by carmen | Nov 17, 2009 | Uncategorized
- No matter how many times you wash your hands, you WILL get a cold.
- I don’t deserve my friends.
- I will never get a 20ft booth again. It was just too much pressure.
- I will never buy another piece of carpeting for the booth.
- I will wear Pearl’s felted clogs at the show instead of my fancy lady shoes.
- I will never, ever, part with my Frances Felt Yarn skirt.
- Borrowed furniture means I get a new display every year.
- The hat “tree” and my attempt to improve on nature was a flop.
- John is an excellent sales person but prefers the job of inventory control.
- My hand spun yarn makes people happy.
This will be followed up by my list of 10 things I need to fix in the studio or I will never get all of my custom work finished this season.
It is almost 9am and the sun just came out. It’s a sign. This chick is on her way to the studio.
by carmen | Nov 16, 2009 | Events
This is all that’s left of that extreme effort to get a great booth together.
Gratitude and love (in no particular order)
- Pearl
- John
- Toni
- Kim
- Joan
- Jean
- Mike
- Kate
- Brett
- Circle Craft Volunteers
- The carpet guy
Now the real work begins. I have one enormous wholesale order for Colorado and then my custom orders from the show. As well, I have one day of experiencing the Culture Crawl with Joan and a vendor advisory meeting on Wednesday. It’s a full schedule without including putting the studio back together. But these are all things I am really looking forward to.
The evening ended beautifully at Tropika… You have to try the pineapple rice.
by carmen | Nov 15, 2009 | Uncategorized
It’s the last day of the show!!!I am looking forward to getting back into the studio to start all of this amazing custom work. Yes, I know what I said about doing custom work, but this is all things I loved making and just sold out of.
There was a lot of playful dress up in the booth. Sometimes you just have to try it all on.
And here’s some late night studio work.
I guess it’s time to throw myself in the shower. It will wake me. Then I can have my coffee, complete my resign application for next year and get myself to the show. There will be a lot of helpers today so I may even get a chance to shop from some other vendors.
by carmen | Nov 13, 2009 | Uncategorized
You go to shows to make money and pay the rent. It’s intense and a bizarre way to earn a living. In production most of the year and then rolling the dice for the big payoff.
The show has been incredible this year and I can’t deny it. But something bigger than having a good show has happened for me this year.
It makes sense. All of it. The hours, the stress, the late nights……are because I love this.
For every hat that is tried on, for every knitter that has the perfect project for my yarn, my heart grows just a little bit bigger. I have an incredible sense of pride in how much happiness my small items can bring to people and this year it all came together like a giant fuzzy hug.
So, I did not knit anything last night when I came home. I did not spin. We had a nice late dinner and talked about the show. I read some beautiful emails. Even went to bed early.
Sweet.
by carmen | Nov 12, 2009 | Uncategorized
Exhausted, elated….I feel like I have been beaten with a bag of oranges. I can’t even think today as I did not leave the booth once yesterday in 11 hours.
Not sure if the four hours sleep I got last night will do the trick. Here’s hoping.
by carmen | Nov 11, 2009 | Uncategorized
Molly’s furniture has made me love designing the booth this year. The spinning has made me love filling in all those shelves.
And now a few peaks at what is on those shelves….
This shelving is so amazing, I feel like I may need to keep it….Here’s hoping the show goes well enough to justify the expense…And the dresser, oh my the dresser..
What does one do after such a long day of merchandising? Behold banana fritters and coconut ice cream on Main Street’s Chili Garden…..
Show starts tomorrow at 10:00am. Come visit me at my booth #140. It looks like a great show this year.
by carmen | Nov 10, 2009 | Uncategorized
The drinks are on me. The booth is set up. Not set up, but everything is there. Today will be a long day of merchandising. I will appreciate it as I haven’t seen some of this inventory in months. I will tag it, price it, fondle it and remember where I was when I spun or knit it. What I was doing, and who I was with. Each piece has a sensory recollection for me.
The start of something good. No, the fuschia curtains do not stay in the booth….Just covers for overnight. I do remember once upon a time when the pink was my booth backdrop for a show.
What was I thinking? This is more like it. Vintage and antique furniture soon to be contrasted with modern design. The gridwall ( a necessary evil) is nicely tucked away behind the drape.
This is THE best part of any show. Putting it together and seeing all your work displayed in one place. Thank you, thank you to everyone who helped with the set up last night John, Kim, Mariegold and Mike. It definitely would not have come together without you.
by carmen | Nov 8, 2009 | Uncategorized
You all know I love guests at the studio, but I am officially up to my arse in boxes packed for the show.
Last minute details are still ongoing, but now checked off the listed..
- wire mannequin painted
- tree branches glued
- pussy willow scarves done
- commissioned sheep (long story)
Not completed.
- new wireless
- finishing felts
- receipt books
- ball bands printed
- tomato yarn
On a separate note…must clean the house before it reaches toxic levels of blek.
Oh, and the dress up at the studio was fun. Lisa (already a convicted melonhead, now brings her sister into the group)
My apologies for the quality of the IPhone pics and my wobbly hand.
by carmen | Nov 7, 2009 | Events
So, it’s Friday night and I traditionally would be in freak out mode. I’m setting up for Circle Craft on Monday. Really.
And I’m on the couch, with my laptop, enjoying a sweet cup of tea, waiting for Kim to pop in for an evening of knitting. I’ve also moved on to Buffy – Season Seven—yes, it sucked, but it’s Buffy, therefore still watchable.
Rented Caprica as well and watched with great delight. The prequel to BSG is going to provide untold hours of knitting. I can see it already. Caprica rocked it.
When you knit something you love, you can’t be sure until you knit another one, or 10 or more.
My only sadness is that it’s Toni’s last day at the studio….no more labels to sew and she has obligations (other than helping me out) —Really, how rude of her! But her last act in the studio is her most wonderful….
The KnitPicks elf…..he’s fabulous and will be the only ornament in my booth sitting on top of the painted tree. Excuse his current appearance (just a bit undone). The next time I see him he will be in his altogether finest.
So fiddly , so tiny, so amazing…
by carmen | Nov 6, 2009 | Uncategorized
Toni and I went on what I would basically consider a show scavenger hunt. Some things found, some not, some decided against. At least several things were drawn to a conclusion.
The order of the day…Starting at 9:30am
1. Display supplier
2. Fibre supplier
3. End of the Roll (new 5X20 carpet) in chocolate brown
4. Commercial laundry for linens and fabric booth walls. There was knitting while waiting.
5. Lunch at Naam……Sesame fries and miso gravy…so good.
6. Furniture Salad (checking out my furniture pieces for the show) Molly rocks!
7. Pearl at Birkeland for a visit and some moral support
8. Back to the studio – At this point Toni was returned to her family.
9. Home 9:30 pm
There was still festive and frantic knitting until about midnight.
Today, all I wanted to do was finish things…Something, anything..yesterday’s errands made me feel even more under the gun even though so much was completed.
Neige
Inspired by my favourite Whistler model, my love of felt and my longing for snowy Ontario days.
