Welcome to the blog for Ali's Craft Studio by Alison Lloyd. I am a crafter of peelable stained glass designs & handpainted keyrings and I look forward to sharing with you my news direct from Kent (the Garden of England)

Make sure you visit the shop at www.studiocrafts.net to purchase your own handmade decorations to bring fun and colour into every corner of your home

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Wednesday 26 May 2010

Disappointed and Enlightened - A week of extremes

Last Saturday we decided to support our local Primary School and take a stall at their Spring Craft and Gift Fair - it was only on for three hours and the stall prices were very reasonable so I booked two stalls to ensure that we had the display space required.

I asked and was placed in front of a window so my designs could be shown off in their full glory with sunshine streaming through.

All was going well - a couple of small sales early on and then.... NOTHING!

There was hardly any support from the school children or, it seems, their families!  It was very quiet and those who did venture into the hall just weren't buying - I guess they thought the 50p admission fee was enough to boost the schools funds!  

It was a tragic and disappointing day - I was upset that our day ended in a loss (plus now has - and hopefully keeps - the dubious honour of being the worst sales total we have ever had), but disappointed that the pupils/parents didn't seem interested in taking an hour or two out of their day to try to ensure that the funds were healthy enough to do all those lovely things that schools do for their pupils as little extras throughout the year.  I feld desperately sorry for the people who had taken the time to organise what could have been a great event to see such a poor turnout.

Fortuntately, Sunday showed how a community can come out in force and support local events.  We travelled to Hove (nr. Brighton) to an Olde English Fayre which was held in a small community park.  We set up our gazebo along with around half a dozen others dotted around, some carboot style jumble stalls, children's make & take stalls, a spinning demonstration and a few others thrown in for good measure.  The park was obviously open for people wandering through during the set up procedure which always makes for a fun time and I worried that there didn't seem to be many people around.

12 o'clock arrived and a brave (or maybe foolhardy would be a better description bearing in mind the hot weather) group of guys in chainmail and full regalia arrived to officially 'open' the fayre.  And boy, did the people come out!  It was busy right throughout the day (OK not everyone was buying but there were enough people there to ensure that we made good sales).  What a difference a day makes!

I did, however get to play with my new gridwall display (and forgot to take a photo!!) which worked really well - we are slowly getting used to setting things up differently but I am sure it won't be long before it is all second-nature again.

This coming Bank Holiday weekend we have a three-day show so I hope that it puts us back on track!  More details on the events page of my website - http://www.studiocrafts.net/

I have also recently made contact again with someone I used to be good friends with 'back in the day' (before the grey hairs starting appearing and lines on my face were only due to too much laughing!) and it was quite horrifying to realise that it is 21 years since we last saw each other (how can that be, I am sure I have a way to go before I reach my 30th birthday!)  Where does the time go???   We were housemates not long after I moved from Yorkshire to London and I was very sad when he had to return to his native Canada.  In my mind, I don't feel that different to how I was then but when I was trying to fill him in on 20+ years it soon dawned on me how similar now and then are to the proverbial chalk and cheese - we are both married, him with a family and it seems strange to think how much time moves on without you really paying that much attention to it.  It was only when I started writing down what had happened in my life and reading about his life since we were last in touch that I realised this.

So, from today - I vow to try not to let life pass me by, to sometimes take time to 'stop and smell the roses' and appreciate all the wonderful things I have!  I hope you do the same...

Take time to stop and smell the roses...

Oh and John, if you happen to read this - I am so happy that we are in touch again!!  I have really missed your friendship - you are a great guy so take care, eh! (as they say in Canada!)

Hope you all have a great week  x

4 comments:

  1. I am sorry about the school fair and it is sad for the school that this should happen. I don't think people realise how these events play a huge part in raising money for school funds and make a big difference for their children.

    And you are right...time is just flying by. I think you just hit a particular age and suddenly time accelerates...why is that?

    Mick

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  2. What a shame about the school fair! You would think the parents would all know to get out and support the school's events. Glad things went better at the Olde English Fayre. Good luck with the three day show over the Bank Holiday!!

    Glad your grid walls worked well for you! They're so expensive. I couldn't believe you hacked some off of each one, after what they had to have cost! That took some guts!

    You know, while much of the set-up is routine, my husband and I still like to do the display a few different ways before we generally settle back into what we've always done, but it's fun to experiment with different layouts. I think maybe part of it is boredom with doing the same thing every time.


    How nice to have met up with an old friend! Time flies, doesn't it...and roses do smell nice....

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  3. Yeah, it is frightening how time just seems to disappear! I remember when I was young hearing people say that the older you get, the quicker time seems to go - how scary is that! (And me being such a spring chicken, too - ahem...)

    Susan - it is great to regain contact with old friends - thank God for e-mail, I remember when he first moved back home we would write and it would take forever to get a reply! So, maybe technology isn't all that bad (except when it doesn't work!!)

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  4. Oh, and I'm not so sure about trying different set ups - it takes us forever just to get the one we are used to right!

    I had no option but to chop some off the top of the gridwall - it wouldn't fit in the car! But then, I've always been a bit of a rebel!!

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