It's been a while! I've been insanely busy since my last post. I started working at NBG and have had only 6 days to myself in the last four weeks. Needless to say, I'm burnt out! The last time I posted, I mentioned the craft fair I was a part of in Elk River. Well, that turned out to be a complete waste of two days I could have had off because I barely made half my money back. Never in my wildest dreams did I think I wouldn't even make $50. Definitely not my crowd. I had a couple of people who seemed to really like my terrariums, one said she'd come back and didn't, because they never do. The other just couldn't pull the trigger. I had stuff for $1 that I couldn't sell, but the playing card holders and weird oil candles on either side of me were flying off the shelves. I think I may have been in a strange invisible zone because people seemed to not even notice my booth... Lessons learned I guess.
The first full week back at the Depot for the season, I was sort of the acting team lead so I had to do price changes and whatnot. It rained (and SNOWED) the whole week. It was just awful. All the hanging and rehanging of wet, heavy baskets taken down for frost... At least it wasn't 78 carts, one with a square wheel like last year! Even last week we had to bring all the carts in and frost cloth at night. I'm crossing my fingers that the nice weather we've had this week means we're finally done with wintery weather. I bought all my plants over the course of the last couple of weeks and just today set them all into pots so they're ready to be planted.
Speaking of plants, I obviously can't get enough of them! Mother's Day weekend is one of the biggest weekends for the plant business and there is an annual plant sale out at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. A nice customer told me about it and I had actually planned on going out there for Craftstraganza anyway, so it was meant to be. The craft show was the same-ole-same-ole that I see at every show put on by the same group, so it wasn't so much fun. Also someone ran into mine and BJ's heels with her stroller and didn't even feel the need to apologize. Just because someone has kids, it doesn't make her exempt from manners or give her the right to feel self important. Most everyone has kids, you're not special, get over yourself! You don't see me pushing my cats around in their stroller and hitting your ankles as if they're just so gifted that you should feel blessed. Anyway, after the craft fair was a bust, we had to wait in line to get into the plant sale. Next year, I'm going on Friday because it was really picked over with a lot of stuff sold out, but I did find the star flower I was looking for! I also picked up a 4 pack of giant blooming yellow petunias, a dark purple-almost black calibrachoa, a 4 pack of dark purple salvia, and a super-duper cheap rosemary plant. Mine kicked the bucket over the winter because I decided it was too ugly to water. I wanted to find a tree, but apparently stores only carry those during Christmastime. This one says it works as bonsai so maybe I can trim it that way?
Two of the days I had off were planned. Richfield had it's citywide garage sale this past weekend and BJ finally loves sale-ing! We both took Thursday and Friday off to go to them and spend time together before he left for San Francisco Saturday morning for a business trip. (I always misspell Francisco because of my last name haha!) I had a game plan to maximize awesomeness. The first sale we went to was in Minneapolis, not part of citywide, and was not as awesome as the ad had made me expect. The main sale I wanted to go to was actually an estate sale in Bloomington, but that didn't open until 9 with no earlybirds, so we stopped at one in Richfield on the way. The Craigslist ad said it had an "antique" shopping cart. Well, I don't know about antique, people throw that word around willy-nilly, but vintage, absolutely! There was an old cart at Urban Cottage this month's sale that was out of my price range and I didn't know what I'd do with it despite the fact that I have always wanted a cart. This cart at the garage sale was $20 and I've been trying to find a storage/shelving solution for the short side of the balcony. I was considering making something out of pallets, but when I read the ad online, it dawned on me that this little cart would be perfect. It so is! There's room for the kitties to lounge underneath and I have my tree of enchantment and miscellaneous garden things in the basket. I think my tree might be a little bit dead though...
So the estate sale. First, it said it was for cat lovers. Then it advertised an item that got away from me during last year's citywide. The mutli-color stacking Pyrex mixing bowls. They were only $25 then, but BJ didn't want to spend that much. Well, after much convincing, and hours hunting, I found the complete set! And it was the same price :) This is probably what my estate sale will look like. I got two sets of white cat S&P shakers, two teeny-tiny cats, and a regular figurine. I also picked up three records: an Andy Williams Christmas album, one that has I think 6 records of songs from the fabulous 40's, and a Halloween sounds record! I found a Sanrio stationary set from Japan at another sale and picked up four big buttons for a bag I'm making at a sale from a nice lady who used to own a couple of fabric stores. She told me that she has a storage unit with a whole wall full of buttons and that I could call her if I wanted to check it out!
The next day we stopped at another estate sale where I found a cool Singer scissors. The Seward neighborhood was having their garage sale as well, and one of the ladies from Urban Cottage was having an inventory reduction sale. I snagged some vintage ornaments for the wreath I want to make.
Sadly, the next day BJ left for a week. Our Hammy had been sick, so I was responsible for getting his antibiotics. The vet visit seemed to go well. He thought that the medicine would be a just-in-case because he seemed to be getting better. Well, one day my little boy started limping, it carried into the next day, and then I found him... You're not supposed to have favorites, but Hamm was mine. It was love at first sight when I saw that little runt. Every time I looked at him, my heart swelled with love. He was the cutest boy I've ever seen in my life with this messy hair, orange belly, and little white patch on his throat. My Patches had that exact same marking, which made it even more special. I'm still in a cloud of denial and plan to say hi to him each time I enter the living room. We had bought pepper plants just for him. It's been really hard having this happen while BJ is away. His mom was kind enough to come get him for me and take him to be cremated. My mom made a trip up to comfort me at a moments notice, which meant the world to me, but it's too quiet here without his whistles. Who's going to be in charge now, Hammy?
Life has to go on, though. I had to send off a birthday gift to my dear friend, Agent I since it is on Memorial Day and I wanted him to get it in time. Luckily he got it the day before he left for a trip and he sent me a picture of his two new totoros with the big one I made him for Christmas. When I went to Crafty Planet to pick up the fliers for Johnstock, I also bought Heidi Kenney's Sublime Stitching pattern and some fabric to re-do my sewing chair. I decided to use the pattern to make I's card. I don't really know how to embroider because I haven't learned officially, but I think it turned out well!
Finally, Johnstock is on Saturday May 31 from 10-4 in the Johnson St parking lot in NE Minneapolis. The forecast is rain, but I hope people will stop by!
