Well, I woke up to quite a dreary morning, of course I had to be up before the sun to haul all my stuff in and set up, lol. My favorite thing… *rolling eyes*
I’m totally a crazy bag lady, y’all…it’s why I got into Thirty-one! I think I have more Thirty-one products with me than the Thirty-one vendors haha! But the bags are SO sturdy, it’s so nice to have bags that will haul a lot, even heavy things, without breaking!
This is my first time doing an event where I’m selling handmade items, versus a direct selling company’s products…and, I have to say, it’s rough. People want really cheap things, not quality handmade items. I put a lot of work into having unique designs and positioning the design on the item just so, and making sure it’s made well, and I use cute buttons instead of generic, plain ones…so my cost is higher than say, the really plain ones out there. I can’t complain too much, because I’ve totally had that mentality most of my life…I mean, why buy handmade, when Walmart sells it for 1/3 of the price? But as I’ve grown older, and dabbled in my own businesses, I’ve realized the cost of running a small business. And not just the cost, but the value it brings…I mean, having a consultant that knows me and my likes and dislikes, who can help me find just what I need, or purchasing something made with so much attention to detail and love…there is so much more power in that than giving Walmart an empty space on the shelf to stock.
*sigh* Sadly, most of the country does not share the appreciation of shopping small, or they simply don’t have the budget for it. =(
Here is my faithful sidekick, my hubby. He is always so supportive of all my endeavors, and wakes up at the butt crack of dawn to help me haul my stash in, and set up. He keeps me company during slow times, and watches my booth while I run to the little girls’ room, and even brings me lunch. =) I wish every gal who was trying to operate a business had as supportive a husband as I do, it’s really such a blessing. <3
And lastly, an un-sponsored plug for a new find! www.southwestleggingcompany.com has the most adorable, comfortable, and quality leggings!! And they are more affordable than most brands out there, plus, I love that it’s supporting a “mom-preneur” as she calls herself (seriously, how cute is that??)!
They have a comfortable yoga waistband, AND a hidden pocket in it! Love it! Also, the sizing is so much better…The “one size” is the nice in between, where you’re not size 0, but not size 22, either…I adore it.
I highly recommend checking them out! I found out that she is in my hometown, of Chandler, Arizona, which is so awesome! Here are my cactus leggings, I feel like I have a little bit of home with me, having cacti all over my legs lol!
Well, I hope this craft fair picks up a bit, but if not, oh well. I put my shop on vacation while I do this, since I have all my inventory out for sale, but I’ll be back tomorrow, with some fresh new fun designs! You can check out my etsy shop (I’ll be re-stocking after tomorrow) here: www.TheChicBagChick.com =)
Have a great weekend!