Crafty trevails and successes

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Posted by Alissa on November 4, 2001 at 18:56:19:

Yesterday I spent 7 hours at a craft show for a local high school.
Set up was at 8:30 and the doors opened at 9. Realizing I had
forgotten my table sign and in a panic, I was still improvising a
makeshift sign and taping pages from my design book to the table when
a gaggle of teenage girls walked by and descended upon my books. A
chorus of "Oh that's so *cool*," and, "Oh man that one is phat!"
and, "Oh that design is totally sick!" rang out and before 9:00 I was
already hennaeing my first hand.

The paste was making me miserable from the get-go. It was clogging my
applicator *literally* every 10 seconds. I would lay a line, stop and
poke, lay a line, grit my teeth, squeeeze like mad on my napkin, stop
and poke. I could barely work and the group around my table was still
growing.

Kanji Kanji Kanji - and my Forum friends I heartily apologize for
what I did to that beautiful language yesterday, it was no where near
my personal standards, even if the kids still loved it. Flowery
bracelets, a skull design, a bat (yup, the girl said she was mad
about bats) and more Kanji. Then astrology symbols and Gothic
lettering. Hands, wrists, the web between the thumb and hand, arms,
necks and lower clavicles were all decorated as the steady stream of
questions hit me - how does it work, how long does it last, and the
never-ending "How much does this one cost?"

Nothing would help the applicator situation - I changed tips, I
loaded a fresh j-bottle, NOTHING and my hand was shaking from the
pent up frustration and the stress of keeping the smile on my face
despite the situation I knew was happening. Finally, I started
praying for Divine intervention. The internal dialogue went something
like this : "Please Lakshmi help me through this. Please help to
finish this design. Please help me to adorn this person and give them
a positive experience. Help me find the calm, help me do a good job
despite this situation." I used Catherine's breathing tricks to help
my hand stay still, my mind calm. Then Ganesha (Remover of Obstacles)
prayers ensued. Nothing changed the applicator from not clogging, but
I found the mental strength to keep going despite the frustration at
hand. That, and switching to the .9 tip which reduced clogging from
10 to 15 seconds apart. (I wish I were exaggerating).

Teenagers, then adults with young children (I even hennaed a 5 year
old who had Dad there to help hold him on his lap, and the boy did
very good!) The steady stream of people kept pouring at me and after
4 hours, feeling a bit exhausted and by then *praying* for a rest
from the stress, the last client walked away admiring her design and
smiling.

My mother-in-law, whose booth was next to mine, watched her walk away
and said in a stern voice, "Alissa! EAt something! Drink some water!"
I had gone nonstop, except for a few sips of water between customers,
for 4 hours straight. It was now 1:00 and I staggered off to the
bathroom.

Then, the lonnnng slow stretch set in. The crowd thinned out and for
the first time I could stop and look around me at the other craft
booths. The older gentleman on my other side grumbled to the show
organizier that no one was buying anything, that all the shows were
like this so far this year. I *almost* felt guilty for doing so well
while others watched the parade of people go by, admiring but not
purchasing. They agreed it was a sign of the economic times. I
stretched my back after being bent over for so long and squirmed in
the metal folding chair, ate a Powerbar and drank some water.

At 2:45 I was ready to call it a day. Nothing had happened in over an
hour and a half, and my body was !dying! to nurse our baby -
unforseen pain in the chest region there, folks. I'd never gone that
long before and my overalls were getting more and more puffed up, if
you know what I mean.

Then, it started all over again. The same group of girls came back,
this time with a few new friends and the Kanji, lettering, and
astrology started all over. Most designs were paltry in price, a few
dollars at best, but even with the clogging I could get them out
fairly fast. I gave in to the dharma and realized that I could use
the old performer's trick in this situation as well - the audience
doesn't know it's a mistake unless you "telegraph" that it's a
mistake to them. Let them think this is how it's done, with me poking
my applicator every 15 seconds. Everybody plays, everybody wins.

One girl came back to the table to see her friend who was being done
and was bummed b/c her mom had just chewed her out for loaning her
friend $2 to get a design. I promptly reached in my money pocket and
gave it back to her, saying it wasnt worth $2 to me to know she got
in trouble. She was so shocked she didnt know what to say, and her
friend was all, "Oh my god that is so amazingly cool! I think I'm
gonna cry!" And she really did have tears in her eyes. Imagine that,
tears over $2. The other teenage girls at the table were awestruck.
One, who had been exclaiming how incredibly cool I was all afternoon,
exuberantly cried out, as only a teenage girl can, "Oh my GOD You
totally ROCK!!!" She ran to my mother in law and told her how she
rocked too, just for being related to me, which made Karen laugh for
the entire ride home.

