Fall and Holiday Craft Shows

With summer winding down, I've got to put on my craft show head. Kids are going back to school, and I'm spending even more time in the studio making goodies for giving yourself or your lovies. See a list of my show schedule here

Which brings me to actually doing the craft show. What to bring?? Besides the work, it's the display, and personal stuff, bookkeeping stuff- just an amazing amount of STUFF.
I thought I would share with you crafty folks my list of stuff to bring to the show- I didn't write it myself, but I've been using it since 2004, and it works well for me. (THANKS to Tony Ferguson at Aquarius Gallery- love his work and his list!) This list is really comprehensive and I have to say I don't bring everything, but it gives me alot of things to consider and I have been saved many times by having alot of this stuff on hand!
Here goes:

Promotional materials:

• Name tag


• "about your pottery" flyers


• business cards


• brochures


• price labels


• hangtags


• notebook for guest list


• signs (plus paper for making new ones)


• the mailing list book


• portfolio


• stand-up plastic menu holders w/ info about your pots and for signholders


• something nice to display your biz cards and brochures in


• sticky notes


• digital camera

Business materials:

• insurance cert.


• tax cert. and tax chart


• fair documents

Food:

• cooler


• ice


• drinks


• finger food snacks


• chocolate!


• napkins/wipes


• water

First Aid Kit:

• vitamins


• bandaids


• aspirin


• bee sting meds


• allergy meds or regular meds


• first aid creme


• bug repellent


• hand cleaner


• wipes


• sunscreen


• toilet paper

Booth materials:

• plate stands


• cork mats


• wood blocks for leveling shelves


• booth components


• fabric for table coverings


• heavy, disposable drop cloths for covering tables


• canope weights (empty plastic jugs to fill with water for weights)


• folding chairs


• small table


• lights


• heavy plastic tarp


• extra booth components, bolts, screws, washers, etc


• the tent!


• The display shelving!


• stakes

Toolbox:

• S-hooks, handy for hanging "stuff"


• wine boxes


• level


• hammer


• smoothing stone (for rough spots on bottom of pots)


• bailing wire


• bungee cords


• duct tape


• extension cord, power strip


• scissors


• hammer


• teak oil


• soft cloth


• mini sewing kit


• rubber hammer


• staple gun


• pliers


• vise grips


• clamps


• picnic table cloth clamps


• pocket knife


• feather duster


• ruler


• screw/nut drivers


• straight and safety pins


• tacks


• tape


• tape measure


• tiny bungee cords


• twine


• string


• wire cutters

Transport:

• large plastic bin with cover (rain resistant)


• handtruck w/ bungees to fit storage containers

Cashbox:

• startup cash and change


• clip boards so customers can write checks on them


• waist pouch (to keep money secure)


• sales pads


• calculator


• cell phone


• charge slips


• receipt books


• sales tickets in a money box


• pens (water proof)


• markers


• shims for leveling booth and shelves

Packaging:

• nice bags (2 sizes, small, and heavy duty large handled ones)


• packing materials


• bubble wrap


• string


• scotch tape

Comfort:

• extra clothes


• rain jacket (stuffs in small pouch)


• comfortable shoes


• sunglasses


• umbrella ( for sun or rain)


• list of items needed for fair (when ready to load up, print this list!)

ATTITUDE:

• makes a major impact on sales


• make eye contact


• smile

Strawberries!

The only thing I like better at this time of year than fresh strawberries is home grown tomatoes. No hurry, summer has only just begun. I can't wait to get my preserves done, if I've got enough after the shortcakes, smoothies, and snacking! Actually, I had no shortcakes, so we had strawberries over corn muffins..mmmmm..

Summer's in the Air

And wedding bells, and summer camp, kids at the pool, and not enough time in the studio!

But, I am working on some new things for a newlywed line at Lake Erie Artists. Place settings, wine coolers, celebration serving vessels- stuff to make great gifts, unusual, but practical enough to want to use after the wedding!

Isn't that a perty flower? It's a peony from in front of my home.. At least 4' tall, huge bloom. Glad I took that picture because 2 days of pouring rain about wiped them out... See ya next year, pink lady!

This weekend I'll be at the Scrap n Stamp Haven in Ravenna, part of a flag day show that's going on in town. I'll have some tile necklaces, mugs, small bowls for sale. Visit me from 10am - 5pm.

