We met up at Hidden Valley park, which has rolling hills of grass, a duck pond, and playgrounds. Anneliese got to wear her new sun hat, and I got to break in my awesome waterproof-backed picnic blanket.

Henri wasn’t sure what to think of all the ladies.

Allen was sporting his awesome Aviators and chilling.

Annalyce seems to have lost her awesome floppy hat while she was drinking some water.

I love mamas and babies just snuggling and talking. So laid back. So comfy.

This is a beautiful family. I’m so happy to have met Christiana and her girls through Hanford’s La Leche League.

Ella tried on the GIGANTIC flower I got for her. And generally looked adorable.

Thanks to Krystale for taking some pictures of me and Anneliese!

The next day was the Spring Swap Meet on base, and I got to show off all my Joyful A. Baby wares. Oh yeah, have I told you? I’ve started a little baby boutique. And boy stuff is coming soon! If you’re local to me, ask about hosting a home party. I’ve done one and have 3 more coming up soon!

Still setting up in this picture (I’m sitting on the ground)…

Tutus! Stationery!

Lots of flowers…

More flowers and headbands.

And my sweet friend Rachel was right across from me, so we got to chat the whole time.

Anneliese was in the ring sling the entire time, and she was perfect. She nursed twice (everyone thought she was sleeping!), took a great nap, and quietly observed all the excitement around her.

First of all… gorgeous day, good crowd, and lots of booths. There was a cultural section for children to learn about different parts of the country/world and complete different craft projects, which was pretty cool. I didn’t check out the food because I’m sure it would’ve been too tempting…

My favorite artist present was Maurice Cook (who unfortunately doesn’t have a website for me to link to) of Odd Job Art. He’s from Birmingham, AL and does art shows all over the southeast. He depicts everyday scenes from Southern life in bright colors and his paintings really drew me in.

See the painting to the left of him, on the bottom with the cotton fields? The big one under the one of the 2 ladies? I WANT THAT PAINTING.

I wish I could afford to take home one of his original works, but instead I settled for buying a greeting card, which I framed and hung in the kitchen. It makes me so happy to see it hanging there so cheerily!

It was really cool to come by an hour later and see how much progress he had made on his painting.

Another notable artist at the show was “Pottery by Helene” who is also without a website. Helene is an award-winning pottery artist from Booneville, MS.  If you happen to live near her studio, you’re a lucky duck because she also teaches classes in pottery and silversmithing.

I loved the colors she used in her work! She described them as being “like the Earth warmed by the sun” which I think is a great way to put it. Her pottery has really refined, yet still organic, shapes.  Very cool… I took home a little tiny vase which is now sitting on my dining room table and occasionally displays dandelions or clover flowers my preschoolers pick for me.

I’m sorry, but… yeah.

I was all excited even though I wasn’t feeling so hot, because this show was advertised much more than the other shows I’ve done here were… plus, it was downtown and there were other events happening downtown the same day (Jingle Bell run, Merry Meridian parade, kids singing in the square), so I figured lots of people would be out and about.

It was almost definitely my best booth set-up ever, too.

The kid aprons got a lot of attention, but no bites (although one lady said she might email me to get together to buy some later). I displayed my stationery and recipe cards a little differently than usual, which was nice, and the buntings were too cute.

Unfortunately, it was below freezing when we arrived at 7:30, and when it finally started warming up (for SOME people… not for us, because we were in the shadow of the huge building behind us) there were these huge strong gusts of wind going down the road, blowing everything. My market totes kept blowing off the hooks and I kept having to readjust them…

I watched the sunlight creep slowly across the street, and it finally hit my booth at about 1:30. Most of the day up until that point, my toes were either totally numb or hurting from being so cold. Plus, I was wearing 2 shirts and 3 coats. The top coat is my husband’s big fluffy one…

Oh, and his gloves, too. (This is me trying to smile like I’m not totally ill… I really couldn’t breathe very well through my nose all day, despite taking medicine.)

Traffic, at least on our side of the market, was VERY slow. The guy next to me sold nothing all day. The man who was at the Made in the South show who makes the gorgeous hand-turned wooden bowls (priced really low, if you ask me) only sold one bowl all day! The girl across from me brought in $18, and I took in $20. Which means I spent 8 hours in the freezing wind for … negative $5, since the booth fee was $20.

