le petite BLOCKBUSTER

We lived and worked in New Hampshire for about ten years before moving to Ithaca in 2006. I have been fortunate here in Ithaca, people come shopping at my studio or I have online sales. But in New Hampshire I hustled to craft fairs and farmer's markets about every weekend summer to Christmas, hundreds of fairs over the years, and I get exhausted just thinking about it.

In that time I was very lucky. Only ONE fair in all those years when the booth fee was 50 and I made less than that, like 26 bucks---the worst I ever did other than that was 3 times the booth fee. And only one bad weather fair, which is a miracle, a hurricane at a Massachusetts fair. I was only set up for 5 minutes before I left. Sold a bowl at least! Two bad fairs in ten years is a good record, all others were very good to excellent, with a few blockbusters. I remember my first blockbuster, at an apple fest in Vermont: I had been in business full time only 2 months, I went to the fair with 14 boxes and came home with 2, I knew I was gonna be able to make a living with pots.

Anyway, I don't do fairs much anymore, I am just so busy selling out of the house. BUT, due to my TV interview last winter (clip is down toward the bottom of the blog) I had a call from the city of Binghamton, putting together their 48th July fest. It is a big deal, and their terms were amazing. They provided chairs and tables and a sturdy tent. I paid only 50 dollars, and they had a corporate sponser pay the rest on each chosen artist's booth! I am certain that instead of 50 dollars it could have cost 250-300 or more, which is common for big arts festivals. I said yes, it was such a good deal.

ANYWAY, it is an easy hour's drive, they had a running race, new bands playing every hour, it only rained at night when we had left, spectacular days, and I will tell ya, I sold a TON. It was unbelieveable, a real blockbuster. I feel really fortunate, so many nice people. I also went through a lot of water , diet coke, and peanut butter and jam sandwiches.

I got home and the wife tells me our neighbor's house was firebombed. He is a police sergeant who had shot and killed a suspect and the investigation cleared him. The house is right around the corner from us, we walk the dog there 4 times every day. Story here.
Everybody is FREAKED.

(thanks for your submissions to the jokes fest below, great job! I will select the winner later Sunday)








Extraordinary sunset driving home Saturday, and look at this old chest of drawers we bought! We are, um, using it as a tax deduction, because um, it is part of my business. See, its covered with pots! And yes, Penny the beagle is in the mirror...