About one month ago (maybe two) I was interviewed by a fellow Babson College Alum who writes for a website called “I want her job“. On the 13th that interview was published! Go read it! Go on! Shoo!
I was really honored to be interviewed, and I hope I can be an inspiration to other enterprising young women!
This weekend I was at Camp Ramblewood, representing Reincarnation Outfitters as a vendor at the Maryland Fairy Festival. And, well, it was a learning experience. Let’s say that.
Here are the things that were great about this weekend:
1. The weather was BEAUTIFUL! Couldn’t have asked for three better days: warm, sunny and breezy during the day, and cool at night. Low humidity. I had forgotten how wonderful Maryland could be in the spring.
2. My neighbors were a delight. I was vending next to a kindly kitchen witch with yummy oils, and my good friends at Miscellaneous Oddiments, Shane and Leah Odom. I’ve know them since I was a wee little pixie wanting to be one of their bubble fairies.
3. Darlington, Maryland is a picturesque and unblemished little town with tree shaded roads that wind past green pastures and happy cows.
Here are the things that I have to learn from:
1. Experiencing loss is hard. I don’t mean loss of a pet or family member, which is hard as well, but I do mean loss of income. Sales were slow, to say the least, this weekend. There just didn’t seem to be a whole lot of fairies running around. After expenses I reported negative net income. I mean, not badly, one more skirt and we could have broken even. But the fact remains that one certainly doesn’t pay to attend events and go through all that effort just to break even. But a good friend comforted me with the reminder that the only regret to have is not to have tried. And try we did. And learn we did. And learn we will continue to do.
This was just a solid reminder that the life of an entrepreneur is not all glitter and rainbows, not even for a fairy entrepreneur.
But in more exciting news, we have been accepted into a weekend artist’s market, in Austin, Texas. I see good things coming from this. Very good things indeed. At least I hope so, there are several AWESOME trips in the works, that I need to raise the financing for.
What trips? you may ask.
Well for starters, my friend Morganne might be coming out to do the road trip north with me. A little vacation for her, and a delightful journey for me. Maybe a stop in New Orleans is in our cards?
Then, in the fall, I’ll be crossing the pond once again- this time heading to Russia where I’ll be meeting another friend for an epic Trans-Siberian Railway adventure. St. Petersburg to Ulaanbaatar (in Mongolia) in three weeks. I want to drink vodka, eat caviar, and wear a big furry hat.
Returning from that trip, I’ll have a few weeks rest before returning to Europe; this time to a gentler climate: Italy. A tri-generational excursion, my Grandmother, my Mother, and I will be returning once again to my Grandmother’s childhood home (Sant’Ambrosio, Sicily) to visit with family. While there, my Grandmother will stay with her sister while my mom and I take a week to bike through the Tuscan countryside. I hope my bum is up for it!
So that’s a little peak at the trips in store. IF my finances can keep up of course. I”m sure I’ll find a way. I’m a fairy entrepreneur after all!! Listen closely as I bounce towards my goals. I’m sure there will be some silly tales and even sillier schemes in store. Any suggestions welcome as well!!
Glitter and Gladness!
~Aeri
I spent this weekend at the Spoutwood Faerie Festival as a vendor for Reincarnation Outfitters. It was my first time as a vendor, and I was nervous and excited. But I didn’t need to be nervous! It was SO much fun!!
I arrived on Thursday afternoon with plenty of daylight to set up the booth which was comprised of an Easy-Up, some clothing racks, an old wooden barrel and a suitcase. Oh and some curtains in the corner to make a dressing room. The shop felt like a vintage living room turned walk in closet. There was a whimsical air to it once all the colorful flowery skirts were in place. Thanks so much to my Dad, I had a big beautiful banner with the company name on it.
Friday was slow, a “practice day” everyone said. But Saturday and Sunday were busy and fun. I saw so many fairy friends on Sunday that I couldn’t contain myself. And I made some fun friends across the street that make Hula Hoops!! We traded a hoop for a skirt, and she’s going to wear it next weekend when she performs an interpretive tree hula-hoop dance. So Cool!!! I hope we can get some pictures!
Throughout the weekend so many things were so fun, but I decided to make a list of my three favorite things about fairy festivals.
1. I love to trade stuff!!
2. I love little kids and tiny dogs with fairy wings on. I love little girls with dresses and wings, running around the field, pretending or believing they can fly. I love little fluffy dogs with tiny pink wings that chase after butterflies and french fries. And I love great big dogs with tiny tiny wings that look like overgrown bumble bees, and flop over happily in the grass whenever their people stop to look at something.
Which leads me to my third favorite thing:
3. Confused bumblebees. I had SO MANY bumble bees flying around my skirts and hair clips this weekend. And I take it as a huge compliment! If the silly bees confuse my flower skirts with actual flowers, than I consider that a job well done! Though I do feel sorry for the little bees that aren’t getting any pollen from my little cotton skirts. I’m sure they’re glad to have all these silly glittery people out of their fields now.
Last weekend was so fun, that I am glad we can do it all again this weekend at the Maryland Fairy Festival in Darlington, MD. If you couldn’t make it last weekend, or even if you could, come out to play this weekend too! And don’t forget about Mother’s Day!!
Love Muchly,
Aeri
Traveling with Aeri 