i'm back from my show!

Things went really well. I wasnt sure what to expect in terms of sales, but I feel like considering the traffic we had, I did pretty good!  I learned alot that I'll be able to apply to next year, like buying two spots and creating more of an open feel for one... I met alot of really neat people!  I had a couple people tell me that my booth was they're favorite, and that just made my day.

this is how my booth looked at the beginning of the morning on Friday. I liked how it was set-up BUT I *think* the table was keeping the magority of the people from walking inside the booth. Kelli is an EXCELLENT ( http://www.kellilynnphotos.com/ ) Prosser photographer I met through etsy, and she stopped by to see if I needed any help. We brainstormed some ideas and re-arranged the booth to look like this...

... it wasnt as put together, but more inviting I think. the table cloth wasnt long enough to pin the end together... and the pictures were hanging off the end of the peg board BUT we were taking advantage of the prime real estate spots, the back wall, and the front sides of the booth... I think it ended up working out better this way.

I sold a few chalkboards, and a customized painting (the others will be listed in my etsy shop this week) a bunch of 8x10's some misprints that I brought in at clearance prices, and also some of my new photo blocks! :) I handed out a ton of business cards, and spread the word about etsy! I even added a new product line that will be making its way into the shop... polaroid sized prints!

I called them art polaroids, I tried the polaroid heart idea I refrenced to last week, ( http://vol25.typepad.com/vol25/2009/09/craft-show-inspiration-and-the-super-fun-digital-desktop-poladroid.html ) but it took up too much space to do in a booth. Maybe next year. :)

It was nice spending the weekend with Jaydon, my parents watched the kids for us all weeekend so it was like a mini vacation. :) I was pretty proud of him though, he stayed in the booth by himself on a couple different occasions, long enough for me to pick us up something to eat, and to check out the other vendors. He said he made sure to tell everyone that he was just the husband and that I would be back. The booth defintiely had a ladies feel. ;)

here i am working on a new monster/animal themed series for kids! This show had me brainstorming ideas/new products that kids would appreciate. I'm thinking giant posters for kids to color would be a big hit! If I can have them printed cheap enough I think it would be really fun to do. 

I was in a good spot, right next to the vendors and almost at the center of town, BUT I was right next to the sweetest lady selling suuuper awesome te-pees (which inspired another drawing) among other things, and another local artist from Richland selling really neat copper spinners.. .VERY mesmorizing. Anyhow really great products, but definitely attention grabbers for the kids. The mom would be searching through my prints and the kids would be tugging on her shirt saying "mom can we look at the tee-pees!? Or mom look at these things!" SO, this led me to thinking I needed to have a way of appealing to the kids. Two 10x10 spots and a few coloring posters should help me out in that department. :) So long as I dont end up baby sitting the kids, while the parents shop other booths I should be alright, right? :)

the kids stopped in for brief visits. :)

I ordered the EZup with the awning, and after the second day came up with a way of attaching a sign to the awning. I used a piece of 8.5x11 cardboard and duck taped some fishing line to the cardboard, then attached my sign with masking tape. Clothes pins attached it to the awning. :)

The street painting was going on all day saturday, we didnt get to really check out everyone's work until after we had the booth all packed and loaded. We met an incredibly talented local artist named Rick Gallegos, he was really fun to talk with and I loved his piece, the eyes have so much emotion!

I owe a big thank you to my grandma for helping with the kids early friday morning, and my parents for spoiling my kids all weekend... and a big thanks to all those that stopped by and said hi! :) Also want to extend a thank you to everyone who wished me the best of luck, it was really sweet! :)