Fair Recap....

Hi Everyone!  This weekend was the Clarinda Craft Fair and it was a good.  I got to see some friends and family that I haven't seen for a while, and met some new friends and clients.  It was a good day!  The fair was good.  Not as great as last year, but then I took a chance this time by bringing mostly large pieces and saving my smaller items for my open house next month.  I had some good sales but came home with more than I thought I would but that just means less that I have to make for my open house, which is good.  Now on to the fun part....pictures!

 The black bench that looks like chair backs sold as did the little trees. 

 Two white frames with chicken wire by the dresser sold as did several of the spindle trees.

 I was surprised that the dresser didn't sell, but I got a lot of compliments on it and several ladies are interested in it.

 Several ladies were also interested in the sewing base table but it came home with me.

 I sold the decorated mitten tree and the two small spindle trees as well as all the soap dispensers (in the wooden bowl by the little trees).

 The ladder, both rolling crates, the backless bench and a couple sheet music wreaths sold.

 The headboard shelf (in the corner between the benches) sold but the kid table and chairs came home with me.  I didn't do as well as I did last year, but it was a good day.  Now I will be focusing on getting ready for my Open House on November 9th and 10th.  I have a few things to make for it but the studio is full.  I need to rearrange things to make room for the items I wasn't expecting to bring home with me and decorate it for Christmas!  If you are in the area I would love for you to stop by for the Open House.  I'm really looking forward to it.  Thanks for stopping by.

Craft fair in review....

Hi Everyone!  I hope you are all having a great week.  I'm still trying to get over the fair this past weekend...not to mention the last couple of weeks getting ready for the fair.  It was a great fair.  The best I've ever had.  Here are some of the pictures....

 This bench sold before the fair started.  It has storage in the seat and is the prettiest shade of green.

 I took 6 benches and sold 4 of them. 

 The basket ladder sold as did the cream bench that is next to it.

 My trio of dandelions paintings sold to the sweetest gal.  I was a little sad to see them go.

 I loved this little black bench.  It has storage in the seat.  Two ladies bought it for a gift for their mother.

 The black peg board and the cream peg shelf both sold.  The cream bench with the saying didn't sell, but the black Jenny Lind bench with storage did.

 This black bench with storage didn't sell, but everything on the seat did.

 This framed artwork sold.

 I sold lots of ornaments.

 But this cute sign didn't sell.

 I sold several decorated trees and lots of sheet music ornaments.

 I sold 18 undecorated spindle trees.

Neither of these sheet music wreaths sold.

 I sold a few hand painted signs. And four of the mirrored windows.

 My family tree painting sold.

 But the wooden pumpkins didn't....and neither did the white shelf.

 My yardstick table sold as we were packing up the booth.  You gotta love last minute sales!

 All of the artwork in this last two pictures sold, but not the white peg board.

It was a really great day!  I had the chance to meet a lot of really wonderful people, including some readers which is always great!  I handed out almost an entire box of business cards.  And received a few orders too. 

Now I have to put everything away and set the studio back up since I took almost everything out of it.  I normally have one more fair for the season, but I decided last year to not attend that one since it hasn't been that great for the last couple of years.  It is really strange to be done with fair season so early.  I'm thinking of having an open house at the studio.....must think serious about it and get it scheduled....just another thing to add to my to do list. 

So that's some of what I've been up to the last month or two.  Anything that didn't sell will be listed in my Etsy shop over the next week or will be for sale in the studio in case you're interested.  Thanks for stopping by.

Christmas ornaments....

Hi Everyone!  I hope your week is going well.  I took yesterday afternoon off and worked on getting things ready for the craft fair in a couple of weeks.  I worked on a new bench to take to the fair but I'm not completely done with it.  So I thought I'd show you one of the things I worked on this past weekend....Christmas Ornaments.

I made 50 red mitten ornaments.

Here are all 50 of them drying after their first coat of red spray paint.

Yes, I sprayed these on my bench outside...the bench needed repainted anyway.

I gave them two coats of paint, front and back.  Then I drilled the hole for the hanger.

I hand painted the details in white paint.  I think it looks like an old-fashioned knitted mitten.

Then I used red and white Baker's twine as the hanger.

 Here it is on a decorated tree that I'm getting ready to take to the fair in a  couple of weeks.  

The forest of trees in growing in the studio.  

I know it's just fall, but I've been getting Christmas items ready since July.  

Thanks for stopping by.

And don't forget to sign up for the Gold Canyon Giveaway.

Craft Fair in Review...

Hi Everyone!  I hope  you are having a great day!  I'm busy working on things for the next fair and don't have anything ready to show you yet, so I thought I'd just show you pictures from the last craft fair.  I don't know if I've said this yet, but I had a really great day!  I sold four benches, a bunch of trees, all but three of my hand painted signs, several sheet music wreaths, the storage box/coffee table with the walnut stained top, both painted windows, and both frames with clips (message/picture center).  We had more display pieces to carry back out than we had boxes of stuff left.

The only thing that didn't sell that I thought if they were going to sell would be at this craft fair were the wedding and tux ironing boards.  I get tons of great comments on them, but no buyers.  I just might have to find a place in my house for them to go until next year if they don't sell at this next fair.  Well, thanks for stopping by. 

Armless headboard bench....

Hi Everyone!  Do you remember when I showed you this headboard and said I was going to make my first ever armless bench?  Well, I made one and took it to the Clarinda Craft Carnival.

I took apart another headboard that I wasn't crazy about the posts on it and used the back of it to make that Welcome sign with the pegs and I used the bottom of the posts as the front legs of this bench.

I painted it black since it seems to be the most popular color of the benches I've made.  I upholstered the seat and there it is.  And boy did everyone love it.  I put extra foam in the seat to make it comfortable.  To me it looks less like a bed and more like something you would see at a furniture store.  I had a lot of interest in this but some of them want to see it with storage in it.  So I'll try that next.  I was really happy with the way this turned out and I think I'm going to get some orders for this style of bench, which makes me very happy.  And the fact that it sold at the Clarinda Craft Carnival makes me giddy!  It was a good day!  Now I have to get to working on things for the next fair.  Thanks for stopping by!

Linking to:
http://funkyjunkinteriors.blogspot.com/2012/03/sat-nite-special-link-party-125-benches.html 

Classic Headboard Bench...

Hi Everyone!  Do you remember this headboard?  It has the classic lines that has been so popular in the headboard benches that I've made.  It's not the beefiest one I've made which is Big Bertha that I made for the waiting area of Gary's Garage, but it's her little sister Betty.  Yes I give names to most of the benches.  It's easier to refer to them that way. 

 So this is how Betty turned out.  Can you believe that this is the only picture of this bench completed that I could find?  I know I took several others of her completed in the shop but I can't find them.  So maybe I deleted them, thinking that I had already uploaded that set of pictures. 

I painted it black and my mom made the cushion for me.  Thanks Mom!  And of course everyone loved her and she was the second bench to sell at the Clarinda Craft Fair.  I left the stencil off of this one for a different look and it was very popular.  It is so sturdy and as my mother would say, "It's so sturdy it can hold an elephant."  I try to make them to last!  Which is why I think they are so popular.  Well, thanks for stopping by!