Trying to sell wool in Florida is like selling bags of ice in Alaska!
Debra and I set up the booth last Sunday in St Pete with help from our friend Elizabeth and as our sweat was sweating in the 95 degree heat we tried to have hopeful thoughts about selling stuff and meeting new folks. It seemed to be a slllllllooooowww start but we were still anticipating the "after church crowds".
I had some chiffon and tulle flowers on display.
As well as a million fake cupcakes and witches and sock monster aliens.
Neither Esmeralda or Hazel Bitterthorn were impressed with the lackluster turnout. They wished they had stayed home where it was comfortable and cool.
This crazy chick was absurdly happy all day though. Maybe it was her location next to whimsical handspun yarn with silk flowers by Cathy Snider.
Or these delightful cotton candy batts of wool fiber for spinning made by Kim Perkins.
Even the mermaids were hot!
I had to keep refilling their tiny glasses of water to help them stay hydrated!
Did I mention that it was hot enough to melt your lungs and fry an egg on your tongue?
No lie, I saw a bald guy whip up an omelet right on top of his chrome dome! tasty!
Debra had all different kinds of yarn from her Picasso Moon shop but people weren't buying. I guess all the potential customers were at home in the air conditioning! Who could blame them? It was difficult not to be disappointed, even without any expectations at all. We always sell a lot at Atomic Holiday Bazaar (Dec 13th this year) but it was only the first time for this Artoberfest Show.
Naturally, this coming weekend a cold front is forecast. Is it me who seems to have bad luck?
Sometimes it seems that way!
We had our spinning wheels and I enjoyed spinning most of the afternoon away with Elizabeth.
It did amaze me to hear so many people say that they had never seen anyone spin. They were familiar with spinning wheels as "decorations" but never seen anyone actually spinning fiber into yarn. I guess all the basket weaving and loom weaving conferences I have attended have always kept me in the know about spinning.
It's good to get out there and pass out business cards and educate folks about wool, batts and spinning but next time I hear the ice cream man go by I'm shooting his tires out and duct taping him to his drivers seat while I grab armfuls of ice cream and pass them out to vendors and then crawl inside his empty freezer compartment till I cool off. Why do ice cream men just drive right by?
What's up with that? Can't they see our red faces, sweaty hair and feel the heat radiating off us like a solar flare?
At least we had a breeze every now and then.
It could have have been worse, right?
We started off underneath the shade of some giant oaks but had to move as the sun climbed higher and was soon beating down relentlessly on us.
I offered to marry someone for a cupful of ice.
Sorry Fred.
Did I tell you how hot it was?
Just what you want to do~ wrap yourself up in a cozy knitted wool shawl.
Oh well, it was fun hanging out with my friends and maybe I will list some of the cupcakes in Etsy.
Tonight is our Surface Design Meeting and it's All About Books so if you are local and want to have some fun come to the Waldemere St Fire Station (right off hwy 41 across from the hospital, behind Wendy's) at 6pm and I'll see ya there.
Don't worry, it's air conditioned!
Love and stitches,
calamity kim