Henna Weekend From Hell

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Posted by Erika on March 31, 2003 at 15:26:32:

So I worked an Earth Festival this weekend...kind of a last minute
thing for me, but it looked like it was going to be a huge gig. it
was held in a park that normally hosts huge events. It was supposed
to run from 10 AM until 11 PM on Saturday and from noon until 7 on
Sunday.

The weather was glorious on Saturday...there were tons of events
planned, but the crowd just never made it there. I don't think more
than a handful of people showed up besides those that were involved
in the events and contests. I was pretty much the only vendor that
made any money. I hennaed all of the vendors' kids, the band
groupies, and the teen volunteers. By the end of the day I had made
$250...I had to pay $50 for a booth fee and $50 to my sister for
helping out. So I didn't make as much as I had hoped after such a
long day...but it wasn't a flop.

I bought these straw mats from Wal-Mart for $1.50 each. They were
the best investment I'd made in a while. I made the girlies lay
down while I did backs or bellies. I noticed that back designs tend
to slide down on hot days, so I figured if they could lay down for a
bit while the paste set up, that would eliminate the problem. It
did...and everyone enjoyed laying down in the shade of the tent and
chatting with their friends. It attracted attention to my tent too.

I had one girl who was telling me about getting a black henna tattoo
at one of our beach-side stores. I gave her the black henna rant.
Since she was laying down waiting for her back design to dry a
little, I handed her CCJ's 25 page Black Henna Report. She read it
out loud to her friend. When she was done, she called up her mom on
her cell phone and said that she was never going to get a black
henna tattoo again and explained why. That definitely made my day
worthwhile. I found out where she got her black henna and I'm
mailing info to them. I also decided to mail some info to a couple
of beach piers where a lot of events are held. I often see black
henna artists there. I also emailed the local newspaper, hoping
they'll take up the black henna issue for an article.

I had the opportunity to talk with other vendors and event
organizers since I wasn't all that busy and I got some leads for
other big events in the area...always a good thing.

I hennaed on eyebrows for a lady. She had been in an accident as a
child and lost her eyebrows. I was a bit sceptical about it
staining, but she emailed me to say they looked great. Her hair was
coppery red, so I figured that whether they turned out any shade of
orange or brown, they would look decent. I hope she emails me again
to let me know how the demise goes.

So I ended up leaving the festival a bit early Saturday
night...closer to 9PM. There just wasn't anyone showing up. It
turned out that another festival was going on during the same
weekend and there wasn't hardly any advertising for this one.

I returned Sunday morning and the weather looked a bit iffy. But
still, Sunday is typically the bigger day for this event. The
weather started looking darker and darker. My tent is weighted down
and we had tarps on 3 sides to block the wind, so I wasn't too
concerned. But then, the wind picked up and my tent became a sail.
The top lifted and the weights slid together. A bunch of the other
vendors and guys walking around the festival came flying over to
help. We were standing on the corners and trying to hold the tent
down while other people took down the lights, untied the side tarps
and worked with wrenches to try get the top canopy off. My stuff
was blowing everywhere. We all just hustled as best we could to
round everything up and get the tent down. Needless to say, I
packed it in and went home at that point. 3 of the bars on the tent
snapped. It'll cost $75 to replace them. Bummer...but I guess it
could have been worse. At least I wasn't in the hole like some of
the other vendors were...and I met the organizer for a really big
teen festival that wants me to set up there at the end of the summer.

I took everyone's advice and upped my prices just a little. All of
my $3 desings became $5 designs. Then I had $10 and $15 designs
that had previously been $7 and $10 designs. I did a $15 back
design on one girl who told me she had paid $65 for a similar one at
a beach resort! I think upping my prices was definitley the right
thing to do.

Very weird weekend....There are about 3 or 4 pics from the weeekend
on my site. I wanted to take more, but I don't feel right taking
pics of little teen girls laying around half undressed.

How was your weeked,lol?!

