The Big Show!

After attending the New Hope's 35th Annual Holiday Marketplace as a buyer for several years, and trying out for the show, once, several years ago, I auditioned for this juried show again this year, was accepted and participated in the marketplace this weekend!!

I don't know how it happened, but I got a supremo position on the floor! The facility has a very large lobby section and a wide expanded hall down to the gym.  I was given the space that was at the end of the hall right between the two sets of doors leading into the gym!

To top that, I was adjacent to a second big glass entry to the outside.  Traffic Galore!  Also didn't have that 'squashed in' feeling being in a long row of vendors in the larger space.  Hoorah!

There was a spot light shining down onto my booth made it the focus at the end of the hall!  Even my son-in-law as impressed!  He said, "Finally after all these years, you've got an awesome space!"

Sales were good, and the administrators and volunteers at this show were so friendly and helpful! It was truly an awesome experience!  Thank you New Hope Community Church Women's Community!

1 to get ready . . 2 for the show!

First show this weekend!

getting ready . . . .

Pricing items . . .

Sorting . . . 

packing  . . . .

and ready to go!

Recent News

Recently, my granddaughter left the USA as an exchange student for her junior year of high school, and it threw me in sort of a funk!  Ever get that way, yourself? We all have.  Well, Kayleigh arrived safely and BTW, changed her FB page to say: "Resides Taipei, Taiwan; From Portland Oregon" Whew!  What a statement at 16!

So thru all this,  I have neglected my blog, and failed to show what I have been working on.  I haven't even shared my exciting news! A bit about that at the end of the post.

I have been working on my inventory for the holiday markets and craft bazaars! (Besides making aprons for my wholesale client, of course!)  Actually I did a post about my new product earlier, just didn't say that it was to be my holiday line.  The post was about how this idea came into being.  You might want to check-it-out here.

Anyway, here is a preview of my new line of Christmas stockings.  I don't know if I will sell it online this year, as they do take quite some time to make with all the handwork; I don't know if I will end up with enough inventory for both the holiday markets and my Etsy shop!  We will see.

So, presenting . . . . hand embroidered and machine quilted Christmas Stockings! In various color combinations!  Traditional Red & Green, currently popular Red and Teal, shabby chic Green and Pink, etc. With more color combinations to come!

Traditional colors

embroidery handiwork

buttons, Venice lace, and bead embellishments

And . . . these will be featured in a new venue (for me, that is).  I auditioned for a juried holiday marketplace back in July and just received notification that I am accepted!!  I have a reserved place in the New Hope Holiday Marketplace!  It is a huge two day affair in November and is highly attended.  My family and I have visited it nearly every year since I moved to the PNW.  I tried out a couple of years back, but only got on the alternate list.  Now I am confirmed, so overjoyed and, of course, busy!!

Tip of the day:  Be sure that you share your most unique product, when auditioning for shows! That was my downfall a few years ago, when I shared product that was too much like everyone else's!  Also, I presented myself , this time, as a textile artist, not just a crafter!  That helped!

What color combinations would you like to see?

Are you preparing for holiday shows?

How is your progress coming along?

Whew! Bazaar Over!

Just finished a two day bazaar!  Thought I would share a funny picture of my granddaughter helping me.  Klee told me that she was there to provide me with "comic relief" on the slow afternoon! I think all the customers were out enjoying the sunshine--that much sunshine and 75 degree weather in March is unusual for Oregon!    She tried on my children's aprons and  drew pictures for me!  She really was a crack-up!  Anyway, here's a 15 year old modeling a little child apron (note the sweat shirt sliding off her shoulders!   :) chuckle! chuckle!

This is my GD that will be gone for nearly a year as an exchange student to Taiwan-- leaving in August! I will miss her and her help with craft shows!

Now, that the Spring craft shows are finished, I can move on to all the work involved with opening my new online shop. If you are interested in getting a monthly newsletter about the opening--and all things new at Pruitt Creations and Abigail Jayne Art--there is sign up on the right sidebar.  Thanks!

