Gilda Lily Gets Her Freak On At The Fair

On Friday morning, the morning before the fair, I realize that Gilda Lily has been on the rampage again and that I have spent the entire week making crafts and that I have neglected to organize or price any of my jewelry or antiques, which are usually 95% of my sales. I wasn't worried, I was going to bounce out of bed the next morning and like Cinderella, and sing happy songs as I quickly, with the help of my little animal friends, efficiently price and pack all of my items in plenty of time for the fair.

I received bad news about my mom's health on Friday afternoon and was so worried about my mom's that I couldn't fall asleep that night. I fell asleep at about 3:00 am and was woken up the next morning by the phone at 8:30 am. My aunt was calling to tell me that my mom was worse and being admitted to Cape Cod hospital. I felt my tired body turn to lead, my heart dropped to the floor and all I wanted to do was drive to Cape Cod or hide in bed all day and cry.

I could not blow off the fair. I had made so much stuff and more importantly a commitment to my church. I dragged myself out of bed by 9:00. I was in a daze. I had so much to do. I threw on my bra and shoes and jumped in the car still wearing the clothes that I slept in, and wore the day before. I went to the bank to get cash to make change at the sale. I bought coffee and of course a quick trip to the craft store.  I was short about a 8 pin backs for my flower pins. Then I had to stop at the doughnut shop to bring home treats for my sweets. On the way home I noticed that didn't brush my hair, my pants were covered in dried glue from the glue gun, and I was wearing my bright turquoise polka dot fuzzy sleep socks. I had spent the morning being "that" strange lady. There was nothing that I could do but wait for the caffeine to kick in go home and spring into action.

I had a small energy burst I finished the pins ironed scarves, and only ruined one.  Quick tip-never ever put a fresh dryer sheet under a hot iron. Don't ask. I found my tablecloths and ironed them, packed up my cloth items losing steam at each new task.  By the time that I was to tackled my "stuff" I was not feeling like Cinderella, more like Morticia, I had the energy of a slug and the deep dark circles under my eyes to prove it. My quick and easy organizing was turning into a marathon through knee deep mud.  What should have taken an hour or two was actually taking 5 or 6. Thank goodness that the fair was at 6:00pm. The clock is telling me that it's already 3:45. I have lost my leasure tinme to regroup and perhaps nap before the sale. On Gilda Lilly's schedule their is barely time jump in the shower, change my clothes, and throw my hair in a wet ponytale, slap on make-up and run. I dragged at least 400 pounds into my car thern drive to the church.

At the church I unpack 400 pounds of stuff. I was excited by the thrill of a fun sale and making all of that money for the church. I ran the boxes into the church with glee. Setting up my displys is always so fun and a lot of work, however I start to feel my scalp tingle and like  Bruce Banner's anger, the adrenailine and excitment over the sale starts to transform me into Gilda Lilly. Like the Incredible Hulk  Gilda has super human stregth to over decorate and make a simple table into a 2 table, set of shelves, and floor display over elaborate boutique. Being a super hero Gilda spends 3 hours decorating her display while other mortal venders are done setting up in 15 minutes. She does make a beautiful display. Then she puts on her lipstick and apron and smiling game face and gets selling!

My family comes to help me. Dave wanders around and then goes to listen to the music in the sanctuary.  Dylan does his best to shake me down for change to go buy trinkets & junk food. Which I happily do to keep him busy. Alice is hard at work at the table. She is especially great at selling. She chases people around the table saying holding a hand full of rings saying: "Would you like to buy this lovely jewelry?" or waving her hand like Vanna White under my loaded egg cartons: "Ooooooh look at these darling Easter eggs. Only 3 dollars!" She was so cute. I think she did chase more people away, but she tried her best.

We both had a lot of fun. I love seeing all of my church friends and chatting. I also meet a few roaming gaggles of tween girls. I had them trying on hats, gloves, and things that sparkle. They were so cute and I loved hanging out with them. They also turn out to be my best customers. They love the flower pins. The pins are my biggest seller, and the easiest and cheapest items that I made. I did not sell any other of my Lydia made crafts. My sales were pretty sad in total. I soldmost of the flowers and some jewelry and a piece of stoneware.
Gilda Lilly gets burned again! I spent so much time and way too much money to make 18 eggs, 3 boxes, star hangers, and the bracelets, oh the darn bracelets, dozens of bracelets. I worked for hours and hours, I cried over those darn bracelets. I did not sell one. I don't think anyone even tried one on. Curse you Gilda.

