zianuray

If anyone is off on Friday the 11th and would be willing to be my boothie, the Celtic Festival is a smallish Irish/Scots deal in Buffalo on a Friday and Saturday (DH is planning to be there after work Friday and all Saturday with me).

After setup there should be plenty of time for running around doing kilt checks and learning Gaelic (there's usually a booth giving free lessons!) and they have Haggis at the food tent. You do NOT have to wear garb, though if you want to it's fine.

In Aurora, there are two farmers' market associations -- at the same park.

The one I just joined gives each member a copy of the vending license (for the city) so you can set up any day you wish.

"Regular" days are Wednesday afternoons and Saturday mornings, any day it's barely tolerable out.

Day pass is $1 day for up to 5x.

A year's membership is $15. 

Guess who signed up?

And they're trying to get access to a "certified kitchen" for members to use for jams and relishes and soaps and such.

Heee!

I will have to be relatively careful about my wares -- the little pretty bottles are "no" but if I put oils in them I mixed, that's OK.  The item-which-is-for-sale must be homemade/handmade.  But of course, massage is handmade!  So I can set the chair up too!  Wheee!

*ahem*

Attention Springfield Peeps!

My massage chair and I will be at Mama Jean's on Campbell (just north of Sunshine) from 1030 til approximately 1800 hours on Thursday, 5 March 2009.  (Akk!  Day after tomorrow!)

Spread the word!

Drop by!

Bring your friends!

Send your enemies!



Also, 21 Mar 2009, 1300 - 1500 at Herb Depot Open House in Monett, MO -- demos. 

My favorite question is at the end of the day -- "Do any good?"

Well, y'know, that kinda depends, doesn't it?  If I broke even (materials, table, fuel, lodging if necessary, extra cost of not-at-home food) then I did...ok. 

If I made a profit, even a small one, then by definition I did "pretty well."

I, however, am one of these who could sell everything except the car and the clothes I'm standing in and I'd jut be aggro'd that I didn't bring more!

And no matter what, someone is going to say "this all you got of these?"  *yup*  "got any of these in (color/scent/whatever)?" and you (allright, *I*) just want to slap 'em b/c I just SAID that's what I have.  *Yeah, but I'm not gonna get it out and sell it to ya.*                  !!!!!!!!!!!**^$%$%^

Or you have a candy dish and someone b!+ches b/c you don't have the specific sort they want.

OR someone picks up a set of earrings and "I don't want to pay $XX for these!  I can get the parts for $xx at *place*!"

Last V*C I told a gal to put them down and walk away, then.  I'd held them for her as her daughter had wanted her to see them to replace a similar pair she'd lost.

I'd gotten the parts off the "clearance, we don't carry this anymore" rack months before.  No way was she getting them at that store. 

She came back and bought them later, and did NOT get a discount.   (And her daughter tried to apologize for her mother's snarkage.  Sweet kid, but I told her SHE had nothing to apologize for!)

Or some lazy-@$$ excuse for a parent tells their kids who are hungry and tired to go get more candy from your dish, since it's free and there and they don't want to take the kids to McD cause they're visiting with someone.   Then yells at the kids for acting up 'cause they're sugared up.

And people who leave stuff with you to sell and don't tell you how much you can go down on a price, if any. 

Or people who do you the favor of table-sitting while you hit the privy and sell things for 20% of what you have them marked b/c "they offered."  So you lose

Decanting from the aging bottles into vials for sale at V*C...spilled a bit and now the house smells like Dragons' Blood.  *prrrrr*

(No Dragons were harmed in the acquisition of this substance.)

So...time's getting short and I need to make a decision as to White Hart.

I need to get my vendor's fee in and start making some stock if I'm going to do this again --  however:

Cons:

1) Even with the trees and breeze, it's bloody hot at Prankster's Ranch (just like the rest of MO in the summer).

2) Gas prices -- comparatively, the least of the points, but one of the most visible factors.

3) First year -- broke even, just barely.  Second year -- lost a significant amount between fewer people buying less, me being out of commission the first weekend, and the storm the second.  Yes, that's taking into account the wholesale order for Dragon Candles. 

4) No relief at the booth to go shopping or even for a privy run -- DH stops by occasionally, but he's busy too.

5) If Court and I are the same places, I have to behave as I'm right across the street!

6) Packing everything in and out three times.

7) DH won't be able to assist with setup / packing up b/c of his shoulder.

8) MAY have a job by then, depending on license -- and I'm sure they'd want me demanding the first three weekends off!  However, turn it to my advantage by pointing out "I committed to this some time ago, and I'm letting you know up front.  This shows that I'll keep my word to YOU, too."  Different phrasing, of course, but you get the idea.

Pros:

1) If I get the same space as last year, I've a good line of sight for Red Moon Tribe.

2) If Court is the same place, I'm right across from that, which is good for traffic.

3) I get to go to Faire!  Even if I don't get to see it much.

Things to keep in mind if I do vend this year:

1) Small wooden bowl of ONE type of candy -- butterscotch, peppermint, whatever.  Less digging and fuss about "which sort do I want?"

2) MORE stuff to pack in and out as I'm planning on taking my table for after-hours -- no license by that date, so can't charge or work on public, have to keep it to "family and close friends" per the laws/regulations.  And where am I gonna set it up?  Site is rough ground, and there are bugs which will devour any exposed skin.  I'd ask Di if I could set it up at her place (in exchange for a rub, of course!), but she's gonna be overrun as usual, I'm certain.



Mmmph. 

Points (either direction) I've forgotten?

Volunteers to help with the un/loading?   (Will swap merch or rubs, if necessary -- but I need you to BE THERE if you say you're gonna!)

Did ok on the sales -- Friday was my best sales day, for some odd reason.  "Everyone" (i.e., other vendors) kept saying how they were looking forward to Sunday,  "On Sunday people are buying the things they've been waitng to get"  but that didn't happen for me.  That's ok!  I do plan to be back next year.



Saw Steven again, and Bob, and some other folks I seem to only catch at VisionCon anymore. 

I now possess a Relic -- the hem of Merlin's Robe.  (It was too long and he did an impromptu removing-of-the-parts-being-stepped-on.)

Got many compliments on the jewelry (and the Dragon Candles) and was invited to vend at two other cons and advised to see if a certain store in Columbia would have me as an artist for a day!  Eep!

I still have trouble with the idea of me as an ar-TEEST, even though several people who are more than competent to make that call have done so -- Hi scgraphix!