Thought Processes for the Arts & Wine Festival

A few weeks ago George and I took a look at our photographs from last years Arts & Wine Festival on Pensacola Beach.  Simply, our booth looked ugly.  The tent with the embroidered "Cajun Stitchery" looked great.  The tablecloths did not match, the items for sale looked scattered and messy.  The tables were not situated for the convenience of the customer.  Oh my, it was embarrassing to look at those photos.  It is a good thing that we took the photos, though. 

Now that we've taken a look at last year's booth, we need to make some corrections for this year's booth.  The table cloths are history.  I would like matching floor length table cloths but in lieu of that, I purchased 2 white, plastic tablecloths from the dollar store.  The only problem with that is now you will be able to see under the tables where the boxes are kept.  Nevertheless, it cannot look as bad as last year.  We are also going to place the tables differently.  We are going to put them in a way, probably an L, so that the customer can come further under the canopy.  I have purchased some baskets to put little things, like patches, into to keep some order on the tables.

When I went to my first arts and craft festival, a friend warned me not to have too many different items.  Pick out 5 or 6 items and make lots of those items.  I think she was right.  I tend to just put everything out there and it becomes confusing and messy.  This year we are going to offer (1) caps for $10 or $12, (2) Christmas stockings for $20, (3) can wraps for $7-$10, (4) patches for $5-$7, (5) fingertip towels for $10, and (6) little scrapbook appliques for 2 for $1.

One of my dear friends told me recently that it just seems that lately the prices at craft fairs have gone way up.  I would guess that is correct; everything has gone up.  I don't know if people go to arts and craft fairs to get a deal or to find quality arts and crafts and unique items.  The artisans have to make a living and most items cannot be purchased anyplace else.  Nevertheless, I know that it is a good idea to have a variety of prices so people don't have to walk away empty handed. 

Part of me wanted to include the luggage grips in our repetoire of items, but George said that he thought the luggage grips were more custom.  People would want their names on the luggage grips.  Perhaps he is correct.

The can wraps are included because they are easy to make and I enjoy putting cutesy sayings on them.  I love the new one that says "Never Give Up!"  Years ago George brought home a paper with this Never Give Up design on it.  It has gotten us through some tough times.  Perhaps others will like this, too.  I have some done (no pictures yet) that say "A smile is the same in any language."  I like encouraging messages.  There is already too much discouragement in the world today.  Besides, I have some cute stock designs that I've never used before with encouraging or funny messages.

C'est tout, mes amis:>)

Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 34

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 34 – August 25, 2011

Bon Jour!  Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

 

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our blog at www.cajunstitchery.blogspot.com, catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.   We are also on Twitter and Facebook. 

Visit our new on-line catalog at:

http://www.imprintit.biz/cgi-bin/cobrand/site.w?location=olc/catalog-home.w&top=catalog&frames=no&target=main&sponsor=000699

Cajun Stitchery is registered with many wholesalers for many types of items but there is one wholesaler where we regularly get a variety of items.   This wholesaler has provided an on-line catalog for Cajun Stitchery.  The web address is very long (see above).  All of the items listed are maintained by the wholesaler and you can even see what they have in stock.  I’m really excited about this.  The other wholesaler where we have an on-line catalog is good but a little more difficult to work through that catalog.  At least I think so.  Nevertheless, the prices in the catalogs are my actual customer prices.   You can order, I believe, through the Company Casuals catalog but the order will come to me.  I don’t believe that you can order through the new catalog.  It’s more that you can see what is available and the prices.  You can tell me the item number, color(s), and size(s) and I can order it for you.  Of course, there will be a shipping charge. 

Often customers will come to me and say something like, “I want a blue tee shirt.”  As you can see in the catalog, there are lots of blue tee shirts.  By allowing the customer to view the catalog, you can purchase exactly what you want and I know that you and I are on the same page.  Anyway, please browse through the on-line catalog.  There is so much more than just tee shirts available.  Even if you don’t want embroidery but just like the item, I’ll be glad to get it for you.  Of course, I always want everyone covered in embroidery.  But that’s just me.

