Portland Craftlandia

Since before we moved to Portland I have been looking forward to living in the land where crafts and handmade stuff is embraced to the max. 

It took a few months to get settled here but was finally feeling ready to jump into a (small) craft show. I started looking for something in my area, but turns out I was a little late. 

All the awesomeness seems to happen in the summer. And since summer is here, that meant I missed all the application deadlines. There I go not really thinking ahead.

This is the one I really wanted to start with... close to home, short, easy enough for a little crafter like me.

 Bad news for me, the event was full. Sad.

Turns out this week was my lucky week, and also a little unlucky but I'll get to that in a minute.

24 hours in advance of this weeks event I got an offer to fill a vendors space that had cancelled. Yippeeeee, jumped all over it. Now I had 24 hours to find all my craft show stuff ....my inventory, tables, signs, get help setting up, make a bunch of last minute stuff and stress out because that is just how I roll and get moving.

With the help of my husband (rummaging through our storage unit to find my craft show stuff), 

my brother (showing up right at setup time to help me unload and have Starbucks with me),

and all my supportive local fans that stopped by to entertain me, support me, and give me some company for a bit I did it!

I ended up even getting a slightly discounted spot (awesome) for having to be in the sun (double awesome), I guess Portlanders do not like the sunny spots, I was in heaven. 

Maybe the discount was due to the fact that I was IN THE SPEAKERS. When the lunchtime band started, youch. I couldn't hear anything for the rest of the day.

My pic at the show, yep that's me with no canopy in full sun.

Arts on Main - 7/25/12
My Table

Arts on Main - 7/25/12
Cuteness watching the lunchtime band. 

Some of my more popular items, bike and coffee related... surprised?

Cell Phone Wallet/Clutch - Orange Bicycles - $18

iPad Case - Cafe Au Lait - $20

Card Wallet - Pink Bike - $7

 All in all it was a good show, a good time, and a perfect day for it.

Oh, except for the not so perfect part I was going to tell you about.

Even though I live 8 short, very walkable blocks from this event, I had to drive to bring all my stuff. So that meant I had to park. Which apparently means I had a 50-50 chance of doing something wrong and getting a ticket. I was in the unfortunate 50%.

I intentionally checked on my car about half way through the day. Ended up missing the guy that ticketed me by 7 minutes.  When I got to my car at the end of the day and saw the little yellow thing on my windshield I was feeling very discouraged. I just participated in the most expensive craft show ever and was going home with negative balance. 

Oh well. Live and learn right?

Well no, because I had plenty of time left on the meter so what gives? I got in my car, opened it up and happy day - it wasn't a parking ticket! 

My front license plate (yes this is required in Oregon) had fallen off. Whew -- it is fixable! So, I fixed it. No wait, my husband fixed it. I went to court. Contested it. And now, victory - ticket has been dismissed 24 hours later. That, to me, is considerably equal to the success of the craft show. 

So, two firsts in Portland this week, went to court and participated in craft show. check and check.

Thank you to all of my supporters and helpers. I am hoping for another spot to open up so I can participate in next weeks show too. Except this time, with my license plate attached to the front of my car!