Whew! All of the Arts and Craft Shows for the year are done. I started selling at shows about a year ago when my mom paid my entry fee at an Arts Picnic in Greeley Colorado. I made approximately $1000 that weekend. What it showed me was that people actually liked and paid real money for the things I created in my garage and at my dining room table.
The first year had a huge learning curve. The first of which was, how not to fight with my husband. He was my muscle behind hauling everything and setting up my tent, chicken wire walls and hanging and organizing my mobile shop. We have been married 30 years and setting up at these shows created the second time since we have been married that I was thinking about divorce. I was trying to think of ways I could do this without him. I started by telling him that I would rather walk on hot coals than do this with him in the future. What was he doing you ask? Even though this was "my" small business and I created all of the crafts in it,....... he had to do everything his way. You know, my way or the highway. It confused me in the sence that this was my business, not his, and he would get angry with me when I didn't do things his way.
Ultimately, we learned to get set up at shows, how not to argue and got through the first year.
I love to create! I have my own craft room, or should I say craft house which includes the garage. Fortunately my husband has his man cave and is happy with that. The problem I am having now is that I need a bigger work shop. I can barely get my car in the garage and actually open the door to go into the house.
So, now its winter and I have time to try to figure out this #$%& internet Apparently there is a difference between pins and boards that should be linked to your "website" that is linked to your "blog" and then to 'facebook' so that you can sell you stuff "on line". I just tried to upload a picture here to show you my booth, however, its not as straight forward and easy as person might think. I just want to hit a browse button and the picture appears. Oh no, its not that simple, gotta have a URL and resize your jpeg and on and on.
So here is my blog. I have a few items on Pinterest. I have a facebook page and have a store set up on Etsy (sort of). If I can figure out how to make this all work together is apparently, a friggin journey. Yea,right if you don't mind turning into a geek. I'm an artist not a chip head and the two are at war with each other in my head. If I could just make beautiful things and someone else set up the computer stuff and my Art Booths I would be a happy camper.
So if I can get back to the page where you write blogs, I will be back to keep whom ever reads this, in the loop of my Jourey of a Crafter.
Kind Regards,
Judy Johnson