Holiday Boutique in Oceanside, CA

Holiday Boutique
Featuring:
Silpada Designs
Sterling Silver Jewelry & Accessories
Élan Studios
Unique Hand-Beaded Jewelry
Taglieri
Original Oils & Limited Editions
The Olde Bag Lady
Designer Handbags
Sunday, Dec. 20, 2009
11:00 am to 4:00 pm
4723 Rim Rock Road * Oceanside, CA 92056
78 to College Exit, North on College to Oceanside Blvd.
Left on Peacock Hills, Right on Rim Rock.
For further information: Elan_Studios@sbcglobal.net

Carlsbad Inn Trunk Show - week 2

We had a very successful second weekend at the Carlsbad Inn Beach Resort and both Bonnie and I are very grateful for the opportunity to show there. We were inside the resort's library this time, and out of the cold and rain. We had lots of resort traffic, and some visitors from the flyers we had distributed.

The things I learned from this past weekend include:
1) Don't plan a show on a Chargers Game day if you plan to set up in the only area with a big screen tv.
2) It was a very, very, very good idea to accept credit cards and go through all I had to do to get set up to take them. Two-thirds of my sales were paid for with plastic.

Things I learned from the first weekend include:
3) Balloons are helpful if you have an outdoor booth located on the other side of a parking lot. It lets people know that there is SOMETHING going on over there, and most are curious enough to come over and look.
4) Bring lunch. Bonnie went to get us food, and while she was gone I had a sale. The problem was, the lady hurried me (my mistake to let her get me flustered), and I did not check the expiration date on the credit card. Lesson learned--I had to eat the sale because I couldn't process the charge without the expiration date of the card.
5) Dress in layers. I got this one right.

I had a lot of fun and it felt great to hear the compliments on my work. I moved a fair amount of stock and met some really nice people, including the resort staff.

Holiday Trunk Show in Carlsbad - 1st weekend

Well, the first two days of this Holiday Trunk Show were COLD! Our spot was outside between the resort and the restaurant, and there was a cold breeze from the ocean whipping right through us. I had to get creative with some of my displays as gusts would topple them over from time to time, but figured it out in the end to put the plexiglass necklace stands sideways so the wind went past them.

Bonnie got a tank of helium and we added balloons to the posters I made. This was good because it indicated to folks on the other side of the parking lot that there was something going on over here. We had lots of foot traffic, thanks to the influx of resort guests and restaurant traffic, plus stragglers from the weekly art show that is held on the front lawn of the hotel. Also, being jewelry, 99.99% of the women who saw our tables stopped by to look. A woman can never have too many shoes or too much jewelry!

And because of the art show, one of the oil painters we met is going to join us at the home show on December 20th, too. Bonnie is probably going to move it from her house to her mom's house because there will be more room. It's now up to 4 of us: Bonnie (Silpada Designs), me (Elan Studios hand beaded jewelry), The Olde Bag Lady (knockoff designer bags), and Mary, the painter.

So ultimately Bonnie and I had a good time doing this and are looking forward to being here again next weekend. Let's hope the rain stays away (on the weekend) and that it is a little warmer too.