Spring Bazaar for Easter

This weekend, well, Friday and Saturday not Easter Sunday, I will be a vendor at the Carver School Spring Bazaar!  Should be lots of fun, since there will be loads of children and their families there!

Here's a sneak peek (since I am into sneak peeks lately :) of my booth items!  Lots of things for children! Hair clips, child tote bags, toddler backpacks, including a few handy things for mom.

Wish me luck and happy sales!

Spring Show Products

I have two craft shows coming up this month, so I am busssssyy!

Currently working on product for my Spring shows! Have lots of yo-yos out all over the table, along with bling, beads, thread, glue and clips.  I think these should sell well this month, just before Easter. (Of course I will add some pastel ones too!)

Here's a finished pair with fabric that is currently popular.  Seems if everyone likes grey, lately!

I am thinking that I might also offer my decorated flip flops--that I have stored away.  Weather should be warming up and I think maybe they would do well too!  I guess I am just feel like spring; aren't you?

Year in Review

As part of my reevaluating process, that usually takes most of January for me, I have been reviewing my blog posts for last year.  I find that I have a few favorites and from looking at the stats, I see that they might have been your favorites too!  I have chosen one from each month for review!  Enjoy! (And keep going--there is something extremely cute at the end!)

January 

Studio Guest!

I often house sit for a friend who has a huge sewing studio!  Lots of space with three machines, a light table, cutting table etc.  If you love studios, you will love all the pictures here!  I love it, and will be house sitting again for her in a few days!

February

At the urging of a blogger friend, I decided to tell the story behind my shop avatar. It got lots of views!

March

March was  a big blogging month if your views were any indication!  It was hard to choose since many of my posts were popular--the BBA challenge Part 1 and Part 2, the Goodbye Winter post about our local river stroll, and the Shamrock Charity Run, but I chose one post about my Sew Expo Perspective, since I did several posts on this subject and all had lots of views and comments!

Sew Expo in Puyallup Washington

April 

With the start of spring and an April Easter Sunday, I had the urge to make something new.  Sew . . . I made a new Crayon Roll-up from some fabric that is still my favorite!  Oh . . . and there was a cute post about my future crafter granddaughter Vivienne: Vivi's Pins

Favorite fabric for a roll-up!

May

May is for Mother, right? I did a post of an old vintage picture that I found of what I think is my own mother!
I also celebrated my 500th post!  Yay!  But my pick for this month was about hand embroidery, since I love and appreciate the handmade quality of it over machine embroidery.

Embroidery enhanced Cell phone case

June

In June, there were graduations, birthdays, softball, fun runs, and Father's Day!
I did a series of posts, four in all, on "Got Creativity?" Actually started them the 29th of May, but finished the series in June. Links can be found on one of the home page tabs at the top of my homepage. 

Trying something new-- get creative!

July

Summer hit and I was out doing a summer craft fair with my granddaughter! I was also involved with creating a new line of aprons for a local merchant with a relationship that started back in May. It kept me busy for the remainder of the year.

August

Not much bloggin' in August--to HOT and had vacation fever!!  But I did introduce a new line of products! Children's tote bags! 

Kid Sized!

September

Still had a little vacation fever, and went on a little trip to visit a local volcano: Mt Saint Helens.  Posted pictures of our trip.  I blogged about National Sewing Month, my patio garden, and my broken sewing machine! 

Trail head sign on Mt Saint Helens

October 

In October I became a grandmother--again, with the birth of our 26th grandchild!  Yay!  Most of the month was taken up with that, and not much blogging.  Here's a current picture of Gideon!

Doesn't that smile just melt ya?

November - December  

November was full, with the start of the holiday season, with craft shows, Thanksgiving and family  celebrations, and a yo yo tutorial.  Right after Thanksgiving, I started a "30 days of Christmas Fun" Series with lots of ideas.  Here's one that got lots of raves!  My cute little scrappy snowman pillow!

Hope you enjoyed my review and will visit some of the year's posts that interest you! 
On to a New Year of Fun and Creativity!

Aprons and more aprons!

I've been making aprons like mad lately.  I made them for a local wholesale customer and also for a couple of craft shows that I am doing this summer.  One show was last weekend with another next weekend.  Most of what I have made were children's aprons. 

