A Mini-Beach Vacation !!!

We took a mini-vacation !! (Well, sort of. We ran away from the weather for a whole 12 hours and went to the beach!)

For the first time in weeks, we weren't snowed in or afraid to go too far due to weather this weekend. It hit the 40s both days and the sun actually came out on Saturday! We caught a few glimpses of that bright light in the sky today but in between we were showered with some rather "substantial" flurries and some really heavy looking clouds. If it had been colder, we'd have been worried again.

Though the weekend got off to a slow start on Friday when we simply stayed in and watched the Olympics on TV, we did get an early start on Saturday. For weeks I've been craving a good seafood buffet. Unfortunately, we don't have one nearby. Don't get me wrong, we have some fantastic seafood restaurants but I wanted to sample a little of everything. (It's a very common winter urge around these parts - sort of like a withdrawal symptom or something.)

If we could travel "as the crow flies" (in a straight line, so to speak), we would be able to make it to the ocean in an hour or so. However, the fact that the Chesapeake Bay lies between us and the coast is a slight deterrent. We either need to travel about an hour South and use the Chesapeake Bay Bridge or travel about 40 miles North and cross the C&D Canal and then track back down the coast to the beach resorts of Rehobeth, Delaware and Ocean City, Maryland. The northern route is a little shorter, much less hectic and a fair bit faster. It's still about 145 miles one way but a true Marylander will go a long way for great seafood!
We brushed the snow off the car (We had a light dusting through the night. Again.) and headed out. It was a peaceful, uneventful ride with a lot of snow-covered scenery. The closer we got to the beach, the less snow was around and by the time we drove into Ocean City, it felt like we'd left that winter world behind! (There were a few mounds left on corners and parking lots where they'd been plowed but you had to actually look for snow.) It honestly felt like a weight was lifted from my soul !

It was sunny and breezy on the boardwalk and we needed to wear our heavy coats but it felt fantastic !! Considering it is February and chilly and most businesses aren't open until late March or April, there was a fairly decent crowd on the boards. What a mood lifter!

We took a long stroll up the boardwalk and had an order of french fries at the most famous fry stand in the state (Thrasher's) and a small bag of caramel popcorn (Fishers, of course) which we shared with a few friendly pigeons (much to the chagrin of some nearby seagulls.) We sat on a bench here and there and people and dog watched for a while. One of my favorite shops was open and The Big Guy bought me a Jan Hagara figurine for my collection as a late Valentine's Day present. We even played some good old-fashioned pinball in one of the arcades.
When the restaurant opened, we were the first folks in line (Yes, there was a line waiting for them to open the doors.) We thoroughly enjoyed our meal and then began the trek back home to the Western Shore. The further North and West we went the more snow cover we saw. I must say, it was a bit depressing after that bright sunny snow-free day to drive back to this white (Okay, now it's sort of dirty white) snowy world.
This morning we went to breakfast and then to the casino for an hour or two. We drove in heavy flurries for a fair part of today's trip.

I do feel rejuvenated by that bit of beach and boardwalk though. It's given me encouragement that Spring is coming. I'm hoping it's enough to get me through the snow that's predicted for midweek.

I hope y'all think some "beachy" thoughts this week, too.

The Devil Made Me Do It !!!!

Okay, this one'll be a bit of a rant tonight. Not about the weather (It actually turned out sunny in spite of the "blizzard" forecasts), but about those nuts at the grocery store, again.

So, everybody was predicting heavy snow for this area again. For our immediate neighborhood, the forecasts ran from about 6" right up to 14". They always joke that Baltimoreans all seem to hoard bread, milk, eggs and toilet paper in a storm. I can understand the perishables and those are things we tend to go through quickly but I've never understood why most people don't seem to keep any spare T.P. on hand. I mean, do they calculate out exactly how much their family uses in a week and only buy that much every week? I mean, do they count out the sheets or what?

Now we didn't need any of that stuff, before a storm that may keep us in, we want things like chocolate, pretzels, ice cream and fruit. So, since we were out of bananas, I trekked off to the store. I knew the mad dash would be on, so I set out early.

My preferred grocery store is a stand alone (doesn't share a parking lot with other stores). The lot was about 3/4 full when I arrived. I won't ride around a lot looking for a close space but happened to score one only a few spaces down a prime aisle.

