Autumn, Football and Craft Shows, Part II

Helllooo Fabulous Friends!

It seems we are getting a bit of a taste of fall her in south Louisiana. We had lows in the low 60's this morning and a high in the low 80's. Quite different from our usual fare. When my family went to church this morning, dd and I each brought a sweater anticipating a cool sanctuary. Turns out we didn’t need them but we were prepared anyway.

Football .... aarrggghhh. Don’t get me started. My favorite team has definitely had a rough start to the year compared to the last few years. It is heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, and maddening all at the same time. Ever feel like that when watching something happen that is so disappointing and you can do nothing to help it? Well it happens in real life as well as football. Then you have those gloruius moments when you want to jump and and down and squeal! LOL

That has kind of been my last week. Disappointed over a turn of events related to a business thing we attended, I had the same feelings then as I did over my favorite football team. In the middle of this event there was nothing I could do to stop what was going on. The bright spot is that I learned some questions to ask to help prevent this in the future. I have made a mental and written list so I can better prepare.

On a much brighter note, we attended an arts and crafts show at Shadows on the Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana, and had a booth there for our wares ... travertine coasters, trivets, plaques. It was absolutely an awesome Saturday there. A front came through during the week making room for cooler weather. Weather-wise it was perfect.

We had never attended this arts and crafts show, even as shoppers. We were so thrilled to meet so many gracious people, shoppers and other vendors as well. It was one of the most smoothly run shows we have been to. Those who visited our booth were so complimentary and gracious to us about our products. Many made purchases and financially we had a great day. We are so thankful to those who support artists and crafters and their handcrafted goodies. I always feel like I am taking home a little love when I bring home a handcrafted item.

Our next stop is the Slidell Newcomers Club in Slidell, LA. I hope you will come out and see is if you are in the area. This is our first time to attend and hope to meet many new friends from the area. Here are some important details ....
Dates: 10/11 & 10/12
Times: Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday 11:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Location: Northshore Harbor Center
100 Harbor Center Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70461
Slidell Newcomers Craft Show website ... click here.

Make plans to come see and introduce yourself. We would love to meet you!

I just want to finish on this note. I am just so grateful for all the blessings God has given us in our life. Here are a few of the things I am grateful for.....
~ a family ... not so perfect but we love each other anyway
~ a love for making what the crafts I make
~ others who are willing to buy from us
~ a God who loves us even when we mess up royally!

God bless,
Cindy

985-381-3154
customcoastersbycindy@comcast.net
For my facebook page, click here.
For my website, click here.

Autumn, Football, and Craft Shows

Hello Fabulous Friends,

I hope you are noticing cooler autumn temps where you live. It does set the pace for enjoyable days and nights when we have cooler weather. The change of seasons can also add spring to our step! Down here in south Louisiana we have noticed our highs are edging out of the 90's and are now only in the (high) 80's. :\ Autumn cannot come soon enough for me! I love opening our windows during the day so our home can air out and we enjoy hearing the wind rustle the leaves.

The fall season also means fall festivals, craft show and fairs and football. My favorite team had an awful showing yesterday. I try to allow only 24 hours of mourning, disappointment, and anger. At this writing it has been about 24 hours since the slaughter began so I am officially moving on! :D If you are a football fan I hope your team had a better showing!

Now on to happier topics, like craft shows. I was a vendor at a craft show this past weekend. We had the opportunity to meet some other wonderful vendors, all of whom had awesome handcrafted items for sale. We got to look over their wares, ooh and aah, and even purchase--or at least we promised to look at their website in coming days. We know we will meet down the road at future crafts shows.

I am looking forward to my next show at Shadows on the Teche in New Iberia, Louisiana. It is a Site of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. There will be about 100 arts and crafts booths with handcrafted items for sale, kids' games, tours of the plantation home, and concessions. I know we will get to see two fellow vendors that we have worked with before. One of our neighbors this past weekend will be at Shadows, Polished Peacock. Another fellow vendor, Michael’s Pickles, will be there. My dh’s new favorite pickles are the sweet and spicey by Michael’s Pickels.



The hours for the event are 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. This is a marvelous opportunity to take a day trip. There will be something for everyone. You can even be home in time to watch LSU and Auburn play on Saturday evening. This link gives some pertinent information for those wanting to attend. Click here.

Here is what you need to find Shadows on the Teche:

317 East Main Street
New Iberia, LA
337-369-6446
Shadows on the Teche website
Shadows on the Teche Facebook

I hope to see you down the road!

Blessings,
Cindy

Upgrades and Newbies

Hello Fabulous Friends!!

