The Dream and the Reality

Just got home from today's craft sale at McNabb. It was....good for my legs? I stood almost the whole time and I did read somewhere sometime ago that standing (even without movement), actually burns calories and works muscles - so yeah, now my legs are beefcake-like, thank you McNabb Community Centre.

See how well I'm doing at putting positive spins on what life dishes out? I had fantasies of selling enough to take care of what I have budgeted for the whole Christmas affair this year. It was not an unrealistic sum. But alas, that did not happen. The pace in the first hour was totally on and than it died and the remaining 5 hours was a rather slow trickle of browsers.

My friend Annie, www.anniebananietheclown.blogspot.com who was selling at a different craft show down the road called me mid-day. The following is a soundbite from our conversation:

Annie: You know how stressed out you get before a show? "I need more product. I don't have enough of these. I really wanted to make this but I don't have any time."

Karie: Yeah, totally. I was so disappointed that I didn't get a chance to make a bunch of things I planned on making.

Annie: I want you to remind me next time not to do that.

Karie: Yeah, me too.

So that is my lesson. I will not work myself to the bone preparing for another show. I will work hard and be focused but I'm not going to kill myself over it. I will coordinate the activities of crafting my ass off, preparing nutritious dinners for my beloveds, and maintaining a tidy (for me, which is not that tidy), house. Never again will my dog come up with dustbunnies stuck to his whiskers every time he sniffs the floor or will my children thank me for frozen pizza two nights in a row during a crafting blitz. Having things a bit more balanced, me thinks.

I love making stuff. It makes me happy. I will find venues appropriate for the products I make. I will find customers who appreciate the handmade goodness of what they hold AND will pay for it. I believe this. I'm following my heart and it feels good, wished it paid a little better but all in good time.

And I don't have a single picture of my booth. So I will leave you with a couple pictures of what my kids made me cause they knew I would be sad (!) this weekend while they were at their nanny and grandpa's. Samia's is a picture of her and Jackson and the 1,2,3, is representative of the three days we will be apart! The lovehearts are all the love and kisses she will give me when I see her again. Jackson made me lego. He apologized that it had guns on it and said he would take them off if I wanted. I told him not to touch a thing. I love those little stinkers.