10 Things We Learned At The Farm Chicks Show 2011

#1 – Taking on a big project like this one is best done as a team. Diane and I have worked for six months to make sure this show was a success. Our hard work paid off.

We did it!

#2 – It is nothing short of a miracle that these wildly creative and talented vendors can set up these fabulous display and storefronts in just nine hours that we have in the halls on the Friday before the show.

#3 – Although we can do most things we do without the help of our husbands (schlep furniture all over the place, paint, drill, repair)—we could NOT have pulled this “Adventure” off without the help of our husbands—Mike and Craig.

Craig took our idea of a large mason jar lamp hanging fixture and made it happen. Although this didn’t sell, it sure got a LOT of attention at the show. Many people took photos of it and are probably saying something like this to their husbands "Honey, do you think you could make something liked this?….”

#4 – We know that it is possible to turn a taped off 10 foot x 10 foot space into an inviting place to shop in just 9 hours, even when it’s your very first antique show.

#5 – We could have brought about a dozen of these coffeee and potato sack chairs to the show to sell. Not only did the three we brought sell quickly, but everyone was stopping to look at the once they boasted their little red “sold” tags.

#6 – Rearranging your booth and shaking things up on the second day of the show will serve you well. Some shoppers come both Saturday and Sunday. If they visit your booth the second day, it’s good to have some new items and a different display.

#7 – Being there to here the sweet stories from your customers is priceless. A couple from California bought this sweet Davy Crockett case. They planned to give it to their 27 year old son. Turns out he used to sing the “Davy Crockett” song every tie they drove to their weekend home. They loved the memory.

The really old baseball milt and ball? A woman picked it up to look at it and saw that it had “Mo” on it. That was her husband’s nickname as a child and she just knew it had to be a Father's Day gift for him. Isn’t this what antique and vintage items are really all about? Evoking a memory or a feeling from our past.

Sweet.

#8 – Having great bags for your customers to bring their treasures home in is such a nice touch. A few people bought small items “just so they could get a bag”. Thanks to Diane for cutting, pasting and stamping for hours to end up with these one-of-kind dress form bags fir for a princess or queen.

#9 – It really helps to have a nice sturdy chair like this red one. It ended up doubling as a ladder when we needed to get a lamp down, check a price on an item that was high or sit down for a spell during a very brief lull in the shopping (our booth was almost always occupied with customers).

#10 – There is nothing like “being there” when a customer finds a treasure that they just can’t live without. This dress form went home with a beautiful young woman named Taylor. The look of pride as she carried it away was a sight to behold. We just know that she will cherish this original piece of art we created for years to come. It was simply “love at first sight” when she laid eyes on Amellie Saturday.

It’s good to have a dream.

Stretching yourself to new limits is a LOT of work, but oh so rewarding in the end.

If you’re thinking about doing something like this—take the next step. You won’t be sorry.

Thanks again for following along with me on this journey.

Until the next one…

Have a great day.

Cori