Let the Feast Begin!

Today is the day, and I am ready. I think. I hope.

 And if Friday was any indication, I should do pretty well.

Friday was School Day and close to 3,000 students from across the state flooded the grounds to see living history. I did not plan to open my tent and sell - I'd volunteered to work registration and get all those kiddos into the park. I would open later in the day when my shift was over.

Craig and Kyle, a friend of ours, had come out to help me open the heavy flaps of my tent and fasten them back, assemble my portable clothes rack, and tighten the main clothes rack which had a distinct lean to it after I tried. (Durn arthritis!)

I thought that Craig and Kyle would walk around and see the various open tents first, but they thought I wanted those things done right away and that I planned to sell and present to the kids. (And in their defense, I never told them when to do it - I just asked for help. Their assumption was reasonable.)

Midway through my volunteer shift I got a text from Craig. "When are you coming? I've given two tours to kids already but I'm not sure what you were planning to say so I'm winging it."

What?? I sent a brief response, "Close the tent! I'm not giving tours!" but due to spotty WIFI in the park, he never got it. I hustled down as soon as my volunteer shift was over and found that Craig and Kyle were doing a great job and that I need not have worried. (What a relief! I really did have a moment of panic when I got that text.)

Teacher Daughter Lisa was there with her students. She brought them through and then ended up eating lunch with us.

She and Kyle discovered where the maple sugar candy tent was and went and got me a few pieces. (Oh, how I love maple sugar candy!)

My first sale - since I did not have a mirror, I took this lady's picture so she could see how this short gown fit. Another woman came in and bought the Garsault bedgown and a petticoat. Then two women came in and bought four pieces of block print fabric, a tea towel was purchased by a teacher there with his students, and the blackened beeswax ornaments were big sellers.

We did have one ouchie incident - a girl looking at the pin pillows squeezed one of them and the pins came through the back side and poked her hand. 

I felt kind of bad - I'd even used appliqué pins since they are much shorter than normal pins so that they wouldn't poke through the back. Now I know that they will if the pin pillow is squeezed. 

Around 2:00 the grounds cleared of all the kids. I was happy with my sales but also was wondering if I had enough merchandise for the weekend - I am a one woman sewist and I hope I have enough things to keep folks interested and coming in and looking around. 

Time will tell, and being low on inventory because your sales were good isn't a bad thing. The weather is going to be beautiful and all will be well.

Wish me luck - time to start getting those pocket hoops, my cap, caraco jacket, and petticoat on and head out to the fort.