The Campaign For Creativity To Banish Negativity- Year 4: My Big Fat Holiday Craft Fair

I think November might be about being over the top. A feast. A harvest. It goes beyond Thanksgiving which is the celebration of the harvest, but really it can be an over the top dinner. A celebration of abundance. I have several friends who are doing over the top activties in abundance this month. One friend is writing her first novel in a month. Another is running her first marathon. These are just a couple of examples. These people are buzzing with energy and full of life. They are doing things they never thought they would be doing, and it's amped up. It's exciting to talk to them. This week I found myself on this on amped up, out the comfort zone band wagon right along with them.

It started simply enough by seeing a posting for a Holiday Craft Fair. It was easy to sign up. All the sponsors wanted is a small fee for the table and I would get to keep the profits. I make lots of things that I've often wanted to try to sell at a fair. Well, taking a cue from my amped up friends, it was time to step out of my comfort zone and do a craft fair. Once I signed up for the fair, I thought, "I have to get some inventory going." I had ten days. Piece of cake. With focus, I could do this.

At first, I had trouble deciding what to make. I has at least ten ideas of what I could make to sell. I wanted to make them all. Then I thought about it. I didn't want my table looking like Granny cleaning out her craft closet. I wanted to sell something unique and fun. Besides I only had ten days to my inventory up to a level that would make the fair worth my time. Focus. Focus. Focus. I decided to create two of my favorite items. These cool Pyramid Evening bags and Hand knitted Cyclist Earmuffs. I merrily went on my way to create these items. I wanted to use materials I had in my huge stash of stuff. I knew that I was going to be sewing and knitting like mad for the next ten days.
I soon discovered that there is more than just inventory to selling at a craft fair. I needed display, signs, cards, lunch, cash, etc. Whew! I also found myself caught up in the "What if no one likes my stuff? What if I'm not making the colors people like? What if I don't sell my stuff? Selling my stuff is scary." Those thoughts pulled me to a complete stop. I lost valuable time and caused myself stress with all the fortune telling and trying to predict the future. Man, that's the quickiest way to lose the creative spark. I finally imagine that I was making these items to give away. To people I care about, people I love. Sure they would be giving me money for these items, that didn't matter. Focus on the love of creating and the joy of setting these items out into the world. It got me going again. Soon I was thinking and seeing people coming to the table and purchasing everything.

The bags are easy to make. And I enjoy dressing them up. So, I went overboard. (well, it's my harvest and it is Thanksgiving time.) I have over 25 Pyramid Bags and 8 pairs of earmuffs to sell on Saturday. I have an abundance of items. I have an abandance of creativity and ideas.
This was a complete creative project for me. It's more than just the items, it's an event. I'm stoked. I'm energized, and I'm full of life.
If you are interested in seeing or purchasing my bags or ear muffs, I'll be at the Reedway Friends Church at SE 28th and Steele from 10 am to 5 pm. I'll be there with my friend Kim, who is selling wonderful jewelry (they go great with the Pyramid Bags). I guess I could say the Campaign is going on the road. I'm takin' it to the streets (or The Reedway Friends Church).

Hand knitted Cyclist Earmuffs.