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One....more...summer show!
The Alaska State Fair in Palmer starts this Thursday, and runs till Labor day. Yes, by the way, in case anyones been counting....Alaska has more than one "States Fair"...3 to be exact, Haines, Tanana Valley, and Palmer.
I'm about on my last ounce of energy reserve....so any "Ra-ra"s you guys have to offer are appreciated!
There REALLY wasn't much time for restocking since Tanana (especially since I got sick with a cold ) but I am trying to kick out a bit more work....the current still to finish count: 2 pieces of silk paper to make, 4 silk paper collages to cut/glue/handcolor and do beadwork on, a big stack of prints to sign, number, title, and shrinkwrap, and 9 pieces left to frame. Oh...and the booth to put up and hang |
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Hmmmm....Im not sure why I put this under "What does it mean...?"
I already know what it means... I'm crazy to have chosen this career, thats what it means |
Sending you heaps of Ra Ras, summer is nearly over, one more to go then a break for you.
I would love to see the fairs in Alaska, they look awesome. I am in the Winter Blues at the moment, if there is such a thing? Maybe I will migrate to Alaska in our winter then come home after.
Best wishes with the next fair, your work is awesome and I am sure it will be another great success. Alaska rocks, except for the scary bears at fairs.
I'll bring a Koala to cuddle instead.
No not crazy, ARTISTIC and go girl go. |
GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LAUREL!!!
You can do it!! |
Here's some more Ra Ra Ras , you go girl your art is fantastic |
Pepsi's Mommy wrote: GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO LAUREL!!!
You can do it!! |
DITTO!!!!!!!
Sloppy kisses from Violet and China just to keep you awake and going. |
YOU GO GIRL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
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We should all pitch in! I'll be an online cheerleader, and maybe Lisaoes will stop up and help you hang the booth.? |
Ra Ra Sis Boom Ba |
No Ron, I think YOU should go help her set up the booth. Then you can see all those tatoos!
Go Laurel, Go Laurel!!! |
Ooooooh (my best Merv Griffin impression)
I forgot about that... |
Go Laurel!
How come you make your assistant help you when he's puking and you can't do anything with a cold for yourself? |
GGGGGGOOOOOOOOOOOOOOooooooo LAUREL!!! |
barney1 wrote: Go Laurel!
How come you make your assistant help you when he's puking and you can't do anything with a cold for yourself? |
'Cause I'm the BOSS! |
Im sure you guys are all getting sick of my "tales from the Fair season" .....but I have to get one more big whine off my chest
Its Tuesday....the fair starts Thursday....we were SUPPOSED to do our final hanging, etc tomorrow.
As of 8pm, we have:
no booth, because the brand new 20'x25' tent that my booth partner just bought was sent with some of the wrong parts...No truck to take my walls and art to the non-existent booth, because an alarming burning smell just alerted us to a mechanical problem that our mechanic says sounds bad, but that he cant look at till tomorrow...and several pieces of artwork that aren't ready to pack into our non-functioning truck to go to our non-existent booth, because my frame shop cut the mats the wrong size.
Everything will be fine. it WILL.....right? |
Hey things happen in 3's you should be OK NOW.
It will be fine, ron is going to set the booth up & check on the tattoos out the back , I am going to shop till I drop.
Go Girl You are women, what's a little set back in plans |
Don't Panic!
If you have no truck, no art and no booth, you will have no customers, so you will have no complaints!!
There's always a bright side of things... |
Ron wrote: Don't Panic!
If you have no truck, no art and no booth, you will have no customers, so you will have no complaints!!
There's always a bright side of things... |
Actually....I already came up with this disaster's "silver lining". We are planning on buying a large tent ourselves for next year, and since this makes 2 years in a row that this company has messed up my friends order (last year they just sent COMPLETELY the wrong tent ) I now know where we WONT be getting ours! These tents (I wont use the company name ) are a big investment, and this company has a very good rep!
Its almost 11pm here now, and poor Scott, along with my assistant Nate and my booth partner Didiar, are still out at the site trying to get the tent to work. |
And you are going through all of this because it's fun? My wife and I go to the art shows around Denver and Winter Park and I am always impressed by the set-ups. I hadn't really thought of the head aches. Very best of luck. Your pictures look great. |
Yikes! I hope the daylight brought some solutions for your situation. |
Bella's Dad wrote: And you are going through all of this because it's fun? |
No, not really! although aspects of the shows really ARE fun, I do it because its the best way to make a good income from being an artist . I do sell my work in galleries also, but they typically take from 40-50 percent in commission, and can be a HUGE headache to work with ( don't EVEN get me started on a gallery-whine! ). Once the darn thing is up and running, I LOVE doing the shows....but set up, and pre-prep always seem to be fraught with disaster!
Its noon on Wednesday, and the guys are STILL trying to get the tent up! |
Ahhhh yes. The myriad joys of the art and carft fair booth! Always such an adventure. My mom did art/craft fairs during my childhood- we had a potpourri business. Many, many times we had to work through the trials and travails. Shows where you didn't make enough money to pay for the gas to get there, let alone the entrance fee, food, and hotel. Weather so hot you thought you were gonna die. Tents that collapsed in the middle of a rain storm. Other show entrants walking around trying to steal your ideas. Extremely opinionated small children... Yep yep yep been there done that! Keep going Laurel, you'll make it through!
