Tomorrow is the 1st Give Away

Don't forget the last day of the month is tomorrow! The 31st is the first give away for my blog. Leave a comment on my blog (I know I originally asked you to do that on my website...but no one has) so I will make it easy on you and ask you to leave a comment here for the give away drawing. I will draw tomorrow night and post the lucky winner. A grungy primitive snowman ornie is the prize...(I know, it should have been something goulish since it's Halloween)

Best of luck to you all.

McQueen Craft Faire

I know it's been a few days and many are wondering where an update is. I've been a little busy...and tired. Here are some photos of my booth at the McQueen Craft Faire in Reno, NV. My youngest son, Chris and I got up at 2am, left Vegas at 3am and headed off to Reno. The sunrise outside of Tonopah, NV was pretty with a pink and orange skyline.

After a nice lunch at Chili's, we checked in at 1pm, unloaded and began to set up. It was nice to have some help this year in setting up. I was set up in record time and ready to go when they opened the doors at 5pm. Chris headed off to dinner with his cousin, Micah for a while. One of my best customers, Heidi was there right at 5pm to shop. She and her daughter made the rounds, shopped with me some more and came back to shop again before gathering their goods for the night. She is the sweetest thing and I really appreciate her loyalty. I have several other customers that very loyal and dependable also. I love them all.

My friend, Diane was next door to me this year. It was nice to have her there. Last year, she was across the courtyard. The weather was horrid last year, windy, rainy, cold...and the wind blew over the building and right intot he wall she was against. She froze to death. This year the weather was delightful, I didn't even wear a jacket Friday evening. In fact, the weather was good all weekend. I didn't need my long undies, gloves or the portable heater I brought with me.

It was reassuring to see so many shoppers come out for the fair, and to see they were spending money. I have to admit I was nervous about traveling that far for an event in this uncertain economy. It all seemed to turn out well for the weekend and I feel blessed with all the gracious comments, and happy shoppers I encountered at the event. I pray this will continue so we can all have a good season.

I stay at my brother in law's in Washoe Valley when I show there. This is the view from his back porch...I know, it's awesome. Yes, that is a buffalo...and it's his. I got to visit with all his kids except one. Nell has the cutest little baby boy with a head full of hair. Thanks to Tim and Allison for letting me use their Jeep for the weekend. It helped out a lot so Chris could hang with his cousins, ride quads, and shoot rifles, etc. We also stopped to see Justin and Maranda's house in Dayton just before heading home. They have 2 beautiful children and their little boy is growing like a weed. The ride home was dark, the moon didn't rise until almost 10pm. Arrived home at 3am, parked and hit the pillow. It was a good weekend. Now I just need to make more stuff...I know, I always need to make more stuff.

Reno, here I come

Well, I head out tomorrow morning at o'dark thirty for Reno. It's an 8 hour drive with very little to see between here and there. I have to check in at 1:00pm and be ready for 5:30....that's pushing it for me but my son, Chris will be there to help drive and set up.

This show is held at McQueen High School by their booster club. I did it last year and did very well so I'm hoping for same this year. Rochelle won't be attending this one (she did the Candy Danceinstead) but another good friend, Diane will be there. In fact, she is right next to me this year. We can catch up on our lives and talk about crafts...lol. I think one of the coolest things about this show is they have the kids from PE class haul your stuff to your booth. Last year, I unlocked the trailer and there were 10 students lined up waiting to take stuff to my booth, it was heavenly. I made a donation to the ROTC and they loaded for me at the end of the weekend too. It was the best thing ever!

Hoping and praying for warmer weather this year, last year it was COLD. I'm taking a portable propane heater this year, long underwear, gloves and jacket just in case.

I've got some new stuff and hope to get a good response out of it there. Between the 2 shows I did up there last year I made some good customers that are dying to know what I've got. I think they will like them. Here's a sneek peek.

Anyway, I'll have an update for you on Monday on how the show was. Wish me luck!

On Line Craft Show

Primmart is having their online craft show and it starts today! Be sure to stop by my booth and shop. I'm under the handpainted section. Here is a direct link to my booth. Check out the other booths too, there is lots of great stuff there right now.

http://www.ezcraftshow.com/shoppe/?sid=Twiddlebugz

Don't forget the contest on my website either. See previous post for information.

http://www.TwiddlebugzDesignz.com

Give Aways

I'm trying to figure out how to get more traffic to my site (and sales) so this is what I'm going to try. Come visit my website, sign my guestbook and on the last day of the month I will draw a name out of the hat of those who visited and signed in. The winner for October will receive this delightful snowman ornie for their Christmas tree. There will be a new winner each month. We'll try this for 2 months, if it goes well, I might do it twice a month.

Here is a link to my website. http://www.twiddlebugzdesignz.com/

Good Luck!

PS...Don't forget to sign the guestbook.

This store is awesome!

Hwy bloggers, have you been to these stores yet? I've gotten coupons for several months now but it was out of the way to go there. But I had two coupons that expired today and they just opened one last week up the hill from me so I wondered up there. OMG! The store is awesome! Quick, convenient, and lots of fresh yummy foods. They have stuff that's all prepared and ready to grill, bake, etc. I bought several items that were half price that I popped into the freezer. Tonight I'll be grilling chicken breasts stuffed with lemon and herbs along with some garlic/herb baby red potatoes...YUMMY. I even got Timm some wild mushroom soup for an appitizer....that will shock him. And if all that weren't enough, I saved $10.00 on top of the half price items. There are now enough dinners in the freezer for a week or more for less than $50. I so love a bargain!