For all of those who are in the Pensacola area, the Mystic Krewe of Nereids will be hosting our annual SPLASH Party this Sunday at Paradise Bar & Grill on beautiful Pensacola Beach.  The party begins at 2:00 p.m.  This party is family oriented, so feel free to bring the kids.  We will have games and prizes, a dunking booth, raffle, 50/50, various items for sale – ask Kathi about her Fascinators.  Music is provided by Vincent Wainwright and Boogie, Inc.  Come one, come all but be prepared to be soaked.  Bring your squirt guns, water blasters, and other water weapons.  There is a rumor that if we have enough people attending in mermaid costumes (other than Nereids, of course), then we will have a best mermaid contest. 

Next Friday is our Pensacola WBL (Women’s Business Luncheon) meeting.  At each meeting a business card is drawn out of a basket.  That business is offered the opportunity of giving a 5 minute commercial, in person, in front of all those women at the next meeting.  It is an opportunity to let those women know more about your business.  You guessed it; Cajun Stitchery is going to have its 5 minutes of fame next Friday.  I have an outline done to help me along with the who, what, when, where, how and why.  That is probably all I will be able to do in 5 minutes.  One of my WBL friends suggested handing out flyers, which I am seriously considering.  I think I’m going to talk on the topic of how to order embroidery.  That may sound simple but it is surprising how many people don’t know the 3 steps to ordering embroidery:  (1) graphic design, (2) digitizing, and (3) embroidering.  If you think of me next Friday morning – say a prayer, please.

George and I were talking about my 5 minute commercial and decided that people, like me, in the South should get 10 minutes because we talk slower than Northern people. 

Our Etsy Store sold another Proud to be a Union Thug can wrap this morning.  The customer was so excited.  He said he was going to use the can wrap over the Labor Day weekend and expects to have a lot of fun with it.  I hadn’t even thought about it, but that is such a cute idea, and appropriate.

This week has been busy with towel orders and luggage grips.  I’m kicking myself because although I did take pictures of the completed towel order; I forgot to take pictures of the luggage grip order.

Have you heard of Google+?  One of my nieces got me on Google+, trial version.  I think it is Google’s answer to Facebook.  I had a time figuring out how to add people to my circles.  Then one day I added my friend, Jennifer, and ever since when I go to Google+, it opens at Jennifer’s page, and just blinks off and on.  Right now I am not impressed with Google+ at all.

I am playing around with HootSuite, though.  Still trying to figure it out.  Apparently, you can connect all of your networking media to one place, HootSuite, and if you want to send out a message, you type it once and HootSuite sends it to all of your networks at once.  Pretty cool.  Now I need to learn how to make it do this.

This past Wednesday I brought out all of our wares to the kitchen and set it up like a store.  I am so glad that I went through this exercise.  I realized that it is no fun going to a store and looking at a bunch of stuff lying on a table.  We need to have all like items together and in some sort of display container.  We need different eye levels of merchandise.  I was arranging and rearranging the items for hours.  I will probably do this again and again before we get to the Arts & Wine Festival in October.  If anyone out there wants to make an appointment to see all of our items, now is definitely the time.  Just sit at the kitchen table.  I’ll provide coffee, water, milk, tea, whatever, and you can just shop around.  It would enable me to see how customers go through all of the stuff so that I can present our items better.

I would be remiss if I didn’t throw in a paragraph about the garden.  We are eating well this year.  We have green beans, tomatoes and about every kind of pepper than you can imagine.  There are a few watermelon plants growing but I haven’t seen any watermelons.  We have picked a few pods of okra and the eggplant is blooming.  We didn’t plant as much okra and eggplant as we have in the past.  The herbs are outstanding.  We have stevia, oregano, parsley, purple basil, rosemary, and mint.  I love my garden.

SALE:  G12900 Gildan Fleece Stadium Blanket

• 9.3 oz. 50% cotton/50% polyester
• Double needle hem
• 50" X 60"

$15.00 without embroidery (normally $17.72)

$20.00 with name or initials embroidered

CHRISTMAS is around the corner.  Unbelievable, I know.  Get that Christmas shopping done now and enjoy the holidays.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list. 

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Thanks to Marshall Larrivere for the following:

Boudreaux goes to Europe

Boudreaux, a furniture dealer from downtown New Iberia, La decided to expand the line of furniture in his store, so he decided to go to Europe to see what he could find.

He arrived in Paris in early morning, but had an afternoon appointment with the furniture maker, so he decided to visit a small bistro during his wait. As he sat enjoying his wine, he noticed that the small place was quite crowded, and that the other chair at his table was the only vacant seat in the house.

