Of Craft Shows

Well, sort of craft shows.

I'm in the process of getting ready for the very first "non-anime" thing I've vended at. Ever. Which is really frightening.

We'll be vending at the South Milwaukee Downtown Market tomorrow, which is in (aptly enough) South Milwaukee, Wisconsin. {link to more info}

It is such a weird feeling, though. As I've said, we've never vended anywhere but conventions before, and I have next to no idea what to expect. Not to mention, South Milwaukee is indeed my home town, and I know what the people around there are expecting - suffice to say, my stuffs will be "out of the ordinary" to say the least.

And, it may even be that, even if there is interest in my stuff, no one may be willing to pay more than $5 for much of anything. It's that kind of town - I can't quite describe it, but the value on handmade, unique or artisan is very low. It's not like everyone is poor or anything like that, but the city is the epitome of Midwestern blue-collar, and art always seems to take a back seat, as far as I've ever experienced at least.

I guess I'm rambling here to try to boost myself up a bit, and steel myself for the worst reception possible - sometimes, as an artist, you need to do that. Or, at least, I do.

I know that my products are good. I know that they're very well made. I know that my pricing is competitive or lower than even lower-quality products. But, I also know that times are tough all around, and that there may or may not be a good reception (or, any reception) to my pieces because they are not... well, standard craft-show fare.

But, it's good to take chances.

It's good to do something different.

Risk is everything, as my husband would say.

That doesn't just apply to the world of theatre, too, I'm starting to learn - taking risks is what makes successes so much greater, and failures easier to cope with, because you realize that you were willing to take that risk, and that there are others out there who would be scared away by it.

I'm not that easy to frighten, though (or so I'd like to think)

So, long story short, if you're in the Milwaukee area with nothing better to do tomorrow eve, and want to drive out to the southern burbs, come stop by and say "hi!"

I'll have a lot of my kimono jewelry there, all of the new Steampunk lily jewelry, and perhaps some other things such as corsets and cocktail hats, just for the heck of it!