Just keep this is mind- you DON'T have to worry about your art being eaten by hornets! Hooray. (That happened to us once, I try not to think about it!) |
Iriskmj wrote: Ahhhh yes. The myriad joys of the art and carft fair booth! Always such an adventure. My mom did art/craft fairs during my childhood- we had a potpourri business. Many, many times we had to work through the trials and travails. Shows where you didn't make enough money to pay for the gas to get there, let alone the entrance fee, food, and hotel. Weather so hot you thought you were gonna die. Tents that collapsed in the middle of a rain storm. Other show entrants walking around trying to steal your ideas. Extremely opinionated small children... Yep yep yep been there done that! Keep going Laurel, you'll make it through!
Just keep this is mind- you DON'T have to worry about your art being eaten by hornets! Hooray. (That happened to us once, I try not to think about it!) |
Done the hornet thing That was an issue in Fairbanks a few years ago! Im sure the sweet smell of your mom's product made it worse for you guys...I noticed that the booths with the worst hornet problem were all sweet-food vendors! We actually had a number of customers carried away in ambulances from anaphalactic(sp?) shock!
Then there was the year with the super bad wildfires, and smoke so thick you could barely see across the aisle....The year it rained to hard that not only our roof gave out, but our booth supports sank into the mud and collapsed....I could go on, and on....yup...always an adventure! |
It is adventure, but the nature parts are easier to work with than the stupid or inconsiderate neighbor. My favorites are the yelling couples. My best Fairbanks issue was the one when another vender set up their sleeping tent with one corner in the back of my booth. They get mad when I asked them to move. The thing that confused me was that my booth was set up before they got there. |
8pm on Wednesday..... We have a TENT!
The artwork is all done, and all we have to do now, is put up our walls inside the tent, hang the work, put up the lights, and we're home free! |
YAY WOO HOO and don't forget a nice relaxing glass of Vino too.
You deserve it.
Best wishes and sell sell sell, I know it all will all be snapped up fast.
Tell the bears and hornets to nick off while this fair is on. |
Woo Hoo! |
Good Luck Laurel.....I'll be looking forward to your next update. I hope this is your best fair ever!!!! Crossing fingers and paws. |
Hooray! Good luck! |
Hello all....just a middle- of- the- fair update.
We are on day 7 of the 12 day show. So far this show has had lots of: Rain, sun/heat, weird customer encounters (some random examples....the guy who asked one of my booth-partners whether a 400 dollar soapstone carving was intended for use in the bathtub ....and the woman who angrily accused me of "copying" a piece of art she had see before....a piece done by ME as it turned out! ), lots of booth-sharing drama that I wont even go into , and reasonably decent sales.
I am SO ready to be done with the summer fair season! |
Just remember why you do it....
Love of art...
Love of humanity...
Love of eating in the winter... |
Well, its day 11....and I'm doing something I have NEVER done before....I am taking a day OFF from the show . Scott made the offer last night, that he would be willing to take the booth alone today, so that I could stay home and have a day with the pups
This show has really worn me down Scott offered this day off when he came back to the trailer (we park it behind the booth for breaks, even though we go home each night from this fair) and found me crying over some random nasty comment a person had come in and made about my artwork. That kind of crap doesn't usually get to me, but the day (A Saturday!) had not gone well sales-wise, and I was soooooo tired.
So....its coffee, junk food, sheepie cuddles, a couple of good books, and the OES forum for me today! |
Well, I hope your downtime day has gone well.
Everyone needs a day off every little bit. Constantly being "on" and in the public for that may days has got to be hard. Lets hope someone doesn't get Scott going on a tripe discussion! |
Such a nice husband! I hope you had a better day today |
Wow... you must be tired!
What kind of comment could possibly bring you to tears? |
Ron wrote: Wow... you must be tired!
What kind of comment could possibly bring you to tears? |
The guy was drunk, and trying to discourage his wife/girlfriend from buying a piece the comment was too profane for this forum. sigh. As I said....usually wouldn't bug me, but I was kinda wiped out.
Scott just called to tell me how things are going....he's doing GREAT on sales today! Whata guy! |
That's so good to hear your husband gave you a day off! So nice.
I'm sorry someone said something rude. You really must have been exhausted and just worn out to top it off, so emotions were high!
Hope you enjoyed some cheesy toast and sheepie kisses. |
I'm sorry you had to deal with a stupid drunk guy.
I hope you enjoyed your day off. |
Keep your chin up and enjoy your day of rest and play (with the sheepies )and your art is FANTASTIC |
Aw... poor thing. Hope your day off has been relaxing. You have been so busy that you NEED downtime!
I think your work is beautiful.... |
Silly horrible drunk man, I'm sorry you had to put up with him
Hope you enjoyed your day off, you deserve it!
And your artwork is beautiful!! |
Its OVER!
Our last day went very well. Phew! 3 whole weeks now till my 1st winter show . Thats not long, considering the number of special orders, mail outs, etc that I need to do before I can even start on stock for the winter or my new images....but still....its a bit of a break ! |
YAY!!!! |
"There's no place like home, there's no place like home..."
OK, I'm a poor Dorothy, but YAY! you did it and you're home! |
HOORAY! Well done, you survived! I'm glad you are really busy, it sounds really exciting. |