A Day in the Life

I had gotten up from where I sat and walked to the small kitchen to pour myself a cup of coffee. The craft fair had a start time of 10:00am and the clock in the hall told me it was only 9:30. Yes, I had time for another cup of coffee.

My friend who rented another table for her crafts had encouraged me to set up early since there was no way of knowing how early shoppers might arrive. The craft fair was well advertised, but that didn’t guarantee that people would come.

I’d been to craft fairs before and noticed that while some fairs could draw close to, in not at least one hundred people, others were lucky if thirty showed up. You just never knew.

By now, you’re probably asking, “If the fairs are so inconsistent, why bother?” My answer would be that I love crafting. Just the challenge of designing and creating greeting cards keeps me attending. Then, there are my photos. I love walking around the many parks in the county taking pictures of the scenery and wildlife. You’d be surprised at how often the scenery changes. I can take what I deem an intriguing photo one day, and a week later, due to animals and or storms, that scene isn’t the same. To me, nature photography is fascinating.

Getting back to crafting, I may not sell as much as I’d like but even if I sold what the table fee is, I feel I’ve done well. Most craft fair hosts will charge $25.00 for a long, folding, type table where you keep all the money you’ve earned by crafting. Those are the fairs I attend. There are others that will charge you double that and insist on a 30% commission of all your sales. Those are the ones I avoid. There is no money to be made at those fairs.

Anyway, getting back to that day in November of 2021, carrying my go-cup of coffee, I was approaching my table and checking my inventory, once again. After setting up all the items I brought with me, I felt satisfied with the way I had it all arranged. Now, I wait for the crowds to arrive.

While I wait, I think of how my crafting began. At an early age, between my maternal grandmother and mother, I was taught storytelling. They encouraged me to craft stories and poems. My poetry was never the non-rhyming prose type. My grandmother always said that if I were to write poetry, I’d better have the rhyme and rhythm correct. “Otherwise,” she’d say, “why bother? Just write a story or an essay.”

As far as making cards, I have my stepdaughter to thank. Back in the early 1990s, she’d given me a card program for Christmas. The contents of the packet contained already designed card stock and a few computer disks with pre-programmed artwork. There really wasn’t much guess work involved. Yet, I was having fun with it.

In all the years since I started with that program, I never looked back. When the company went out of business, I started taking my own photos and gluing them on to card stock that I pre-printed with whatever saying I needed for that card. Whether birthday, anniversary, or any other greeting, I knew I had the ability, thanks to my grandmother and mother to write something that fit the occasion.

As the years passed, the card making progressed, as did the ways to spark one’s imagination.

I purchased a few “card programs” to help keep my interest. I’m sure you know the ones: Hallmark, Card Studio, etc. Yet, they didn’t hold my interest for long. I wasn’t happy with their artwork. I went back to using my own photos.

A number of years later, I found a program that allowed me to scan my photos into the program and then, once there, edit them to my satisfaction. I was awed that I could make darkened photos a bit lighter or darken ones that were a bit over-exposed. I was also able to change the photo’s color. I was once again, beginning to enjoy crafting.

While, after all this time, I have not perfected my use of that program, it still serves my purpose. It does what I need it to do and that makes me happy and keeps me encouraged to keep going.

Through the years, I’ve purchased embossing folders to press images into my cardstock. It’s interesting how you can take an ordinary piece of paper and make it look as though the designs were already there.

My next purchase was a few cutting dies. Flowers and leaves were my initial purchase then I invested in shapes. Wow! Now with the embossed paper and a cutout to place on top, my cards are looking more impressive.

By now, you might be wondering if all these purchases and efforts are making me rich. Oh, how I wish I could say yes. The answer, though, is a loud HECK NO! But my crafting is fun and yes, I do sell a few cards here and there.

A few people suggested that instead of using my photos just for cards, I should try enlarging them as far as the pixels allow without blurring them and selling the prints. Hmm, that was a good thought. I had sold two privately but hadn’t thought of putting them in the craft shows. Guess now I will.

Still, with all this going on, I’m always looking for new ideas. I search online sites to jump start my creativity and often share ideas with other crafters.

Now, with coffee in hand and after giving my table another “once over,” I walk around to my chair and wait for my first customer. I notice they’ve opened the doors to the hall so early birds can begin browsing.

As the beams from the sunlight stream in, I see in the halo of light, two women slowly walking through the doors. Their eyes seem to take in everything as they head to the back of the room. They’re walking straight to my table.

With my hands resting in my lap and my fingers crossed, I smile at them and repeat the mantra I’ve said at least a thousand times in the past number of years, “Good morning, Ladies. Please feel free to browse. If you have question, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Then to give them space to look and not feel awkward in doing so, I pick up the book I’ve brought with me and once again, pretend to read.