Girls,
I don't know what I was thinking...
Trunk show sounded so romantic, so professional and artsy when I was asked and I felt so important...
I thought I was IT.
Now I am having anxiety attacks ...
Like when I hear the word root canal...
or gallbladder surgery...
What if I don't have enough stuff?
What if people think my stuff sucks?
What if I don't recover all of the money I've spent (that's a whole 'nother story, thanks for talking me down from that ledge Nicola.)?
What if no one comes?
What if people buy only out of sympathy?
Did I mention there are some day's we've eaten at the coffee table in the living room because there's no room at the kitchen table?
We've eaten a lot of Subway too...
At times I ask myself what I'm doing...
What was I thinking?
I'm panicking,
I know it.
I'm the one girl scout that could never sell enough boxes of cookies and it still haunts me.
I've had craft shows I've never recovered the $25 table fee from..
WHAT. AM. I. DOING?
Thanks for letting me get that off of my chest.
You guys are the best.
Jen
Posts
You'll do fine! You're creative and have cool things to sell. And you'll soon realize that all that Subway was worth it!
ReplyDeleteGood luck!
Nancy
Oh Jen, you are too cute!! They will come, they will buy, and they will love everything you have!!!! you are so talented and have such a great style! I will be there in spirit cheering you on!!!
ReplyDeleteSo exciting, can't wait to hear how successful it was!! and it will be!
xo,
LuLu
Breathe. You'll do great. I laughed out loud at the Girl Scout cookie remark. I too was that girl. I guess I still am that girl. Few want to buy the things I peddle, and yet I still create...and at times ask why? I just read an archived post by The Nester which was helpful http://nestingplacenc.blogspot.com/2009/03/thoughts-on-crafting.html You're incredibly creative and I pray that the trunk show will be romantic, profitable, and fun for you!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Beth
Everything will be fine, in fact it will be fantastic!!!! Can't wait to hear all about it.
ReplyDeleteRepeat after me....It is easy....Life is easy....Life is suppose to be easy....
ReplyDeleteAnd it is...don't throw road blocks up. You are amazing. Your art is amazing...this trunk show...a piece of cake....
xoxoxox
Penny
I could have written this post myself! I have a trunk show next week! So I guess that goes to show that everyone there is probably having the same panic attack......thanks for posting....now I actually feel a bit better! You'll do amazing!
ReplyDeleteI feel your pain! You'll do great, cuz everything you create is so wonderful! Good luck!
ReplyDeleteYour pieces are amazing and inspiring! I LOVE them, and would swoon over them at a truck show. You will be amazed when you get there, that there is no more pressure "to create". Just try to breathe in between now and then. :)
ReplyDeleteBetter yet...ask yourself WHAT IF YOU DO ?!!! What if you do sell everything ? And you DO RECOVER ALL YOUR MONEY ? aND MAKE TONS MORE...AND ARE THE NEXT MARTHA STEWART ?
ReplyDeleteANYTHING is possible....
anything...
There is always a BEGINNING...ALWAYS...
BELIEVE...HAVE FAITH...
YOU ARE AWESOME.
I love your work, all these other ladies love your work, we can't ALL be wrong, now can we?
ReplyDeleteDeep breaths! I hope it's all you've ever dreamed of!
Good Luck!
gail
Let's see, I think Rembrandt, Picasso, and Van Gogh probably all felt just like you. OK, maybe we shouldn't use Van Gogh as an example. I think he had way more anxiety than you. And the sympathy sales I hear are really super this time of year!
ReplyDeleteYou are a hugely talented nut, and you will blow them away!!!!
I promise.
Debra
I believe in you! You'll do great. :)
ReplyDeletehow many people follow ur blog..people like your stuff lol u do good work!Dont be overcome! thing good thoughts!
ReplyDeleteNot even sure what a trunk show is, but I sure wish I could be there to check out your stuff!! I really enjoy looking at all the fun and creative things you do!!Good luck and enjoy just doing something that you love.
ReplyDeleteIts scary as hell- I've been there. And I've also sat in the car and did that crazy crying/laughing thing when it was over because a) It was done and b) I had a huge wad of cash in my hand.
ReplyDeleteJUST ROCK IT, GIRL! Can't wait to hear how it goes!!!
OMIGOSH, get out of my head!!!
ReplyDeleteYou sound exactly like me and what I'm going through right now. You'll be just fine, I'll be fine, we'll both be better than fine, actually!
Good luck and much success!
XOXO,
Anne
Even I still go through that nervousness, after four years of doing shows!!! I think the last time we ate at the kitchen table was a couple of months ago!!! You are so talented, you will do great! Believe in yourself, it will make a BIG difference!!!
ReplyDeleteIsabel
You will ROCK!!!!
ReplyDeleteDon't doubt yourself!
Just get out there and get your sell on!!!
You'll do great! I just did my first antique fair in August and I felt the same way. I had visions of nothing selling or everything selling the first day and not having anything for the second day. My house was also a wreck and I was up late every night getting ready for it. We had a lot of rain and it was a lot of work, but I sold over $1000 worth of antiques & my hand painted furniture. Well worth the stress, mess, and hard work.
ReplyDeleteDo you have any idea how awesome you are? You are! You are! You are!
ReplyDeleteWhen you have doubts, know you have 100's of cheerleaders right here knowing how talented you are, and waiting to hear the details :0)
No worries! Now go Have fun!
i sure wish i was in front of you right now.....i would slap that nonsense right out of you.
ReplyDeleteyou are going to do great.
I wouldn't miss it for the world!!
xoxoxo
I have NEVER been able to sell anything I've made. I've gotten estimates of $300 on some of my paintings, and I end up selling them for $80 and wondering if I should have GIVEN it away.
ReplyDeleteI couldn't sell fire to a caveman.
OMG Jen, I think we were separated at BIRTH! Seriously, I've had IBS for weeks over the same thing! Please keep in touch with your progress. Oh, and you have one up on me - you are ten thousand times more talented than I will ever be and if I could I'd hop on a plane and scoop everything up before anyone else even had a shot! Kim
ReplyDeleteIf you make it they will come. You will have a successful trunk show. My first trunk show was held over 20 years ago and I still remember how nervous I was. It was a huge success and I have had several more since then. You will be a success! Sea Witch
ReplyDeleteGirlfriend, take a deep breath....relax, exhale, it will all be ok. If we didn't take these plunges and put ourselves out there we would be sitting thinking of all the what if's in that arena too...so take it all in, and what you don't sell list on etsy for all of us! :) big ole hugs~
ReplyDeleteUmmm, lots of readers loving your stuff...why would it be any different at a trunk show? You'll do great. And, if you don't, if this show isn't right for you, put it all on your esty site. We'll buy it.
ReplyDeleteWhen is the "trunk show"?
ReplyDeleteYou will do great! Did you know that when I first was putting things up on Esty a year or more ago I thought I was going to throw up...throw up! I was so nervous and wondering how my things would be received.
ReplyDeleteYou have cool stuff, it will be loved. Just don't be upset if it doesn't all sell, you shouldn't expect it to all go at one sale. Thats how you build inventory, making stuff up for one sale after another, with things leftover from each one adding up.
ReplyDeleteI've gone to shows and sold almost nothing, because I was in the wrong place, wrong time. Sometimes it takes a few shows under your belt to find the right venue.
So, they aren't always great, but each is a learning experiance for the next. And some are LOADS of money!!
good luck!
You.Can.Do.It. Hope the panic is subsiding. :)
ReplyDeleteI do this too during craft show season!! I hope everything went great!
ReplyDeleteShawna