Going into the store, I noted a snazzy new-looking Cadillac parked at the curb in the fire lane. It was not only illegally parked, it completely blocked the cart ramp. That ramp also happens to be the handicapped access ramp that corresponds to the adjacent 12 handicapped spaces. When I came out, 15 minutes later, that Caddie was still blocking the ramp. My order was small so it wasn't a problem for me but there were at least three folks with absolutely full carts that needed to drag them down the entire length of the store ( a pretty great distance) to the ramp at the other entrance and then trek back up the parking lot to their cars. Two of those were elderly ladies parked in handicapped spaces. They should not have been so inconvenienced.

As I pulled out of my space, I saw a very nicely dressed businessman come out of the store and approach the Caddie. He had a small deli bag and a soda bottle in his hand .

So, here's where that devil showed up and gave me a shove. (I don't usually do such things.) I pulled along side the inconsiderate clod's car and called out, in one of my sweeter voices, "Excuse me, can I ask you a question?" He smiled and strolled over and said, "How can I help you?" (Bet he thought I needed directions!)

I know my voice changed when I said, "How come you think you have a right to park there and block the handicapped ramp? Do you know how far folks have to go to get to the other ramp because you're too lazy to actually park?" He looked a little stunned, and held up his lunch, saying, in a very defensive tone, "I was just running in for a few minutes to grab a sandwich."

I came back with, "Well, I just ran in for an entire grocery order. You were there when I went in and there when I came out. What'd you do get a 5-course meal?"

(Okay, maybe I did exaggerate about how big an order I bought.)

There was a little old man with a cane standing there watching this discussion. With that he applauded! This caused Mr. Fancy Driver to simply turn and retreat quickly into his car.

I did actually feel a little embarrassed about this confrontation but then, I was tucked safely inside my big vehicle so I felt a little powerful! Know what? It felt good!

I had reason to go to several other shopping centers that day (not for groceries, though) and, at each one, there were several cars parked at the curb when there were plenty of available spaces on the parking lot. A number of these had folks sitting in them waiting for their partners to finish their shopping and come out. That is just so inconsiderate of the other shoppers. It just causes so much congestion when they do that!

I can understand making things easier on on your companion. I often pull in and drop The Big Guy at the door to save him the walk, however, I then pull down onto the parking lot to park and wait. When I see him come out, I pull back up and pick him up. It's not a difficult concept!

What makes folk think they have a higher authority than everyone else?

Okay, got that off my mind. I feel better now.

Hope y'all have a good day and, please, be considerate of your fellow shoppers. They too have demands on their time and energy and most would rather be doing something else.

Working the Shows Wednesday - ACC Winter Market

To tuly experience the ultimate in craft shows, one must attend the American Craft Council's Winter Market in Baltimore. This year marks the 34th edition of this amazing event.

With over 700 exhibitors, this is the largest juried indoor craft market in the country. Taking place at the Baltimore Convention Center located in downtown Baltimore, only blocks from the Inner Harbor, the doors opened for wholesale buyers yesterday and today and will open for the retail market tomorrow through Sunday. This is truly an elite event, or as The Big Guy would call it a "La De Da Craft Show." All of the merchandise available is of the highest possible standard and is displayed in a manner befitting any shop you might find on Rodeo Drive.

The Baltimore show is the flagship of the ACC's shows and is considered a MUST by gallery and shop buyers from around the country. It is highly competitive, very tightly juried, strictly monitored for quality throughout the show and features artists and craftsmen from all over the United States and Canada. The attendance figures for 2009 were 1,100 registered wholesale buyers and 19,000 general (public) attendees. It should be noted, public buyers pay a rather hefty admission price ($15) for the privilege of attending.

I highly recommend attending at least once in your crafting career. The quality of design and the expert execution of each piece is breathtaking. You can not help but be in awe of these great artisans.

It is NOT a show most of us will ever be able to consider doing. Acceptance is EXTREMELY competitive and your work must be gallery quality both in design and workmanship. Here's the catch, you've got to be able to produce in volume even if your work is each a one-of-a-kind piece. You've got to be able to fulfill wholesale orders in a timely manner. In 2008, wholesale sales totaled $7,500,000 ! Not impressed yet? How about public sales of $6,500,000 ? Even spread throughout 700+ sellers, that's a lot of merchandise!!

