glasses & grenades: Vending at the Big Bang Bazaar

I have put in more hours at my sewing machine this year than any previous year. January hit and with it lots of changes and challenges. Sewing is just a great way to clear my head, focus on something I enjoy, while having fun at the same time. I have the most fun as of late making pillow covers. And I've made approximately 50ish this year so far. I've sold a couple to friends and family and done fairly well on Etsy since opening my shop in May, which I wrote about here. One of my New Year's resolutions was to open an Etsy shop within the year. So, I feel like I really took it up a notch when I signed up to be a vendor (for the first time ever) at the Big Bang Bazaar. I had been to the BBB a couple times as a customer and enjoyed each experience. So when I signed up to be a vendor I kind of knew what the day would look like. Kind of! Ha.

I couldn't sleep Friday night and ended up waking up at 6 AM. I was too excited and nervous for sleep. So I got all the last minute things together and got ready. Dustin and I arrived at the Maitland Civic center a little after 9 AM. I got my registration packet and was told which booth was mine and where it was located. I drove around to the back of the building so Dustin and I could unload everything easier. The place was already bustling with people and wares. I started to set up my table while Dustin ran to the car to get more of my stuff. I was totally in a zone trying to make everything look presentable. But then it wasn't even 10 yet and I realized I was done. I introduced myself to the my vending neighbors and I was relieved to find out it was the first time for many of them as well. And I asked all the veteran vendors for any advice or suggestions they had. All the fellow venders I had the pleasure to come in contact with whether next to my own booth or while walking around were wonderfully friendly and awesome. Everyone was just so supportive of one another which is how it should always be but we all know it sometimes isn't. The vendor I talked to the most was Kevan of Betty's Favorite Things. She and I shared a booth of a vendor who never showed up! Hey, more room for us to spread out. This way I didn't have to put any pillows on the floor and she could display more of her pretty framed vintage sheet music covers.

As we sat there waiting for the doors to open, we could see the line wrap around the building. Everyone was in line for those swag bags! I was happy to contribute 60 business cards, fabric swatches, and blow pops in them. Some I even wrote coupons on! One of my sales was made because a customer used the ONLY $5 off card I gave out. Score! My only problem with the swag bag is I feel like it should be limited to one per couple/family because I know so many people didn't get one when multiple people in families did. Oh well, it is what it is.

It was fun to talk to people who would walk by my booth and pick up pillows and ask questions. I had fun conversations with just about everyone who stopped by whether they bought something or not. So many of them gave me suggestions as far as making pillow cases for beds and which sizes they would like to see more of. Others would talk Star Wars or Harry Potter with me which I'm always down for! I loved all the comments about my shirt pillows as well.

It was awesome to have my friends and family stop by my booth for support. I mean, so many people I care about came out for me and it made me feel incredibly grateful to have them there and in my life!

Rachelle and Matt brought their sweet friends Mike and Sam all the way from Palm Coast. We were their first stop of an Orlando filled day. I saw them before the show even started as they waited in line. We tried to talk through the glass describing things with our hands. Ha!
My mom and John were some of the first to stop by my booth. She ended up with a Gators pillow cover.
My Aunt Sarah and Uncle Paul came all the way down from Gainesville! It was so nice to see them because it's not too often that we get to spend time together. They ended up making a day in Orlando out of it as well - going to lunch with my mom and John after the show and visiting Marie.
My brother and his girlfriend Kaelin even stopped by. I'm kind of embarrassed to admit it but when he texted me that he was on his way I almost started crying. I just figured he'd be busy working or doing whatever teenagers do these days. When he got to my booth he pointed out how much he liked the Mighty Ducks pillow and then Dustin bought it for him! My heart just melted. These two guys!
I had my old work friends Michelle, Josh, & Katie stop by and say hi! And some of my new work friends made it out too, which is when we discussed video games (mostly Skyrim). Dustin is always happy to talk video games!
And last but certainly not least, Sam, Pat, and Martha came by! Not only was it super awesome to hang out with them for a little bit BUT Sam and Pat offered to watch my booth while I walked around to look at all the other vendors. So sweet of them! And it gets better...they have the best customer service ever. Not only did Sam sell two of my pillow covers while I was away but as I walked up I could hear her hilarious sales pitch to everyone who walked by. She deserves a serious high five and a lunch on me. Pat had a more awkward but equally hilarious approach to potential customers. They cracked me up! Thanks guys for the help!

While walking around I bought a couple bracelets from one of my booth buddies, a Harry Potter pin that read "Nitwit! Blubber! Oddment! Tweak!, a Reese Cup brownie for Dustin, a postcard, and a 'Yellow Bird' sheet music cover from Kevan.

The crowds started to drop off around 2-3pm. I'm not sure if it was the rain or what but the place got pretty empty and I didn't make any sales after that. Womp womp. But I still thought it to be a successful event especially for my first time. I could not have done it without Dustin's physical and emotional help! He has always been supportive in anything I do but he really stepped it up even more so yesterday. Not only did he help me unload and set up everything but he stayed with me the whole day. He was there to give me pep talks, make me laugh, and brought me Chick-fil-a for lunch. He walked around and even made a friend himself. He's the bees knees and then some!

Overall, the experience was a positive one. I made some sales and I made some friends. And now I can say I've been in a craft show. It was a fun yet exhausting day. I never realized how much of a toll standing most of the day would take on my body. By the end of it, my legs were sore and my back hurt like hell. I felt like I had just walked around a theme park all day. This is growing up. Or growing old. Ha! It was well worth it though. I packed up all of the things that didn't sell and had the biggest smile on my face as I drove Dustin and I home. I'm proud of myself for doing something that I probably would have been too scared to do a few years ago. Between that and all the people who supported me, I had a rush of happiness wash over me. I could barely move when I got home and I was asleep before 10 but I was one happy girl.

My Etsy has been updated with all the pillow covers that didn't sell. Check it out! And I'll be back with a separate blog post of all my favorite venders.