At 4:10 I turned away the last client - the show ended at 4, the
other vendors were either packing up or already gone, & I was spent.
I consolled myself (thinking I hadn't made very much doing tiny cheap
designs all day) by reflecting on the spreading word of my services,
& how the teenage girls swore they would have me over every month
until the end of the school year for their monthly drill team slumber
parties. (Well, in their henna-high they swore I'd be there every
month, but if even 1 or 2 come along, I'd be glad). Then I counted my
money & WoW!!! I had made almost quadruple my booth fee, even if most
of it was in 1's & 5's. I felt blessed, especially given the paste
situation & thanked Lakshmi and Friends for Her (& Their) bounty &
assistance.

Last night I strained the day's unused leftover henna & was horrified
at the chunks that had somehow gotten through the 1st straining. I
gave thanks yet again, seeing that the paste should've caused me to
pack it up & give up, & instead I had a trying, but successful, day.

The person I most wanted to jump over my table & smack : Dumpy woman
walking by who wrinkles her nose at my sign & says to her
friend, "Why would I want hot ink poured on me?" Just when you think
you've heard ever henna misconception, right? I gave her the I-dont-
like-you smile and held up my applicator saying, "It's not ink, it's
henna & it's not hot or else I couldn't hold it like this, could I?"

The person I most wanted to hug : The teernage girl, in full ackward-
posturing-bravado that I remember feeling myself so well, exclaiming
entirely too loud "Oh My GAWD You totally ROCK!!!" & running off to
tell Karen she rocked too & then her friends that the henna chick was
so totally cool.

It's fun to be cool, and to be considered cool, ain't it?

Follow Ups

Re: Crafty trevails and successes Maureen 08:36:05 11/5/2001 (2)
- oohhhh you made me all happily teary-eyed! now it's my time to cry over $2! :) (nt) Alissa 15:08:10 11/5/2001 (1)
  - Rockin' Cool Mama!!! Lisa K 23:05:24 11/5/2001 (0)
Re: Crafty trevails and successes jolynn 06:11:29 11/5/2001 (0)
Re: Crafty trevails and successes Jewel 05:27:41 11/5/2001 (0)
Wow, what a day! Kenzi 05:26:49 11/5/2001 (1)
- Had to laugh... Nick 21:24:36 11/5/2001 (0)
(chanting) Go Alissa, Go Alissa! Lauren 03:18:11 11/5/2001 (0)
Re: Crafty trevails and successes Catherine Cartwright Jones 02:55:53 11/5/2001 (0)

