The Night Before

Everything is all packed and ready for transport. I gave up the zen garden idea for now - never made the rakes and I ran out of sand. The house doesn't smell like low tide anymore and the dining room table will be available for meals soon.

I forgot to go to the bank so I have no starting cash. One of us can go in the morning.

My back is killing me - too many hours either at the computer or table and I'm staying up way too late. I still have to do some coursework tonight.

Just talked to Ginge and we will meet at 745 in the morning. I have been in a frenzy about this - but a calm seems to be coming over me now. I hope we make something!

Three Days... To-Do List

This is shaping up to be a very busy day!

1. Do my coursework - brilliant idea to take an online course in the summer (note sarcasm) and yeah, this is the first priority (really and truly)! - Done!!
   
2. Pick up a table from Carol - thanks Carol :) - Done!!
3. Get more Adirondack Chairs - Done!!
4. Meet Yearbook consultant at Starbucks - Hey Ryan! - Done!!
5. Make rakes for Zen gardens - Let it go...
   
6. Re-evaluate signage - Not going to worry about it
   
7. Make more tags - Done!!
8. Think about the financial side - Later

Four Days To Go

I went to the beach and got more seaweed, shells and driftwood. I rinsed it and spread it out in the driveway to bake. I ran a couple of errands and made it back to the house two minutes after the sky let loose with our first rain in almost two weeks. Needless to say all of the drying was for naught. It had to wait another day. I tried bringing it all inside to dry - but it started to smell like low tide so out to the garage it went.


Aimee stopped over today and gave me the vendor package so I know where to setup and who else will be there - can't wait. Ginge is on board - which is great, I really need her! She will be stopping over tomorrow to see where we are with everything. I definitely need another set of eyes on this. We are already thinking of other items we could do next year!

I went to play MahJong with the girls tonight and I took some samples of the items. The best reaction came from the Adirondack chair - I might have to go get some more of those tomorrow.

I want to make some beachy zen gardens - I have everything but rakes - I have to make them tomorrow. I have three different sized wooden dowels that need to be cut, drilled and glued. The tomorrow list is starting to fill out.

Preparation Continues

Ok - the signage is done. At least the ones that will sit on the tables. We probably need something higher up. I want to make something that can hold the drying seaweed - maybe a tree branch. Still haven't figured out the tables yet.

Why Blog?

Reasons:

1. To give customers more info on the product. I will put the blog address on the tags that I make for the jars. Maybe they will want to contact me and I don't really want my home info on it.
2. I am taking an online course this summer that s exposing me to more digital tools that I can teach to my students this coming fall. I need to practice so I can "walk the walk."
3. Feedback - I want this idea to grow...maybe I should have the supplies with me so people can build their own, hmm.
   

Mobile Access

Testing the mobile device - now I can blog on the road. That means I can upload photos and commentary during the Jubilee on Friday. This could be fun.

Partner

BTW, my name is Lisa and I have the perfect person in mind to help me with this, Ginge. We talked about it briefly and she offered, but my plans for her are definitely increasing in scope. Ginge is great with people, she sets everyone at ease immediately. I think she might really enjoy this as well. This could be a fun little side business for us to do together - we're both teachers and have some time in the summer to try it. I'll send her the address for this blog and she can see how much fun we'll have! No pressure - Ginge!

I'm definitely using the Newmarket Jubilee as a testing ground. What is the worst that can happen?

Production

I had the ingredients: sand - jars - seaweed - shells - seaglass - driftwood. Now I need to pull it all together. I'm starting with 25 quart jars. The sand is in the jars. Now I just have to decide what will make up the seascapes...how full do I want them, are they all going to be the same?

Now I am starting to get scared. I can't spend any money on this. How am I going to present the product? Do I have a name? Will anyone want to buy one? What do I need to do or get to pull this off? The questions are flowing faster than the answers. I do believe in the K.I.S.S. theory - Keep it simple silly. So here goes...

• The name...Beach Jars...ok, I like that.
• Presentation...table with beach towels for table cloth, maybe some shells laying around and some seaweed hanging to dry.
• Other ideas...I have a lot of spider plant babies that are rooting in water - maybe I could put them in glass containers with seaglass to make the table look more interesting and sell them as well.
• Ok, I spent a little money and got some 4" Adirondack chairs that have candle holders in them - I will put spider plant babies in the glass. Then I found some 10" lifeguard stands and some ceramic starfish. So much for simple.

It all looks marvelous. My vision of the table is coming together. 6 days to go.

The Idea

1995 - I'm a pack rat, I know it. When we moved into our house and found the stash of antique glass topped canning jars I knew I would use them "someday." So I saved them from the dump. I washed them and stored them safely in the basement for when that day would arrive.

July 2, 2010 - Someday just arrived. My friend Aimee asked me to be a craft vendor for an event she was putting together at the Newmarket Community Center in less than two weeks. Sure, I've done lots of different crafts, but I'm not a vendor. I told her I had an idea of making seascapes in these old glass jars that I had tucked away somewhere, maybe I had 100 of them. I'd see what I had and get back to her. I found the stash - 15 years later. So far I have uncovered about 40 jars - that might be enough to get started.

Last winter I had gone to the beach and collected seaweed, shells and sand so that I could make some seascapes for Christmas presents. The seaweed had dried nicely and was now ready for me, but I didn't think I had enough. I needed more so I headed out with my dog Buster and we collected seaweed and shells (the sand came from parking lots so I wouldn't break any laws). With about 10 days to go, I had to get this stuff dried out. First I washed it with the hose and then I strung the seaweed up all over my yard. We were in the middle of a heat wave and the seaweed dried out in no time at all.