Packing it up

Mom and I did our last craft fair of the season this past weekend. Phew! What a crazy crafty world it is out there. Usually Christmas seems to sneak up on me every year. But this year I knew it was coming. At the craft fairs I was already hearing Christmas music, watching people shop for Christmas presents and it really helped me appreciate the hustle and bustle I usually avoid.

Here are some pics of our booths from the last show. We've learned a lot and have some new ideas for the way to find success at craft fairs in the future. Thanks to our "muscle" (or husbands) who helped us lug all of our stuff, pack and unpack every weekend and to our friends and co-workers who came out to support us.

And that's it for holiday craft fairs this year! We're packing it up....see you in 2010!

Sugarloaf Craft Fair 2009!

I had the privelege of a mother-daughter date to the Sugarloaf Craft Festival last weekend. Sugarloaf is a HUGE juried fair with hundreds of vendors and activities. We haven't made the trip in a while but now that my mom and I have been delving into the craft fair world we decided to check out the BIG one!

Of course there was amazing amounts of jewelry, photography, woodworking, clothing, and art. The best part for us was the time we had together and talking to people that we look up to in the business. Mom got to talk to one of the 5th generation owners of Pretty Baby Soaps. And I got to see one of my favorite artists, Eric Sturtevant!

It was great seeing them do their thing and also encourage our efforts in the business. Eric mentioned and I agree that finding a mentor is key. It is wonderful when artists who are succeeding are willing to share their story and their advice with us...the confused yet hopeful crowd who is just starting out. One theme remains clear....this is really HARD work!

My Mama!

This post is too late for Mother's Day but it doesn't really matter does it? The minute you find out you are pregnant, you are and will always be, a mother. Every day is mother(ing) day even when your babies are all grown up. So now we have a day to stop and appreciate our mothers and honor them for all they've done. As if we can really sum it all up or pay it all back in a day. Ha!

This Mother's Day, Joel and I decided to host a lovely brunch for our families at our house. Joel expertly made tons and tons of pancakes, scrambled eggs and bacon. It was yummy and fun and we had a wonderful time.

My mother-in-law, Gail, and her babies.

My mom, Debbie, and her babies, minus Cristi and Ben. (And I suppose my dad isn't her baby, but he's often been referred to as the oldest child....!)

Later that night I was excited to hear that my mom, who just recently set up a blog and an Etsy shop, sold her first item!!! Wow! She was excited and I was very happy because my mom deserves success in whatever she does. She has always been interested in natural healthcare remedies and products. She started looking into glycerin soap when she found out how much more beneficial it was to our skin. She's been selling soap at craft fairs and soap parties ever since! If you are interested in my wonderful, gracious momma and her endeavors in the land of home-made soap, check out her blog here or on the link in my sidebar. She's just started listing yummy soap bars in her Etsy shop which you can see here. It's too bad you can't smell them through Etsy because the scent is amazing!

I love you Mom. And I wish you lots of success in this crazy cyber world.