Monday, June 25, 2012

Made Fair Summer 2012

I had my first experience being a vendor at a craft fair/ market this past weekend and it was AWESOME! Love love loved it.  I was a part of the Annual Summer Made Fair, which is a juried selection of local handmade vendors. I learned so much from observing peoples reactions and what they responded to,  and I met some talented people full of advice and encouragement.




But don't be fooled, this was a ton of work, and somehow I'm still forgetful up until the last minute of the fact that selling a product isn't just about making stuff. I had to spend just as much time dealing with business cards, display decisions, pricing everything, having wholesale info on hand, having change on hand(somehow i spaced that one until the day of), and during the day figuring out which people want you to leave them alone as they look at your stuff vs. the ones who want to know everything about you. Quite the learning experience. I got just a little stressed out, but physically being there was totally enjoyable and somewhat relaxing compared to the storm of prep work leading up to it, and it was definitely worth my time and booth fee. 










One of the most interesting things I learned was that my jewelry really appeals to a wide range of ages. I had some 70 yr old ladies by some necklaces, a lot of people my own age, and then even kids liked it, this cute little girl to the right insisted on getting this necklace as her early birthday present. Very cool.

Tuesday, June 12, 2012

Ronan, Montana



 






Above is a famous old barn that stands tall in a flat field, it's been photographed by nearly everyone who passes by due to the incredible landscape of the Mission Mountains jutting out of the earth behind it. My one regret last year when I did this trip was forgetting my camera. My one regret this year, is having my camera die just as I was knee deep in nettles and mud, at the prefect viewpoint for a photo. This one will have to do until next year.