Plattsburgh show pics

Robin and I were in Plattsburgh, NY this weekend. It is a great show that we have done in the past, and this weekend was another good one, lots of people enjoying the nice weather and getting some shopping done early.

This was the second show for our new set-up and we were pleased with the display. We did talk about one change we would make for the next time and also got some new ideas from other crafter's displays.

It was a great weekend and we received a big welcome from the kids and dogs that always makes you feel good to be home. The hotel bed was nice, but nothing compares to your own bed, needless to say we both slept like rocks last night. Time to unpack and start getting ready for Christmas in the Country tour.

First give-away on Facebook

We had a give-away for the month of October on Facebook. The winner is getting one of our popular pipberry garlands. It was an interesting experiment and we are going to do another one. There is a difference between Facebook and the blog. For us, the blog seems like you are sending your message out to whom ever stops in to read it, and Facebook has defined people your message reaches. The opportunity with Facebook, is friends of friends, may come across your message also. Whether it is the blog or Facebook it's fun trying to build interest in Robin's Floral Design.

Busy day today finishing (hopefully) Robin's inside set-up. She is doing a show this weekend at St. Mary's in Glens Falls. She has done this show in the past and it will be an opportunity to try out the new set-up before Plattsburg next weekend.

More from Eagle Mills

This was Robin's "home" for the two weekends.

She was happy with the set-up and even more happy with her sales! Everything looked great as usual. It's hard to achieve that homey feel but Robin does a great job with it.

Lots of fall colors. It's hard to tell in these pictures, but the twigs that are sticking out are lighted at the ends, these are one of the items Robin is finding people are very excited about.

This is another arrangement that Robin has added the lighted twigs to. The response has been very good. If you ever see anything on this blog that you are interested in, please leave a comment or visit our website http://robinsfloraldesigns.com/ and let us know through e-mail.

Craft Season is in full swing.

Well, as you might have guessed from our lack of posting, we are in full swing now. Robin's first weekend at Eagle Mills was very busy! She goes back this weekend and then we are at the Warrensburg Garage Sale the following weekend. It has been a little hectic around here to say the least. Robin is busy making all kinds of new creations and we will keep our fingers crossed on her taking some pictures this weekend. The Eagle Mills craft show has been going on for some time, they have events all year long, and from her description it sounds wonderful. You can click on this link to check their site out:http://www.eaglemillsfun.com.

Now I have to tell you how my day started today. I, like most people around here, love fall. So it was fitting that today, being the first day of Autumn, start the way it did. I was on my way to work this morning and was quite happy with the present I was given. Halfway there, I looked to my left, and in the cow pasture was a bank of early morning fog. The sky behind it was breathtaking, orange and yellow and many other color combinations mixed in. I feel you are rewarded with special things from Mother Nature, from time to time, and when I am rewarded with something that special I feel a need to share it. I told Robin I wanted to call her right then and tell her to go outside, she appreciated this, but I think she was glad I didn't. It was one of those moments that you wish you had a camera, but you know it was for you and anyone else who experienced it. So I'm sorry I don't have a cool picture of it, but I've got a feeling all of us have those moments in our memories, and it's just as good to let your imagination take care of the visual aspect of the story. Do yourself a favor, next time this happens to you, pull over or stop walking and take it in. There are lots of gifts around, we just have to take the time and scoop them up.

Sandy Hill Days

Sandy Hill Days was a success again this year. Robin was featured on our local TV station, the segment was taped while she was setting up, and we joked that it was not her first time in front of the camera. When she worked at a local bank, she was in a short commercial, only this time there was audio to go along. She said she was very relaxed and got a good plug in for Christmas in the Country home tour in. The new items she featured, went very well, and she is very excited for the fall season. I will post pictures of some of the items, hopefully tommorow, when we get fully unpacked. She has shows the next two weekends, and if this show was any indicator, they should go pretty well also. It is always a challenge to find the next "in" thing in home decor, but Robin has a very good eye, and seems to know what people are looking for. Sandy Hill Days is not a typical craft show, in that it has an old time bazaar feeling to it, it ends when the fireworks go off about 10pm. Outstanding weather also helped the weekend, it really felt like early fall and everyone's attitude reflected it. Fall weather seems to put people in a different state of mind, I think it is an innate feeling to plan ahead for winter. Whether it's projects or purchases, it seems people have the same reaction to the oncoming season, do it now and don't wait for the snow to fly.

1/4 dozen...

One of the unique designs from Robin's week.

Day one of the Art in the Park show in Rutland has come to a close, now it is time to relax and gear up for tomorrow. It always feels good to have Robin home after the first day, I don't know who is more nervous, her or me. Sounds like she had a decent day and made some good contacts, one of her designs will hang on the door of a college president in Vermont, not bad for a new line of hand made products.

Shifting gears....finding new ones

Robin is going to a craft show in Rutland, Vt. this weekend. It is a juried show and they wouldn't let her bring her usual items, it is a chance to test another market, so she did what she needed to do....create. She has been very busy over the past week, making a variety of wood crafts, some I have shown in infancy and others I will post this week. I talked a little about production work last week, and she has done as much as she could of the same designs, without it getting stale. I think Robin was faced with a pretty big obstacle and turned it into an opportunity. She was able to get into a different creative state and think outside her usual comfort zone. This has been a liberating week for her in many ways, she is using almost all of our power tools, and seeing how far she can go with new designs in wood. I think it's a great step forward for Robin's Floral Designs, keep it fresh, and keep evolving.