Before long, a very beautiful young Parisian girl came to his table; asked him something in German (which Boudreaux couldn't understand); so he motioned to the vacant chair and invited her to sit down.

He tried to speak to her in English, but she did not speak his language. After a couple of minutes of trying to communicate with her, he took a napkin and drew a picture of a wine glass and showed it to her. She nodded, so he ordered a glass of wine for her.

After sitting together at the table for a while, he took another napkin, and drew a picture of a plate with food on it, and she nodded. They left the bistro and found a quiet cafe near-by that featured a small group playing romantic music. They ordered lunch.....after which he took another napkin and drew a picture of a couple dancing. She nodded, and they got up to dance.
Boudreaux never had so much fun!

Back at their table, the young lady took a napkin and drew a picture of a four-poster bed, which reminded Boudreaux of his appointment so he abruptly left.

To this day, Boudreaux still has no idea how she figured out he was in the furniture business.

Cajun French Phrase of the Week:

C'est la vie=That's life
Comme ci, comme ca= So So
Fais-do-do= kind of street dance

Taken from:  http://www.acadian-roots.com/cajun-names.html

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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S.  You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

***FIESTA***OLE***

Fiesta Ball is a week from Wednesday.  The girls have been emailing deciding what we are going to wear.  The theme is Red, White and Krewes and we a celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Naval Aviation.  It all started when Paulette found a novelty store website.  She found an adorable red, white and blue vest.  As it turned out the thing is plastic.  We all wanted the light up white boas and the blinky plastic red, white and blue tiara.  We nixed the plastic vest.  It's a formal ball.  You can go in costume or formal attire.  So, I wanted to dress up a bit.  So, here is what I will be wearing to the ball: floor length blue skirt, white blouse, and red vest.  I will wear the white lighted boa; the red, white, blue binky plastic tiara; and a red tinsel wig. 

I chose the blue skirt, white blouse, and red vest because I have a picture of it in my mind.  George is wearing white pants, red tux shirt, blue tux vest and bow tie.  I'm getting him a hat that's plastic but looks like an old timey straw hat with a red, white and blue band around the hat.  I'm also making him a red, white and blue belt with a rhinestone flag buckle.  My attire will sort of match George.  Reminds me of the old movie Pollyanna with Haley Mills.  In fact, those costumes were from that same period that Naval Aviation began.

Now that I have this beautiful picture in my mind, I have to pull it together.  The boa, tiara, wig, and George's hat and his outfit has been ordered.  I have the white blouse.  I will make the blue skirt and red vest.

Out of all of my patterns I do not have an A-lined skirt pattern.  I have chosen a pattern for an A-line dress and I'll adjust it to become a skirt.  I have chosen a vest pattern but the pattern is a size too small for me.  So, I will adjust the pattern to fit.  Tomorrow I need to shop for fabric.  Hopefully, I'll take pictures on the creation of this outfit.  Should be interesting.

I've been making luggage grips lately.  They really are fun to make.  They are made completely in the hoop.  So far, I've made some with the word "MINE" and "CAJUN" outlined and filled with rhinestones.  I can make them with any word or name.  I've listed them in the Etsy Shop and sure hope they sell.

C'est tout, mes amis:>)

Cajun Corner - Vol. 3, No. 20

Cajun Corner – Vol. 3, No. 20 – May 21, 2011


Bon Jour! Welcome to Cajun Stitchery’s weekly email and welcome to our family.

ΘΘΘΘΘ

Don’t forget to visit our catalog at www.companycasuals.com/cajunstitchery and www.cajunstitchery.etsy.com often.  We are also on Twitter and Facebook.

Wow! What a week this has been. Kim arrived Sunday afternoon, as planned. We all but scratched the Louisiana trip, except that I did need to drive Kim to the Baton Rouge airport to catch her flight on Friday. The news kept talking about the horrible flood but everyone we spoke to said there is no flood. Of course, those people were not in harm’s way. Our problem wasn’t whether there was flooding in Lafayette, but rather, whether we could get from Pensacola to Lafayette without running into the flood in the middle.