After the sale closed, I was transformed back into Lydia tired worried daughter. My family was home, in fact by the time I was done packing up everyone was at home. I was the last one in the church.  Darn that Gilda! Her elaborate set up took over and hour to break down. Once I finally had everything packed up the cleaning people were cleaning around me and my 15 boxes on the floor. Now worried that the cleaning people might finish up and lock me in the church I quickly carry all to the 390 pounds of stuff back into the car and drive home and lug everything back into the house. Thank goodness for the snow beacuse my back is on fire. I debate making snow angels to cool off the flames. But I was sure that I wouldn't be have the energy to get up. By the time the last box was in the house I felt like I was made out of cardboard.

Next year I am banning Gilda Lilly from the whole church fair process. She spent a hundred dollars more than I made. I actually lost a lot of money on the sale.  In total I think I spent 60 hours crafting for about $18.00 dollars in craft sales. I will just keep it simple and just bring bins of vintage jewelry and slap them out on bare tables.  Or perhaps I'll  just write them a nice check.

My Easter Eggs

Fair-iasco Part 1

I love my church and I love selling antique jewelry and housewares. So when my church was asking for vendors for our annual Missions Market I jumped at the chance. I had a both last year and did okay. My prices were too high, but I did make a nice sum for the cause. This year I had a grand plan to bring my lower cost items and bring all of my prices down, and make some crafts that I could sell for cheap to insure a lofty profit for our Missions team. The teams are heading to Alabama and the Dominican Republic and every cent matters.
I am a secret wannabee Martha Stewart. I loved to paint, decoupage, make jewelry, you name it before I had kids I made it. Since I became a mom and have no free time or life, I decided to jump on the chance to use my table as an excuse to make some fun antique materials to make crafts. themed crafts.  I first painted an antique hat box, then decoupaged it with pieces cut out from antique sheet music. This project took many hours, but I liked the finished product. Motivated by my triumph I decided since Easter was approaching I would make decoupage Easter eggs. I used my old Beatrix Potter books, that had suffered water damage to make decoupage eggs. I bought 18 wooden eggs, painted them, cut up the pictures and made adorable little works of art. I also bought two unfinished Shaker round boxes and painted them. I painted the larger one black on the outside and dark pink on the inside. I painted the smaller one black on the inside and dark pink on the outside. Too bad that when the dark pink one was drying I spilled sparkles on it from another project leaving me no choice but to cover the whole box with pink and red sparkles. The glittering magical princess box in my mind did not match the sparkle assaulted mess drying on my craft table. The debacle happened as I was putting glitter on my cool star wall hangers. I bought 3 unfinished wooden stars with large dowels in the center for hanging clothes. I covered them with a blizzard of sparkles and when they dried polyurethaned them. I called them super stars and thought the moms and kids would love them!

Wait there's more. I am Gilda Lily after all so I  made stretchy bracelets with antique buttons and beads. I hate to admit that I spent two precious schools days making these little works of art. I think all of the creating and lack of sleep made me a bit creative crazy, I ran out of stretchy string and went to the craft store and left with $79.00 worth of beads and flowers. Forgetting about the bracelets for a day I made fun bright colored flower pins putting antique broaches, crystals, and rhinestones in the middle. I loved the finished products! I was so pleased with myself that I was on an adrenaline rush that helped me ignored my glue gun burned fingers and start making gorgeous bracelets. Or should I say trying to make bracelets. I put together about 26 bracelets in 4 hours. Sadly I put together the same 6 bracelets about 4 or 5 times each in 4 hours. Deciding on bead combinations was fun, quick easy, putting the beads on the string was a breeze, but tying the ends became impossible.

I bought slimmer string because the fist string that I bought would not go through some of the smaller beads. I bought this "Magical Stretch" string to make assembly easier. NOT! I couldn't tie the ends. I think part was due to my exhaustion I had been staying up crafting until 2 and 3am in the morning all week, also my fingers were all burned and lacked feeling. I would make a bracelet, try to tie it off, then the beads would slip off the string onto the rug. After this happened four to five times with the same bracelet I would shove the beads in a zip lock bag and try another combination. I was thinking perhaps the string was too short? No, the next bracelet would explode. Then I would try not cutting the string and tying it while still attached to the spool. Beads flying everywhere. Finally I used my jewelry
pliers and tied the instructed double knot, then as I pulled the knot tight the string broke and beads went....yes flying everywhere. At this point there was nothing else left to do but go upstairs and cry.