Wow, I’ve been meaning to write this blog for about two weeks now! My how time flies when you’re having fun, and filling orders!
So my January started with a sneeze, as in, New Year’s Eve we ended up staying home and watching the first season of Dexter (highly recommend, by the way) because Brandon had a cold. I don’t mind, I kind of dislike New Year’s in that the jolly always seems kind of forced, and no one likes to make definite plans because something really cool could come up at the last minute, but it never really does. I think everyone should just stay home, or get a few close friends together, and celebrate by watching movies and playing games and enjoying one another (which we would have done if Brandon wasn’t sick). Anyway, this post isn’t about New Years!
Its about my finally being back to work again! Debbie (my wonderful sales rep) is getting back to work after being off sick for about six months. She sent me my first order from her in as long, and it made me happy. The next day I started the trade show.
Now, a little background on the Portland Show. Its the smallest of all of them, I think. It takes up one large conference room (the size of a city block roughly) and its chock full of everything you see at a gift shop. Cards, faux antiques, faux signs, candles, jewelry (both of the cheap rhinestone variety and handmade), imported goods, beads, and weird stuff that someone came up with and is now trying to get out into the world (there was this weird spinning wood caddy thing that you could put your remote or cigarettes, or a deck of cards in, and I never figured out why you would want to do so). So there is alot of competition for peoples attention. And its divided up into several sections: food, antiques, imports, gifty stuff represented by sales reps, and the handmade (artisans avenue). Now, its cool that we get a section, and that the booths are smaller and more affordable, but we are stuck in the back of the show. And Joan (the woman in charge) is trying to get the Portland Show to be the place where stores can find that unique, handmade and environmentally friendly gifty item that no one else has. But us unique, perhaps environmentally friendly vendors are stuck behind all the weird, non-unique crap! Its a little frustrating, but hey, at least we are all together and not spread out where our displays would get overlooked by the larger ones.
Its a good show to do in because: one, its in Portland, so i don’t have to travel; two, its inexpensive, so you can make your money back fairly easily; and three, you are in your community, so you meet store owners and craftspeople from your own area, so they are easier to get to know and perhaps see again.
So while these things are all good, the show is INCREDIBLY slow. Its the first weekend in January, I think maybe store owners really aren’t ready to deal with finding new products. There just aren’t that many buyers at this show. And this year it was particularly slow. For everyone. There were times when no one would walk down your aisle for an HOUR. Granted, those were at the end of the show, but still, horrible. At the end of Monday, I spend almost an hour away around the corner from my booth renewing my friendship with Rebecca from Umbrellaworks. An hour. And when I made my way back to my booth, my neighbor there, Dominique (also a pretty darn cool chick) pretty much just shrugged her shoulders at me, no customers. She was awesome, she stayed in her booth the whole time. Me, on the other hand, kept wandering off to visit my friends around the corner, because there was nothing to keep me in my booth!
Those were the times people would show up. I have to say Dominique really saved my butt a few times. Twice people came back to see me. But its okay, because they did come back.
For all that it was a slow show, I did make my money back and then some. Not much, but enough to make me want to try the show one more time. I think I will go back this summer. These shows, you have to go to be seen, and its really good to get your whole line of jewelry out where people can see it. Its important. Several of my stores were really excited to see my new stuff, things that I don’t bring in to show them because its not what they order. One of them ordered a few of the new glass things, and the other store decided to start carrying my pins along with my pendants and magnets. So it was good for that. And connecting with my community of small, independent craftspeople is also really good. You feel less like you work in a vacuum. So I will do it again, even though Brandon thinks its a waste of time.
The weekend after the show I went to the beach with my family. Brandon stayed home to paint (which he did). It was me, my dog Marcus, my parents, my brother (peter) and their dog Bailey. We did what we always do, build a fire, eat peanut m&m’s by the handful, read, play with the dogs, go for walks, and antique shop. Marcus had a blast because there is nothing that 70 pound pit bull loves more than sitting on a variety of different laps, on a variety of chairs and couches, and that is what he did. No one can resist that dogs eyes, and he has a way of slowly getting into your lap that somehow fools you into letting him up every time. He’s just freaking adorable and spoiled. Bailey prefers sitting on the back of the couch, or in your lap, and anywhere not touching Marcus. But by the end of the weekend, they would sleep just barely touching, we are all waiting for the day when Bailey lets Marcus full on snuggle, cause it will be the cutest thing ever, a black pit bull snuggled up against a white westie on the couch. The world may come to an end.
After I got back from the beach, it was time to get to work. I laid out and made all those bottlecap orders for four days straight, while watching Six Feet Under, which I really enjoy. I’m halfway though season two right now. Ah, cable television on dvd, the best thing ever to keep you working in your studio. I started on the glass work a couple days ago, and that’s what I will continue to work on today. I’m really pleased with how my new glass line was received at the show. I was really nervous about it. I mean, I really like it, but would anyone else? And they did. It makes me really happy.
We leave for the San Francisco International Gift Trade Show on Thursday. I’m pretty pumped about it, I hope I have a great show. Alot of my vendor friends will be there, and hopefully some of them will be near me.
Oh! And buyers are now coming out of the woodwork with orders! Its great, and overwhelming after the six months of slowness that I have been having due to Debbie being sick. Creating Keepsakes just placed a huge order, and yesterday I was contacted by a store in Australia! An Aussie store! How awesome is that, Papaver may be going international! I just had to look up shipping costs to get down under! Expensive, but rad!
For the month that most Saturday Market vendors get to relax, I am having my busiest one in a year. I’m not complaining, although Brandon might, I have been a bit stressed out and kind of wacky lately. Sometimes a borderline basket case. But hey, I’ve got alot on my mind!
Okay, its time to bring this overlong blog to a close, thanks for sticking it out. maggie
