We are back from Atlanta's America's Mart. It was amazing! However, getting there wasn't for the weary or faint of heart!
Coming from Colorado I never dreamed weather issues would be a concern on Atlanta's end,but alas, Atlanta was hit by ice, then snow, then ice again creating a storm of of epic proportions. The city of Atlanta owns 4 snowplows and everything came to a frozen stand still! Kate's flight was cancelled from DIA and Jackie couldn't get out of D.C.
America's Mart is the BIGGEST home and gift trade show in the nation. Buyers from all over the country and world travel to this pearl of the south to buy the latest, greatest and "just gotta haves" for their stores. Long story long. we were determined that we had to get there! Padibbles improvised and had its own rendition of "Planes, Trains and Automobiles" . Kate found a flight that had multiple stops and a crazy route, Jackie took the train from DC and Libby and I made it via plane, van and taxi without incident.
However...once there we learned all of the supplies for our booth that we'd shipped several weeks ago were stuck in a ship yard somewhere in Atlanta and because of the icy roads we were told that they may or may not get to our booth in time. We weren't alone~~~ vendors throughout the Mart were in the same position. The stress was palpable. This had the potential to be devastating for many...how do you sell if there is nothing to sell? Equally bad, what if those wanting to buy can't make it to the show?
We decided that you can only do what you can do so Libby and I started working with what we could to create a makeshift booth until our artist extraordinaire arrived!
Our walls were put up prior to our arrival but they were kittywampus, (not sure if this is really a word but my grandma used it all the time---think crazy or not quite right). Check out the photo below and notice the slant to the walls.
(We had the nice folks at George Fern help us put the walls on make- do foam core board joists to level things out).
Next on the agenda was to paint the wall Padibble green! We hired a brave taxi driver to take us on the icy roads to a local paint store.
Libby ready to work!
Our booth materials still hadn't arrived so.....
We waited, prayed, said things that our mom wouldn't like, checked in with the show peeps (again, and again and again), to see if our stuff was there, then waited some more and repeated the above all over again.
Then miraculously our pallet arrived!
And so did Jackie!!! Let the magic begin!
Jackie hanging up our Padibbles flowers.
We can't thank you enough for coming to visit us at the Mart! We had a true taste of Southern hospitality! Despite our rocky start we had our best show ever, (I know, I know, it was only our second show! Still, we really, really are so happy!). We hope we "Wiped a smile on your face!" Because you sure made us smile!
Thanks Y'all!
Patty, Libby, Jackie, (and Marla and Kate too!)
The Padibbles Crew :-)
No comments:
Post a Comment