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Welcome and thank you for taking time to read and share the experiences and happenings |
Blog #1 thru to Blog #22 have all been written here on my web site, - or - alternatively they can be read as PDF documents. |
Blog #1 - 10 March 2013 : Below (Nashville Needlework Trade Show) |
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Blog #1 |
10 March 2013 ~ On Saturday, the 23rd of February, my lovely daughter, Melissa and I flew out of New Zealand to Nashville, Tennessee to attend the yearly needlework trade show. This is the 20th year I have attended such an event - and it is one that I love. It is where needlework designers showcase their latest needlework designs to retailers for them to decide There are many shows throughout a year - all at different locations. Besides Nashville, I have attended shows at Charlotte, North Carolina and Columbus, Ohio - but Nashville is my favourite. So friendly and relaxed. However, this year was quite different in that in addition to going to purchase lovely new designs and products for my Needlework Gallery - I was going as an exhibitor. That is - to showcase my needlework designs to the retailers. Although very exciting and the fulfilment of a longtime dream, it was also very daunting. Would the retailers like my designs? Would the retailers buy my designs? To follow: some photos of our time there - |
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Boxes of printed designs from the printers - Before leaving NZ we did not print any designs. Instead, had them as pdf. files on a 'memory stick / flash drive' and had them printed in the States soon after our arrival. |
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Part-way through |
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Melissa placing some Her thumbs became |
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All this work took several days |
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Besides helping me, |
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A VERY busy girl! |
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Set up for the show was on Thursday, 28th of February. Display banners were hung, signposts erected and displays of needlework pieces set out. This is a very different show as each exhibitor displays in the lounge area of their own hotel room/suite - |
Trade Show |
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At the Trade Show in Charlotte, |
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Gage, Cece and myself
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My lovely friend, Giulia |
These are our signs Looking from further & looking up from the |
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However, not too disappointed with the end result. |
Set up displays on the dining table, the TV cabinet, the coffee table and the corner sofa table |
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The dining table display - | The TV cabinet display - | The coffee table display - | The corner table display - |
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Thursday was also the day when the retailers began arriving. This is the sign in the hotel lobby that greeted them. Plus I had Phillip |
Thursday evening I attended a lecture on Copyright. VERY INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE. Sadly, so many people today think it is quite alright to copy a person's But - reality - they are stealing. |
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Friday afternoon Melissa attended a needlework class and I set up for the early evening event - Make It, Take It. | |
5pm - 7pm |
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At this event, over and over again, I demonstrated to the retailers |
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I had on hand 75 copies of one of my designs At the end of an extremely busy time, Melissa and I only packed up four designs! Very encouraging. Especially after all my apprehension. |
Saturday and Sunday |
View from |
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These days were busy with selling to the retailers (to find a retailer who now stocks Barberry Row designs, go to the Designs page and find the Shop Locations link or click here) and me leaving Melissa to dash off and find lovely new designs and products for the Heirlooms Needlework Gallery. These new items will be featured over the next few months : What's New ~ at Heirlooms |
Monday and Tuesday were the days to say farewell to so many of my lovely designer friends. To name a few - Here are some farewell pics - |
Sandie & Dave |
Mario, myself & Giulia |
Myself & Giulia |
Melissa & Giulia |
Monique, myself & Gigi |
Sadly, for various reasons, some of my other special friends were unable to be at Nashville this year. They were : Cece of The Thread Gatherer : Judy of JBW Designs and Ellen of With My Needle We missed them very much. |
Part of one of these two days was also taken up with wandering around the historical town of Franklin. |
Here is a photo of the pancake lunch Back in 2010 Melissa and I toured a couple of the Civil War sites |
Wednesday, 4.30 am : We were collected from the hotel by Azaz (the lovely, friendly, trustworthy, private shuttle driver/owner Look at all our bags! As per usual we had done some shopping!! Also, we had a few designs to take home as we didn't manage |
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Arrived home at Napier mid-morning of Friday, 8th of March, to be greeted by loving family who were pleased to see us - and we pleased to see them. One of the first stops before our home was at Melissa's place to see the progress of her new home, the building of which began whilst we were away. Family had kept us 'up-to-date' with photos by Email - but so great to actually see it. And so - a wonderful, wonderful trip and the beginnings of a dream coming true for me! I wonder what the future holds. Bye for now. Sherelyn |
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