Archive for the ‘Mountain Festival’ Tag
The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
This mountain community, about 90 minutes north of us, has an annual festival that we have been a part of for the past 4 years. It’s local. It’s a shopping event. It’s handmade. We love this event.
Feel the love read my Board Chronicles from 2018, 2017 and 2016. Oh, and the 2015 version is here, though the date is not in the title. (I was so young then.)
New Ideas
- We decided to upgrade our booth, and bought a triple booth: 2 for me, and the same 1 for her. I can only display all of what I do in a double booth, so this is now the 5th event that we do regularly with a triple booth. Here, we’re in an “L” shape, just like at the KHTS Home & Garden Show.
- The Granddaughters decided to have a dance recital on the Saturday of this event, so the Grandmother drove down to Lancaster to do what she does. This left the Grandfather working a triple booth. I was a lonely, lonely man.
- But! It’s good to have friends. Jan & Barry have the adjacent booth, and they both pitched in to help me survive the onslot of legacy customers that need Mrs M’s stuff. And, mine too, thankfully.
Observations
- Set up in the heat on Friday afternoon was not fun. At all. But … it’s a triple booth. Whachagonnado? We got it done.
- Mrs M drove me to the event on Saturday, and then left when set up was all tidied up. No worries. I got this. Who needs Mrs M?
- I went walkabout shortly before the official opening at 10a … when I returned to the booth, my neighbor who was selling several crafty wooden items (including pallet wood MBOs for $10!) was in my booth with her cellphone out taking pictures of my work. I normally don’t care, but that brazen display of idea thievery was not welcome.
- And then she asked me where I bought my wood. I was kinder than she deserved, IMHO.
- A vendor liked my stuff. How much for that board? $225. Vendor rate? Uh, $225. He was not pleasant: he offered me $100 cash (LOL). My day was not starting well.
- I said no, y’know?
- A cute little girl walked up to me and handed me a $20 bill. (thank you?) THEN I noticed she had a little owl in her other hand; she was buying some ZooSoapia. That’s when I knew why she handed me money. OK, I’m back now.
- A young lady, 20 something, asked it we took Venmo. I said yes, but I am not very familiar. She then proceeded to take me to school on Venmo. I felt like Miss M was in the booth.
- An older lady introduced herself to me: her name was Veda. Too bad she missed meeting Velda.
- To complete my notable female interactions in the absence of Mrs M, another lady asked if I made the cheese slicers. When I said yes, she asked if they were related to the slicers sold by the vendor in the downtown park by the train station? Ummmm. No. I make these. The lady had some difficulty understanding that I make my stuff, and if other people have similar stuff … I didn’t make those. And they didn’t make mine, for that matter. Still not sure if she understood after I explained 3 times that I make everything in the booth!
- We went to the event expecting sales to be down from prior year … because last year was quite good, as we remembered. Funny thing: sales weren’t nearly as good as we thought. And we thought we were down, but we were actually up a bit. We were confused the whole weekend about sales because I had not taken the time to check history, and our memories were not accurate.
- Expectations will kill you.
The Food
- Best Meal: As Julia Child said, “People who love food are always the best people.” Dinner with friends are the best!
- Honorable Mention: Big Papa’s Steakhouse was a total surprise. It’s a big bar … but the restaurant side was quiet and the food was really quite good.
- Worst Meal: The free breakfast at the Best Western won’t win any awards. I keep thinking that….
The Facts
- Total miles driven: 286
- Booth cost: $540
- Food cost: $105
- Travel cost: $210
- Total sales: $2,202
- # of people we met during the event from the producer: 2
- Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: several
- Saturday alarm: 5:50a
- Sunday alarm: 7a
- # transactions: I have no clue; counting was impossible as a solo act … with help
- # soap & lotion vendors: just Mrs M
- # woodworking vendors: there are a couple of others, but they don’t do what I do
- Edge grain vs. end grain: no end grain sales
- Returning next year? absolutely. We’ll need to think about 2 v 3 booths, though
Boards sold: 18
- Cheese Board: 4
- Cheese Slicer: 4
- CNC Sign: 3
- Cutting Board: 2
- Garlic Dipping Board: 2
- Large Serving Piece: 1
- 5 Section Server: 1
- Bread Saw: 1
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The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
This is our 3rd trek to the mountains of Tehachapi for their Mountain Festival.
How good is this event? Good enough that Mrs M will brave the heat of August to serve the fine people at Mountain Fest. And neither she nor her lotions have melted yet….