Also,  I have be hosting an apron sale in my PruittCreations Shop.  Left in the shop are my older styles and one vintage cross stitched apron; I would like to clear them out to make room for new stock.   I am offering them at 50% OFF the regular listing price.  There is a coupon code in the shop announcement for getting the discounted price.  You can choose from a thanksgiving apron, a cute half apron, breast cancer awareness aprons, and several others.  They would make great gifts if you already have a favorite apron!

Then, watch for the children's aprons to appear in my shop maybe later next week, after my next craft show.   (P.S.  Will also be listing some cute children's totes!)

What have you been up to lately?

Saturday Show

Grrrrrrhhhhh . . . .  I'm having such trouble with my camera!!  Most of my photos are coming out blurry lately!  Same camera, but I can't figure out what's going on!  Okay, enough of the temper tantrum for today! 

Anyway, I did a community charity show on Saturday and it was HOT!  The good thing was it was out on a grassy field -- that helped. The show didn't have as many people attend as they were hopin' for, so sales were not good as I had planned. 

My granddaughter, Kayleigh, helped with the show.  She also sold friendship bracelets; she's raising money to be an exchange student in her Junior year.  She hopes to go to Taiwan or Japan.  And I got to use the new banner that I made with the help of Edi of Memories for Life Scrapbooking. I sent her fabric pieces backed with a fusible interfacing and she cut out the letters with her laser machine.  When I got them back, I mounted them on the muslin triangles and finished it up with some bias binding in red. Didn't it turn out great?! (Sorry about the fuzzy picture!)

I hung several of my quilts (also for sale) and they created some shade and some color!  Plus, quilts always seem to draw customers in to take a look!

I also previewed a new item!  Yoyo decorated Flip Flops!  They were a hit! (again a fuzzy picture! grrrrrrh)

The sun zapped all my strength and I slept for nearly the rest of the weekend.  How was your weekend?

Got Risk?

(This is part three in a series on Got Creativity?  Here are the links: Part one and  Part two.)

(This insallment is combined with Friday Features.  Enjoy my shop picks from other Etsy sellers.) 


Are you on your way to earning that blue ribbon at the guild show or county fair?  Are you at a place where you can take the risk of filling out that first entry form for your favorite piece of creativity?



Maple Nut Goat Milk Fudge by udderlywonderful

Once you "reach your stride" in your creative endeavors and once you get over the urge to be technically correct at your craft, then you must decide if you want to risk showing your creations (wares) to others.  Oh, it is one thing to show what you have done to your family.  Sort of like a child playing their first little clarinet solo in the living room for aunts and cousins.  Of course everyone is going to "ooh and awe" over the presentation and give lots of encouragement, but when it comes to that first recital, that is a very different story!




Charm by charmsmaker

So, once you have "perfected" your craft as we talked about in the previous article here, you take a risk in presenting it to others, whether that be at a craft show, an entry in a juried show or possibly presenting to wholesale buyers.  It is a bit scary to expose your efforts and stand ready to hear comments, endure silence or suffer rejection.



Pillows by vintagepoppiesshop

Once we are assured that our own creation is finished and "good"  in our own eyes, we can endure the occasional remark or lack of remarks about our work.  We have confidence and learn to not take things personally; we progress from a safe semi-closed forum to a risky open show of our own perceived genius.  We creators are all in various stages of this process. Accessing where we are and how to proceed is the key. 

Are you willing to risk taking the next step? 

That is the question.

Next  and final article in the series here.

The best help ever!

Recently, I did two craft bazaars. 

I had the best help that was available--my granddaughter--Kayleigh! 

Klee, as she likes to spell it, is a freshman in High School.  She loves to come to the bazaars and she helps me set up and take down.  She's a great salesperson, is wonderful with customers and does not get bored as the day goes on.  I can depend on her to help keep the table in order, and I have thoroughly enjoyed having her company for the day. 

But the best thing is that she loves to keep track of the books!  She tracks the time of the sales, what sells, and the sales amount.  Klee is always checking me to see if I right down my sales! She's working on a spread sheet and graph of the last two shows and I can't wait to see what she comes up with!  Family is awesome--especially Kayleigh!