A Happy Father's Day indeed

Great day today with my wonderful family. Happy Father's Day to all the Dads out there, hope you were able to enjoy your families as well. Now it's time to get geared up for Robin's next show, Summerfest at Shepard's Park, in Lake George. Let's hope for some good weather and many shoppers! Busy day planned for tomorrow as I am well rested from MY DAY. My son wanted to know why there was a Mother's day and a Father's day and no Son day. I said he had a day every week......... Sunday :)

More from the first show

These dolls were a hit at the first show. I kind of cut this ones head off but it was to show where she was sitting.

They make great accents to Robin's creations.

Enjoying the view from street level.

First craft show in the books

Yesterday, was much better weather, and there was quite a big crowd for most of the day.

I wouldn't say Saturday was a rainout completely but it was a tough crafting day. Robin's tent was along this row on the street. As I said before the parking garage was built last year and took over the lot that had been home to the Zonta craft fair for many years. I think it was a little confusing for the patrons because the show was so spread out. Robin did hear postitive comments about the set up also. Change is good.

Robin's tent had a different feel to it when I first walked in. I think it was the new Americana and candle decor. There is always so much to see in her booth.

Overall a good start to the 2010 craft show season. Lake George Summerfest in Shepard's Park in two weeks. Robin will be in front of the bandstand in her usual spot next to her good friend Therese. Look for the two of them dancing to the music in front of their booths.

Craft Show Blues

It's raining this morning, which is a good thing for my grass, and vegetable garden. Today however is the first day of Robin's first craft show of the season. Rain is the one thing crafters don't really care to see. The radar loop looks like it will be over in a little while though, so let's hope for some afternoon breaks of sun. If you happen to be in the Glens Falls, NY area today or tomorrow the show is in Crandall Park and surrounding streets 10 to 5 today and 10 to 4 tomorrow.

The Barn is a productive place these days

Wood crafts were flying out of the barn today. This is a before and after shot of a new candle holder design.

Today was a busy day while the kids were in school.

These candle boxes will be painted and have electric, flickering votive candles on top.

These two candle boxes were made a couple of weeks ago and today we were able to get tops made for them. Robin painted the inside of the red one with orange paint and the blue one with yellow paint. It gives the inside a kind of glow even before the candle is in there. Great day spent with my favorite person.

Craft show craziness

Robin was busy today making these new items for the upcoming Country Fair in Glens Falls.

Electric candles in each of these designs, make for a safe, and long lasting decor item or gift.

I am obviously very proud of the work that Robin does and I think she is very talented. That's one of the reasons I blog and she doesn't, it's very easy for me to talk about the beautiful things she creates.

Americana Flags continued

Robin painted stars on a few of the lath flags instead of the single larger star as seen in my earlier post. The flags will be making their debut at Robin's first craft show of the year, coming up next weekend, the Zonta Country Faire in downtown Glens Falls.

She is Ready

Took these photos last night of the final Christmas in the Country preparation. Today was the first day of the tour and Robin was quite pleased with the turn out. Tomorrow should be busy as well, the forecast is look good and Saturday is usually the busiest, as with any craft show.

Every year Robin has a guest crafter in and this year it is JM Designs. She has jewelry and hand woven baskets (at bottom of above picture). Also one of Robin's friends from the craft circuit dropped off a few things for a small primitive display.

This tree on the porch added a nice touch this year. Kyle's sculpture man looks pretty cool standing next to it.. don't you think?



As I said before, the house goes under a major transformation for this show. The traffic flows from the front porch into the house. There are neat things everywhere and once again Robin has done a great job with it all. It's a fun weekend for us... Lots of nice people, smiling faces, a great way to spend a day. It's certainly not like store shopping, we will overhear people talking to each other, like "we are going to this stop" and "we were just there, the stuff is beautiful" It creates a buzz and I think it adds to the fun. Who wouldn't like following a map to different places, looking for the Christmas tree shaped signs, and maybe getting just a little lost on the way to add to the adventure. Well, we all know there are the few that wouldn't, but for the rest of us......

The push is on

The Christmas in the Country tour is next weekend, Dec 4th, 5th and 6th. Each one of these fliers has a map on the back to guide the shoppers along. It's a great day out and we get many people back year after year. There are door prizes and refreshments at each location. As we have done for the past few years, we will have cheesecakes from Northwoods Cheesecakes again this year. Different than years past, the owner will be here serving and selling her cheesecakes. We will also have a guest artist showing her homemade jewelry.

This is the last show of the year for us. So this week will be very busy.

Unlike the other shows we do, this one is a home tour. So the house undergoes a transformation this week. Couches and chairs are moved, the tree comes in and is decorated (minus the family ornaments), and Robin is in go mode. This tour was established in 1990 and has been very successful because of the quality artisans involved.

If anyone needs additional information feel free to post a comment or e-mail us at robinsfloraldesigns@yahoo.com