This strong community event (that’s still in search of a logo!) is centered at a city park. There’s free entertainment on the stage that’s surrounded by vendors. Other events happen in surrounding areas, from a 5k to a rodeo to a car show … well, you get the idea. This is a fun community event, and it’s been very good to us. In 2015, it was our best event ever, though we’ve broken that record many times since. We did better in 2016, as well.
Tehachapi has been good for us. After a shaky beginning this year, our legacy events are now on a growth streak. Will we continue doing better this year than last?
New Ideas
- After 5 weeks with no events, everything seems new.
- For years, this event had the vendors on the streets on 2 sides of the Phillip J Marx Central Park, and had the food vendors on the park grass on the other 2 sides. Due to a food vendor illegally dumping their cooking oil on the grass last year, the positions were reversed, with the food vendors out on the hot asphalt streets, and the merchandise vendors on the cool grass.
- We are back to using our new Trimline 10×20 canopy, which hasn’t been out to play since Memorial Day. Hope I remember how to put it up!
Observations
- I did not remember how to put the Trimline up. Definitely took longer to figure out which pole went where. Unfortunately.
- It’s no fun loading in when the temperature is above 90*. I had to push every cart up hill, and then over soft turf that had been over-watered in anticipation of a high traffic weekend.
- For the first time ever, clipboards were my # 1 selling item. And for almost the first time ever, Velda said she was wrong and I was right … to make clipboards.
- A guy in the booth commented, after seeing Mrs M’s offerings, that he could no longer use the phrase “uglier than homemade soap.” Never having heard that phrase, I inquired and found out that he grew up in Florida. Apparently, Floridian soap-makers don’t know what they’re doing.
- Later, Mrs M was asked if she offers classes. And the answer was no, so there appears to be no hope for Florida.
- Requests were for card table repair, a walking stick, a job and an RV cabinet. Tehachapi is an eclectic bunch that doesn’t play chess, apparently.
- In our 3rd year at this event, we definitely felt the power of legacy. Lots of return purchasers for both of us. Foot traffic was high throughout the event … and I believe putting the food vendors on the streets surrounding the park was a good thing for crowd flow.
- Velda premiered Luscious Lemon Grass soap at the event, and sold more than half of the batch. She also brought out a new batch of Olive Branch soap, and sold more than 3/4 of that batch. She’s got work to do to prepare for our next event!
- I do love helping people, explaining what makes a good cutting board. I just wish they would come to the booth before we’re trying to load out. Velda & I both lost at least 30 minutes during load out because we were helping late customers. The event closed at 5 … but we were not loaded and on the road until 7:30.
- We came in with moderate expectations for this event. We knew the crowd, we had good inventory. We were ready.
- We killed it.
- We started the year being down in sales at every event we were repeating from 2016. Now, it appears the tide has turned. This is the 3rd repeated event in a row that we’re up in 2017.
- And thanks to some custom orders from a couple of the volunteers that help to run this event, we were way up. That’s good … Papa needs a new CNC. It’s now on order, and it will fundamentally change what I can do, and how I can to it. The Woodshop is going to be humming this fall. Stay tuned.
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: Best Western. It was “free.” Thank goodness.
Saturday Lunch: Cheese & Crackers, when we had time. We waited until too late to eat … and then got rushed. You just never know….
Saturday Snack: Nope.
Saturday Dinner: A burger with friends. The best way to do events!
Sunday Breakfast: Still worth every penny of free.
Sunday Lunch: Did it again, but earlier.
Sunday Snack: A chocolate soft serve ice cream cone from the booth right in front of us. Yum.
Sunday Dinner: A Big Carl from Carl’s Jr in Mojave. Late night sustenance, nothing more.
The Facts
- Total miles driven: 183
- Booth cost: $300
- Food cost: $165
- Travel cost: $459.17
- Total sales: $3,929
- Net Revenue (does not include product cost): $3,005
- # of people we met during the event from the producer: several
- Visits in our booth by a promoter’s representative: several
- Saturday alarm: 5:45a
- Sunday alarm: Nope
- # transactions: 112
- # soap & lotion vendors: just Mrs M. There was a doTerra rep as well.
- # woodworking vendors: there was a turner … couple? Co-op? In any event, they were there as well
- Edge grain vs. end grain: 18:3
- Returning next year? Yup.
Boards sold: 21
Clipboards: 5
Cheese Boards: 3
Custom Orders: 3
Small Boards: 2
Cutting Boards: 2
Magic Bottle Openers: 2
Small Surfboards: 2
Large Cutting Board: 1
Lazy Susan: 1
Cheese Board 17 – 327. This chaos board has the most disappointing photograph of the bunch; this pic just doesn’t do justice to the dark blend of 9 woods featured. 8″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Clipboard 16 – 026. Hard Maple, Canarywood, Purpleheart & Jatoba. Legal size. 1″ clip.
