Today was Spanish Market and with it came with some results we expected, as well as a few we didn't.
After staying up until after 1 a.m. this morning, we woke up at 5 in order to make it to the Heard Museum by 6:45 for a TV segment. We hustled our butts out of the house, art in tow, and arrived right on time. We waited at our booth and nothing. Come to find out the camera crew was waiting for us at the opposite end of the building. We missed the first segment. But all was well because another artist was there and was able to be featured instead. Their work was beautiful and they deserved to have it beamed out to the city. The second segment went perfect.
We finishing setting up the booth and then Patrick went home to pick up the larger items - including two barstools I made last night. Every year at this event we have two or three of them and they go as soon as we put them out.
Every year I think "Next year I'm going to make 12 barstools!" - and then I forget. I was reminded of that today when Patrick sat out the two barstools and they were snatched up in seconds.
Next year I am going to make 12 barstools!
As far as the show, we expected it to be a bit slower than previous years and we were right. Sales were still very brisk, but the crowd was thinner. Jewelry and ornaments were BIG sellers!
Every year I like to use a new material in our art than pervious years. I played with some air-dry clay that dries to a foam-like surface and I made all kinds of cool 3D tattoo heart designs on ornaments, crosses, and earrings. Some of the crosses had polymer clay, others the foam stuff. People were poking at both types all day, trying to figure out what they were made of. Finally not one - but TWO of my polymer clay crosses broke from people handling and picking at them, comparing the texture to the foam version. I was bummed because that was a chunk of merch that could have sold, but live and learn. I'll give them some TLC reconstructive surgery later.
That was all before lunch. I wasn't in a bad mood, just a little burnt from lack of sleep, the smaller crowd, and the busted crosses. I thought a break would be a good refresher. I took Maya with me to get lunch, while Patrick and DeAngelo manned the booth.
On our way, we stopped at a red light and saw a huge rally of people with glittery signs that said "Honk if you believe in equal rights!" I honked and honked. Maya waved her hands over her head. The sign people showed their appreciation by waving their hands at us and yelling what seemed like "THANK YOU" over and over. All of them! We couldn't hear exactly what they yelled back because the radio was on, but it looked upbeat. We gleefully waved and honked back and gave them two thumbs up, plus peace signs.
We're tooling down the street and I see smoke coming from our 4Runner. It dawned on me that the happy rally folks were likely trying to tell me that, and I gave them the peace sign...
We pulled into Tokyo Express and the car flat-out died. At least we were still able to order our Teriyaki chicken! My sister came, picked us up, took us back to the Market, and then picked up/dropped Patrick off at the car. His diagnosis: Unfixable. In between working the booth, we finagled having it towed to the shop.
I'm thinking the poor thing gave up. It is a 95 4Runner with 200,000 miles. It's paid off and our car insurance is way-cheap. Yup, we were holding on to that baby as long as we could.
So there we were at Spanish Market. Slower-than-usual sales, knowing we will have to make a large auto purchase in the next few days. I told Patrick we had to stay in the moment and focus on having a good show, talking with all the great people who came to see us, and enjoying the time with the kids. That's exactly what we did.
At one point, out of the blue Maya asks me: "Mom, can you rap?"
ME: "Huh?"
MAYA: "Can you spit some rhymes?" She turns to Patrick and says, "Daddy, give her a beat..."
Patrick then starts playing bongos on the chair and looks at me as if I will hop up on our art table and break into a dance number right there and then. Can you say High School Musical overload in our house??? I think so!
Theresa (bless her heart) offered to give us a ride home. While we waited for her by the parking lot, I saw a big luscious hill of green, green, green grass. Every-other year of SM, I roll down that hill. It's a great stress reliever. Today was one of those days. I got to the bottom of the hill, chubby bod intact, all dizzy and feeling all irie and cool, when I opened my eyes. To my HORROR I see BOTH kids filming me with their cell phones. DeAngelo took the front view and Maya the rear (literally).
We're home now. I had planned on making a batch of fabric collage pillows for tomorrow, but I really just want to fall into bed. I'll do my best to wake up at 5 to get them done. We planned on taking the bus to the Heard tomorrow but Patrick's mom offered us a ride. We'll deal with a rental car Monday to get through the week. We haven't bought a car in ages. I'm scared! Our 4Runner treated us so kind over the years!
Despite the few set backs, we did have a totally rockin' day. Family came out to see us, as did friends from long ago, we did pretty decent in sales after all, and we had goofy stories to recount tonight while eating our delivered pizza.
My advice: If you ever get a chance to roll down a grassy hill, go for it!
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