Last year, my friend Debra and I shared a booth at Manotick’s annual summer festival, Dickinson Days. Debra is a craft show pro, and was generous enough to share her booth and her expertise to give me a taste of what it’s like to be a vendor at an outdoor craft show. This year, Deb couldn’t make it to Dickinson Days, so I flew solo. I loved it, even though it was still more fun last year with a partner in mischief. It definitely qualifies as a microadventure for the summer 2025 microadventure challenge!
I had some leftover items from last year’s booth, and I added a LOT of wrapped rocks this year. After some consideration, I also included some of my cyanotype experiments – cards, bookmarks, and the hand-stitched fabric pouches. Even though I’ve only barely embraced the potential of cyanotype, I thought they could sell for a dollar or two each. And guess what my first sale of the day was? Right as we were getting started, someone came by and bought up all of my custom cards with cyanotype prints of Watson’s Mill, Manotick’s signature historic building. I forgot to even take photos of them, but here’s a few of them in progress.
To my delight, folks wanted to talk about the wrapped rocks, and I even sold a few. People loved the idea, and I’m hoping I sold a few folks on the concept of a rock-wrapping craft night home party.
I was also offering one-card tarot card readings for $5. I love the idea of a low-priced accessible way for folks who may be curious to have a little taste of tarot. At the last minute, I’d come up with the idea of printing basic keywords and a motivational question relating to each tarot card on a slip of paper, along with my contact info, so folks would have a take-away for their $5 – and a way to remember me. Except there are 78 cards, and I wanted to have at least 10 of every card. It took my sweet husband almost as long to cut out and sort 780 slips of paper as it took me to write up all the cards. I have a good team behind me!
I’ve said before, I genuinely love tarot parties and offering tarot readings at events and festivals like this. People are curious about tarot, and often seem mostly relieved when I explain that I don’t talk to spirits or channel mystic energy, that I just want to tell them a story inspired by their card, which almost always reflects the energy that’s around them. One lady, probably 15 or 20 years older than me, came by and shyly asked for a one-card reading. I heard her talking about it to some friends immediately afterward, and she was obviously pleased and impressed with her reading. Then she came back about 3 hours later and asked for another reading, and how she could learn more about tarot cards. Another one joins the club!
In the end, I earned enough to pay for my booth plus a little extra. I got rid of some rocks, including a favourite that I was more than a little sad to part with. I made friends with a geologist who wanted to talk about rocks and loved the idea of rock wrapping so much he said he was going to buy my rock-wrapping book on Etsy! And I chatted with so many lovely people on a gorgeous summer Saturday. Who could ask for anything more? And now I have room for more rocks!
If you’re in Ottawa, and you’d like to know more about rock-wrapping or slow-stitching home craft parties around YOUR kitchen table, or to know more about tarot parties and events, reach out to me. I’d love to connect with you. I’m at dani@curiouscrone.ca 🙂