2008 Wheatsville Arts Festival, day 1

[lillian13]

Got up at 5:30 and was out by 6:30. Man, it was cold this morning, especially by Austin standards--below freezing! OMG!

Got to the site and they didn't have the spaces marked out, but they were done within 20 minutes. No big, it's their first year in the park. They put us in a double row facing the main footpath. I'm in the outer end, closer to the entrance. Which is good and bad. Good, because people aren't overwhelmed/bored/whatever yet, and they come into the booth. Bad, because they want to see everything before buying.

Sales were very solid--only 75% of what I did the first day at the Austin Celtic Festival, but I have a lot more competition at this show (75 vendors), I'm not as well known at this show, and well, to be honest, the world financial situation did not suck quite as much a month ago. Folks are buying, but they are buying smaller or less, in general. But all my credit card charges went through! yay!

It warmed up nicely today---I'd guess the low 70s. But it's so dry that it cooled down very quickly as the sun went down. And the dust problem is terrible--no new grass in the park, since we're in the driest year since the drought of the 50's--and so every little kid running around kicked up dust. I cleaned constantly today and everything (including me!) is very dusty.

The World's Best Niece helped set up and brought me a very late lunch. I don't get her back until closing on Sunday, so I'm going to pick up breakfast tacos on the way in tomorrow.

I saw a lot of friends today, including ms_hooligan  and my old buddy the Mudslinger, who I used to work with in a head shop in my youth. (no, really) She sells pottery--very good pottery--but she lives and sells waaay out in Oak Hill, so I only see her here. I'm going in early tomorrow so I can get a little holiday shopping done--maybe some bartering (I have my eye on a purse).

Gotta wrap a couple of ammonites for tomorrow--I sold 4 of them today! W00t!