I am so glad you stopped by today! The calendar says it's almost autumn but by our weather here in coastal Louisiana it is still summer! Ugh. However we are blessed that the hurricane season has been non-existant in the Gulf of Mexico. We are thankful God has protected us down here!

Today we had a work day for our booth ... but at the house. We have a new booth arrangement and upgraded look so we needed new photos. (Most show organizers or juries require photos not only of the crafter's work but also one or more of the booth.) We had a prediction of a 50% chance of rain for this afternoon. Fortunately we beat the rain! Between the black table covers and the honey-colored panels in the background, it is reminiscent of our beloved Saints' black and gold. I didn't start out planning it that way but that is how it came out. I hope you like it. I am picturing it below.



Here is our old configuration ...


We believe it is an improvement but will fondly remember what we started with.

And now on to the newbies. The newbies include my facebook page and some craft show this fall that I have not been to before.

At my facebook page, I started something new today. I have begun a Featured Product of the Day. The featured product may be a new design or it could be one that has been on the back of my creatino station for a while. Sometimes it will be a coaster design and sometimes you find a trivet, plaque or card set featured. Here is today's Featured Product of the Day ...



Sentiment Reads:

Delight yourself in the Lord and He will give you the desires of your heart. (Psalm 37:4)

I have some craft shows coming up hope to see some of you on the road. Here is my schedule:
Sept. 27-28, Mandeville Craft Show (new for us this fall)
10:00 AM - 5:00 PM
Mandeville Lions Hall
720 Lafitte Street in Old Mandeville
Mandeville, LA

Oct. 4, Shadows on the Teche (new for us this fall)
9:00 AM - 4:00 PM
317 E. Main Street 70560
New Iberia, LA 70560

Oct. 11-12, Sell-A-Bration Aats & Crafts (new for us this fall)
Slidell Newcomers Club
Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Sunday, 11:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Located at:
Northshore Harbor Center
100 Harbor Center Blvd.
Slidell, LA 70461

Oct. 25-26, Poche Plantation (new for us this fall)
(This event is one of two events replacing Oak Alley.)
Saturday & Sunday, 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM
6554 Louisiana State Highway 44
Convent, Louisiana
Admission Charge

Nov. 1, Southdown Marketplace @ Southdown Museum
Saturday 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM
Houma, LA
Admission Charge

Nov. 8, Thibodeauxville @ downtown Thibodaux
Saturday, 8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
Thibodaux, LA
No Admission Charge

I would love to hear from you! Please look for us at the craft shows because we love meeting our friends and customers. We would love to take a photo with you to post on our facebook page @ Custom Coasters By Cindy.

Blessings,
Cindy

New Year: Peace, Joy and Success

Hello Friends,

I hope this new year is bringing you peace, joy, and success in all areas of your life. We have made it through Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year’s all in one piece! LOL It can get hectic but it is all good when we remember The Reason we are thankful, celebrate Christmas and have hope for the new year.

Talking about the new year, many of us start planning out what we want to do, set goals, get organized and so on. I have set a goal to get my studio in order and have made a start on it. I have done some filing, shredding of old paperwork, boxing of paperwork for storage, and so on. Now to get closer to the finish line by clearing out some boxes and bags with assorted stuff in them and to clear off one of my work surfaces. There is always something to do!

While in my studio I will be doing some experimenting with some new inks, blenders, color combinations and creating some new designs. My hands are itching to get to the design table! As soon as I get some designs done I'll be posting them here.

Here is the latest design in trivets. Of course all colors can be customized. I could probably even sneak in a monogram if you wouldl like it personalized in that way.

I also am making plans for soupcoming craft shows. Two of the shows are a repeat appearanpce for me. We had a terrific experience and met me some really nice people. The first one is at Vision Christian Center. Last year it we experienced some late winter weather in March and we had to run our little portable heater for a while! Brrr. With the weather we’re having it makes me wonder if we’ll have a rerun of that weather. The cold weather did not keep people away though. I hope you’ll mark your calendar and come spend the day. You’ll find plenty of crafts, food, and entertainment.

Vision Christian Center
Saturday, March 8
8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Booth # 18
Bourg, LA
http://www.vcc4square.org/craftshow.php

The other craft show I have been accepted at is Southdown. I was there last fall and had an awesome experience and met some terrific people. I hope you’ll come out and get some retail therapy buying crafts ... better than mall shopping any day! LOL

Southdown Marketplace
Saturday, April 12
8:00 AM-4:00 PM
Booth # 55
Houma, LA
General Information: http://www.southdownmuseum.org/marketplace
Marketplace Map: http://www.southdownmuseum.org/Websites/southdownmuseum/files/Content/1852749/Marketplace%20Program%204.pdf

I hope you'll check out my website at www.customcoastersbycindy.com and my facebook page at www.facebook.com/customccoastersbycindy.

