need to get made completed. I’m dreading the drive to go pick up more. Maybe B will want to come and we can make it a day trip. Who knows?

Friday: I got up and got my oil changed and my van fixed and inspected. I dropped off some soap at OOOH and then quickly got home, because my stomach was starting notteo feel well, and who likes to be sick in public? Not me. When C got home from work we talked about going and setting up for the show but decided that my tummy wasn’t ready for a port-a-pot, or lack there of, so we decided to wait till morning. Good thing, around 9pm my head felt as though it had split open and my brain was trying to escape. Then around midnight it started raining and thundering so hard I don’t know if my tent would have made it through the downpour if I had set it up.

Saturday: Around 5 am I finally got relief from my headache enough to get some sleep. We had decided about 3 am not to go to the show. I struggled with the headache all day, so much so that we skipped the opportunity to go to Atlantic City with B & M for the day. The thought of being in a moving car just didn’t sound like any fun. Add in the incessant jingle of a slot machine and I think I would have lost my mind…Around 7 pm I started to watch the NASCAR race and couldn’t make it through- so glad we have a TiVo.

Sunday: Headache gone, but still lots of rain. Boy was I glad I didn’t go to that show. It rained so hard we didn’t even go up to look around and get some good food. Instead we rearranged the bedroom, getting rid of an armoire and adding shelves to the closets. Now we just need a set of drawers.

August 14-20, 2006 Week 33

This week really was just getting done with one show and then turning it over and doing another one. Monday I had to go to the bank and make a deposit, answer phone calls, pay bills, and order ribbons for my merchant credit card machine. That night B and I took a cosmetics class. It was fun to spoil myself for a few hours.

Tuesday I printed flyers, packed the van, cleaned my displays and table covers, did laundry and packed inventory.

Wednesday: J came in the late afternnon. C and I met in Lansdale and then drove to set up the booth, before coming home and having dinner with J.

Thursday: Errands that had to be done, the drycleaner, getting cat food and cat litter, going to the post office, etc. J and I then made about 270 fizzys. We then tried to find a yarn store I thought was in Northampton, but I later learned was in Nazareth. Oops…

Friday-Sunday- Philadelphia Folk Festival.

I don’t know if I like my biggest shows being back to back like this. It is just painful. I hurt, I am behind in the housework, I am behind on orders, I am behind on e-mail, I am behind on sleep.. But I can tell you one thing, the deposit slips make it all better….

August 19 & 20, 2006 Phila Folk Fest Days 2&3

Day 2 the last few weeks really started setting in. I was darn tired. After getting up way early to wrap some bath fizzys, the day was just way long. I can’t say enough about how pleasant and fun this festival is for me to do, and the sales don’t hurt either. Saturday was an exceptional day, and I really believe that having a corner booth and having it located where it was located had a large hand in how well my sales went. I am now interested in spending the extra money (often corners cost more) in a few other shows to see if getting a corner booth increases my sales by enough to warrant the expense.

Sunday was my best day of sales ever. I cannot believe the response that I got from the customers. I really though after Friday and Saturday going so well, that Sunday would be a dud. It started out really slow because of the heat and humidity, but picked up in the late afternoon and then just didn’t slow down. Load out was a breeze. Although we choose to wheel out all of our stuff, rather than bringing in the van, it was still simple and so extremely well organized it is amazing.

Like all shows not everyone is happy all of the time, and many people didn’t do well, or as well as they thought they should. Some started packing up pretty early, others stayed open late to try and get the last remnants of people as they left the late concert. I stayed open a little later and then just got tired and decided to pack up.

I also got some wonderful trades- earrings and an anklet from Isis, and another set or earrings and a pin from a couple that my dad bought from last year. I also did some shopping, some earrings for a gift, and some (ok lots) of yarn for me. I think I have enough yarn for 15+ projects now. I need to get some serious knitting done. I just need some serious down time to get in done during. J told me that there is a new yarn store in Saratoga now too, I’ll have to bring my mom when I am there for her birthday.

J was here Wed-Sat. It was very nice to get to see her and spend time with her before she moved. She came to the festival with me and even loosened up enough to take off her shoes and sock and walk on the ground! This is a huge deal- as she really hates all things nature and dirty. She enjoyed her days enough to think about taking the festival off next year and coming to the booth to help. So it must be a pretty cool place to be…