Ready or Not.....

Actually, I do feel ready for the show in Nashville, but the leaving is always hard. I worry that I will have forgotten or misplaced something important... I have a hard time when my oldest child goes to be in tears saying “But Mommy... what if something happens to you?” ... I know I will miss my husband and worry for him, even though he is SO capable when it comes to taking care of our daughters.

Mingled with all of this is also the excitement of knowing that I will be with colleagues and friends whom I admire... showing off designs that I have worked very hard to bring to life... and getting inspired by new colours, new ideas, new trends and just plain being away.

I thought I would have time for something much more lucid... but I want to check over everything and then spend some time with Nick!

What a Difference A Few Degrees Make!!!

For the first time since Christmas, the weather outside was actually bearable today. Bethany’s daycare took the kids outside twice because, with the sun out and very little wind, it was a perfect day to let them play in the snow! Of course all of her stuff came home soaked, but she fell asleep early!!

I am more or less under control for Nashville, though my printer ran out of a colour ink cartridge last night and Nick had the van today. I just hunkered down and got my last bits of computer stuff done as well as rough packing the totes to see how I will balance out the weight. The hardest part of this show in Nashville is trying to make sure you have enough stuff to sell. I can’t always tell which design with sell better than others or what you might run out of... yet I can’t bring everything but the kitchen sink. Weight restrictions play havoc going down, so I try to make sure all the leaflets and chartpacks are spread out between the 3 cases. Thank goodness Jo from X’s & Oh’s is driving down! She is going to bring along 2 boxes that I shipped to her earlier this month.

Tomorrow is the last fitting for my costume for Nashville too, as well as my “run around and pick up all those last minute things” day. I am pretty notorious about losing tickets and passports (there is a pair of expired passports hidden somewhere in our house that we “tucked somewhere safe” 8 years ago and still haven’t found!) so I leave them with the travel agent until the last possible moment. Thank goodness e-tickets are making it easier for people like me to just show up with their ID!

I spoke to a few shops down in that area who are driving in on Thursday and the forecast may be iffy... I think it is still to far out to tell if there will be “weather” playing havoc, but as Europe learned last week, you just can’t plan for some things. My Mom had to spend and extra day in Switzerland with my brother and his family when the Geneva airport closed due to severe snow!

It’s funny how, in this modern era, we try to overcome the weather and make it adapt to our “business as usual” instead of being more flexible the way our ancestors were. Winter storms or blazing summer heat were a signal to slow down or rest a bit... now we just turn up the heat or the air conditioner and keep on going!

I am always so nervous and excited before a show like this. It is partly because I am putting things I have created on display... and no matter how confident you may feel about something, I think that anyone who is creative (or becomes a parent... or falls in love... or faces a great challenge) understands that there may be risk or rejection. It is also a very exciting time because I get to meet my “colleagues” and talk shop. So much of my designing or daily work is done without people here in town who really understand what I do... so it is great fun to have others to share, brainstorm and just plain goof around with.

I’d better go over my lists for tomorrow and make sure they are up to date!