Presence on the Patio Winter 2010...

So yesterday was the big day. Presence on the Patio Winter 2010. And it...was...COLD. I lost count of how many people gave us pitying looks and comments about how we were out in the cold. An outside craft show in western New York...are we crazy? Yes...yes, we are.

One old gentleman (who was a priest, and said he was ordained in '57) came up to us and dryly joked "I think I should let you know...it's WINTER." He was fun to talk to. Have I mentioned lately how much I love that I get along so well with old people?

The day seemed like a blur. I actually had forgotten to take pictures until we were just starting to pack up. That's why the fire pit in the above pic has snow in it (so we could cool it off to transport it home). We did have a nice fire to keep warm at earlier in the day.

We didn't seem to have as many people come as last year. I'm not sure what the reason was. But there are a few possibilities since there were a few changes from last year...

• The weather. It was just COLD. And no one wants to be out shopping at an outdoor craft sale when it's so bitter cold.
• The time. Last year the show was in the evening...from 6PM-9PM. This year I decided to have the show earlier in the day. This decision was mostly because the cafe has changed its hours since last year and closes at 7PM. I didn't want to ask them to stay open later for us. Plus, I didn't want to cause confusion if someone came that had never been to the cafe before, and they came back again...at say, 8PM...and the cafe was closed. I also though having the show at the more typical 11AM-4PM peak Saturday shopping time would bring more people.
• The music. Last year, we brought my dad's portable sound system to play Christmas music (like Mannheim Steamroller!). And I think that drew people in. They heard the music and wondered what was going on. This year, Medina had installed speakers throughout the whole town to pipe in Christmas music during the month of December. There was a speaker right by us, so I decided not to bring the sound system so the music wouldn't clash (plus it was one less thing to worry about hauling there). But since the music is all over the town, no one was drawn to the show.
• Lights. Last year, since we had it in the evening, we needed lights, and I had festive, green and red paper lanterns up. And plus there was the fire pit. And I think all those lights were a visual draw, being a light place in the dark. We didn't have that kind of draw in the daytime.

It's a challenge for me not to get discouraged and down on myself and say the reason the show wasn't as successful because of me. That it was because I was the one in charge of organizing it that things didn't go as well. (as opposed to last year, where it was someone else organizing it and I was just helping them). I keep thinking "I could have planned better, I could have done better advertising". But I try hard not to dwell on it and focus on the positive. "Live and learn" right? "Hindsight is 20/20". Okay...enough of the fortune cookie encouragements.

I don't like being in charge of things. I like being highly involved in organizing things, but I don't like being the head honcho responsible. I think Kim and Rachel did a much better job at doing this last year, but I understand now why they didn't want to organize it this year...it's STRESSFUL! I actually started crying a few times during set-up. I'm pretty relieved to get back to real life now. I'm looking forward to Christmas being a nice, relaxing time.

Of course, once we were all set up and I was able to stop freaking out, I did have fun and I did make a decent amount of sales. If I make at least $100 at a show (which I did), I'm usually happy. And at least one of the other 3 vendors told me she made a decent amount of sales as well.

This is my last show of the season...of 2010 for that matter. My next show is the Hearts + Crafts show in February in Rochester.

I think the day would have been nicer if it weren't for the wind. That wind is what really made it cold. The sun was actually out for awhile, but that wind was what chilled us. My mom kindly lent me her wool Czechoslovakian Army cape to keep warm. The wool is so dense that the wind doesn't get through it. She bought it years ago from an army surplus store on a sweltering August day...for only $35. My mom is great at finding deals.

It was nice having my mom there. She was in charge of the kids' craft table...making little clothespin reindeer pins and handmade greeting cards for $1 each. She only did crafts with my friends' kids, but she seemed to have fun.

Even though the show wasn't as successful as I would have liked, we all had fun. We ended up packing up an hour early though. It was cold and we had't had any customers in quite some time. I know a lot of craft shows have rules that say "Don't pack up until 4:00" (or whenever the official end-time is), but whatever....I organized this thing and I was in charge. And the other vendors seemed fine with it.

