CutieFruity's first craft show

My mom and I planned for weeks to get all geared up for our first show. I was so nervous and excited. I knew I'd be meeting some people from my Etsy team. The goal of the show for me was to learn the ropes, get my feet wet, and hopefully break even. I did all three! AND I got to spend time with my mom, which was great. A reporter from the local paper came to talk with the vendors about our experiences selling online. We are all pretty misquoted in the article, but hey, it's some sort of exposure for Etsy and for the team. I debuted a few new products at the show: bandana dresses, childrens baking aprons, baby legwarmers, eye spy bags, clutch balls, and bath aprons. All three sold much better than what I have in the shop.

Our table was crammed pretty full. I think we could easily fill a 10x10 tent, and we plan on doing just that this weekend at the Benton City Spring Opener.

On a side note: My husband was laid off a week before this show, so he stayed home with the older kids and I toted baby along. I left early in the morning, worked all day, and got home late. It was a conscious effort to love on my kids and be pleasant. I was so tired. When I got home, to my delight, he had washed and put away ALL of our laundry. I kept telling him it couldn't be done, and he totally proved me wrong. After trading jobs with him for a day, I get it. I get why he acts the way he does after a long day moving dirt. I get now that he is too tired to play with the kids or help with chores. It's hard to go from somewhere full of adults and then come home to a bunch of rowdy, ornery kids. I have tried more to treasure him and all he does for our family. I feel like a total loser now when I enjoy my days playing with the kids or wasting time chatting with my friends online. Trading places totally inspired me to make sure I really do my share in the family, and the house has been looking a lot better ever since.