The final day of the Made in NH Expo 2017 was full of tradition, a shuffle, a parade, revelers, and all participating in Manchester's local happenings. Clark came to support his daughter, Laurel, in the Shamrock Shuffle and was dressed to the "kilt" and I want to thank them both for allowing me to take this wonderful photo. I'm sure they'll be surprised to be the main pic for my blog. Thank you Laurel and Clark!
My first sale of the day was another great couple, Kylie and Miles. It made me feel pretty good when they came back to me after checking out the expo and bought this curly maple heart with an abalam heart inlay. Abalam is abalone glued in thin epoxy layers and sold in small sheets and is very beautiful. Thank you Kylie and Miles!
Stacy's mom wanted to brighten her day by purchasing a heart for her, another curly maple with abalam. That would brighten my day. Stacy was a good sport and came back to my booth to let me take her picture. Thanks Stacy!
I love how this backpack looks on Kathy's back! It's one of my favorites (is anything not?) and it came out so well and sturdy. The material, outside and inside, is a strong thickness to support the weight a larger backpack like this might hold. Thanks Kathy for letting me take a picture of your back, ha ha!
Heidi and I worked together to complete her purchases at the expo with gift bags of mine to put them in. I make different lengths and knots in the cords that are the drawstrings on my bags and usually they very easily can be shortened and knotted differently. So, she chose the bags and showed me on another bag what she wanted duplicated on her cords, she walked through the expo and in about 30 minutes, she was leaving with her purchase. Thank you so much Heidi for giving me the chance to fix what you wanted.
Kris bought a few items including my decorated little ornament gourd. I make full-size birdhouse gourd arrangements for the holidays and I wanted to stir up some interest in them by using the ornament gourds in my samples for the vendor bags/baskets distributed in the expos marketing campaign. Thanks Kris!
I made my sample bags with as much variety as I could. Each had 4 different fabrics comprising the outside pieces and linings.
The gourds were a variety of shapes. I practically laugh when I look at them they're so cute.
Drew bought Emilie this bag, bright green velvet on the outside and navy velvet on the inside. It feels special inside and out. I try for the most part to make the bags feel special to reach into, sometimes maybe satiny and in this case velvety. She used it at the expo to put a few items in as she walked around. Thanks Drew and Emilie!
John, Ann and Cheryl Lee
Ann came to my table and walked away, thinking to myself that she didn't care for my items, only to come back in a few minutes with John and Cheryl Lee. She had a specific size bag in mind that she needed for just a few things and we rigged the cord to go around her wrist (light bulb for me!). I love the bag with it's clear heart beading at the bottom. Cheryl Lee bought my last large rosewood heart with curly maple inlay heart and a rustic "love" dremeled and painted red. After finishing those hearts, they developed a slight curve which is a great looking effect. Thanks guys!
Heidi was my last sale of the day and as she gives me the thumbs up I would send it right back at her for the truly fantastic Expo with all the Exhibitors, Entertainers, all the Extras that seemingly goes off without a hitch (there's a knack to that) and to sign off saying how proud I am to be in the expo and to say you never know what you may see.....interesting!
Thanks Renee and Sage!