It was nice to talk with people though. The girl across from me makes gorgeous hand-painted (watercolor) ceramic pendants, and we traded a necklace for some recipe cards, because I really loved one that had a little chickadee next to some holly on it.  Flying hippo girl came to say hi, which was awesome even though I was totally out of it and didn’t recognize her at first. And Stacey, the show organizer, gave me a hug when I told her it wasn’t such a great day for me…

I have to say though… I have a wonderful husband. He packed up the car in the morning, helped me get everything set up and taken down (generally, he does the moving and setting up big pieces, and I arrange all the little stuff and pack/unpack it from the boxes). In the middle of the day, he went home to make us sandwiches… then brought them back with a new carafe of hot chocolate/coffee AND our puppy! Zora was so cute and excited… she had never been downtown before, and there were LOTS of new smells.

And this morning, when I woke up at 3:00 all stuffed up, he didn’t smother me with a pillow… he got me some medicine. And then when I woke up again at 7, I took some more medicine and got back in bed. Then he made me chai tea and cheese grits and brought them to me in bed! All day long, he’s been handing me bottles of water to remind me to hydrate, too. Such a good caretaker, and he’s so patient!

So this season, I’ve done 4 events in Meridian- 3 shows and my open house, and the best one was the open house. I sold more at that event than at any other one, it was the least stressful, and also the shortest! Most of the people came in a 2 hour window, which was awesome. Soooo… if any crafters in Meridian are reading this and want to get together for a combined open house sort of show sometime in January or February, let me know! I think it could be really great, especially if we invite our friends, neighbors, coworkers, childrens’ teachers, etc. Just shoot me an email at the contact page if you might want to do that!

In better news, when I came home I sold 3 things to a lady who stopped by my house (Thanks, Martha!) and today I made a sale in my online shop, so that’s a little cheery.

Unfortunately, tomorrow I can’t spend the day sipping soup and reading in bed… I have a craft show.

Merry Meridian Market in Meridian, MS

I hope it goes well! I have a feeling it’ll be a pretty decent one, especially compared to the last couple I did… this one is HEAVILY advertised, and part of a week-long holiday celebration in our town. There will be live entertainment (I think) all morning, and after the craft show concludes, there will be a parade. woo!

Tomorrow’s high is only 54 degrees but thankfully it isn’t supposed to be windy (some breezes but nothing crazy) or wet.

I’m going to bed now, but in the morning I’ll be consulting my craft show checklist to make sure I don’t forget anything crucial. Also, I’m adding to the list a carafe of hot coffee (with hot cocoa mix in it) and my thermal travel mug thingy. It’s gonna be brrrrrr….

I hope I do okay tomorrow… I mean with being sick and all. Ugh. I hate when I can’t breathe. It kind of impedes me a little.

As much as I prepped and set up for this, it was much less stressful than a show… I didn’t have to pack my things into boxes and shove them in the car at 6 in the morning to get somewhere on time. I didn’t have to display everything or have it in boxes… the extras were in my inventory closet in case I needed them. I didn’t have to remember to bring a first-aid kit in case of accidents, or pack tape in case something broke… being at home for an event like this is marvelous.

I had a few refreshments for my guests to thank them for coming and warm them from the cold (it was 4-9pm and very chilly!)… applesauce spice cake to eat and hot water/cocoa mix/marshmallows/dark chocolate shavings to drink. I was tempted to do more, but had to remind myself that it’s not about the food… hard for someone who LOVES any excuse to cook.

I had all of the stationery items on this table, along with some of my napkins.

Here’s an overview of the dining room setup… I tried to space things out so it wouldn’t get too crowded.

Ornaments, magnets (not on the site yet!), more napkins, and zip pouches.

Another view of the dining table. I almost sold out of T-45 holiday cards! I’ll definitely need to get some more printed.

Writing kits and boxed sets of stationery.

Hand-painted napkins.

Winter Warmth blankets and vintage aprons.

Lots of my friends came and hung out. There was much talking and laughing and shopping… very casual atmosphere, and definitely something I need to do again! Thanks to everyone who came. I really appreciate your support and encouragement!

