Country Living Fair Atlanta

Hey there!!  I know I wrote about the Fair earlier this week, but finally I located the camera with all the photos and wanted to share some with you.  I wish I had more of the show.  But honestly the only time I ran out of the tent was when I was running to the potty.  And by potty, I mean porta.  And folks that's just not a place for a $1000 camera.  Nope.  So you just get me. 

One MONGO advantage to this show is the setting.  Man is it pretty.  I actually would like to have felt a tad more sun since this weekend Mr. Winter decided to visit us in Atlanta.  And since the booths were also MONGO we got to spread out.  Like S----p---r---e---a---d out.  Sweet.  I didn't realize until I got home honestly how spreading out affected my body.  What are you talking about Jenni?  Let me explain it to ya.  At the Decatur Arts Fest for instance our 10x10 tents are butt to butt.  And you are NOT allowed to put anything outside the front of your tent.  So you literally stay in your 10x10 with your goodies in the sweltering heat for what feels like 48 straight.  Yep.  And let me tell you....10x10 can get tight with guests in your tent.  Hey, I love guests though!!  Here I was spreading out the front and back.  I even had a check out stand!  Yeehaw!

New displays for this show are my tent sign (luv), double laundry rack for framed tiles, girls are sporting new colorful tutus, and my favorite is the bag tag rack.

 Loads of shiny new products too:  magnets, necklaces, yo-yos, puzzles, earrings and more!

So here's me sporting the ponytails and boots.  Which after walking around a spell decided it was the vendor uniform.  Cracked me up.  Again, I can not thank my friends and family who came to help, some as far as Birmingham, Alabama!  And the friends and blog readers who came to find me and enjoy the show...some as far as Birmingham too!!  It was a lovely show...one I am not so sure I'll do again.  But boy am I glad I did.  Hey, you gotta get outside of the comfort box sometimes, right?

Next up is this weekend at MARIST.  Please come by and say hi.  I'll have a very miniature version of this set up there.  And can not wait!

The Country Living Fair

It's here my art friends.  It's here!!  My stomach is doing such a butterfly dance that today I simply can eat nothing but chocolate chip cookies.  The lunchroom ladies are cracking up at me.....I suppose they KNEW Mrs. Horne needed her favorite food group today in mass quantities.  hehehehe.....

So the Fair.  I am ready.  I've literally put hours into my new products and displays.  It will be good.  It just has to.   There is a core group of my artist friends who are doing the show as well.  In fact we are all piling into one hotel room for the show.  It's gonna be like an artsy sleepover!!  Woohoo!!  My family and friends are coming to help in droves and I could not be more thankful for that.  I usually do shows on my own now, just because.  But this show I knew I needed the troops behind me.  They are real gems I tell ya.  I am one lucky chick. 

As soon as school lets out today I am on my way to the dentist (uck....hopefully it's a stress toothache??) and then to load the cars.  It's taking 2 this time.  Yep.  I told ya....I've got the goods this time!!  Tomorrow as soon as we can Billy and I are off to set up.  I simply can not wait.  Yep.  Excitement, and cookie high are setting in and tomorrow starts a fresh new adventure for sure!!  I really hope to see you there!  Dogwood 81 is my booth number.
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HEY...It's 7:30.  Car is loaded and I am about to soak myself in some hot water.  Had to tell you though that I went to the dentist fearing the following:  root canal, abscess tooth that had to be yanked, cavity or worse.  Yep.  I was swirling with anxiety because tooth pain, that I've never had it until a week ago.  And it has yet to stop.  And it sucks.  But guess what?  NOTHING IS WRONG WITH MY chompers.  Nope.  Notta.  I have a big fat sinus infection that is lingering...and has wandered its' way into my frinkin' chompers.  Seriously?   You know this could happen?    Well it did.  Now I have some pain meds and an antibiotic.  And an appointment to see my doc....again.  I've seen him 3x since September.  Which is more than in like 3 years.  Geeesh.  But the show must go on!!  And boy am I ready!!  Woohoo!!

"Here Goes Nothing"

For some reason this quote is super stuck in my head, "HERE GOES NOTHING".  So I looked up the meaning of this expression and one compared it to this, "jumping out of an airplane and praying my parachute opens!!"  How funny.  Well, not really.  My Dad may have a thing to say about that too since he is a paratrooper.  No chute usually has a rather tragic ending!!  So I am thinking I may double pack my chute for the event I am gearing up for.

The Country Living Fair.  Oh my.  October 21-23rd. in Stone Mountain Park here in Atlanta.  3 days of total blissed out shoppers.  I know, I was one last year.  The booths are over the top.  I can not wait to be a part of this event.  But it's exactly 45 days from today.  I am not going to panic.  I am not going to panic.  I have a plan.  And it involves a parachute for sure.  And several friends who have already offered to come and help me assemble all the plan together.  Man, what would I do without my artsy peeps....that's a story for another day though.

Back to the "here goes nothing"....so what brought all this sudden panic about the show was my email to the show director.  You see, I've done a fair share of shows.  If you've read my blog for a spell you know this.  And I love doing shows and selling my work in a tent.  And part of the getting ready for a show is making a new business card.  Well, actually I always make bookmarks.  People like them, and so do I.  So I emailed the show director last week out of curiosity how many attendees there were last year.  I explained I'd never done a show with this volume of attendees and wanted to be sure my 5,000 bookmark order would be enough.  Well, I just about fell out of my chair when she replied, "We had 16,000 attendees last year and this year our pre-sales have far surpassed the pre-sales from last."  WHAT?????  So guess what?  I've now ordered a whopping 20,000 bookmarks.  That is going to be one freaking heavy box.  But look how good they turned out!!!!

Upcoming Show and BIG News!!