My booth at Art in the Park

Well here are some pictures of my booth at Art in the Park. Saturday was totally insane! I didn't get out of my booth until about 3:30 and it was a quick run to the porta-a-potties (EEEHHHWWWW). The crowds were huge and they were spending their money...not on huge stuff but my dollar stuff was flying off the racks. I offered a show special on them and they were lovin' it.
I wish I had more signs than I did, need to work on them before the next show. The large stars didn't sell but that's okay, I'll take them to Reno for the next show. They are really cool, almost 40" across and the come apart for storage. I plan to paint some in Christmas too. I did sell me big head Raggedy Ann, I'm so glad she was adopted on Saturday. Buckets didn't move as well as I thought, and they are awesome.
I had lots of wonderful compliments about my booth...it makes a person feel good. Many of old painting students found me and begged for classes again. I'm hoping to start up again next year here at home. Gave out a ton of postcards for our Show and Tell Crafters Market, everyone was excited to hear that it will all be handmade. There was lots of retail at this show and there shouldn't be any. I don't know how they ever got whole booths in but they did. One booth said they used some for 'add ons'...okay, I don't know what part they added, but I have the catalog and no part of what they did were 'added on'.
Anyway, I had a great show, was pleased with my booth, my sales, and the days were beautiful. Yes, I was exhausted, I tripped and fell on the sidewalk Sunday morning...my left knee is super swollen and sore. I didn't get to look around the show (gosh, it's sad to be that busy...lol) Timm stayed home and busted butt at the house. He scrubbed the bathroom floors (with straight bleach...I'm surprised he has fingerprints), recaulked the shower, cleaned up outside, and more. He has been awesome. My dad and brother helped me set up on Friday, my brother worked the show with me all weekend, he was great. My oldest son and his wife came out to help tear down. Everyone has been awesome and really appreciate what everyone has done recently. My mom and youngest son helped at the last show too.
If you missed out on anything you didn't get at the show, feel free to order from me. I'll be working on stuff for the next several weeks so get your orders in. :) Gotta go, lots to do.

Art in the Park-Set Up

Over the weekend was Art in the Park in Boulder City. It's a really big show and I'm so excited to be back in this event for the last few years. I used to participate in this show when my boys were little, then I left it alone for many years and have been back for the last 3-4 years. Friday is always set up day. This year my dad and brother came out to help me, thank goodness. The spaces were not layed out well this year. My aisle was small and crooked. They ended up moving people all ever the place to make the aisles wide enough, they kinda snaked a little but thee were wider. I actually pulled 3-4 feet off the front of my booth and was allowed to make it wider to compensate. As most any crafter knows...frontage for the booth is where it's at. After 8 hours or so we called it a day, covered up the booth and went home.

Saturday morning I got a call from Rochelle saying some of my stuff was wet.....AAAAAAAhhhh. The being wider part of my booth didn't have a canapy over it and it actually rained here in Southern Nevada. Hard to beilieve, I know. So I stopped at Walmart and bought a sport type canapy (they on ly had 2 since it's late in the season) and I was glad to have it. Just a few things that need to be repaired so it wasn't that bad, just a hassle.

Next post will include photos of my booth, I promise. I need to dig out the camera and get photos uploaded.

Happy Anniversary

Yesterday, Timm and I celebrated our 26th wedding anniversay...hard to believe, time goes by so fast. I am thankful I met my soulmate early in my life. He took the day off and we completed some things around here so we could spend our first night in the new house. Timm and Chris moved the bed, no trunk at the foot of the bed for Cassy so we'll see how she does. Sorted thru lots of stuff that was under the bed, tossed most of it. I have bags that go to the trash, donation, and to the other house. I was difficult but I even put my wedding dress in the donation bags. The cover had come off the box, it was terribly dusty and had turned that aged yellow color. It's not like I will ever wear it again but it was a hard decision to make...it is my wedding dress, I made it myself, all that sentimental stuff...sniff, sniff. We stopped by the cemetary to visit Timm's parents...that is always difficult but comforting at the same time. I'm sure it will get easier with time.

Dinner was at one of our favorite places, Billy Bob's at Sam's Town. Love the atmosphere and the food. They have a delicious crab stuffed portabella mushroom...yummy. I broke away from my standard prime rib and order the ribs, they too were yummy. We even saw a mmovie, Tropic Thunder. It was funny but a lot more language than I care to hear. I was glad to get back to the truck. I actually bought and wore high heels, I can't even tell you how many years it's been since I did that...and I can tell.

There will be lots of moving to get things up to snuff in both houses. It will take months I have no doubt. Lots of things will stay in the old house for Chris, no need to move stuff that is in the new house from Timm's mom. There is 26 years of stuff that needs to be sorted, moved, removed, donated, tossed, and more. YIKES, I gather lots of crap! Thankfully, there is not a drop dead time limit to be out of one house and into the other. (maybe that's a bad thing:])

UPDATE: Cassy didn't fair so well last night. New house, new noises, hardwood floors, the bed is on a platform, and there is no trunk at the foot of the bed for her to lay on. She had a difficult night. Will need to get some rugs in the room, maybe a bed for her too. It will get easier for her after a few nights, and us too.