Happy Fourth of July!!!!!!

It's summer.  It's the beginning of July.  We are about to celebrate our country's birthday.  What the heck are you doing inside at a computer?  For that matter what the heck am I doing inside at a computer?

Take your creativity on a holiday.  Do all the traditional things you love for the Fourth: the fireworks, the hotdogs, watermelon, sparklers, parades, picnics.  Do it all and maybe add some new traditions.

Let the fourth of July inspire your creativity.  And if nothing else, just have fun.

Happy Birthday, America!!!!!!!!

© 2017 – Cheryl Fillion

Creative Retreat at Home

I have a birthday coming up in a couple of weeks.  It a milestone birthday and I wanted to do something special. I am unusual birthday girl in that when I am asked what I want to do to celebrate my birthday; I usually say “create something”.

Now I make things all the time but for my birthday I usually want to try something new or make some special item so it is a memento of the birthday.  With a friend one year, we made dolls.  It was the first doll I had made in a long time but I remember her as my birthday doll.  Another year, when I had access to a long arm quilting machine, I quilted a quilt top for myself.  It is not only a beautifully embroidered quilt; it is also my birthday quilt.

This year I decided since I have no appointments or meetings the week of my birthday, I am going to arrange a creative retreat for myself. I am going to plan out a few little small projects and then also work on a big quilt for myself.  

I have a little jewelry kit I bought at a craft store so I think I will do that.  I also have a little embellished mini quilt wall hanging.  It is of a flamingo which seems to fit summer time.  I started a punch needle doll at Christmas and never finished it so that is in my basket of ‘to do’s for this retreat.   I have been working on a sampler quilt with a tropical theme; I’d like to get more work done with that.   And I would like another birthday doll so I am going to try my hand at an embellished art doll.

Even though I know what I want to do, I am not quite ready yet. I still need some supplies.  I want to spend my time that week creating and not hunting around for what I need.  The jewelry kit has everything I need as far as supplies so that activity is set.  I have everything for the punchneedle doll since that is a project I have already started.

What I need is fabric for the mini quilt wall hanging and more fabric for my sampler quilt and some beads and fancy ribbons for the art doll.  That is what I can do from now until my birthday creative retreat.   This is what makes doing ‘at home’ retreats or ‘away from home’ retreats fun.   If you do all the planning ahead of time, you are actually enjoying the retreat before it really starts.

Now not everyone is able to have a whole week of creating and crafting.  But you can maybe do a weekend or even just a day.  Your family might like to join you or at least help you enjoy yourself by making meals or do household chores.  I am planning a lot of take out meals during my retreat.

And as for birthdays, you might even plan a crafty birthday party for your kids or even yourself.  Instead of the game ‘pin the tail on the donkey’, how about ‘let’s creatively color the donkey’.  One friend had coloring sheets and colored pencils as the activity for his daughter’s birthday party.  When he posted the pictures, it looked like so much fun; I wished I had been invited.

You can do the same thing for yourself.  Plan some type of make and take craft for yourself and friends (or request it when asked “what do you want to do on your birthday?”).  The gift would not only be the finished craft but the company of your friends and the memory attached to that day.

I’ll let you know how my birthday creative retreat goes. And to help me celebrate, you also do something creative during the first week in July in honor of my birthday. 

 ©2017 Cheryl Fillion

Play - Summertime

This week we celebrate the summer solstice when there is the most daylight.  Now according to store displays and school schedules, summer has been around for about a month. No matter which calendar you go by, this is also the time of year when I most want to be a child.

Summer vacation - there was nothing like it.  The mosquitoes, the sunburn, the boredom.  No wait, wrong train of thought here.  No, I am thinking the watermelon, the lemonade,  swimming and sand castles.

I walk down the aisle at any store and see dozens of toys for the pool.  I saw these long stryofoam tubes with animal heads on it the other day.  I wanted one. No, I don't have a pool (although I am tempted to get an inflatable one for those July and August days coming up.)  But it's summer and it's a toy so I wanted it.

This is what happens to me this time of year.  I go back in time.  I get cravings for those ice pops.  You know, the sugar and syrup concoctions in the plastic tube that you stick in the freezer.  I know they have no nutritional value whatsoever but I want them. I want inflatable water toys.  I gaze lovingly at sand pails and shovels.

Think about being a child in the summer.   No homework, no classes, no heavy clothing.  You didn't have to worry about getting dirty.  In the summer, it was expected that you get dirty.  If you were one who went to camp, then there was adventure or at least arts and crafts.  There were ghost stories over an open fire.  There were smores (my latest addiction) to get gooey in your hands.  

Some countries have extended vacations for everyone, not just the school age kids.  And when you think about it, it is not a bad idea.  A break from all responsibility adds a bit of balance to the workaholic thinking our world is in now. It allows us to decompress. That helps the blood pressure and the stress level lower. Unfortunately this is not something we all can do.

So, if you are like me and regress to a child around this time of year, indulge yourself.  Buy an inflatable toy and run through the sprinkler with it. Yeah, you'd look silly but who cares.  Tell the neighbors you're testing it for a consumer survey on water resistance.  Get those ice pops and have one while you are doing the bills.  A purple tongue can make anything easier.  Go buy a pail and shovel and build a mud castle in your potting soil (remember you are supposed to get dirty).

It's summertime -- go be a kid!!

© 2017 – Cheryl Fillion

Buying at a Market or Craft sale

Last week I wrote about selling at a market or craft sale.  This week I would like to give some ideas about being a customer of a market or craft sale.