This weekend I'll be in tent city up in Dunwoody, Georgia. for the Dunwoody Arts Festival.  It's going to be a wonderful weekend for a show!  Lots of new paintings to share and of course jewelry, bird sculptures, framed tiles and more.  Here's a glimpse from the last show of what I'll have to offer:And then......for the BIG news.  Well, I have totally stepped out of my box and done something big.  Yep.  BIG.  Today I received word that my application for the COUNTRY LIVING FAIR was accepted!!!!  Wooohoooo!!!  I can hardly stand it.  hardly.  My head is already spinning for what to make new!! 

This picture above is of Valerie and I with the original Junk Market girls at the FIRST Country Living Fair in New York City's Central Park.  That year it was a tiny show, in fact it only took a few hours and then we were off flea market shopping.  This past year I attended the Atlanta show here and the entire time thought to myself I've got to try.  It was spectacular.  I am pinching myself that I'll be there this year.  The entrance fee is a bit steep, but in the end I know it'll be all good!!  So, if you need a girly weekend away, this just may be the weekend!  I am so excited!!!  Yeah!!!!!

Country Living Fair Atlanta

What a great weekend in Atlanta!  The Country Living Fair came our way this year and Mom, Molly, Fielding and I were there.  Actually, this is my second CLF....my first one to attend was the FIRST one held in New York City's Central Park.  Valerie and I went together.  I think it was probably 4 years ago?  It was a very small event with only Country Living tents... you see they set up tons of giant tents like a revival almost.  Folding chairs in rows with a stage up front, with each tent a different area of their magazine.  Like the magazine literally comes to life in front of you.  It was great, but very small scale.  In Stone Mountain park on Friday though, it was anything but small!  They had the giant Country Living tents with demonstrations, etc but they also had hundreds of small vendor tents.  I can not even tell you how amazing in words all the booths were.  From upscale antiques, to small town artisans like me, there were enough vendors to keep us there for 6 hours. 

And crowded......holy tamoly it was crowded.  In fact we were really glad we were able to stay late because after about 2 o'clock we were able to go back through and actually get into some tents we'd loved early on.  At 10am people were literally packing the walkways like sardines....and the tents, well it was a peek and walk on situation.

This booth was one of my favorites only because her furniture literally looks like my house.  Each piece would slide right on in and be right at home in our little home.  And the couch she had, covered in crewel and linen.....holy tamoly once again.  I may have drooled on it.  seriously.

I am a nut about booth set-up.  And this show did not disappoint.  Look at the little store front they made above?  I wonder if I can make a facade for my Mattie booths?  I've got a roof rack now!  hmmmmm...  At some booths where the "hot" items were, the lines to check out were like black Friday.  Cracked me up.  I wanna be a vendor next year with a black Friday line!!

So my total weakness these days are fabrics and notions.  And my empty wallet now feels the pain of this tiny obsession.  However, everything I bought will be put to very good use.....sometime.  We stayed until the very end, going around twice so as not to miss a thing.  I bought teacher gifts, family gifts, notions, fabrics, and other goodies.  And the ideas....well let's just say my trip to Hobby Lobby today was a doozy.  And I can't wait to get started on the ideas for my Christmas shows coming around the corner and of course my fun booth at the Flea.  It's going to be briming with birds and tons of sparkles.  So more pictures of there fair are here (my fb page).

Anyhoo....I hope you all have had a lovely fall weekend.  We sure have!

Headed to the Fair!

I love to go to the County Fair.  The smells, the tastes, the sounds.....it literally is an experience that teases all the senses!  Today my Mom, Sister and I are headed to the "grown up" fair, The Country Living Magazine fair!  It just happens to be traveling our way this year to Stone Mountain Park.  It's about a 45 minute drive from my home.  We are so very excited!  I'll be sure to post some pictures upon my return.  An artist friend of mine set up at the event and said it is literally the most amazing show she's ever taken part.  And coming from her in my book is HUGE!

If you want to know more go here to see if the fair is coming near you.

Sometimes I Like the Two Legged Kind

I just love the support I receive from my four legged fans, really I do.  But sometimes I like to have the support and comradeship of the two legged type. 

I met Jessica, Tiffin and Joyann at an art show last fall.....the one where it rained so hard it flooded Six Flags.  Any of you see that footage of Atlanta?  Well, let's just say that I am a firm believer that people are placed in your life for a reason, and that weekend these three ladies crossed my path for reasons much bigger than any little craft show could ever imagine.  We are a photographer, a jewelry artist, a vintage home goods creator (she's also the expert in graphic design), and a painter/jewelry maker.  On our own, we are three extremely confident women entrepreneurs with visions for our future.  Actually they are pretty lofty visions, and I love that!  We started meeting....not as regularly as we should we are also mothers, wives, and all work from home, but when we do meet it is always refreshing and informative.  The many angles we approach each subject give unique perspectives, with honest answers hitting the table well received.  

So I suggest if you are out there, feeling a little isolated, to reach out to some artists around you.  The next art show you participate, or even attend, ask where they are from.  Or do an etsy search by location and convo some of them.  And if it works out, set a once a month regularar meeting.  Tiffin is great about setting up the dates, times, and subjects for us.  That way we come to the meeting with all our questions for those topics and don't get too far off track.  I think if we put our heads together enough, we could write an AMAZING book on creative living.  We definitely cross the board on some many creative levels.  And aesthetically we are all very similar.  So girls....whatcha think about that idea?? 

Anyhoo.....I imagine we are all blogging tonight about today, so if you click on over to their sites you'll see we all are very excited about our little venture together.  Today we left with all trying to wrap our heads around participating in the Country Living Fair that's coming to Atlanta in October.  We all recognize it as an amazing opportunity for exposure, but the cost is more than a little intimidating!  We'll continue this discussion on at our next play date!  And maybe see you there........