Next year, if I decide to organize this show again in the winter, we're definitely doing it INSIDE the cafe`.

Presence on the Patio in Review...

I know what you're thinking..."That picture doesn't look like you were on a patio!"
Well, the weather wasn't nice enough for us to have the event outside on the Shirt Factory Cafe's patio. It was a gusty, blustery day all day, and the wind would have turned our canopy into a big kite and sent all our various wares flying across the street. Plus it was cold and rainy later in the afternoon. So outside wasn't an option.

Thankfully, when I was freaking out earlier in the week about weather reports predicting a rainy Saturday, my husband had suggested that we ask the cafe if we could use their large back room as a backup plan...so that we could still have the event and not have to cancel in case the weather was yucky. What a smart guy! (I'm so glad I married him!)

He's always very helpful and supportive when I do these shows too. He helped rig up the rope lights other stuff. I don't know what I'd so without him. :)

Here's my table (yay!). I think I like this setup the best out of any I have done before...because I have never set up my table the same way twice. I want a banner with my KiraArts logo for the front though.

My Mom came and we set up a mini-table for her to sell her cards. She is still recovering from surgery, but is doing very well. Spending the day together at the show, and then going to dinner afterwards was how we celebrated Mother's Day.


My friend Char ran a table with a free craft for the kids. I taught her how to do the coffee filter flower craft.

My friend Rachel (Char's daughter) was my partner in crime in organizing this event, and she and a friend did facepainting.

Rachel turning our friend's son, Micah, into an elephant...


Our other friend's son, Matt, wanted to be an elephant too.

This "alien" monster Matt picked out was one of CJ's favorites. I suppose I should make more monsters with eye stalks.

Matt's sister Emily picked up this monster and walked around hugging him the rest of the day. She was so cute! She loved that monster so much! I'm glad she picked him. I made him a long time ago and he's been in my Etsy shop and was even at Moonflower for a while, and no one ever wanted him...so I'm glad he has a home now.

And I found out that the facepainting girls started doing paintings of the monsters!

So cute! This picture is of a fellow vendor's daughter. She is so sweet. After both Presence on the Patio shows, during teardown/cleanup, she asked me if I need any help when I'm packing up.

These two 12-year-old girls came to the Presence on the Patio show we had back in December. I remember the girl in the hat had green hair then and she was the one who bought the Cheshire Cat pillow. They (and their mom) bought a lot of stuff, including some of my monster-ear hats, and were my best customers! I think I may be starting a fanbase in Medina!

Despite the nasty weather and having to have the event inside, this turned out to be my most successful craft show ever. I said the same thing about the show in December...it seems each show I have turns out to surpass the last. I can't wait until the next show! I'd like to plan one for the Fall. I've had people ask if we'll do one in the summer, but I think I need a break. Plus, there's enough craft shows during the summer. I don't need to add another one into the mix.

Window Display at Shirt Factory Cafe

We finished the window display this weekend at Shirt Factory Cafe for Presence on the Patio.

Big thanks to my hubby for helping me out! (only real men will help their wives fluff out tissue paper pom-poms in the middle of a coffee shop!)

I love using these pom poms to decorate. (I first saw them when I was helping decorate for a baby shower) They're so easy to make. I have instructions on how to make them in my baby shower post, but you can also check Martha Stewart's website for a more official tutorial (she's where my friends got the idea from in the first place).

I even saved the scraps of tissue paper I cut off the ends and used them as a kind of confetti...I think they look like fallen flower petals.

I need to get more tissue paper and make more of these for decorating on the day of the craft fair. The flowers/pom-poms are taking the place of the paper lanterns we had up for the winter show...since they have a springy feel and the spring show is during the day instead of in the evening.

New Presence on the Patio Poster

I designed a new poster for the spring Presence on the Patio craft show I'm helping to organize...
We needed a new design that would catch kids' eyes. I think this cute monster will do the trick!

Presence on the Patio Spring 2010!

Presence on the Patio is BACK! And this time, my friend Rachel and I are in charge!

