Back From Norman

The first big Renfest I've attended this year was this past weekend in Norman, Oklahoma. It's not quite like any other because it is free to anyone who wants to attend and is a bit more loose in decisions about what is to be sold there (we usually have a sock monkey booth for neighbors). We had a pretty good weekend, considering that it was COLD and on top of that, Sunday was unbelievably GRASSY. I mean, the wind blew like crazy the whole weekend, and by Sunday, all the dust and bits of dried grass were loosened enough that it looked like a blizzard out there. That kind of thing really slows down attendance, even if it's free.

Things I want to remember for next festival:

Apparently, if a pregnant woman has a lovely belly-framing corset on, with a large brass Steampunk medallion dangling over said belly, that means everyone is welcome to touch the belly. It was a cute look, since my waist currently measures nearly 43 inches. I'm just not sure I want to have an open invitation to all fondlers.

Make a cloak out of warm fabric and bring it to every show, even if I think it's spring already.

Henna the hair more than two days in advance, so that the residue doesn't make the nice motel towels orange.

Keep diapers in diaper bag, not in our renaissance clothing box, since they were NEVER where we needed them when we needed them.

Good friends and loyal customers are valuable morale-boosters on a cold, miserable, slow day. Thanks to Ron of Storm Watch Jewelry, William and his Wenches, our favorite Steampunk Girl, Acrobat Girl, and Sir William (who generously loans his cloak to freezing maidens).

And as always, SMILE and MAKE EYE CONTACT. Michelle is such a natural saleswoman, it's a joy to watch her interact with customers, and I always feel like such a cave-dweller in comparison.

Finally, I'd like to add that we will sadly miss the Barbarian. He was killed in a car wreck while traveling from show to show. The Barbarian was a good-looking bald man who dressed in furs and horns and sold really excellent foam weapons. Anyone could challenge him to single combat for their honor, and I know of only one man who bested him. All of us girls have had crushes on him for as long as we've been selling bodices at Renaissance Festivals. Here's more about him.