Most of us would have trouble swallowing the booth, expense too. A 10' x 10' is $2,000 with a 20' x 10' going for $4,000. (20' x 5' are available for $2,800.) Want a corner? Add $400. All booths are also assessed a $65.00 facility fee by the Convention Center. There are quite a few other incidentals associated with booth set up, too. If you are not local and must stay in a hotel, be forewarned, hotels in Baltimore are quite pricey.

Way back, oh about 31 years ago, I did check into doing this show. It was a local event for me. It was a new show and it looked like it might turn out to be quite successful. (I had a retail shop at the time so I had attended the first few years as a wholesale buyer.) It was a pricey venture way back then, too. After obtaining all the paperwork and prepping my application, I chickened out. I was definitely not sure I'd be able to handle the volume at that point. (My merchandise line was completely different from what I do now.) I knew it would mean giving up just about all other shows for the year and letting my shop suffer. I settled for continuing to just go and shop the event. I did that for many years. It's been a few years now since I went and I probably won't make it this week either. There's always next year.

If this has caught your interest, check out the show's website here or for specific information about applying to this show, or any of the other ACC shows (Atlanta, St. Paul and San Francisco), joining the ACC, or to just review the elaborate rules handbook that should be read carefully before applying, check out the Craft Council's site, here.

If you live in the area and decide to attend the show this week, be prepared, not just for the $15/person admission charge, but know that most parking in the area will be $20 for anything over 3 hours (and there's no way you can see this show in that short of a time period), a cold beverage at the Convention Center will run you $2.50. Wear really comfortable shoes and layer your clothes. The Convention Center will get hot!

I recommend driving in, even with the high fees for parking. There are a number of garages within 4-6 blocks of the Convention Center. If you choose to park in the Northwestern suburbs and take the Light Rail (the Eastside does not have Light Rail access), realize you will need to walk a few blocks and the weather should be cold and snowy this weekend. Mass Transit is laughable, especially on weekends.

I hope you do get a chance to attend one of the ACC shows. As mentioned above, they also have shows in Atlanta, St. Paul and San Francisco. They are not quite as large as this one but just as nice. It will give you a chance to see how the top of the industry does it and you will truly appreciate the creativity and workmanship.

Zhu Zhu Pets - A Social Networking Marketing Success

What's new? Kung Zhu !!

Ninja hamsters ?!? Yep.

In going over their phenomenal holiday success, Zhu Zhu Pet creators realized their little mechanical pets had a bigger appeal to girls than boys. (Winning "Toy of the Year" accolades, they also took the title of "Best Girls Toy" at the 107th American International Toy Fair last week in New York City.) So, how do they grab the other half of the market while still appealing to their original fans?

They evolve ... and, they multiply! (Just like the real thing!)

With only four of the fuzzy, squeaky little critters last season the family is definitely expanding. More than 40 new hamsters will hit the market in 2010. Joining "Mr. Squiggles" and "Pipsqueak" will be "Pax", "Kingston", "Rider" and "Roxie", Zhu Zhu Rockstars ! They'll be long-haired with A-T-T-I-T-U-D-E !! A smart chip gives each their own distinct personality but they won't interact with each other.

Then, there's the Kung Zhu crowd aimed at 8 - 12 year-old boys. These will be split into two battle groups - "Ninja Warriors" and "Special Forces." Again, a smart chip will create both good and evil action figures. They can be "trained" to change their personality from cute and mild-mannered to fighting, battling warriors. (Now, not to create a stereotype, but this appeals to boys!!) They'll feature snap-on armor, weapons, vehicles and even an arena called the "battledome" to fight in. The catch? You never know who will win. (Okay, I'll admit it. Our little lady will definitely want these! So, she isn't dainty!!)

Tiring of hamsters? Then check out the Zhu Zhu Wild Bunch - "Stinky" (you guessed it - a skunk), "Sweetie" (bunny), "Rocco" (raccoon) and a hedgehog (to be named later). There will be more playsets, hamster-powered cars and boats, even beauty salons. The critters, themselves, will still be under $10.00 with accessories going for as much as $30.00.

So, what made Zhu Zhu Pets such a hit?

Well, most obviously the price. then, there was the almost lifelike unpredictable activity involved. Everybody wants to see what they'll do next. All the fun of a pet without the mess, cost of feeding and responsibility. When you tire of it, throw it in the toy box for a while.

The big story here, though, was the marketing !!!