P.S.  Check out the purple scarf that she bought from a fellow vendor at the first show that we did! 

Tip:  Notice the fanny pack that I am wearing.  I  keep my change and my phone, including my Square, right at hand in the little pack.  That way I don't have to worry about anything getting misplaced!

The Square!

Recently I did a craft show, which I have done many times before, but this show I had a new 'gadget' to help with sales!!!  Square is a credit/debit card reader that plugs into your android or smart phone and allows you to take payments!  My son originally told me about this new device.  The best part about it: it's free!  Obviously you pay a fee each time you swipe for payment which amounts to 2.75 percent, which is less than most credit card processing companies charge.  But to order the device, there is no fee.  It arrives in just a few days; next you sign up for an account online; then you download the free app to your phone, sign in to your account, plug in your card reader and you are ready to go!

I used the device at my show, which worked fine and was a big hit with the customers.  People are always interested in new gadgets and I had people standing around my booth just to watch!!  The only problem seemed to be an older card that would not read, even though it was tried several times. But this is not unusual, since I have had this happen with one of my older cards at the supermarket! Anyway, my customer's daughter used her card and I still made the sale!

Another craft bazaar is coming up in a week and I plan to use it again.  People only carry so much cash to a craft show and  I am hoping that the ability to process credit card payments will enhance my sales, especially on larger items (like quilts).

Anyone else using the Square or planning to??? Love to know what you think.

Day 4 and Craft Show Prep



My daughter helping me at a past show


Today is my youngest daughter's birthday! She often helps me with craft shows.  Bless her! and Happy B-Day Suzanne!

It's Friday and I am busy! Big craft show, a new one for me, on Saturday.  I've been making sure that everything that I have is priced, so there will be no questions on my own part when several people are in my face and asking prices.  I don't mean that customers "in my face" is a negative thing, but when you are by yourself, helping customers, holding conversations and watching for anything amiss, it is hard to keep everything in your head.  I have made  mistakes quoting prices under pressure, in the past and have cut myself short!  Not this time! 

I store merchandise in water proof containers with tight fitting lids.  I don't always sort my items, AFTER a show, and so I spent time today sorting my merchandise, taking out those items that I do not want to display.  I am leaving several types of items at home.  It's kinda like "less is more."  I have also been guilty of 'taking everything I own'.  Not this time!

THIS TIME, I will be using a new item in my sales process.  I have ordered a Square card reader, which my son recommended.  He uses it when he does trade shows for his magazine.  The same day I saw a blog post on it.  When I did the research, I was sold.  I'll let you know how it performs.  I am hoping that it will give me the ability to make larger dollar sales, not just nickle and dime sales from customers on a strict cash budget.  We'll see!

Enough of that!  Today is also Day 4 of my 'Birthdays and Anniversary Sale' in my Design shop. Here's Friday's Daily Special:


Fancy velvet look evening pouch with long strap 

Hurry, this half price item will only be on sale on Friday--Friday ONLY!  When it's gone, it's gone!

Any tips for craft sales?

More Musings--Suicide Monday!

I would like to share some insights about the recent string of craft shows that I have done and the effect they have had on me.  This last week I did two weekdays at the local community college bazaar and was slated to do two separate events on the weekend--one at a local High School and one at the recreation room in the complex where I live.  I was excited about the string of shows and had high hopes. I knew that the first two days were a slower venue but still had set-up and take down for both days.  I enjoyed the time, especially since the hours of operation were from 10 AM to 2 PM--shorter hours.  Sales were better than last year for the two day show, so I was happy.

I worked a full day at my part time job on Thursday, had Friday for further prep for the weekend shows.Saturday came and I did the show at the  High School.  The Saturday gig was unexpectedly show for me.  I watched the gal next to me sell crocheted hats by the dozens, it seemed.  One vendor came over to her and said: "You seem to be the hit of the show and the only one selling anything!  I see all the customers walking around in your hats!"  And, I believe, she was really helped by the exceptionally cold weather outside that day. She sat there all day, crocheting as fast as she could, as the special orders came in one after another.

