August 4, 2008- Musikfest Day 4

I started out the morning at the doctor’s. 875 milligrams of amoxicillin twice a day for the next ten days. Here is hoping the collective 17,500 milligrams get the job done and get me back on my feet.

K opened the show for me. She is such a trooper. After a busy morning at the dentist, she came right over and rescued me! She stayed with me till about 7 so I really got to rest my voice quite a bit. By the end of the night, it almost sounded better, rather than worse for once.

The weather was beautiful. The crowds were pretty big for a Monday, and sales were brisk. Better than usual I think. But then again I don’t keep track till the end (to compare year to year). It gets too stressful to compare day by day.

There are a lot of people not doing well and are very unhappy about it. Some blame the economy, some blame competition, some blame their booth location. Crafters are funny- we as a whole rarely ever look at it as the fact we are just in the wrong place at the wrong time, or that our product isn’t popular in this particular location, or that our booth display is ragged and needs a face lift.

I know slow sales can be blamed on many things- weather is one of my favorites to blame, but really, they should mostly be blamed on the artist, starting with a bad choice of show and sometimes on the economy of the nation or a particular region where the show is located. But honestly I think we hide behind blaming other things when we don’t know or are too lazy to do something about something we actually have some control of.

August 3, 2008- Musikfest Day 3

Well they say you get sicker and sicker before you get better… hope this is the bottom of the barrel. I can’t stop coughing and still no vice. Tomorrow is a trip to the doctors.

The show was pretty good today, there were a lot of people and sales were brisk and consistent. Only one jerk- a lady I asked not to smoke in my tent and she told me I should just go home if I was too sick to smell her smoke. People never cease to amaze me!

Other than that I have to say the day was just plum uneventful. It is funny though, how sometimes when you don’t clarify a statement it can get you into trouble. C said he was coming over after finishing a load of laundry (I assumed this meant about 30 minutes) and when it was 2 hours later and he hadn’t left yet… well… see what I mean…I should have asked for exactly what time he planned on coming over to help me, instead I just stewed when it got later and later… whoops….

But he was wonderful. He cleaned up my shop a whole bunch, and that was a huge help! He always does a much better job than I do.

On to tomorrow! Three down, 7 to go!

August 2, 208, Musikfest Day 2

I don’t consider myself an overly religious person, but…dear Lord, please help me... I am sick... I am getting sicker. I have pumped up my body with every herbal supplement, immunity booster, and over the counter drug that I can think of, or have been given by friends. My voice is toast, my nose is stuffed, and there is heaviness in my chest that is starting to scare me a little. I am starting to hack and cough now, and it physically pains me to do so… It is only day two- 8 more to go...

Yesterday sales were better than I thought. I don’t count my sales till I get home for the night and the day felt really slow, but when I got home it was better than I expected. The weather was wonderful and you could really see people enjoying the day- especially the afternoon out with friends and family.

I got three wash cloths knit and got to meet another Ravelry member (and one on Friday too!) I ordered an new cash register- mine suddenly died the night before- hopefully I will get it here before the end of the show.

It is hard, I am praying for the afternoons to be quiet so I can save energy and recuperate, but my comrades, the other artisans need the people and the sales, so I feel guilty about my wishes…but I also need the money, the sales myself… so it is all a double edges sword…

But I have to tell you, my customers are the BEST. I have gotten more suggestions on what to take to get better ,and everyone telling me to stop talking, to be quiet and to get better. I can so feel the love. And the compliments I have gotten so far, my repeat customers are so sweet! And I have to say that I know the economy is tough right now, the fact that you are choosing to spend your hard earned money on something that I make, that I love, is not lost on me. Every sale is meaningful, really. It is because if the people here at a local festival like this that I want to be there, I want to fight through this cold, I want to see everyone and experience the days. Any other show and I would probably be home sick in bed…