Sore subject

While I was cleaning out and up the boys’ room, a lamp fell off a shelf and hit me on the back of the head (HARD) while I was bent over picking sticky hard Halloween candy off the carpet from under the shelf that I had anally moved (ha ha ha, I meant that I was being anal, not that I moved it, you know, that way) to vacuum under.  But that’s NOT the sore subject.  Oh, no. 

What possessed me?  What was I smoking when I thought that I could sell my crafty stuff and make money to cover Christmas for the kids?  Here’s what I had at the ‘craft’ fair, and I say that because only four of the twenty five or so tables were stocked with actual crafts.  The rest were women who sell items to a) keep leftovers in or b) light on fire (tippywear and parrrrty light, that sort of gig).  Besides me, there was a woman who made beautiful fairy skirts and crowns, which I sadly could not afford; one who made stained glass windchimes and window hangings, very purty; and one who made fleece baby blankets and sleepers, one of which was blue with rubber ducks on it and I thought about getting it for Willow and cutting the feet off (it was newborn sized, but roomy though not long.  HUH?). 

AngelornamentButtontreesBmagnetsVintagemagnets

The tall photo is of the vintage button magnets, which I thought came out nice. 

I could tell two hours into the day that it was going to be a bust.  People walked up to me, smiled, and said that my things were adorable and cute and on and on, but I only sold 43 bux worth of stuff.  That’s including my brother and his girlfriend’s 15 dollar purchase.  They wouldn’t take stuff for free, and I only protested a little, because it cost me 30 for the table and 25 for the raffle donation.  We won’t discuss how much I spent on materials, but let me say to the man who told me all about the garage sale where he saw thousands of cheap buttons: I would have preferred that information several weeks ago, and don’t talk to me so long if you ain’t buying, K?

I have another shot on Friday at an after school boutique at another school.  I hope I can at least recover some of my costs.  Like John said, the main bummer about all this is the vast amount of time that I spent.  I made 89 of the trees, 160+ pasta angels, and 140 button magnets.  The trees took the most time, and sold the least.  Well, it all sold the least, really. 

Life is all about learning.  I learned that I could have done a nice Christmas for the kids on what I spent trying to earn money to give them a nice Christmas, and that people are really really cheap.  (Except my mom, who offered to get gifts for the kids, and if I keep writing about how grateful I am, I’ll start crying about it all over again. . .)  I also learned that toward the end of the day when people gushed over my stuff but didn’t buy it (after I had cut the prices by 2/3 and a sale would still be losing money on each individual item) I thought nasty things about them and hoped they would spill red wine on their couches and get bleach on their favorite black dress.  And that the heels would fall off their shoes while they were out on a date.  And that the boss would catch them sending those dirty emails.  There were also thoughts about flat tires, identity theft, hives, migranes, and for one special person, rabies. 

I had fun with two of the women I sat with, (the fleece one, and one selling scrapbooking supplies) who also made absolutely no profit.  We bonded.  We wept. (not really, but sort of,  you know?)  We laughed at ourselves.  The woman who made the glass and the one who had the fairy skirts were both really nice, too. 

Friday had better be better or I’m gonna lose my sense of humor.  After all, I am weeks behind on my blog reading for nothing!!  Now I just have bunches of scarves and hats and other goodies to knit.  Time’s a wastin’.  I’m going to go knit for a half hour before falling into bed. 

Oh, yeah, this week my former husband is going to France and my current husband is going to Seattle and Portland, so I get to take care of the kids all by my lonesome for a few days, minus the time away at the doctor Thursday morning (provided I finagle a babysitter), and the Friday afternoon craft fair, when my mom will be here with the kids.  Say a little prayer for her.  No, a big one. 

5 thoughts on “Sore subject

  1. shannon

    Oh, so sorry it didn’t go well! How was the attendance? Hope it goes better Firday and best of luck with the kid wrangling!

    Reply
  2. jen

    There seemed to be lots of people milling about. But I think most of them bought the tprwhere and candles and beauty products. None of the crafty sellers did too well. Sigh.

    Reply
  3. jenny

    I hope Friday goes better for you, too.

    “I thought nasty things about them and hoped they would spill red wine on their couches and get bleach on their favorite black dress. And that the heels would fall off their shoes while they were out on a date. And that the boss would catch them sending those dirty emails. There were also thoughts about flat tires, identity theft, hives, migranes, and for one special person, rabies.”

    omg, I thought I would get in trouble at work by getting caught browsing the web and laughing hysterically in my cube, disrupting everyone around me. I loved that you had thoughts of someone getting rabies.. hah!

    I know that this will only cost more money, but people are so big on cute marketing- every time I’m at barnes and noble and see those cute button-like magnets in those little metal altoid like tins, I think about getting some. I’m a total sucker for cute packaging!

    How about bagging up a few together and listing them online as magnet/ornament sets? I’d gladly purchase some for stocking stuffers.

    Reply
  4. jen

    What?? What is this?? Somebody ripped off my idea and sells it at barnes and noble!!! Oh, wait, I ripped the idea off from somewhere else, so I can’t be outraged.

    Somebody else suggested Altoids tins. Maybe that’s why. I thought about it, but I’m just giving them as gifts. Send me your address and I’ll send you some for the cost of shipping only. I’d just send them to you, but things are tight tight tight right now. Or come visit next time you are in the SF bay area! You won’t believe how messy our house is!!

    Reply
  5. Jenny

    how about a swap?

    I have the BIGGEST yarn stash… i’m addicted to buying really nice yarn and I can’t seem to start/finish half of my planned projects.

    yes?

    Reply

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