Wesley Chapel - Shoppes at Wiregrass show - Suncoast

Had a good show despite the weather.  Set up 9-12pm Friday night - no thank you - decided to wait until morning.  Got in at 7 checked in and drove straight to booth site.  Unloaded and finished by 8:30.  Saturday was a beautiful day with the sun shining.  I handcraft paper beads and make earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.  Hours were 10 - 6.  Sold 64 pair of earrings and took an order for a custom necklace. $1280 in sales of earrings.

Saturday night the rain came down.  Our tent was fine - trimline with 65lbs on each corner.  The tent across from us landed behind us in the plaza area where they were putting on live music.  Thankfully no other tents or work was damaged.  They managed to get their tent back up.  We got to the show at 9:30 for a free pancake breakfast.  They posted a delayed opening from 11 until 1:00 due to high winds. 25mph winds ugh!  We kept the sides down and didn't open up until about 1:00.  Weather was cold, windy, and cloudy.  Sold only 22 pair of earrings from 1pm to 6 pm for $440.  So total sales were $1,720.  Break down easy - tore down and brought small trailer right to booth site.  We were out of there at 6:45.  After I got home I had three emails for earrings totaling another $260. $1980 for two days works for me.  I'm currently making a stockpile of bracelets which take much longer but will be $50 - 80 price point.  We normally average $100 - $240 and hour for our earrings depending upon the show.  We stay away from buy-sell and do shows for Fine Art & Craft.  Loving it!  Orange Beach Festival of Art is our next one followed by Eastern Shore Art Center that runs alongside Fairhope's Art Festival.  Life is good!

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  • Thank you so much!  We are starting on five years now and have learned so much.  Beginning with a $99 pop up tent from Walmart and me hand-stenciling our name on the tent.  That lasted about 6 months and sprung several leaks.  I think it rained and stormed at every show our first year.  At the end of the year we decided to keep going and it just keeps getting better and better.  I thought if I could make enough to pay for my insurance I would be happy.  First year we sold about $5,000 in earrings - last year it was over $30,000.  I knew when I started this they would sell because they were so different than anything out there.  I also am cutting and rolling at all the shows - showing how they are made.  We have been blessed and are thankful.  Having a ball traveling with our rescue pooch Etta.  Found a 30 year old camper and fixed the leaks and take it on some trips - do some fishing - see the sites.  I'll take this any day from being in the classroom....I do plan on taking a break at some point so I can paint.....Thank you all for your comments.

  • I really enjoyed reading your review and all the encouraging comments from retired teachers, as well.  It's always lovely to read a positive critique, not to mention inspiring...thanks and continued success.

  • Even more adventures (and wonderful people) await you, Linda. Great decision.

  • I made it for 20 years then decided life was too short.  So glad I decided to do it!  It was three weeks before the end of the year and I had some nasty email from a psycho mother, no seriously, I mean it---I went home and told my husband I'm done. 

    He said OK--I said No I'm finished as of today---had a ton of sick days called in my buddy subs (two retired teacher friends that did subbing) and never went back.  There are some parents that think they can treat teachers like dirt - and I'm too old to take that crap.  We had already been discussing it so it wasn't that much of a surprise - that just gave me the push to do it.  I loved the kids and teaching up until about 5 years ago - things aren't the same. 

    Now I get to play at home and travel about meeting wonderful people and deal with whatever the weather throws at us.  Loving it!

  • LOL Connie.  

  • Retired teacher? welcome to the club (although it was for only 10 years) - the lure of the streets was calling.

  • Oh, that's not quite so bad ;-) I stayed at a hotel one time that put the Bates Motel to shame, had a room for 4 days, bailed out after one night. The place was abominable and surprised we didn't have critter bites from staying there. Dirty, musty, and creepy were the good points.

    Retired teacher, eh? Welcome to the club :-) I retired 4 years ago, was a math teacher but still cringe at my typos. 

  • I didn't proofread and don't know how to go back and edit---will check next time before adding comment....(I retired from teaching and cringe when I see something I have posted incorrectly)

    What the heck - I no longer need to worry about it, right!

  • Robert Wallis - it wasn't anything with Outback or Cracker Barrel - it was where we stayed at the Rodeway Inn which is between the two restaurants.  The hotel should be condemned....

  • Thank you, Connie.  Since we started this are sales keep going up and up.  We are starting on five years and have many repeat customers at shows.  $20 a pop sends the earrings out the door without a second thought.....I keep saying I'm going to up it to $25 as it does take a lot of time to do these. I am working on bracelets that start at $40 and go up to 80.  Everyone keeps asking for them but I hadn't had any time keeping up with the earrings.  Those are our bread and butter.  I have 7 weeks to work on beads for the higher price point range so that is what I'm doing now.  When I had the bracelets they sold in minutes - so I know they will move.  I only have two hands...and I do like to do some fishing so when I have time that is what we do. Yes, my first report - will try to post more.  We do some wonderful shows that I don't see on here - St. Augustine Art Fest in November, Peter Anderson Festival in Ocean Springs in November, and our number one show Orange Beach Festival of Art coming up in March right before Fairhope.  Thank you for your encouragement!

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