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: Yesterday I spent 7 hours at a craft show for a local high school. : Set up was at 8:30 and the doors opened at 9. Realizing I had : forgotten my table sign and in a panic, I was still improvising a : makeshift sign and taping pages from my design book to the table when : a gaggle of teenage girls walked by and descended upon my books. A : chorus of "Oh that's so cool," and, "Oh man that one is phat!" : and, "Oh that design is totally sick!" rang out and before 9:00 I was : already hennaeing my first hand. : : The paste was making me miserable from the get-go. It was clogging my : applicator literally every 10 seconds. I would lay a line, stop and : poke, lay a line, grit my teeth, squeeeze like mad on my napkin, stop : and poke. I could barely work and the group around my table was still : growing. : : Kanji Kanji Kanji - and my Forum friends I heartily apologize for : what I did to that beautiful language yesterday, it was no where near : my personal standards, even if the kids still loved it. Flowery : bracelets, a skull design, a bat (yup, the girl said she was mad : about bats) and more Kanji. Then astrology symbols and Gothic : lettering. Hands, wrists, the web between the thumb and hand, arms, : necks and lower clavicles were all decorated as the steady stream of : questions hit me - how does it work, how long does it last, and the : never-ending "How much does this one cost?" : : Nothing would help the applicator situation - I changed tips, I : loaded a fresh j-bottle, NOTHING and my hand was shaking from the : pent up frustration and the stress of keeping the smile on my face : despite the situation I knew was happening. Finally, I started : praying for Divine intervention. The internal dialogue went something : like this : "Please Lakshmi help me through this. Please help to : finish this design. Please help me to adorn this person and give them : a positive experience. Help me find the calm, help me do a good job : despite this situation." I used Catherine's breathing tricks to help : my hand stay still, my mind calm. Then Ganesha (Remover of Obstacles) : prayers ensued. Nothing changed the applicator from not clogging, but : I found the mental strength to keep going despite the frustration at : hand. That, and switching to the .9 tip which reduced clogging from : 10 to 15 seconds apart. (I wish I were exaggerating). : : Teenagers, then adults with young children (I even hennaed a 5 year : old who had Dad there to help hold him on his lap, and the boy did : very good!) The steady stream of people kept pouring at me and after : 4 hours, feeling a bit exhausted and by then praying for a rest : from the stress, the last client walked away admiring her design and : smiling. : : My mother-in-law, whose booth was next to mine, watched her walk away : and said in a stern voice, "Alissa! EAt something! Drink some water!" : I had gone nonstop, except for a few sips of water between customers, : for 4 hours straight. It was now 1:00 and I staggered off to the : bathroom. : : Then, the lonnnng slow stretch set in. The crowd thinned out and for : the first time I could stop and look around me at the other craft : booths. The older gentleman on my other side grumbled to the show : organizier that no one was buying anything, that all the shows were : like this so far this year. I almost felt guilty for doing so well : while others watched the parade of people go by, admiring but not : purchasing. They agreed it was a sign of the economic times. I : stretched my back after being bent over for so long and squirmed in : the metal folding chair, ate a Powerbar and drank some water. : : At 2:45 I was ready to call it a day. Nothing had happened in over an : hour and a half, and my body was !dying! to nurse our baby - : unforseen pain in the chest region there, folks. I'd never gone that : long before and my overalls were getting more and more puffed up, if : you know what I mean. : : Then, it started all over again. The same group of girls came back, : this time with a few new friends and the Kanji, lettering, and : astrology started all over. Most designs were paltry in price, a few : dollars at best, but even with the clogging I could get them out : fairly fast. I gave in to the dharma and realized that I could use : the old performer's trick in this situation as well - the audience : doesn't know it's a mistake unless you "telegraph" that it's a : mistake to them. Let them think this is how it's done, with me poking : my applicator every 15 seconds. Everybody plays, everybody wins. : : One girl came back to the table to see her friend who was being done : and was bummed b/c her mom had just chewed her out for loaning her : friend $2 to get a design. I promptly reached in my money pocket and : gave it back to her, saying it wasnt worth $2 to me to know she got : in trouble. She was so shocked she didnt know what to say, and her : friend was all, "Oh my god that is so amazingly cool! I think I'm : gonna cry!" And she really did have tears in her eyes. Imagine that, : tears over $2. The other teenage girls at the table were awestruck. : One, who had been exclaiming how incredibly cool I was all afternoon, : exuberantly cried out, as only a teenage girl can, "Oh my GOD You : totally ROCK!!!" She ran to my mother in law and told her how she : rocked too, just for being related to me, which made Karen laugh for : the entire ride home. : : At 4:10 I turned away the last client - the show ended at 4, the : other vendors were either packing up or already gone, & I was spent. : I consolled myself (thinking I hadn't made very much doing tiny cheap : designs all day) by reflecting on the spreading word of my services, : & how the teenage girls swore they would have me over every month : until the end of the school year for their monthly drill team slumber : parties. (Well, in their henna-high they swore I'd be there every : month, but if even 1 or 2 come along, I'd be glad). Then I counted my : money & WoW!!! I had made almost quadruple my booth fee, even if most : of it was in 1's & 5's. I felt blessed, especially given the paste : situation & thanked Lakshmi and Friends for Her (& Their) bounty & : assistance. : : Last night I strained the day's unused leftover henna & was horrified : at the chunks that had somehow gotten through the 1st straining. I : gave thanks yet again, seeing that the paste should've caused me to : pack it up & give up, & instead I had a trying, but successful, day. : : The person I most wanted to jump over my table & smack : Dumpy woman : walking by who wrinkles her nose at my sign & says to her : friend, "Why would I want hot ink poured on me?" Just when you think : you've heard ever henna misconception, right? I gave her the I-dont- : like-you smile and held up my applicator saying, "It's not ink, it's : henna & it's not hot or else I couldn't hold it like this, could I?" : : The person I most wanted to hug : The teernage girl, in full ackward- : posturing-bravado that I remember feeling myself so well, exclaiming : entirely too loud "Oh My GAWD You totally ROCK!!!" & running off to : tell Karen she rocked too & then her friends that the henna chick was : so totally cool. : : It's fun to be cool, and to be considered cool, ain't it?
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