Toodles for now,
Cindy

Whistle While You Work

Recently I have been tweeking my website with some addtional information at each product's lisitng. It is not work that is readily and easily noticed. However, when updating each product, it takes time. It is the kind of work that isn't "billable" like selling a set of coasters or a trivet but is just the nature of having a shopping cart/website. Hopefully by week's end I'll have that completed.

Today though, I am working a big order. A customer ordered 16 sets of monogram coasters. I have gotten it started but am taking a break to give my back a rest for a few minutes. While I work on my coasters and trivets, I usually listen to inspirational TV or radio or some music on my ipod. This keeps me, well, inspired and gives my mind a good place to go while working. It would be easy to get lonely while working alone but I feel I am not when I listen to my "friends" while they are at work.

I also have sent an email requesting information on an upcoming craft show. I hope to hear back soon so I can decide if it's something I am able to do. When I am at craft shows I love meeting all the people coming through, whether they actually buy anything or not. We (my dh and dd help me) have met some really interesting people along the way. There are some who are regular craft show attenders and it is good to see their faces again.

The fall craft season down here in south Louisiana is about to get cranked up again. For those who attend as vendors, it is time to get busy making crafts to take to the shows. So after I get this big order out, I'll be cranking up my studio making custom coasters and trivets to take to shows. I already have about half of what I want to take in coasters. And as some of you know from doing crafts yourself, I cannot wait till the day before the show to finish making them. I still have to allow time to pack everything in my vehicle.

This fall will present me a challenge for the shows that have 1000's come through. I will double what I normally bring so I can have an adequate amount to last the day .... I hope! LOL

Well, it's time to get back to work.

Thibodeauxville and More

Hi Everyone!

I have some awesome news this evening! I realized that the check for Thibodeauxville was deposited so you know what that means? .......... I am going to be a vendor at Thibodeauxville this fall, Saturday, November 9! Yeah! Well, YEAH! but scary at the same time.

I will be at 3 craft shows this fall (as of this writing) within 3 weeks. Two of he craft shows have 1000's come through. There is great potential in all three for meeting lots of awesome people, selling some coasters and trivets, and making some business contacts.

Here is my schedule, as of this evening.

Saturday, October 19--Temple of Praise Fundraiser
109 Wayne Avenue
Houma, Louisiana 70360
9:00 AM until 4:00 PM
Facebook Page: Temple of Praise Women's Ministry Vendor/Craft Event

Saturday, November 2--Southdown Marketplace Arts & Crafts Festival
Southdown Museum
1208 Museum Drive
Houma, LA 70360
8:00 AM - 4:00 PM
Facebook Page: Southdown Plantation & Museum

Saturday, November 9--Thibodeauxville
Thibodaux, LA
8:30 AM - 5:00 PM
http://www.thibodauxchamber.com/chamber/chamber-events/thibodauxville/

Please mark your caldendar for these events and I hope to see you there!

BIG BIG NEWS!

Hi Everyone!

I am very excited and pumped because I have a huge announcement! Yes, it big to me and hopefully you will be excited too.

Yessterday I received a rather plain looking envelope in the mail and it felt a little "thick." I first noticed the handwriting where the addressee is written looked a little sloppy. Immediately I thought, whoever wrote that could have been a little more careful with their handwriting. :( Then I looked at the top left corner to see who had sent it. The name at the top was Terrebonne Historical and Cultural Society.

Do you know yet who sent this by the name? At first it didn't sink in my mind. So I flipped it over to open it and began thinking. I began to wonder if it was about my app to get into Southdown Marketplace in the fall. And then I thought, it's about that and it's a rejection letter, it would not be this thick! I suddenly got excited and nervous! All this is happening in just a few seconds as I tear open the envelope.

I pulled out the folded stack of papers, yes plural. No rejection letter! I got accepted to Southdown Marketplace for November! Yeah! I even have a booth number assigned, number 55. Then I realized the sloppy handwriting was MINE when I included aelf-addressed stamped envelope. LOL

Southdown Marketplace, for those who do not know, is held twice a year and is fundraiser for Southdown Museum in Houma, Louisiana. Hundreds of vendors pack it in at Southdown selling their arts and crafts. The approaching marketplace will be Saturday, November 2, 2013. Hours for the show are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.

Here is a link for Southdown Marketplace .... http://www.southdownmuseum.org/marketplace. I hope you'll attend and check out all the vendors, have some lunch and meet a new friends.



If you live out of town and will be here for that day only, you can pre-order coasters or trivets and I'll have it waiting for you. Please contact me at 985-381-3154 or customcoastersbycindy@comcast.net to place your order.

Many blessings,
Cindy