Not waiting until the last minute: novel idea...

This year it's gonna' be different. I made that promise to myself yesterday morning when it occurred to me that I really do want to participate in this festival I've gone to for years but which I was debating skipping this time. Lots of reasons. One reason is that this festival has become so well-attended that vendors sign up early and it's hard to get a booth. There are so many of us that the director has automatically started putting us in the same place as before. Well, that's generally a good thing. But over the last couple of years, I ended up in a quirky situation. I sent my booth fee in later than usual a while back and the result was that I missed getting a standard booth and was offered the last space in the room: it's a little alcove wrapped in gardening lattice and in which are freezers and a huge refrigerator. The table in the front is lower than the standard booth. Well, as you can imagine, one might be overlooked in this little alcove. Especially one who fails to plan accordingly. (I've failed to plan accordingly.)

Well this year, I had thought I might not participate at all. Then I started remembering how much fun these things can be. And I started thinking about how much I really wanted to do this festival. Funky kitchen alcove booth or not.

And here's what I've decided: if I don't wait until the week before to plan my booth, I could use this space to my advantage. I haven't done myself a service by just showing up with my standard booth fare and setting up. There was a time when my goal was to have the most interesting and creative booth at the festival. I think I might have succeeded once or twice, too. (According to customers, anyway!) Well, this year I'm going back to that model. Gonna' plan and prepare and see what happens.

I worked in my friend's studio yesterday and as we worked we discussed some of my thoughts. She suggested ideas and gave me lots to consider. I've thought of more things this morning. And realize I'm getting excited about the prospects! Good stuff.

Blogging about it adds a bit of pressure. But only the good kind. The "accountability kind." So people will check in and ask me how my booth prep is going and hopefully I'll have great answers for them. As long as I don't lose my momentum, this is gonna' be my best booth yet. Well, that and the obtaining of permission to move some things around inside the little alcove with freezers and stuff...

Comments

[Nancy from Georgia]

Hi Melody, Glad to see you back. I must admit I for one was a bit concerned that you were gone for a couple of days. But after reading you blog (if that is the correct thing to call it) on the EAC site I was happy to find you back.
I will look forward to hearing about your booth and how you make out!
Glad your back...

[Melody]

Hi Nancy...it's good to know when I've been missed. I hate to "disappear" like that for so long, but occasionally there isn't enough time in the day to get it all done...this time my blogs had to get the back burner. Thanks for the note!

Be well...

[Margot]

Will there be power tools involved? Because you know I have a brand new sander that hasn't gotten nearly enough use! And I'm hoping at Christmas, I'll finally get the table saw I've been wanting. You know the one I was going to get for my birthday until I got the puppy instead? Okay, Christmas will be too late for this festival. But there is always next year.

The very same puppy just gave me kisses while I was writing this. You can't compare that to a table saw, can you?