The best experience is to make expenses and some profit on the first morning. That's what happened to me this past weekend at TileFest held at the TileWorks of Bucks County in Doylestown, Pa. This scenario allows you to relax and appreciate everyone enjoying the event as an activity, who aren't necessarily shopping, but sometimes they are. I had two such experiences that were delightfully fun that I want to share with you.
Vase sold at TheTileWork’s TileFest.
A woman comes into the booth and sees two large vases. She immediately says she wants one for herself and sees the other as a wedding gift for her sister, who's getting married for the third time. She took a picture, texted it, and called her to see if she wanted it. Since she had walked to the event, I had my husband drive her home because the pot was about 19" tall and weighty. As they get into the car, she connects with her sister. TileFest's sister says, "Did you see the picture? Would you like it as your wedding gift?" My husband hears the sister's reply, "Hell no. I've got to combine three houses of stuff into one. I don't need anything." He shares this with me when he returns, and we laugh. She texted this picture of my pot in its new home.
Clearly she loves red as much as I do.
At the end of Sunday, a couple about my age came into the booth to see the mural I had intentionally made front and center to draw people into the booth. Many people admired it throughout the weekend and told me it was beautiful, but they were past buying things. This couple matched the mural in feeling and color. There was a joyful quietness about them; they wore the tile's colors. I don't remember why I told them about how I had recently donated all my old artwork and how it had allowed me to embrace the person I am now. That resonated. With a house brought in San Francisco, they were divesting many of their belongings, lamenting the kids weren't interested in any of the antiques and how hard it was to let them go. Suddenly they were talking about where they would put the mural. It'll be hanging in the foyer of their new home to the left of the door.
My booth set-up at the TileFest was clean and lean with the 12” x 36” Mountain Mural at it’s center.
There are pieces in my home that I'll never let go of—this one of a girl and her dog I bought when I had lost one but hadn't found another. I'll keep it forever. I love elephants and bought work with them in it, but they were circus-related, and that's not how I want to see them now. Those I let go. I like making room for me now, and I hope you're doing the same.
New 4” tiles for my personal collection from the TileWorks of Bucks County, aka the Moravian Tile Works.