Crochet Me Crazy

Free patterns is here:

https://www.thenicolechase.com/patterns/nala-the-no-sew-turtle

Nala the No Sew Sea Turtle.

She turned out really cute but not sure I'll make her again.  It was a good pattern but I guess it will depend on if she sells at my craft booth.  This one will have to go for $20 because it took a little longer.  The flower part is actually a seperate shell that can be taken on and off.  

 Hope everyone had a Merry Christmas!  Today was the the last Christmas of 3 seperate Christmases that we had.  1st was Christmas with the Grandkids, 2nd was Christmas with my son and his fiance and tonight was Christmas with Alison and her fiance.  All this is getting harder and harder for me.  We didn't have near the food this year that I normally do but it was still plenty.  

Got some beautiful Kendra Scott earrings from Alison, a nice soft, warm robe and some footed warm up pants!  Josiah gave me a welded dragonfly for my garden.

I got grounding shoes and a copper cup from Jeff.  

Michael got me Vodka...and no I don't really drink Vodka!  lol  

His fiance gave me a thoughtful gift related to crochet - a yarn bowl, some cool stitch markers and a hooker coffee cup!

Wow!  All I can say is I'm tired!  It's been a literal non-stop ride since last Tuesday.  

I've got one day to rest tomorrow before I go to work on Wednesday.  I'm starting a 21 day liver cleanse.  Not sure how I'm going to feel during this.  

 Well, just got finished with a VERY busy 4 days with the grandkids!  It was exhausting.  We were trying to cram all the traditions we usually do in a month into 4 days.  

The girls ran into our house Tuesday night running to look at all of the Christmas decorations in the house that they remember.  Treelyn said...but Grandma we always decorate Douglas for you!  Sadly, they weren't here for that.  Maybe next year I will save Douglas for them.  By the way, Douglas is a talking mini tree that has been around since my kids were little.  

Treelyn found the the bear I made for Lanna in my craft room.  When I made this bear a few weeks back I called her the ugliest thing I have ever crocheted.  

Treelyn loved it!  She thought it was so cute!  I said I made it for Lanna and when Lanna saw it, she loved it too.  I was like, really?  You think its cute.  I wasn't gonna give it because I thought it was so goofy looking.  Gotta say it warmed my heart for the girls to love it so much.  I have to make a bear for Treelyn still.  I'm going to try a different pattern though and hopefully she will love the one I come up with next.  Here is Lanna with her bear:

Up at 5 am to get ready to go to work.  I'm caregiving for a 98 year old lady who is on hospice.  She's a sweet lady and I've grown to love her so much!  I sit by her side most of the day so this job affords me a lot of time to crochet.  

Blogging has changed so much since I started this blog so many years ago.  I don't even remember how I set this thing up with all of these headers, etc and html.  That was back when blogging was kinda a new thing and it wasn't a profession as it is now.  It's set up pretty different now.  I spent some time last night checking links I had and many of those sites and blogs I linked to don't even work anymore or the blogs have been removed.  I removed all of the links that no longer work and left the ones that do.  I need to go spend some time visiting those free pattern sites that I long forgotten existed!  But from the ones I had, the list is pretty short now.  

Even sadder is the Crochet Forums I had linked are all gone.  I removed that section entirely.  Forums are a thing of the past!

I can't image ever deleting this blog.  I did spend a lot of time a few years ago downloading it so if something ever happens I have this record.  It covers a lot of our lives and my kids lives.  

I took my crochet wares to my first craft market day today!  

I'm not gonna lie I was apprehensive and a little nervous.  But I was determined that I am going to stretch myself and force myself to go through with this.  Doesn't cost me a thing.  Gotta at least try it and see what happens.  If it's bad then I never have to do it again.  It is a free farmers/craft market every 1st and 3rd Saturdays of every month in a neighboring small town to mine.  Everyone sets up around the court house.  Starts at 9 am so I arrived at 8 thinking this was plenty of time.  Shouldn't take me long to set up because I basically already had things in baskets, etc where they were gonna be.  I was shocked when I drove up and saw how crowded it was.  Well, I guess I'm gonna sneak in here on the the back side but that's okay with me.  I'm a blend in kinda girl.  