See Ya!

Happy Earth Day!

This is one of my favorite prayers, the Canticle of the Sun, by St. Francis of Assisi. Perfect for Earth day- along with my little wild boy, dressed up in my hoodie- he reminds me of a li'l Franciscan in that get-up.

Canticle of the Sun

Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord,All praise is Yours, all glory, honor and blessings.To you alone, Most High, do they belong; no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.
We praise You, Lord, for all Your creatures,especially for Brother Sun,who is the day through whom You give us light.And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,of You Most High, he bears your likeness.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Moon and the stars,in the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.
We praise You, Lord, for Brothers Wind and Air, fair and stormy, all weather's moods,by which You cherish all that You have made.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Water,so useful, humble, precious and pure.
We praise You, Lord, for Brother Fire,through whom You light the night. He is beautiful, playful, robust, and strong.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Earth, who sustains uswith her fruits, colored flowers, and herbs.
We praise You, Lord, for those who pardon,for love of You bear sickness and trial.Blessed are those who endure in peace,by You Most High, they will be crowned.
We praise You, Lord, for Sister Death,from whom no-one living can escape.Woe to those who die in their sins!Blessed are those that She finds doing Your Will.No second death can do them harm.
We praise and bless You, Lord, and give You thanks,and serve You in all humility.

Where the Wild Things Are

Remember that book? I just want to personally thank Maurice Sendak for letting me know all those years ago exactly what it would be like to have a boy. Sean is a wild thing. He hasn't read the book yet, but he has Max written all over him- I'm convinced that the entire male species is made up of wild things- we moms have to spend years trying to teach them to suppress the wildness just enough to function in the real world. Sean is only 2, so he has plenty of wild hangin' right out in the open. I have to admit that even when I'm about to kill him, I'm in love with his wild innocence- I love his rolling terrible eyes and gnashing terrible teeth! And, like Max, the best thing to bring him back to reality is a good meal and a nap. But a meal and a nap does wonders for me, too!

I know what's really going on behind those eyes!

I just found out that there is a "Wild Things" movie in the works- so far, the anticipated reviews aren't so great...it's gonna be a live action thing, so I guess we'll see.

Killllllllll'n Time

And, I mean that. I really wanna go to bed, but I'm fixing a firing. I thought my Bartlett controller was supposed to make my life easier!
A day in the life of a pottermom-Up at 6:45, in the shower NOW, cuz it's my last chance.Erin off to school at 8:30- hit the basement and finish glazing yesterday's stuff. Load the rest of the kiln by 10am, Sean's up- feed, bathe, dress. Sean off to school at 12:15..............................deeeeeeeeep breath................................turn kiln on, make pots til 2:pm. Eat. Leave for the art center at 3, teach class from 4-5:30. Finish glazing for the 7 year olds, load the kiln there, leave by 7...............(still with me??) Thinking " okay, kiln at home should be up to ^6 by around now, hope it hits the cooldown by the time I get home....OH, no, what's that smoke coming out of the back of my car???!!" Car dies 3 miles from home, which is pretty good, considering it's a 20 mi. trip.

LOVE cell phones. Hubby comes to the rescue, I get home by 8:15 to find that my kiln sitter shut the kiln down too early (at least according to the witness cones) - and now I'm at 1740 degrees, cooled too fast for my mattes. So, here I sit, kiln is now cooling, around 2048.......should be able to go to bed soon. I'll let you know if I get good pots.

wfL Purple??

Here's my $.02 on the waterfall purple quest.

I made this pot a coupla years ago, posted on clayart at the time that I got red from wfl brown by refiring to ^04. The red areas on this pot are just wfl brown, and then I dipped over the rim with clear liner, also in "the book"- the overlapping of the 2 glazes gives alot of color, purple included.

However, I think that it has to do with the thickness of the wfl brown, and the cooling, or holding somewhere in the 1800 degree neighborhood. The reason I say this is because I have refired wfl brown cups in my bisque kiln, and they come out red, for the most part- but, where the glaze is on thick enough to run slightly, I get hints of purple- as in the mug at top- sorry, not a great pic.

I have not been able to repeat this with any regularity, either. I can always get red on refire, but not purple- or, if I get purple, it blisters because the glaze is on too thickly.