Evo's
Show/People Report
The Midwest Art & Rubberstamp Festival
July 19 & 20, 2003
Sponsored by:
Heirloom Productions
Heyyyyy, Folks...
Even without the extra "excitement" for Mr Evo & myself at this show ... and yes there was some, but you probably already suspected that would be the case ... this show/people report could never, ever be a boring one, for real.
When Mr Evo & I first arrived at the show on Friday, Melinda Mourning, our "I'm here for you all three days" helper was waiting for us and asked ... "How was your trip here? Everything go ok?"
I answered, "Yes! Smooth as silk! :}>"
She said, "Uh Oh. :{/"
I laughed at her pessimism, but she was right ... "Silk" did, indeed, turn into "Corduroy" in a couple of instances.
Instance #1:
For the first time ever, we didn't bring our booth set-up with us. Pat & Amy of AMY's MAGIC had offered to take 4 of our bins with them from the Orlando show in June to the Rockford show to "lighten" our load on our flight to this show. But, whoops, Pat & Amy were 5 hours late arriving at the Rockford show Friday, due to highway construction and weather from PA. Sooo, instead of starting "set-up" at noon and finishing by 6 pm ... we started at 5 pm.
Tons of "Orchid - Rubber" to all the vendors that helped get our bins to our booth and to Mary Kay of STAMP CAMP (who helped us with set-up until her class started at 6:30) and to Melinda who had hung in there with us since 11:00 am and helped other vendors set-up while waiting for our "stuff" to arrive. And, tons of "Orchid-Rubber" to AMY'S MAGIC for persevering and getting to the show! And tons of "Orchid-Rubber" to Heirloom for allowing us to stay late setting-up.
Instance #2:
Saturday morning ... Mr Evo and I awakened early, dressed, and went downstairs at the FairField Inn to eat our complimentary breakfast, planning to be back at the ClockTower Resort Hotel by 8 am to finish setting up for the show that would start at 10 am.
We ate breakfast, returned to our room and inserted our Card-Key into the lock.
Cardkey doesn't work. Several tries later, Cardkey still doesn't work. No problem ... I run to the office and another cardkey is programmed. I run back to the room and new cardkey still doesn't work. No problem ... I run back to the office, and they send Jimbo the maintenance guy back to the room with me to re-program our door lock.
After 15 minutes, Jimbo pronounces ... "Re-program won't work ... door is dead ... time for Plan B". No problem ... Jimbo runs back to the office to get Plan B wire "thingamajig" that can be shoved under dead door to pull handle down to open dead door. 45 minutes later, I announce to Jimbo that I'm taking Mr Evo to the ClockTower to help Melinda set up and will come back to get our "stuff" from the room that's needed for the show.
Upon my return, Jimbo is still on his knees working diligently with the Plan B "thingamajig". I say to Jimbo ... "What's Plan C if plan B isn't working?" Jimbo sez ... "That would be, Plan C ... drill through the lock." I say, "Please do it."
Jimbo runs back to office for a drill. First drill bit doesn't work, so Jimbo runs back to office for larger bit. Manager follows Jimbo back and sez ... "Jimbo ... I'd really rather you didn't drill through the lock". After 15 more minutes of drilling ... Jimbo sez to Manager ... "No problem. Drills aren't working".
At this point, I say ... "OK. What's Plan D? I have 30 minutes left to get to the show." Jimbo looks at me and sez ... "There IS no plan D, unless ... (and I see him shudder at the thought) ... we break the window."
I look at Manager (daring her to protest, but she nods) and I say ... "PLEASE DO IT". And, he does. A tad of duct tape and a hammer does wonders.
I arrive at the show 5 minutes before the door opens for stampers to enter.
And enter, you did! You came ... you enjoyed ... you watched demos ... you participated in activities ... you asked questions ... and yes! ... you brought joy to the vendors at the show, who thrive and revel in "all of the above".
Would we stay at the FairField again? Why not? After all ... Jimbo risked life and limb for us and sustained a "boo boo" on a finger, breaking our window. And... upon our arrival back to the hotel Saturday nite... we found a new room waiting for us, all of our clothes and luggage moved into the new room, a note thanking us for our patience and understanding PLUS a bag filled with edible goodies and two bottles of water submerged in ice PLUS one of our three night's stay free.
Do we have photos? Yes! Only a couple taken by me ... the rest were taken by Mr Evo while on "walk-about" at the show. You can see them here:
Rockford 03 pics
Thanks to both Melinda and Carol for your help at the show! We hope you enjoyed helping as much as we enjoyed you! And huge Rubber-Orchids for staying Sunday to help us pack up. You were both phenomenal.
Will we do the Rockford show again next year? Yep. "God willing and the crick don't rise".
Ellen :}> Evo