I set up and immediately struck up conversation with the lady setting up next to me.  She said it was her first time too.  Boy and I glad I parked back there next to her because I just loved her!  I think I got a friend!  She said she had a hard time coming to and wanted to turn around and go back home!  😊  Another lady I met at the post office last week stopped by my booth and then later brought another lady to introduce me to that is going to be my rabbit lady.  (Yes, I said rabbit lady. I'm sure I'll post more about the rabbits later)  Anyway, everyone was so nice and it was a very pleasant day in that regard. I was nervous because I forgot to bring change.  I just decided to risk and hope for small bills or Venmo.  And that's exactly what happened.  I was paid with small bills and ended up having no issues with making change.  My new friend said she would be able to help if I ran into a problem.  Didn't need the Venmo at all.  

I sold my first 3 items within the first hour before it had officially even started.  I was a little surprised.  People loved my stuff even when they didn't buy.   Anyway, it lasted until 1:00 pm.  By the end of the day I had made $175 in sales!  I sold 3 hats, 3 pairs of fingerless gloves, 2 stuffed chickens, ear warmers, and 1 chicken ornament, a pan handler and a pair of boot cuffs. 

I had higher hopes for my egg gathering aprons and they did get a lot of attention but the price point is too high.  So at least I know I don't have to have more than one or two of those displayed.  I can't sell those for less.  It takes me 9 hours to make an apron.

But here are the things I learned:

People will not dig in tubs or bins or even look through the ornaments stacked on the hanger.  Every thing has to be openly displayed and be able to be scanned visually.  People will scan your booth and if something doesn't draw them in visually, they won't even stop.  

I need to work on how to display my items like hats and blankets better.  I sold a several items immediately after I moved them to a more visible place.

Items in the $25 and under price points sell the best.  I need to focus on making things I can make for $20 or less for my next time.  

I plan on making a lot more fingerless gloves and some wine bottle bags for the next one.  No more Christmas stuff though...next time will be in January.  I'll probably keep going through the winter at least.  Crochet stuff sells better in the fall and winter.  Summer items will be more of a challenge.  Let me know if you have any ideas!  

Things to bring next time:

Better Price Signs Printed on Card Stock

Blocks to even up table if necessary. 

Better Table Cloths

Change and Printed Venmo Sign

A Chair to sit in!!

At least 3 tables, maybe 4 

In summery, it was a very good day and I had fun!  I met lots of nice people.  

When it was time to leave my car wouldn't start!  My vendor lady friend's husband came and gave me a jump start.

I am going to be back to blogging again! I have been crocheting a lot, a lot and there needs to be a journal of my makes. 

 So now onto the fun stuff...here's a load of pictures of what I have been up to... First up is a crocheted sandwich! This one won't be on the table for sale tomorrow because I made it for my grandkids. There's more crochet food coming in the future for them to play with

I got started crocheting Christmas stuff way back in July or August...here's a few of the items I made for my family that won't be on the table tomorrow.

Honestly, there's probably a lot of things that I've missed taking pictures of.

I will do better from here on out.

Here's a partial view of some of the things I will be attempting to sell tomorrow.  There's really a lot more than this shows but I will be sure to take pictures of my set up tomorrow and will let you know what sold the best, if anything at all!  

There's stand of various ornments, Bookmarks, Slippers, Pan Handle Covers, and Boot Cuffs, Stuffed Chickens! Lord I hope I get rid of those boot cuffs.  I went on that spree years and years ago!!

I've made two of these Egg Gathering Aprons!  Aren't they cute? I'm hoping these will be novel enough to sell to some chicken loving souls.

 

Hey, and let me know if anyone is around to still read this blog!