On Sunday, I awoke feeling totally exhausted and fatigued! Since I had not paid anything for the slot at my complex, I begged off and stayed in bed the whole morning.  The afternoon was spent resting and trying to recover from, who knows, exhaustion, or catching a bug???  And to be honest, I know that I was fighting depression all day.  And I still am.  Hubby out of work, except for a temporary seasonal part-time job at Macy's; My part time job ending; now future in sight and my sales are just not that good!

We hear all that hype on Etsy about "quitting your day job" which I would literally love to do, but it seems so elusive most of the time.  So here are my insights (and resolutions):

1)  Don't--I say--DON'T make any decisions on the Monday after a show!  (Otherwise called suicide Monday, in other professions!)
2)  Give yourself some time to rest and recoup after all the work!
3)  Find something else to do after your shows, for a change of pace. Take a little break! We all need a break from time to time.  "Full steam ahead" is not supposed to be ALL the time!
4)  After recuperation, get some objective advice on your products and make sure that you listen!
and . . .
5)  Never, NEVER book yourself too tight in the future! (especially at my age!  :)

Anyone else have any insights?  Would love to hear them, er . . . . just maybe not today--MONDAY!

Weekend Musing

I usually do a "Saturday Musing" article but yesterday I was at an Autumn Bazaar all day, so I have opted for a "Weekend Musing."

The Craft Bazaar was enjoyable and beneficial. The school where it was held benefited, I got sales, and others fully enjoyed looking at every array of cuteness and whimsy that my fellow crafters could think up! I enjoyed the process, working with my grandchildren--Taylor and Kayleigh; and seeing other family members enjoy the bazaar---going away with their belly's full of pizza, kettle corn and treats as well as treasures and designated gifts for Christmas giving--all a delight to watch.

But as you can probably tell by my own use of the words: "enjoyable" and "beneficial" and "process", I am of a more practical mind. It wasn't a particularly thrilling or giddy experience; it is "work" for me. The culmination of a LOT of work at the sewing machine and the bead board. Don't get me wrong! I enjoy crafting and sewing! But shows and bazaars, while a necessary selling venue, are sometimes exhausting! There's all the hauling and carrying and setting up. Then there is the "being on your best behaviour" attitude. I enjoy talking with the shoppers, but person after person can get a bit rote, after awhile. Vendors around me can be cheerful and friendly, but this particular day, they were busy and aloof. And to top it off, I don't necessarily eat well on show days. Then, when it is all over, there's the break down, packing and hauling again!

But--all in all--I did OK, my pocketbook is happy and I had a "beneficial" day!

Aurora Colony Museum's Quilt Show

Aurora Colony Museum's 38th Annual Quilt Show!

You have a couple of days left to visit the 38th annual quilt show in Aurora, Oregon, if you are anywhere close to the area. The Aurora Colony Museum is the site of this annual quilt show which is a fund raiser for the museum and part of their mission of the historical society to promote interactive lifelong learning by inspiring curiosity about the heritage of the Aurora Colony.

I am privileged to have two of my own creations displayed in the museum show. I have also provided a quilt that was hand pieced and quilted by my mother-in-law Sarah Pruitt. It is a pattern called Grandmother's Flower Garden. Although, she called it her "12 year quilt", since it took her that long to complete it.

My quilt creations are a pansy quilt in Lavender and Green and my embroidery sampler quilt. There are many, many other quilts displayed in categories from traditional to contemporary and from antique to vintage.

Don't miss this show!

Harvest Bazaar

Well, I guess the vacation from blogging is over . . . . . . and that's good! I have missed all of you, my readers! This dialogue is so fun!

The big bazaar that I was working on, has come and gone, and I have no photos to share because I was ill for the last two weeks and didn't even get to participate while it was on! Also, I have had the sad experience of loosing a friend and my uncle in the last two weeks. It's been a very difficult two weeks! But I am feeling better now, and since I have no photos of the bazaar, I will share with you a few of the items that I had in the show.

Harvest Coasters, Harvest Season Pillows, and wall hangings that also double as a table topper, if you prefer.