Note to self: Most people came between 4 and 6. It was pretty dark after 6, so maybe sundown = people don’t come anymore. That’ll give me more time for summer open houses!

I’ll definitely be doing more open houses… another one tentatively scheduled for March, and then again in July. I figure spacing them about 4 months apart is good… enough time for me to come up with new designs and items, but not too long to wait.

We left everything set up and cleaned in the morning. It was pretty painless and definitely fun!

If you have a home business, what questions do you have about hosting an open house? What can I share that will help you take the leap to host your first one?

This was my booth at the Made in the South Christmas Bazaar yesterday. Looks pretty good, right?

I’m not going to complain about the show, because it was a seriously great one… the artists were fantastic. I got to wander around and visit a bit, and there was definitely lots of lovely work. And bustling shoppers. In the main room.

I was off in a side/back room, with two other ladies. It was sad and lonely. I normally don’t talk money on my blog, but you must know… all day, I made back my booth fee + $20 “extra”.

Lessons learned:

1. “Space available” doesn’t necessarily mean GOOD space available. If it’s at all possible, check out the building beforehand so you can see if you’ll be “found.”
2. You can plan out a booth setup in your head, but it doesn’t mean that’s how you’ll set up… I thought I was going to have a 6′ by 20′ space (two booths). Because it was in this room with weird shelves and cabinets and I had to contend with the door as well… it was more like 10′ by 12′. Very different setup than what I had planned/envisioned.
3. Husbands are awesome. And helpful and strong. And tall. And they buy you hot dogs for lunch when you’re stuck at the booth. Thank you, sweetie!
4. Other artists are too sweet for words too. Hi Wanda! Thank you for the yummy banana nut bread. You cheered my day up so much. Robert, if you see this I’m proud of you for getting on the internet! Thank you SO much for the gorgeous turned wooden bowl. I hope to see you at the Merry Meridian Market! Beth and Janet, y’all were great company in our lonely little room.
5. Doing a giveaway serves several purposes.
   • You have something to say when people come into your booth, without sounding pushy since you’re possibly giving them something, “Hey, did you see my giveaway signup over there? You could win some ornaments or magnets.”
   • People are more willing to share their information with you when they might win something. I asked for email addresses for my mailing list. I also had a spot for people to write down “Your favorite Joyful abode item”. It was neat to see people stop filling out the ticket, look around carefully, then write down their favorite thing before putting their slip in the bowl. It also made it more fun to read the slips later.
   • Again, email list= gold. The customers like it because I always send out coupons and sales, or let them know about new items. I also don’t send MANY emails, so spam isn’t an issue. I like it because I get to remind my fans I exist (and sometimes they use the coupons to buy stuff).
6. Duct tape won’t hold my banner up on cinderblock walls.
7. Accepting credit cards is really important. One of my sales was a credit card sale… who knows if she would’ve bought anything otherwise? I know I don’t carry cash or checks, ever. Well, if I’m going to a craft show I might take out $40 or something, but if I run out, that’s it! Unless someone accepts credit cards.

Posting this from the Guy’s computer. And also, everyone should know that he’s fantastic when it comes to helping with craft shows… and that I thank his mother and her pottery for that! (Although, I also thank him, because honestly? He rocks.)

November 15, 2008
Event: A Southern Christmas Bazaar
Features: Queen City Decorative Painters and Crafts (uh, and yours truly!)
Location: Meridian Activity Center
Address: 3300 – 32nd Ave
Time: 9:00 am – 5:00 pm.
Admission: Free to all

I’ll post pictures when I get back! If you’re in Meridian, I hope to see you there.

We actually changed the gridwall positioning a little bit after the first couple of hours… found something that worked a little better. After a little while, the shoppers started to come. I love seeing people see something I made, pick it up, and turn it over in their hands carefully… or run their fingertip over the hand-stitched appliques on my blankets.

I’m not so much a fan of the people who rifle through my things like it’s a discount rack at Wal-Mart… letting things fall to the ground and smooshing them as they pick them back up. That’s just not nice!

Most of the people were nice though. haha.