Thank goodness for my friend, Matt Drees. Matt (who is in the military) told me via Facebook that he was stationed in Lafayette to help the National Guard out with the flood. Early in the week Matt said that they were going to open the Morganza Spillway and that wouldn’t rise to the point of flooding until Wednesday. My thought processes were: fine, I could get to Lafayette, but could I get back on or after Wednesday? So, the trip remained cancelled. There were no road problems or flooding between Pensacola and Baton Rouge, so the plan was that I would drive Kim to Baton Rouge on Thursday and we would stay in a hotel. I would deliver her to the airport on Friday and then drive home. When Wednesday arrived, Matt said that the waters were not rising to the level expected and all he was doing was going via boat to the various camps to stop the looting. Why do people loot during devastations? Hmmm. So, it was clear sailing to Lafayette.

There was no time to board the dogs, so it was just easier not to tell George that we might be going to Lafayette after all. We loaded the car and left Florida around noon on Thursday. The trip was very smooth until we reached Baton Rouge for the 5:00 traffic. After enduring about an hour of first and sometimes second gear, we finally were across the Mississippi River. The traffic eased up and it was smooth sailing to Lafayette.

It was probably around 7 or 8 p.m. when we finally got to my Cousin Roland’s home. Roland’s wife, Ruby, fed me crawfish etouffe – yes, 2 helpings of the stuff. I was a happy camper. We stayed and chit chatted and they got to meet Kim and vice versa. Their house was full because their grandson, Anthony, was graduating from high school the following day. About 10 p.m. we bid our farewells and found a room at the local La Quinta.

The following day we were up and checked out around 10 or 11 a.m. I had to have Kim at the airport in Baton Rouge by 3 p.m. We wanted to go to St. Martinsville to see if the flood had damaged La Maison DuChamp. It had not. Kim has been trying to photograph portraits that usually hang in the house of our great, great grandparents. The last time she was there, the portraits weren’t because they were being cleaned. She finally was able to get the photographs that she wanted. I got to see the house and we walked around the town for a little bit. We didn’t have a whole lot of time but La Maison DuChamp is her work and that is important. We didn’t even have time to visit my Uncle Donald, Aunt Philo or Uncle R.L. We blew in and blew out.

Once back in Baton Rouge, Kim directed me to the airport. I drove and drove and drove but we finally reached the airport and she was there by 3 p.m. Then I had to get to I-12 to come home. I began backtracking I-110 to Oh My Gosh there was that bumper-to-bumper traffic and I was in the far left lane. I saw the I-10 sign up ahead but nothing about I-12. Then I notice there is an exit to the left for Government Street. So, I took it. I then proceeded to drive and drive and drive and became completely and utterly lost. Asking for directions is not beyond me, so I stopped at a little sandwich shop and asked how to get to I-12. I was only around the corner from it. I got on I-12 and proceeded home. There was much more traffic on Friday than there was on Thursday. Several spots along the way were under construction and the traffic slowed to a crawl. All in all, the trip back was uneventful and smooth until I reached Mobile. Apparently there had been a wreck in or near the tunnel and traffic was backed up almost to I-65. We inched and inched our way. This traffic jam lasted at least an hour, if not more. Finally, I reached the bay bridge and came on home to Pensacola. I arrived home around 7 p.m. It’s good to be home. Next trip we’ll board the dogs, take George, and visit more relatives. As a little side note, when Kim and I were leaving Lafayette, we stopped to fill up the tank with gas. While we were getting gas we noticed the newspaper front page headline: “FLOOD”. We just laughed.

The rest of week had been interesting, too. I had to work and decided to deliver some orders so that Kim could see some of Pensacola rather than staying in my house the whole time. All of the zebra print items came in. Sharon wanted her name embroidered on some, and others could not be embroidered. Since Kim travels so much, she suggested what we named “luggage grips.” You know those things that you put around the handles of your luggage that have Velcro to secure. Anyway, those turned out to be really nice and easy to make. Sharon got a couple and I made about 5 of them for Kim’s luggage. We packed the car with all of the zebra print items and drove to Navarre to deliver to Sharon. Sharon was so funny. She was truly excited to get all of this stuff. While we were there Sharon was still buying more stuff that I had in zebra print. We left Studio 98 and went to a restaurant on Navarre Beach that used to be Cocodre but is now Monkey something. We had a nice lunch and drove back via the beach road. Kim got to see our beautiful sand and surf. That day was beautiful and the water was all shades of emerald greens and teals.

