Current mood:

artistic

Planets Align
Even briefly, it's good to feel that things are going well. Today, I dropped off business cards and brochures at Natural Canvas and met Chad. We chatted for a bit and he seemed like a cool human. This move was inspired by a woman who came into CW Saturday night and recommended it. She's on her way to California for job interviews this week and didn't want to get henna done, but assured me she'd be back. So if you're reading this: Thank you!

I wasn't at CW last weekend becauze I was in Ohio picking D up from Origins. Man, that would have been a prime henna spot. I'm just not sure how I could swing it. If I tried to do henna in the atrium of the Hyatt, they'd probably kick me out and I'd probably have to pay a booth fee in the convention center. But wow, yeah. I was really wishing I had henna on me.

Saturday I did that book signing for Donna Gambino. She's a physical therapist and her book was about a new low impact exercise method she'd developed. It took place in a Jazzercise center and she'd invited all sorts of fun female/exercise oriented vendors. Henna was slow at first while people trickled in and circled uncertainly, but eventually it was a big hit. I handed out nearly all my brochures and people asked all sorts of questions, so I'm hoping that this will generate a few party referrals. The event ended at 3, but I worked until 4 to get all the vendors, volunteers and demonstrators who'd been busy.

I did have the typical Indian woman run in, which was discouraging, but it starting to get to the point where it's just amusing. She hovered the last hour. She was there with friends who got henna done, but she wouldn't get henna. She watched, read through the HP slide show hand out I'd spiral bound, read my brochures and looked through both design books. And watched some more. As usual, people asked me how I learned this, so I told them about my younger siser who taught me (since that's easier than trying to explain about the SCA and since she really was the driving force in getting started for real) and the Indian lady peered at me and asked "Well.. aren't you Pakistani? Or Punjabi?" "I'm European." On the one hand, I was flattered that I might have been able to pass as a light skinned Pakistani, but on the other, I was so tired of this attitude that if I'm not Indian I don't know what I'm doing.

This doesn't happen with Near East/Persian people.

Saturday night at CW was great. Another visit from Jeff and Dave (see, now I've gone and forgotten which is which.. *waves to them* ():D) made me smile a lot. A chat with Susan, more henna for Liz - and free snacks from Liz. There was the chikkie who came by to preview my books before heading to California for interviews and there was Kyle(sp?) who had seen me at Top of the Park and got a lovely calf piece done from Bella's Wildflowers. She's so smiley, I just couldn't help but get as excited as she was about the henna. I'd really wanted to talk to her at Top of the Park since she seemed so interested and nice, but I was just too busy.

Two women came in who had just been down to Lucky Monkey looking for a henna artist. (Yay! It's always nice to know which advertising is paying off.) They got my number and called home, D picked up and told them I was at CW so they hurried right over! And then I did henna on two young women who were also smiley and just plain nice. It was quite a "feel good" night, really.

Oh, and Thursday I actually did some henna on myself for the first time in ages. I have a pic, but I have to install my digital camera's memory stick software, so.. maybe the next post. I met up with Meeta in the evening and we went to Al Noor for food, conversation and of course, henna. I did both her palms right there and no one seemed to mind. I love Al Noor. :D

This weekend is the Saline Celtic Festival, but I don't think I'll bring henna. I'll be attending with the SCA and they're a nonprofit educational group and I'd cross way too many lines. I'm also emailing back and forth with a woman named Cindy about scheduling some training. I'd hardly consider myself a master, but the idea of having apprentices/help/booth babes is nice. I just don't know how to handle it - I mean, how do you enforce standards or make sure they're just using your stuff and how do you pay them.. I'll have to just teach her and see how it goes.