Renegade Fair 2009

I meant to post this "post" on Monday...but, well, life happened. So I'm posting it today.
I attended my first ever RENEGADE FAIR Sunday. I was excited all week to go to this event and see some of the most coveted designers like: The Black Apple,Old Tom Foolery, and Foundling! I was also happy to discover some new loves like Big Stone Head and Ex Libris Anonymous.

Because we were taking this 2..i REPEAT 2 hour trip with our children (1 and 3) i knew i had to mentally brace myself so i could stay cool, calm and somewhat collected while in San Fransisco. I mostly did good, let's be honest...my kids are not exactly angels.



We arrived at the Renegade grounds around 10:30am and just bummed around outside until it officially opened at 11am. Once 11am ticked i knew it was the mother ship calling me back home. I was immediately excited and overwhelmed by all the amazing displays with fabulous goodies. When i arrived, some of the vendors were still setting up with tables.

When i first entered the fair my breath was first taken away by this fantastic rustic looking booth with suitcases for days that had been re-purposed and made into spiral bound notebooks! The shop was Ex Libris Anonymous. I love so much of it..and for what i could see, they were busy a lot at that booth! I found the Cat in the Hat book turned into a spiral bound journal with the pages of the actual book mixed in with the journal. Love it!

I was very impressed by the booth displays. While there were plenty of basic booth tables that looked over-crowded and cluttery with merchandise ( in which i was so overwhelmed i just kept moving), there were plenty of shops that weren't. Some shops had really great banners, and displays for their products...and of course lollipops, which obviously made my day!



There was a booth by Big Stone Head that was so simple. I love it. They had a U shape going and had i believe 2 racks full of t shirts. They had the funnies graphic t-shirts. I highly recommend you swing over there online store and buy something or at least read the shirts and enjoy a good laugh. The two people who were working that booth were really personable and down right hysterical as well. They had my husband and i laughing with tears streaming down!

For sure, the busiest booth i noticed was The Black Apple. I think it was impart because she just has fabulous items, and the other half because she is like an Etsy celebrity...you just want to see her and be like, "wow! that's cool." I took myself on over to that booth. It was so busy...so i waited for it to thin out so i could get in. It did not thin out....soo i squished myself in there and browsed through all the fabulous goodies she had....and my my my, things were flying off the shelves in a hurry!


After leaving the Renegade fair, i was so inspired to go home and create! Step into my inner craft fair and start thinking of what i want to do next with my shops. I loved it all..the good..the bad, and the ugly. Next year..i will for sure leave my adorable busy body babies with their sweet Nanna, so i can truly appreciate the fair!

Signing out-

Frenchell

Pictures and of course...A BIG SALE

First off...i am working on my other pendant shop...that poor shop has been left in the dust while all my energy went to my supply shop. I am in love with this photo editing shop called: http://www.picnik.com You can use it for free. i wanted to upgrade to use some of the other features, so i paid the 24.95 1 time a yr fee...and it did even more amazing things!




Trust me..this pictures was very bland and dull looking. i was near tears when taking it because i didn't think i could take a good photo...which i still can't. But i can sure edit like i can take a good one

I'm not exactly in love with this photo..but i was trying out borders and shades and what not.
I look a ton of photos today..so i'm going to mess around with it and see how it goes. I truly always hated having to do the pictures for my shops...down right depressed me. I would take an entire day doing pictures and editing them..then i would look at them..and know they were terrible. I spent so much money on photographers, and right as i was going to have someone else take my pendant pictures my husband said, "why don't we just try it and do our best, then if it really doesn't work, we'll spend the money" I am so glad we put in an honest effort. These may not be the best, but to me, for right now..i am so stinkin happy!

Here are the before pictures: be kind!

















As we can see..the photo editing made such a nice difference. So go get you some Picnik!

On another NOTE....

FINALLY: I am CELEBRATING 1 year on ETSY. I am having a sale in my shop. Lots of charms, beads and bails on sale! A lot of the charms are on sale for $1.00 Just check out the sale section of the shop!

Facebook FANPAGE

If you got one, list it so we can all fan eachother! Here is mine:

Christian Haylie Fan Page

It's obvious that mine needs some TLC very soon. I just started it not to long ago...so bear with me on it
Loves,
Frenchell

Plans...They never go the way i want them too

On a regular basis I make "plans" for my shop...all the while trying to manage children and keep my home functional. I usually fall apart and dinner doesn't get made, my husband is good to pick up the slack there. Then i may pop in a movie for the kids to watch or turn on a show while i am getting orders out...then i have the "mommie guilt" for having a t.v. babysit my children when i work. Then instead of working on my business i get sucked into the etsy forums...the i cycle it back around again.

I don't know if i mentioned it or not, but my husband has jumped on board to help with the business. So this is no longer a "ME" thing but is now a "WE" thing...and, YES, i'm still getting used to it. I have had to give up some control on a lot of things, which has been good, but hard. When you have worked your business and you know where everything is and how you do everything, you become paranoid that in a second one person can tank your entire business. I have to say, he has been a HUGE help. He keeps me focused ( which is what i need because i tend to go from project to project fluttering like a butterfly...wait where was i?) and organized, no small feat i promise you. Since he has jumped on board the office has been organized and has stayed organized...and clean for the most part. It's also nice to be creative withsomeone and bounce ideas back and forth off of eachother. I'm also able to better interact with my kids, instead of saying, "sorry hunny, mommie has to work. Go find your brother and go play".

So today, on this wonderful Monday i will be dropping my daughter off at summer camp for 3 hours (just for this week only), she is extremely excited. I will have my ton in towe and will be able to lug him around with me while i run errands. It's nice because we get some good one on one time together. I am going to redue my shop pictures...AGAIN, today. And YES, i'll be making a yummy dinner for my supportive family, mainly as a peace offering for putting up with me!

Happy 4th of July!!

I hope everyone appreciates their freedom and independence and how blessed we all are to live in the United States of America.

What is everyone doing for the 4th?
Originally, we were going to go to Utah to visit my husband's family...
However, that fell through. We didn't exactly plan a backup thing to do with the kids. So now i am racking my brain trying to think of what we will do with our toddlers today..that will be FUN!


God Bless America..My Home Sweet Home

Loves,
Frenchell