Erika

"2003 New Mehndi Album "

Follow Ups

It actually sounds like an overall success. Lauren 17:00:58 3/31/2003 (3)
- What a positive and lovelly thing to say Lauren ;) Laura 10:15:34 4/1/2003 (0)
- Re: It actually sounds like an overall success. Erika 17:04:57 3/31/2003 (1)
  - Re: It actually sounds like an overall success. Lauren 18:05:09 3/31/2003 (0)
What a bummer Lelia 15:54:00 3/31/2003 (1)
- straw mats Erika 15:58:37 3/31/2003 (0)

Post Followup

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Subject:
: So I worked an Earth Festival this weekend...kind of a last minute : thing for me, but it looked like it was going to be a huge gig. it : was held in a park that normally hosts huge events. It was supposed : to run from 10 AM until 11 PM on Saturday and from noon until 7 on : Sunday. : : The weather was glorious on Saturday...there were tons of events : planned, but the crowd just never made it there. I don't think more : than a handful of people showed up besides those that were involved : in the events and contests. I was pretty much the only vendor that : made any money. I hennaed all of the vendors' kids, the band : groupies, and the teen volunteers. By the end of the day I had made : $250...I had to pay $50 for a booth fee and $50 to my sister for : helping out. So I didn't make as much as I had hoped after such a : long day...but it wasn't a flop. : : I bought these straw mats from Wal-Mart for $1.50 each. They were : the best investment I'd made in a while. I made the girlies lay : down while I did backs or bellies. I noticed that back designs tend : to slide down on hot days, so I figured if they could lay down for a : bit while the paste set up, that would eliminate the problem. It : did...and everyone enjoyed laying down in the shade of the tent and : chatting with their friends. It attracted attention to my tent too. : : I had one girl who was telling me about getting a black henna tattoo : at one of our beach-side stores. I gave her the black henna rant. : Since she was laying down waiting for her back design to dry a : little, I handed her CCJ's 25 page Black Henna Report. She read it : out loud to her friend. When she was done, she called up her mom on : her cell phone and said that she was never going to get a black : henna tattoo again and explained why. That definitely made my day : worthwhile. I found out where she got her black henna and I'm : mailing info to them. I also decided to mail some info to a couple : of beach piers where a lot of events are held. I often see black : henna artists there. I also emailed the local newspaper, hoping : they'll take up the black henna issue for an article. : : I had the opportunity to talk with other vendors and event : organizers since I wasn't all that busy and I got some leads for : other big events in the area...always a good thing. : : I hennaed on eyebrows for a lady. She had been in an accident as a : child and lost her eyebrows. I was a bit sceptical about it : staining, but she emailed me to say they looked great. Her hair was : coppery red, so I figured that whether they turned out any shade of : orange or brown, they would look decent. I hope she emails me again : to let me know how the demise goes. : : So I ended up leaving the festival a bit early Saturday : night...closer to 9PM. There just wasn't anyone showing up. It : turned out that another festival was going on during the same : weekend and there wasn't hardly any advertising for this one. : : I returned Sunday morning and the weather looked a bit iffy. But : still, Sunday is typically the bigger day for this event. The : weather started looking darker and darker. My tent is weighted down : and we had tarps on 3 sides to block the wind, so I wasn't too : concerned. But then, the wind picked up and my tent became a sail. : The top lifted and the weights slid together. A bunch of the other : vendors and guys walking around the festival came flying over to : help. We were standing on the corners and trying to hold the tent : down while other people took down the lights, untied the side tarps : and worked with wrenches to try get the top canopy off. My stuff : was blowing everywhere. We all just hustled as best we could to : round everything up and get the tent down. Needless to say, I : packed it in and went home at that point. 3 of the bars on the tent : snapped. It'll cost $75 to replace them. Bummer...but I guess it : could have been worse. At least I wasn't in the hole like some of : the other vendors were...and I met the organizer for a really big : teen festival that wants me to set up there at the end of the summer. : : I took everyone's advice and upped my prices just a little. All of : my $3 desings became $5 designs. Then I had $10 and $15 designs : that had previously been $7 and $10 designs. I did a $15 back : design on one girl who told me she had paid $65 for a similar one at : a beach resort! I think upping my prices was definitley the right : thing to do. : : Very weird weekend....There are about 3 or 4 pics from the weeekend : on my site. I wanted to take more, but I don't feel right taking : pics of little teen girls laying around half undressed. : : How was your weeked,lol?! : : Erika
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