Tales of Rejection

Well it came today, that dreaded thing no professional crafter likes to see, the REJECTION LETTER! I think I have a pretty thick skin and plenty of confidence about my work, but no one likes to get turned down, it's like being picked last on the playground. To be honest this is the only Craft Show that has ever turned me down and it makes me crazy. Hearts and Hands is a large craft show in Houston, Texas. I have applied as a vendor for the last four years and two of those years I was accepted and the other two I was turned down. The two years that I was accepted I sold out during the three day show and I was told I was one of the top performing vendors at the show both years.

So what changed the next year? Why was I turned away? These are questions you can go crazy trying to answer. I was told they like to mix up the vendors and keep their show fresh, but to be honest I have seen a lot of the same vendors there from year to year and I can not for the life of me figure it out. But to tell you the truth I don't have the time to squander on such things, I'm too busy crafting.

I am the kind of person that thinks everything happens for a reason and this turn of events will eventually work out in my favor. I had just been contacted by another show a few days ahead of the dreaded rejection letter. They had seen my things at Hearts and Hands and were willing to bend over backwards to get me to participate in their show, well nothing is more flattering than people begging, well almost begging! I was not thinking seriously about that show because I thought I would be too busy to have enough product to make another show. Well low and behold now I have plenty of product! I told you things would work out in the long run.

No matter how long you have been a crafter it still stings your pride a little when you get those nasty form letters. I have a little pity party for a day or two and then I gather my self-esteem and move on.

Now don't get me wrong, I didn't think this could never happen to me. All of us have been rejected and I try to look at this as a learning experience. So come October I will be busy at all my craft shows and Hearts and Hands will miss me!

Here are some of the the things they will be missing.