Twisted Sunday, Nov 18 2007 

Twisted

17 November 2007

It’s raining.  It’s been raining solid and steady since about seven o’clock.  Before that, the skies were grey (until it got dark, and then they were just . . . dark) and the sprinkles came and went.  We knew we were in for rain, and I guess we’re just grateful it held off as long as it did.

There was something really odd about today, though.  The crowd was once again, very large, from what I understand—-but very few of them came into our booth!  And those who did, were first-timers, who didn’t really get it. (Or they were dear friends who already have closets full of our costuming!)  I must have answered the “are these for sale or for rent?” question twelve times—that’s usually a once a weekend sort of question.  Donny had one patron ask him, “is this real leather, or did you grow it?” 

What?

Try-ons, with no resulting sale in record numbers.  People who wanted deals on $65 sales.  People who didn’t think twice about carrying a lit cigarette or cigar into a shoppe.  Our per capita was down by 60 percent.  The majority of the crowd in attendance today was absolutely not our crowd!

Kelly and I discussed yesterday, how interesting it would be to somehow learn if the advertising was aimed at a different demographic for the first half of the faire than it is now.  And that was before today’s twilight zone-ish day!

It is fun to have Ian and Darcy here visiting from Colorado.  Jim from Milwaukee and NormTuba were here today.  Emily and Bridget visited, as did many favourite patrons:  Betty and Darrell, Jim and Sharon, Marjan, and many others.  And we saw a number of folks from Scarborough’s Performing Company.  Actors trying out new characters and such.  And we saw our dear friend Amanda Kate and learned of her upcoming nuptials.  Congratulations Amanda and Johnny.  I warned Johnny that it was probably a good thing that Kyle stayed home this weekend, ’cause otherwise he’d have had that whole fatherly talk to do!

My photo is of the pretty twisted rayon cords that Ginger has hanging in her shop for sale as “girdles” or belts with her beautiful dresses.  I did show off my bonnet tonight, and the girls did giggle a bit.  But, I think they are a little bit charmed, too.

So, abyssmal sales today, and now rain.  Yippee.  The site is already flooding in spots.  Tomorrow will be special, I’m sure.  At least I expect to have time to sew on those last couple of cloak clasps.  Cloaks might be our big seller!

~MB

The Bonnet Sunday, Nov 18 2007 

The Bonnet

16 November 2007

I now own the most beautiful bonnet on the planet!  Made for me by my friend Stephen Bishop, this bonnet is so fabulous, and so perfect for my new outfit, that I cannot even believe it.

Stephen and I carefully chose from my fabric hoards,  beautiful combinations for this outfit, and for the bonnet.  So, the bonnet coordinates nicely with “the new dress” without being “matchy-matchy,” as Steve would say.  The skirt and pellerine are very pretty, and the bonnet is now the perfect accessory.  I am thrilled.

I am taking the bonnet and pellerine to TRF with me to show them off to my girlfriends!  I know very well they’ll giggle at how girlie and frilly they are—but I don’t care! ;-)  I love it!

Kyle is home now, from San Francisco, and will be spending the weekend recuperating from the nasty bug he caught while he was there.  I am still dealing with sniffles and congestion, but I seem to be over the worst of my cold.   With any luck we can both fully recover quickly and stay healthy at least until Dickens on the Strand is past!

~MB