Summer camp

My daughter is attending a three week sleep away camp in upstate NY.  This is going to be her first time away from home for this length of time.  We will be visiting her second weekend there but it feels like an eternity.  Last year she did a one week version of this scouting camp and loved it so I know she will have lots of fun and I know she is in good capable hands but still I worry.  Will she eat enough, will she like her cabin mates?  Will she be placed with friends she knows? I think I am more nervous about her going than she is. 

As I am currently working my way through mounds of laundry and sorting out clothing to pack for my daughter, I wonder if anyone has some good tips on packing a child for sleep away camp.   My daughter tends to be a bit disorganized so I have separated each day's clothing into Ziploc bags which will have the added benefit of keeping her clothes clean and dry in the event of rain.   I also included a few extra sets of clothes just in case.  Knowing that she will be writing to friends and family I have packed prepaid postcards so that she doesn't need to worry about postage or envelopes. Rather than a suitcase, I am packing her in a plastic storage drawer cabinet and some crates that will fit under her bed.  I am hoping that this will make it easier to maintain some semblance of cleanliness around her bed.   She is taking her favorite doll and travel games as well.  I will be sending her several  care packages during her time away with small games or trinkets inside.

Selling your crafts at home parties...

Most crafts that are well made sell best in person.  Many crafters sell at craft shows or fairs and others prefer to sell in a more personalized setting: the home party.  How does a home party work? Well it can be done in  several ways. 

The first is to have the hostess of the party to invite all her friends and family over for a set time.  You can then give them all a presentation about your work, play party games with some of your items as prizes and then let them mill around looking at your crafts and hopefully buying and setting up parties of their own.  It is great if you're comfortable with public speaking and being the center of attention.

If however, you're like me and would rather not be put on the spot in front of a group of people, then the open house party may be more to your liking.   Rather than have all the guests come for a set time, invite them for a range of time usually a 3 hour window is good.  This is a more relaxed atmosphere and allows you to mingle with the guests and talk about your crafts one on one.   This is a great way to let people see what you make without having them feel pressured to buy.  No one like to have a sale's person follow them around  there is no quicker way to turn them off to buying.  You can have a guest book for your guests to sign which you can later use for a mailing list. 

Which ever method you choose to use is up to you and they both work well. In both cases it is customary to give the hostess either a percentage of your sales and/or discounts on anything she buys from you. 

When setting up your show remember that presentation is key.  If your presentation does not look professional no one will take it seriously.  Have a sign with you business name, have on hand plenty of business cards, and set up your displays in multiple levels rather than just flat on a table.  Label all your items with prices people will often assume that if an item has not price tag then it must be out of their price range.  
Most of all relax and have fun!