If the craft sale is big and you will be doing a lot of walking, forget fashion.  Dress comfortably.  And if the sale is in the summer, dress cool.  Remember to wear shoes meant for walking.

If you are going to be there a while especially in the summer, bring something to drink.  Make sure it has a cover on it, so it doesn’t spill on anyone.  And ask before you put a drink on a vendor table.  The last thing you want to do is have your sticky sweet drink spill all over a vendor’s product, especially product that cannot easily be cleaned like fiber or fabric. Remember this product is the livelihood of the artist.

Know that not all vendors will have credit card capacity, so if you are planning on buying something expensive or a lot of items, bring enough cash and maybe your checkbook (many vendors will accept checks if they cannot do credit or debit cards.). And remember to bring small bills.  Most vendors will have enough cash on hand to make change but if you hand them a $100 bill and you are purchasing something for $5 or $10 that could wipe out their available cash.

If you have children with you, watch out for little fingers.  Lots of things craft vendors sell are bright, shiny and colorful; so tempting for little eyes to see and little fingers to grab.  And this is too where you want to watch for sticky fingers.  One little boy at my craft booth thought the fleece fish toys (for cats) were nice.  So nice, he took every one of them out of the basket they were displayed in.  When his mother asked what he was doing, his answer: “Going fishing”.  His response was cute, even to me the vendor,  but not if he had chocolate ice cream all over his fishing fingers.

The same idea goes if you bring your dog to the market, watch them as well.  Small shiny colorful items can look like food to them.  One gulp and you are on your way to the emergency vet. And don’t blame the vendor; it is not their fault they are selling something attractive to your pet.  Also remember that not everyone loves your pet as much as you do.  You will find people, including vendors, who will avoid your dog’s friendliness.  Maybe they have had a bad encounter with a dog so they are afraid or maybe, and most importantly, they are allergic.  I like dogs and cats but get me near one and I start sneezing and wheezing.

Remember if buying at a craft market that you are not just buying the material in the craft or art work but the labor as well.  Yes, artists and craftspeople enjoy, even love, what they do but they are also trying to pay the bills.  You might be able to buy a similar item in a store but it will be machine manufactured not hand crafted.  I will admit I am biased when I say; hand crafted is much more valuable.

If you know how to do a particular craft, know that not all people do things the same way. Don’t consider a knitted shawl, for example, is inferior just because an artist uses a different stitch or yarn than what you would use. So in other words, don’t criticize the artist’s work.

Selling at a market isn’t easy for the vendor but it makes it worth it when you, the buyer, want something hand crafted and one of a kind. So if you get a chance, go shop at a market. And thank they for the work they do.

©2017  Cheryl Fillion

Selling at the Market

Selling at a Farmers market or craft festival is a lot of fun and a lot of work as well.  If you are thinking of doing that, here are some tips and ideas that I have gleamed from my years of selling.

Before you start selling, make sure you have all the fees or licenses needed.  Some communities will require that sales tax be collected and paid.  This means you need to fill out the proper paper work with your city, county or state (usually it is just one form).  The same may be for business licenses.  Each city will have different regulations so check what is required by the city you live in or for the market or festival where you will sell.

Using a canopy or market umbrella is always a good idea, especially in the hot months.  It makes it more comfortable for you to be there all day but also give a little shade for your customers.  Weather can be unpredictable so make sure your canopy or umbrella is secured.  If you do not have it staked to the ground, then make sure that there are weights on each leg of the canopy or on the stand for the umbrella.  For example, a wrought iron stand that weighs 25 pounds is not enough to keep a market umbrella in place on a windy day.  I had one big wind tip my umbrella over at an outdoor event and pull it about 8 feet away.  Check again with your event rules as to what is required.  Usually the requirement is 30 pound weights on each leg of the canopy and 50 pounds on an umbrella stand.

Dress comfortably.  If you are going to be standing on your feet all day, wear shoes that don’t pinch or hurt.  If the event is outside, I think the customers will forgive if you have on tennis shoes. And dress for the weather.  If it is cold or rainy wear clothes that will keep you warm and dry.

If you are doing a sale alone, make sure you have something to eat and drink. It will be a long day without any refreshments.  Often times your market/festival neighbor will keep an eye on your booth area if you have to go to the restroom so make friends with those around you.   

Make sure you have more than enough money to make change.  If you think you need $50, bring $100.  And be prepared to have someone hand you a big bill for a small priced item.  If you can, get a credit card reader.  If not, be willing to accept checks.  In all the years I have sold crafts, I never have had a check bounce.

Try to have various priced items.  You will be more likely to sell many lower priced items than one big priced item. And you will be more likely to get people in your selling area if you have a variety of items.  Do you paint?  Have little 5” x 7” canvases as well as a big 18” x 18”.

I found that if I was making something at the booth, people would walk up to see what I am doing.  So if you can, create something while at the sale. If customers see you making an item you also sell, they can see the work involved and know that you actually do the work.

When someone comes close to your booth area, start a conversation.  Say hi, ask how they are doing that day, offer to show them something on your table.  Let them know YOU are interested in them.

 If you were a Boy or Girl Scout, then you remember the motto “Be prepared”.  Have emergency items such as a first aid kit, tools needed to fix a table or canopy, duct tape and twine, office supplies (paper, pens, markers, etc) a plastic tarp if it rains and don’t forget the business cards.

And finally, have fun.  It is a lot of work and you might enjoy the making of your craft more than the selling but selling can be fun.  You meet a lot of interesting people in the customers and the other vendors. And you gather lots of wonderful memories and, oh yeah, you make money.

©2017  Cheryl Fillion