Ultimately, the general public hit the cyber world and pushed these crazy little rodents to the top of almost every kid's Christmas list! Sales took off mostly on the word of parents raving about them online in social network settings. Mom's tweeted about their sweet appeal and where they got them. Facebook friends shared the news and passed the word. Parents blogged about their antics and how adorable they were. Other media lifted this info from the web and put it into print and audio broadcasts. Demand went up, supplies got tighter. Moms, standing in line to get the precious little items (many stores limited purchases to 2 to a customer) tweeted to all their followers where they had found them. Word spread like wildfire!! Sales went over the top!

With the introduction of the many new characters, I foresee a collectible market much like Beanie Babies.

Still wondering if Twitter and Facebook can help sales?

Still working on it!!

Here's a preview of the post for tomorrow! (You know, the one I wanted to do on Saturday!)

Photo by Cepia

I'm really sorry but I got totally bogged down by family life and other necessities yesterday and by business demands today. (The latter is a GOOD thing.) I didn't want to just throw the post together as I want it to be worth your read.

I've actually been working on several posts for this week (another Working the Shows Wednesday is coming out this week) and I hope to be on track again by tomorrow. I'm designing a new Marketing Series to start in the very near future and I've got an interview or two just waiting for pictures to attach.

I've also been trying to actually produce some new designs for my Spring sales. I'm expanding on the adult-size merchandise, home decor pieces and some great toys. I'll be telling you about these items as they actually come out. Most of February was a bit dry for me inspiration wise so I'm eager to go with the flow since getting some of my mojo back.

Hope you're getting some Spring inspiration, too.

See y'all tomorrow!!

A Funny Thing Happened...

A funny thing happened on my way to publishing my post tonight. I had scribbled out a draft and began typing it in and then, while checking one fact, I found a whole font of information and was possessed to revise, and then, revise again. Soooo, in the interest of getting my facts straight, I elected to postpone that particular subject. Let's just say, it's about hamsters - Zhu Zhu Pets to be precise.

I've been spending the week finding out what's new in the toy world. The 107th American International Toy Fair has just wrapped up in New York. This is the annual event where toy manufacturers from all over the world get together to introduce new products for the coming year and flaunt their successes from the past season.

Zhu Zhu Pets were voted the Toy of the Year!! (Yeah, that was a big surprise, wasn't it?) [That WAS sarcasm]

Ultimately, I find this information helpful to me as a crafter selling my work as I see what direction things are going. Where they think the trends will go and what colors, animals and such will be "IN" for the holiday season. (Yes, I DID have hamster shirts for sale for this past holiday season. I only wish I'd seen them coming sooner.)

Of course, there are some duds each year. I mean, there are over 1000 manufacturers at the fair and not all are going to have a good year. But it's interesting to see what they've come up with and how they plan to market those creations. A little business like mine can learn a lot from the Mattels and Hasbros out there.

Puppy Tweets ! Coming soon to a collar near you!

For years, Snoopy (of Peanuts fame) has been sharing his personal thoughts with us, albeit through a translator, but soon every street-corner mutt can share their activities with anyone who chooses to join their social network.

Does your dog have it's own Twitter account yet? Better sign him/her up quick. Soon all the gang down at the Puppy Palace will have one and every four-footed mongrel will be yapping about how many followers they have.

I know we all understand (or think we do) what our own furry buds have to tell us but come Fall, Mattel's new Puppy Tweets will find it's way to a store or pet shop near you. (Amazon has already signed on as a distributor.)

Puppy Tweets is a new high tech toy (for grown-ups and their K-9 pals) in the form of a plastic tag that attaches to Spot's collar and, triggered by barking or movement, will generate an automatic update on Spot's own Twitter account.

The item features a USB receiver that you (Spot's owner) connects to your computer. Download the software and create Spot's Twitter account. Attach the plastic tag to Spot's collar and he's good to go. When he barks or moves, the receiver will get a signal from the tag and generate one of 500 random pre-recorded tweets.
Ultimately, we still won't know Spot's true thoughts just merely a possible thought like, "Woo, Woo! Check out that perky Labradoodle!" (generated by a woof, woof coming from Spot himself) or, (should Spot stop and scratch) "Hey, I've finally caught my tail!" But then, I've received less relevant tweets, haven't you?

I predict retailers will have trouble keeping these on the shelves for the first few months. I mean who wants to have the only pooch on the block who's NOT on Twitter?

Me? I'm going to keep an eye on the profiles for each of my new followers, especially anybody claiming to be "Sir Barksalot" or "Lady Bow Wow."