Home from Hueston...lessons learned

What a ride, my friends!  Saturday was plagued by torrential rains and the threat of an overnight windstorm that had all the vendors shaking in our boots (or sandals, it was pretty darned hot for a rainy day).
Those who slept in tents or campers were awake all night listening to the wind and trying not to roll too close to damp canvas walls.   Me, I chose to override sleeplessness with a half a melatonin tablet that knocked me on my skinny little butt.  After a night of dreams in which my pretty new tent flew away like a giant white jellyfish against the inky sea of the starry sky I drove in to find my tent exactly where I had left it, if a little sodden.
 My neighbors across the isle were selling these crazy fun hero masks and I bought a handful in celebration of my overnight triumph.

The Hueston Booth

I'd like to take this spot in the post to thank Amanda Louise for helping paint the floor tiles that both kept my booth from becoming a muddy cesspool and made it a visual delight. Just wait until we get the rest of the new tent painted up!

The Art

What Saturday lacked in the way of company was more than made up for on Sunday as a multitude of art lovers stopped in to say hello.  Popular favorites were The Gerbil Bandit and Zombie Children (pictured Below)

No, I don't have prints of those yet.  Yes, I promise I will soon.

 

I learned a lot from this, my first outdoor show:

• Mother Nature doesn't care one way or the other about craft shows.
• You can successfully set up an EZup tent by yourself without too much trouble
• You cannot easily tear down an EZup tent by yourself without too much trouble
• Tents need girdles 
• For peace of mind when leaving your tent up overnight you need:

1.  BIG weights for your tent.
2. Tupperware bins for all your merch.
3. Rope and hefty, screw-in stakes to accompany your big weights (Thanks Sandy C.!).
4. 2 beers and a sleeping pill.

okay, so maybe the last one is just me but after hearing all the "my tent was folded like origami and I lost all my art" stories from the other vendors I really did need a drink and some herbal supplements to get rest.

As I learn more about show tents Ill post it here. It seems there is a lot more knowledge than easily fits on a bi-lingual tri-fold instruction sheet.