The next day I took Kim to Native Café on Pensacola Beach. We ran into my friend Becky who sat with us and chatted for a bit. Then we went to Geronimo’s Gift Shop to look around. They had some fabulous stuff. We giggled because they had some of the zebra stuff that I was selling – without embroidery and at a higher price. We drove around the beach. Kim loved the spaceship house and had to take pictures.

At night, while Kim was doing her genealogy work, I was working on embroidery. Like I said, I made her 5 of the luggage grips and embroidered 4 dainty handkerchiefs for her.


I’ve been working on the Proud to be a Union Thug can wraps and a variety of other items.

Memorial Day is coming up at the end of May and I’ve listed several patriotic items in our Etsy store. For this week only – through next Thursday – I will embroider “USA” in red, white, and/or blue on luggage grips for $5.00 each. This is really a good sale because our minimum order is $9.45.

If you are not a subscriber and would like to receive Cajun Corner weekly, please email cajunstitchery@yahoo.com and let me know to put you on our email list.

Thank you Kathi for sending the following joke:

Boudreaux and Fontenot were on their very first train ride. They had brought along bananas for lunch.

Just as they began to peel them, the train entered a long, dark tunnel. "Have you eaten your banana yet,"

Boudreaux asked excitedly? "No," replied Fontenot.

"Well, don't touch it den," Boudreaux exclaimed. "I just took one bite and went blind!"

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French Phrase of the Week: The following was taken from LSU.edu regarding Cajun french differing from other french:

Essence is perfume in Louisiana. We put de la gasoline in our chars (m.). Les voitures are what horses used to pull in le bon vieux temps.
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C’est tout, mes amis

Peggy Henshall

Cajun Stitchery

(850) 261-2462

cajunstitchery@yahoo.com

P.S. You are always welcome to stop by and look at all of the catalogs and pass some time with me, cher.

Embroidery Thugs

My cousin is visiting from California.  We were going to Louisiana to visit relatives but there's a flood in our way.  Truth is that we probably could still go and return and be safe, but you never know.  I cannot risk getting to southwest Louisiana and finding I cannot get back for a few days.  We are going to Baton Rouge on Thursday, though.  That will be a fun trip, I'm sure.

In the meantime, all of the zebra print items arrived and have been embroidered and today we personally delivered the items to our customer.  She was tickled pink.  She owns a hair salon and all of the girls at the salon were google eyed at all of the zebra print items.  I made them smile and they made me smile.  It was a delightful time.  They are getting ready to go to a hair show and just know they will be the talk of the show with the zebra print bags. 

A big thanks goes to my cousin Kim for coming up with the idea of luggage grips.  You know, those things that go around the handle of your luggage and secure with Velcro.  Some of the zebra print items could not be embroidered and some the customer didn't want embroidered; so, we made a couple of luggage grips.  They are as good as the luggage tags but much more functional.  Again, thanks to cousin Kim because embroidery, even in hot pink, really doesn't show up well on zebra, or any other kind of, print.  It's just too busy.  Kim suggested doing applique with a black or white background and the embroidery on the applique piece.  Sheer genius!  It matches and is readable.

Luggage grips are going to definitely become a part of our growing list of items that we sell.  In fact, the luggage grips can be done completely in-the-hoop, except for the Velcro.  Easy as pie.  Since I purchased 4 bolts of Velcro awhile back, then wondered "what in the world am I going to do with all of this?" I now have a use for the Velcro.  Woohoo!  Kim suggested that I do some with the word "MINE" on the grip.  I like it.  Yep, we can make the luggage grips for $7 each.  Email if you want to purchase one or more.

This past weekend I was working on can wraps for a postal friend.  Ooooh, there is an issue going on in Wisconsin.  Apparently the Wisconsin government has passed a law that government workers cannot have unions or something to that effect -- do not quote me on this.  Nevertheless, my friend asked me to make can wraps that say "Proud to be a Union Thug."  At first, I was a bit concerned about doing embroidery to celebrate thugness.  After I looked into it, it appears that Sarah Palin must have used the word "thug" in a speech and it caught on.  I noticed on the internet that there are places selling promotional type items with the "Proud to be a Union Thug" screen printed.  Anyway, the can wraps turned out adorable in red, white and blue.  Another design was created using one of our stock designs of a mailbox and the "Union Thug" embroidered across the pole.

C'est tout, mes amis:>)