Clipboard 16 – 002. Black Walnut, White Oak & Cherry. Legal size. 1″ capacity clip.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 902. Purpleheart, Hard Maple, Cherry & Yellowheart. Single Magic.
Small Surfboard 17 – 502. Jatoba & Hard Maple. 7″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Magic Bottle Opener 17 – 620. Purpleheart, Bubinga & Caribbean Rosewood. Double Magic.
Lazy Susan 17 – 14. Canarywood, Jarrah & Bloodwood. 17″ diameter.
Cutting Board 17 – 118. Purpleheart, Hard Maple, Padauk, Yellowheart & Black Walnut. Edge Grain. 11″ x 15″ x 1-1/8″.
Clipboard 17 – 003. Hard Maple, Yellowheart & Purpleheart. Chaos design. Letter size. Polyurethane finish.
Cheese Board 16 – 062. Black Walnut, Hard Maple, Yellowheart, Cherry & Padauk. 8″ x 11″ x 3/4″.
Cheese Board 17 – 325. Chaos board, with a dark blend. 8″ x 11″ x 5/8″.
Small Board 17 – 215. Hard Maple, Purpleheart, Padauk & Jatoba. 10-1/2″ x 11-1/4″ x 3/4″.
Small Surfboard 16 – 19. Jatoba & Birdseye Maple. 7″ x 16″ x 3/4″.
Cutting Board 17 – 424. Bubinga, Cherry, Purpleheart & Hard Maple. End grain, juice groove. 17″ x 21-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.
Small Board 17 – 228. Chaos Board. End grain. 7″ x 11″ x 1″.
Clipboard 17 – 013. Chaos board. Notepad size. 1/2″ clip.
Clipboard 17 – 008. Red Oak, Black Walnut & Hickory. Letter size. Polyurethane finish.
Cutting Board 16 – End 016. Hard Maple. End Grain. 11″ x 17″ x 1-1/8″.
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The Board Chronicles is an ongoing series of articles about the adventures of Mrs M’s Handmade as a vendor at community festivals & craft fairs. Mrs M’s subsidiary, Mr M’s Woodshop, has been approved to create this chronicle for the good of vendorkind.
It was our big August event … the only August event we scheduled. The average temperature in Tehachapi for August indicated that the lotions should be OK (direct sunlight and high temps are not their friend!), so we committed to the event in spite of some heat concerns.
And it was hotter than normal this year, come to find out. Temps went into the 90s, but with judicious use of our portable awning (as you can see in the bottom picture), the lotions were just fine.
As were we.
Best. Event. Ever.
We had our best sales event yet. In our vast experience as vendors (we’ve been doing this 18 months, can you believe it?), we hit our stride at this event.
This is a wonderful community event. People wandered in to the park throughout the day to enjoy free live music and stroll through the handmade craft area. There was also a smaller area for commercial vendors, as well as food vendors (of course!). Some of those booths were fundraisers for community organizations (hot dogs by the Boy Scouts!).
New Ideas
- I had a “complete” inventory at this event, with examples of every kind of board that I’ve been making. The result of that complete inventory was sales of 12 different kinds of boards. I know that my challenge is to keep this variety available through the holiday season.
- We moved up from keeping wads of cash in our pockets to actually having a professional cash drawer. It really did make handling the money much easier.
- Two different total strangers thanked me for being a part of the Mountain Festival. These weren’t staff members from the sponsor, the Tehachapi Chamber of Commerce. I mean, wow. LOVED this community.
Observations
- Great neighbors at this event. Of course, we chose to be next to Theresa’s “Heart String Creations,” and the producers accommodated that request. Theresa is a joy, and her neck coolers helped us beat the heat throughout both days. (HIGHLY recommended!) The other neighbor sold tutus, magic wands and such for little girls, and did a great business. My fellow slave labor from that booth is a radio personality in the Fresno area, so we bonded immediately and told war stories all weekend. Being around good people is such a rare and wonderful thing!
- Very good attendance for what proved to be a relatively small number of vendors. There were about 30 handcrafted vendors and perhaps another 16 commercial vendors. Very little duplication, and I heard several vendors talk about they were having a good event. We certainly did!
- Anytime I sell the most expensive board on the table, I have a good event. This time, I sold 4 of the 5 most expensive boards on the table. That makes for a very good event!
- With sales success comes the realization that I need to make more stuff. And go to the lumber yard. I’m good with glue for now (I bought 2 gallons last time), and I should have mineral oil to last the year (Velda bought 8 gallons when it was on sale).
- Do you know anyone else that has gallons of mineral oil in the
garage woodshop … and is happy about it?