After the Presence on the Patio we had back in December, the owner of the Shirt Factory Cafe agreed that doing it seasonally was a great idea. He suggested we have it on one of the weekends that the life-sized Thomas the Tank Engine comes to the Medina Railroad Museum (an event known as "Day Out With Thomas", which I'm told draws THOUSANDS of people to Medina each year!). And Shirt Factory Cafe is right around the corner from the Railroad Museum! So we've scheduled the Spring 2010 edition of Presence on the Patio for Saturday, May 8th.

Rachel and I are still in the planning stages, and are trying to line up the vendors (obviously, KiraArts and the girls of Primele (Rachel & Tricia) are going to be there!), but planning is coming along! Hopefully we'll have a list of definite vendors by mid-April. For now, you can check out the Facebook event and fan page. I'm thinking about possibly starting a blog soon as well.

I'll be sure to keep you posted!

Presence on the Patio...a Rousing Success!

Presence on the Patio on Saturday was a rousing success! I know for me, it was my most successful craft show I've ever done! I sold so many monsters! We weren't quite sure how it would do or how good of a turn-out we would have, since this was our first time doing an event like this. Plus it was an evening event (most craft shows are in the morning/afternoon). Plus is was outside...in December...in Western New York! But those Western New Yorkers didn't disappoint us! We always had a steady stream of people coming in and here was never a lull in the crowd.


I love how the lanterns looked! They made it look just like the poster I designed! Everything looked really good all lit up. We had been concerned about having enough lighting, but it turned out great!

We did have a couple of snags during set-up earlier in the day (we started setting up at 10am). The first issue being that I ended up not having all the pieces to the canopy I borrowed from my parents, so the canopy ended up being a quarter of the size it was supposed to be! But, my brilliant husband found a way to make it work.

Another snag was that my clothesline set-up at my table kept falling over with every strong gust of wind. It fell over about 3 times before (#1) my brilliant husband again, found a way to rig things and tie things down so they would be more secure...(#2) no joke, we prayed to God for the wind to stop...and about 5 minutes later...no wind! And no more stong wind for the rest of the night! (don't tell ME there's no God!) It was pretty awesome!

This is my brilliant friend Kim who was the mastermind behind organizing the event (with the help of her sister Rachel). She and her 2 sisters, Rachel and Tricia, are the ones behind Primele. I wish I'd thought to take more pictures and get close-ups of their stuff. They have a cute style. Their style is kind of country-ish, but with a modern twist. It's not your grandma's Americana sort of country style. They're very inspired by the Adirondacks and primitive elements (hence their name Prim(itive) ele(ments).

The also did a wreath-making table with natural elements (like pinecones, dried oranges, apples, and hedge apples) and evergreens. Most elements were taken directly from their farm!...even the grapevines that the wreath forms were made out of.

This table was for the Beadery... a handmade jewelry company. I loved talking to Beth. Her table was across from mine. I look forward to being friends and getting to know her better.

Jackie from "Jars of Joy" is another woman I enjoyed talking to and look forward to becoming friends with. She and her daughter were great to hang around and were very helpful when it was time for tear-down. Even when their table was packed up, the stuck around to help the rest of us with our tables and the canopy and lights.

Apple Blossom Florist were further down the patio from me, so I didn't get to talk to them as much, but they were very nice and had some lovely holiday centerpieces!

I was glad I had the idea to bring my fire-bowl from my backyard (and that the Shirt Factory owner approved the idea). It was a nice way for the vendors in particular to warm up a little in between sales. I think it attracted customers too!

I really don't think we would have done quite as well if the event had been inside. Because we were outside, we had more exposure and presence (ha! Presence on the Patio!...get it?)

It was a long day, and it was very cold (here's Rachel and Tricia warming up in the Cafe after teardown), but all in all it was very fun and I can't wait to do another one! We learned a lot from our mistakes this time around and there seems to be lots of interest in doing it next year and making it an annual event. And I even suggested to the owner that we do it seasonally...one in spring, summer and fall as well!

We'll see what happens!