Thanks to my wonderful and helpful husband, I was even able to explore the show a little and see everyone else’s booths (though I did hurry through a bit so I could get back to mine…). There were a lot of people selling handmade and home-baked goodies, and other people representing companies like Pampered Chef, Southern Living at Home, Mary Kay, and Arbonne (hi Arbonne ladies who were across from me!).

There was also a whole other room, but I forgot to take my camera with me when I went exploring.

In all, it was a nice day… I met some great people, made some sales, and got quite exhausted. The show only lasted until 2:00, which is kind of an early closing compared to other shows I’ve done… but I was pretty tired and okay with the idea of going home.

When we got home, we walked the dog, then I fell asleep for a little while (maybe 20 minutes?) before we went to a friend’s barbeque down the street (mmm ribs!). Very nice day!

I can’t tell you what to bring… we all have different needs and sell different things in different parts of the country and the world. So while sunscreen and bug spray might be necessities for an outdoor show in Pensacola, FL, you might not need them in … wherever you are.  You might not be able to survive without earmuffs, but I wouldn’t know what to do with them at all! So… here it is, in all its glory.

Step 1: Take care of yourself. I don’t know about you but if my hands are dry, I can’t concentrate on ANYthing… let alone smiling and trying to sell my wares! Same goes for germs, headaches, sweat, bugs, etc.

1. Allergy Medicine
2. Tylenol/Advil/Ibuprofen (pick whatever floats your boat)
3. Lip balm
4. Lotion
5. Baby Wipes / Wet  Ones
6. Hand Sanitizer
7. Bug Spray
8. Sunscreen (I bring face moisturizer with sunscreen in it, so I won’t irritate my skin with thick stuff…)
9. Tissues
10. Jacket, if weather may call for it
11. Cooler with lots of water and easy-to-sneak snacks (baby carrots, goldfish crackers, pretzels… nothing greasy or messy).
12. Hairbrush and ponytail holders, especially if you are outdoors and it might get windy
13. Makeup for touch-ups
14. A nail clipper, for loose threads on clothing or in case you break/rip a nail.
15. Feminine hygiene products … even if you don’t need them that day, you might save another artist’s life (just about).
16. Camera… because I didn’t know what category to put this in.

Step 2: Be prepared for a sale. If you bring all of your merchandise, but aren’t prepared for a sale, it won’t do you any good. It’s better to be prepared for a sale, and forget half your merchandise. At least you can sell what you have!

1. Cash box with change
2. Tax information / Business license
3. Calculator
4. Credit Card Imprinter
5. Sign saying you accept credit cards
6. Business Cards
7. Mailing list sign-ups (great to offer a raffle prize to entice people to give up their information)
8. Bags for purchases
9. Receipts – the carbon copy type so you can keep one and give one to the customer
10. Pens
11. Show Schedule fliers… If you don’t catch them this time, you might make a sale next time!

Step 3: Bring your things and your displays!

1. Tent / Tent Walls / Stakes / Hammer / Weights for the legs (if outdoors)
2. Gridwall / hooks / shelves
3. Poles for improvising clothing racks between gridwall
4. Hangers
5. Price tags or cards
6. Mannequins / Dress Form
7. Any other specialized displays (I have baskets, stationery racks, and a card spinner)
8. Mirror for customers to use
9. Tables
10. Chairs
11. Tablecloths
12. Banner or sign
13. Any seasonal decor. I’m not bringing my little Christmas tree to this show, but I’ll bring it to next week’s show!

Step 4: Be prepared! Keep things tidy and be prepared for emergencies.

1. Small trash can
2. Binder clips
3. Sticky lint roller
4. Paper towels
5. Clothespins
6. Clothesline
7. Stapler
8. Tape – scotch and duct
9. Scissors
10. String
11. Extra Price Tags
12. Toolbox

Put everything by the door or by the car the night before (if you’re setting up the day of the show) so you won’t forget anything!

Get a good night’s sleep… which obviously I’m not doing, because it’s about midnight and I’m setting up at 7am tomorrow (half an hour drive to the show and we haven’t loaded the car yet!). Which means I’m going to cut this short. Goodnight!

If you’re in Meridian, MS, I hope to see you at the MOPs Christmas Stop at Fifteenth Avenue Baptist Church tomorrow!