wrapping it all up

i don't even know how to begin to sum up our experience at lilburn daze.  such a small event, but i feel like the Lord taught me alot through it.  everyone wants to know how we did financially-what's the bottom-line.  (and they probably want to know because i kept asking people to pray that things would sell!)  we definitely broke even.  jon sold 6 paintings there and 6 to his parents.  (got to love parental support.)  the pendants-which i did not enjoy making, were a smashing success.

the best part though was the shift in my heart a few days before.  i sensed the Lord reminding me that life isn't all about making money.  yeah, it's necessary, but not central.  so, my heart's desire shifted from selling to loving people.  and it was a great day.  we had a very angry woman in the booth next to ours.  listening to the way she talked to those working with her in the predawn morning made me yearn to be kinder to everyone--even when i'm stressed.  the wind was probably the most stressful aspect of the day.  the paintings kept flying off.  lovely.  "come to our booth where you'll get knocked in the head!"  nice.  jon came to the rescue with his drill and some zip strips and magically attached the paintings.  i was very thankful.

i think that about sums it up.  a good day with my hubby.  a good start to selling his paintings.  and an end to the making of napkins for me!  (i made 70 sets-sold 4!)  thank you all for your encouragement and prayers.

and we'll have more exciting news about jon's art soon....

and the winner is....

(chosen randomly of course)

becky kicklighter!!  congrats friend...just get in touch with me to pick your painting.

because i'm so thankful for everyone's help, i picked TWO MORE winners.  so melanie z.  and lubee (aka my lil' sis), you guys can choose a necklace or some napkins.

thank you all.  i'll post later today about the whole experience.

the big day

lilburn daze is, oh 11 hours or so away from starting.  we have to be there at 6:30am to set up...which should be totally illegal.  i think we've got most everything mapped out as far as the set-up goes.  and now, i'm tired and antsy.  it's the same feeling that i used to get the night before summer camp.  excited.  nervous.  anxious to know what was going to happen.  how was it all going to play out.

i want to thank all of you for giving us so much feedback and help in this little journey of ours.  if you get this tonight or on saturday, feel free to pray that we would be able to connect with people and love them well without selfish desire for our own gain.  that's where i want my heart to be.

i'm off to (hopefully) sleep!

what would you pay-round two!

we are hitting the home stretch...it is like cramming for finals with kids in tow.  good grief!  lilburn daze is a week away.  and when it is done, i will blog about fun things again...like abby's first bike, the fair, jon and my trip to six flags.  the possibilities are endless.  but for now, i need your help again.

so, i've made scrabble tile pendant necklaces/bookmarks/zipper pulls...whatever you want to use them for.  i'm going to include a pendant and some pretty ribbon (for a necklace) OR a pendant and a dainty key ring circle so that you could attach it to a zipper pull.  my question for you is simple, what would you pay?  i'm just asking now about the kid themed necklaces...

how much would YOU pay??

okay, for those of you who have forgotten (because my blogging hasn't been remotely consistent lately OR maybe it's because lilburn daze isn't first and foremost on your mind...we have 19 days left!?!?!), please chime in with your feedback.  jon said tonight that he would paint a custom painting for the winner of the random drawing from those giving feedback.  so, each time you chime in, your name goes in the hat.  and if you think, i don't want a kids painting, no worries, my hubby has painted some gorgeous landscapes as well.  

so the name of tonight's game is what would you pay?

the key here is YOU.  not what you think they would sell for, not what your momma would spend, not what you think they worth, but if you were walking by these, what would make you say, "yes, that's great, i'll buy these."  all napkins are square and all are flannel fabric.

here we go...

exhibit A:  set of four different boy or girl themed, 9 inch napkins.

exhibit B:  a set of 4 college team sport (don't get hung up on the UGA, it's just jon's favorite), 10 inch napkins

exhibit C:  a set of 4 adult themed, 10 inch napkins

exhibit D:  a set of 5 cocktail style, 7 inch napkins

exhibit E:  a set of 4 (all the same) girl or boy themed, 9 inch napkins 

so, in your response, you can just go:

A:  $

B: $

C: $

you get the picture.  THANKS!  you guys are helping more than you will ever know!!!

more napkin questions

you guys are the best!  thanks for all of your feedback about napkin colors (feel free to keep it coming.)  remember, at the end of all of this lilburn daze madness, someone is going to get a lovely gift.

for everyone that wants to help the munchkins in their life reduce waste, i am going to make kid friendly napkins.  we have started using these at lunch, and abby loves pulling out her strawberry shortcake napkins.

so, here's my question for you, what kind of kid-friendly napkin pattern/color/character would you buy or would you think might sell?

here are some pictures too of abby's napkin and what the hem on all the napkins will look like (the color of the hem can vary and it's a rolled hem on the serger for those seamstresses out there.)  let me apologize ahead of time, i need photography classes...these pictures will testify to that truth!

help!!

okay, two seconds of your time.  if you were buying cloth napkins for your home, what color(s) would you want?  

editor's note...could you be specific too?  like what shade of blue?  what do you consider a neutral?  these things will help tremendously!  i know, i'm so picky!

christmas in august?

this is my husband after the shipment of canvases arrived.  

now if we can just get some of these painted before october 11th.

opinions wanted...no, opinions NEEDED!

in the next two months, i'm going to start some craftiness in preparation for the lilburn daze festival.  jon and i are clueless though about all of it.  what should we make?  what should we charge for what we do make?  the list goes on and on.

we decided that you guys would be a great test audience.  so, this is me pleading.  on bended knee.  would you please please please give us some simple feedback over the next two months? it would help us tremendously.  and maybe we could even get a contest in here?  for every comment you leave, you get your name entered into a hat.  after the festival is over, we'll draw a name and let you choose something from our craft list for your very own.  does that sound like fair compensation for your efforts?

so my question for today is this...scrabble tile pendants, have you seen them?  do you like them?  would you buy them?  would you buy them if they were cutesy for a child?

(note: we didn't make this, it's just off of our beloved etsy.)

another giveaway!!

editor's note (that's me)...we don't need a name after all.  so, just consider this interesting info about our lives.

well, giveaway might be a bit of a stretch...how about an exchange?  jon and i have decided to partcipate in a local craft festival called lilburn daze.  he is going to sell his children's paintings... 

and i am going to try and sell some of these baggie bolsters.
i have also thought about selling cloth napkins in kid and adult fabrics.

so here's where you come in.  we need a name for our "organization or business."  and both of us are fresh out of creative ideas.  give me a name that we choose, i'll give you a prize.  and it will be good.  promise.