- There was a fire burning between Tehachapi and our home, so we couldn’t take the most direct route home. We detoured to the east and took a freeway (the 14) home once we reached the Antelope Valley, and avoided the roads closed by the fire. That fire in the San Francisquito Canyon isn’t very close to our home, by the way, but did add 30 minutes or so to the ride home.
- All product & booth infrastructure was unloaded and into the house, shed or
garage woodshop at 9:50pm. Then I got to sit down. This is a glamorous and glorious life….
The Food
Saturday Breakfast: Holiday Inn Express (note to self: use more salt & pepper for at least SOME flavor)
Saturday Lunch: Velda’s fruit & cheese extravaganza
Saturday Snack: Too busy. Too hot. Not hungry.
Saturday Dinner: I was promised Mexican, but I got South American. Not the same thing, but very good.
Sunday Breakfast: Holiday Inn Express with more salt & pepper
Sunday Lunch: Velda’s fruit & cheese extravaganza, take 2
Sunday Snack: Still too busy. Definitely too hot. Not hungry.
Sunday Dinner: Take out after we got home from Carl’s Jr. Necessary, but hardly satisfying.
The Facts
- Total miles driven: 327
- Booth cost: $300 for a 10’x20′ booth
- # of people we met during the event from the producer: 1
- Total sales: $2,631
- # containers of product taken: 27
- # boards available: 118
- Saturday alarm: 7am
- Sunday alarm: 7:10am
- # transactions: 70
- # soap & lotion vendors: only 1!
- # woodworking vendors: only 1!
- Edge grain vs. end grain: 15:7
Boards sold: 22
- Lazy Susan: 4
- Large edge grain cutting board: 4
- Cutting board: 2
- Large cheese & cracker server: 2
- Small board: 2
- Cheese board: 2
- Pig cutting board: 1
- Small sous chef board: 1
- Medium surfboard: 1
- Chess board: 1
- Bread board: 1
- Custom board order: 1
Cutting Board # 15 – 048. Hard Maple, Black Walnut, Cherry, Jatoba, Honey Locust, Purpleheart & Yellowheart. Mixed Grain. 11″ x 15″ x 1″.
Large Surfboard # 15 – 20. Cherry.
Lazy Susan 15 – 010. Black Walnut. 17″ diameter.
Small Board # 15 – 038. Cherry, Black Walnut & Hard Maple end grain. 10″ x 12″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 069. Hard Maple, Padauk & Yellowheart. Edge grain. 12″ x 16″ x 1-1/4″.
Cutting Board # 15 – 064. Black Walnut. End Grain. 14-1/2″ x 18″ x 1-1/2″.
Cutting Board 15 – 066. Cherry, Jatoba, Jarrah & Black Walnut. End Grain. 12-1/4″ x 17″ x 1-1/2″.
Lazy Susan 15 – 014. Cherry … in many colors. 17″ diameter.
Small Board # 15 – 046. Hard Maple, Cherry, Purpleheart, Yellowheart, Jatoba & Honey Locust. Edge Grain. 9″ x 11-1/2″ x 1-1/2″.
Pig # 15 – 08. Jatoba, Jarrah, Hard Maple & Padauk.
Lazy Susan 15 – 012. A rare asymmetrical design. Cherry, Hard Maple & Black Walnut. 17″ diameter.
Surfboard 15 – 16. Black Walnut, Red Oak, Hard Maple & Cherry.
Ches Board # 04. Padauk & Honey Locust Squares with a Cherry Border. Note that the orange Padauk will change over time – particularly with UV exposure – and will end up a nice warm brown.
Cheese Board # 15 – 015. 8″ x 10″ x 1″. Hickory, Honey Locust, Black Walnut and Cherry.
Cutting Board # 15 – 061. The meat eater’s board. Hard Maple end grain with juice groove – a deep, wide juice groove. 13″ x 19″ x 1-1/4″.
Sous Chef # 15 – 31. Goncalo Alves, Hard Maple & Purpleheart.
Cheese Board # 15 – 023. Hard Maple, Purpleheart, Yellowheart, Jatoba, Black Walnut & Honey Locust. End Grain. 7″ x 9-1/2″ x 1/2″.
Lazy Susan 15 – 013. Hard Maple, Yellowheart, Teak and Black Walnut. Lovely grain on this one – this dark brown Hard Maple came from a single plank, and the grain is matched across the piece. 17″ diameter.
Medium Surfboard 15 – 02. Cherry and Padauk.
Cutting Board # 15 – 050. Black Walnut, Cherry, Jarrah & Jatoba. End grain with juice groove. 16″ x 21″.
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