The weekend is over and all of our preparations culminated in the excitement of the last two days! Saturday met us with a chilly and wet beginning. We packed up the car in our pajamas trying to beat the rain. Once we had things lock, stock, and barrel, we slowed down for a simple breakfast and game plan breakdown. It would be wet, we’d be setting up in the cold rain, and we’d have Peanut, our super sweet BT Frenchie mix along for the first half of the day.

Despite the hazy and chilly start to our day – Saturday turned out to be a wonderful day! Once the raindrops stopped we pulled down our tent walls to let some air flow through. We had done minor merchandising for fear of dampening – but once the sun was out we pulled out all the stops! Racks came out into the street, our lil’ vintage bench hit the curb, and an alluring accessories table was placed to peak out of the tent ‘just so.’ Peanut was also quite the attraction – luring visitors into our booth with his sleepy gaze and inviting grin.

We did a lot of  experimenting on site with what to place out front and what to leave for diggers towards the back. With a little patience we realized that men just don’t stop to shop (shame on you!) so that rack went in. Ruffles and bright colors were like open flowers to busy bees – so my favorite new designs – the embellished eco ruffle tanks and romantic eco cotton dresses – were placed front and center and sold like hotcakes! Hair buds, bands, bow ties, and GIY kits were popular too! A nice balance between classic PP designs and ‘stocking stuffer’ type accessories that were great for people who wanted a little piece of the action but wanted to spare their wallets the shame.

The look of the tent came together splendidly. The combination of the colorful merchandise with the monochrome backdrop and displays created a beautiful balance that was engaging without being overwhelming. Our braided ropes also doubled as outdoor hangers, while the framed signs looked super elegant and clear. I couldn’t be happier with the ‘feel’ of our tent! It did take a few goes at the arrangement and layout of the racks, but by Sunday things were perfect.

The fair itself was a true sight to be seen! I will be putting together a quick blurb on what David and I bought and bartered – but until then all I can say is ‘wow!’ This was the best Renegade lineup I’d ever seen! There was such diversity in product and style, but it all maintained that certain indie feel that makes the show so successful. And even despite the Saturday rain – the whole weekend was jamming with visitors, marching bands, and people watchers. I saw tons of bloggers clicking photos and stylistas taking notes. Can’t wait to see what Midwasteland found!

So after a successful (and insanely fun, believe it or not) weekend comes the daunting task of looking at numbers, inventory, and next steps. I couldn’t bring myself to do more than basic calculations and clothing folding today. I am shocked, really shocked, by how exhausted I am. I’m actually typing this out in a suburban retreat (called my parents yard) in hopes that being away from the mess that’s in my home will give me a moment to breath in the delights of the weekend.

All in all it was a fantastic year – and something we’ll look forward to doing again next season. Next time we’ll bring warm bevs in hands on rainy days, order 400 instead of 250 business cards, and will request not to be placed across the street from the delish Alliance Bakery – which cost both our wallets and tummies dearly. Yum.

Next on my mind? The 50/50 Blurring of Art & Craft Show in Pilsen is just a few weeks away, and with our limited space we’ll want to bring the best of the best – which means more sewing to come! David was also inspired over the weekend to take our collaboration to the next level…so some sewing lessons have been booked (with none other than me) and he’s already busy sketching away new designs for men. Can’t wait to see what he comes up with.