Rain, rain go away

Gaining experience is what's important, I kept telling myself on Saturday as I sat in my misty tent at Festival by the Lake.  The weather forecast hadn't been accurate in their precipitation prediction, unfortunately, and it ended up being a soggy day.  The tent I had brought to cover my space wasn't 100% waterproof, so a delicate mist came in through the ceiling.  I was thankful my pottery is waterproof and wasn't affected by the rain, unlike the watercolor artist who was a few booths down from me.

While it wasn't the beautifully sunny day I had imagined, there were still shoppers braving the weather.  Rain did not deter the fans of Festival by the Lake.  The event being 30 years old certainly helped the situation; the local die-hards would attend, regardless.

Being out and meeting people is what's fun about these shows anyway.  I was able to see a lot of familiar faces from growing up in Wakefield - some of whom I hadn't seen in 20 years!   It was great catching up with old friends and being back in my hometown.  The woman in the booth next to me commented on how nice it is to be a "local girl."  I had to agree!

I received some great feedback from people who stopped by my table to look at my pottery.  (I do realize people wouldn't likely tell me it was crap, either, but compliments are always appreciated!)  Again, it was another great experience and gain a better understanding of what people like.  I know what I'll be focusing on with my next batch of items for my next show in Topsfield on Sunday, June 26 at Absolutely Everything at 30 Main St.

before it got too soggy

Special thanks go out to my husband and my mom for helping me transport and set up all my stuff.  I couldn't have done it so efficiently without you!  (I had forgotten to pack all my table risers and plate stands, as you'll notice in the photos.  Thankfully my mom was able to find a couple in her basement for me to use.  I'm glad she hasn't had her summer yard sale yet.)