Event Review: Virginia Renaissance Faire 2017

July 25, 2017July 25, 2017 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

We love participating in VARF, and were happy to return for five weeks this May to June! Of course, with an outdoor fair and the growing Virginia heat, there are always some hiccups.

First weekend, I was madly trying to track down our new tent with absolutely no info coming from the company as to an ETA. So, week of we went ahead and bought a car port from Harbor Freight and some canvas for side walls so we would have something.

So when did our new tent arrive? The day before show opened, so too late to get it set up for first weekend.

We did get it all set up for second weekend, thought we were hot and tired and did not realize it was inside out until it was all up. We left it that way for the show. Last hiccup? We were in our usual spot, but with a larger space it was clear just what an odd hill it was. The tent stayed well, but we were constantly having to accommodate for the lean. Next year, we’re adding a platform and an in-tent fan!

20170513_122221 — Our temporary tent on the grey first day of faire.

20170514_114022 — Second day – sunny, and Nathaniel’s huge sword from Artomatic is raised to gain attention to our odd space.

20170521_122327 — Second weekend – new tent raised… inside out. Oops!

IMG_20170521_122820_736 — Nathaniel working on armor at our demo table.

IMG_20170528_112532_382 — Drawing the eye however we can – a new sign with our new logo, and a new colorful ribbon cape.

Event Review: Southampton Renaissance Faire 2017

July 11, 2017July 11, 2017 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

Fall and Spring are always chancy times of year for weather. We’ve been fortunate this year in having better luck than last thus far. But this small faire in April got interesting.

First, creativity with set up. We had not yet received our new tent, so we made something up quickly with two 10 x 10 canopies and a quickly sewn cover. The set up this year was odd. Flow did not make obvious sense. One of the reenactor groups was so far away they seemed like a private encampment. But the crowds on Saturday were decent and people had fun as usual.

Just in time for the evening feat it started to pour down rain. Fortunately the feast is in the big garage building of the fairgrounds. We had a good meal with friends, then decided to pay for a night in a hotel.

Good thing we did. We came back Sunday to find our tent was standing in a lake. The organizers allowed people to move into the large building and use table space for Sunday. So I started opening us up for sales while Nathaniel took down our tent and helped out neighbors.

So for all that the event ended up unusual for a renaissance faire, the move indoors ended up being a good thing. Maybe it was that the vendors were now moved together and easier to find. Maybe it was the small remaining group of people staying closer together and making the building festive. Either way, Sunday went even better than Saturday. So, pouring rain but a good show. Thanks everyone!

20170422_110306 — Our makeshift pavilion, in its odd spot near the pony rides. Out of main traffic, but not the worst location.

20170422_110316 — Nathaniel getting all ready to show his wood weapons.

20170422_110331 — My leather bottles were a hit at this particular fair.

20170423_150228 — Our indoor Sunday set up. Took a little table and made a booth. Odd but worked!

Event Review: Harvest Faire 2016

December 8, 2016December 8, 2016 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

Each show has its challenges, but we never expected a hurricane to be one of them. This year, we spent the week leading up to Harvest Faire watching to see if Hurricane Matthew was going to hit near Virginia Beach. It didn’t, but the rain and winds that make up the edge were problem enough.

Still, we were there! Some vendors never showed, but there were still plenty of people around on Friday to make the show worth it. We came well prepared, with side walls and multiple tarps to try and stay as dry as we could.

Friday night was fine, and plenty of people came by, even in the dark. Saturday, as the day went on, the weather got worse. Rain picked up, and the weather report was threatening the coming winds.

20161008_145455 — Mad dash from the rain! At least inside the tent was nice and dry.

The organizers were awesome, and sent people around about 4pm saying that vendors were welcome to pack up if they wanted, and come back Sunday morning. Our work is fine with a bit of damp, but neither leather nor wood is great with a soaking rain. Plus, we did not want to try and stay on site with what the forecast had in store.

So, we packed everything up (thank you friendly helpers!), found a cheap hotel not too far away, and went to stay warm and dry.

Good thing we did, because apparently it hit the site viciously. At 11pm the organizers had canceled Sunday – the site was so beaten up by the weather it would not be able to host traffic the next day.

We came back the next morning, through towns with no power, to pick up the little bit we had left.

20161009_103659 — Poor mangled steel tent! The only tents that survived the night were the full reenactor tents.

Traffic getting home was an adventure due to areas of flooding or no power, but we lost none of our inventory. Just another poor tent.

Which we are still trying to replace. If you can spare a moment and/or a dollar or two, please take a look at our Go Fund Me page. Any little bit helps!

Virginia Renaissance Faire 2016 Wrap-Up

July 12, 2016July 12, 2016 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

One of the challenges of doing faires and festivals is weather. It is completely out of your control, but your sales can depend on it. It can make a show vary a lot from year to year. So this year, five weekends and only one of them without rain… well, it did not make for a great Virginia Renaissance Faire this year.

We still love our small-ish state renaissance faire. We made great new friends and had a lot of fun. Hopefully next year the weather will be with us again.

20160508_094657 — First weekend – Sunny day, but just after ten straight days of rain. Mud certainly made set up interesting.

20160508_103427 — Our new sign! Finally got a good booth sign made.

20160508_103443 — Fun and colorful for opening weekend.

20160508_103457 — One of the best things about being a vendor is seeing old friends.

20160521_123349 — Next weekend, more rain and mud. Did the best we could to keep it off our visitors.

20160521_123410 — I love making leather leaves out of scraps, and I had been wanting to make a Green Man for a while.

20160521_123422 — Just a couple of tea sets left after Steampunk World’s Faire. And the glass flasks were a huge hit this year.

20160521_123451 — People kept admiring my wait cincher, so I finally made some lovely hand tooled ones for sale.

20160522_093037 — Yay! For once, a photo of me in the booth.

20160522_093120 — We had an unusual challenge compensating for a hill. Didn’t seem like much when we set up, but everything was on a lean.

20160528_101812 — Kids loved playing with the wood weapons on this table.

20160528_101819 — Look, sun! We loved every time we got to dry out a bit.

20160528_101844 — Added geeky waist cinchers for the fourth weekend, and a few large glass bottles.

20160528_101848 — Small necklaces – charms and bodice knives.

20160528_101903 — Cloaks! They continue to be popular, no matter the weather.

Event Review: CSM Renaissance Faire 2016

June 29, 2016June 29, 2016 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

As every vendor at conventions, faires, and craft shows knows, sometimes you just don’t have a good weekend. It’s particularly unfortunate, though, when it’s a show you’ve previously done well at.

CSM Renaissance Faire is a small fair we’ve been involved with since it’s first year. It’s on the same weekend as a lot of other possible shows, but we’ve kept doing it because it’s a fun little thing, and turns a nice profit for the cost. Unfortunately, this year was painfully small. From the outside, it does not look like they’ve really even let the college students know that this event is going on on their campus. There were a tiny number of vendors, so really not enough to keep those who did come out around.

We spoke at length after the last day to one of the organizers, and he seems to want to make this show work and be better. The several of us – vendors and entertainers – that stuck around to talk to him all had ideas and volunteered our assistance to see it happen. So, this show sits at “we’ll do it again if he actually takes us up on the assistance. If not, we’re filling our April another way next year.

So now… photos!

After Show Report: Southampton Renaissance Faire

June 17, 2016 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

We added a new fair to our shows this year – Southhampton Renaissance Faire, near Virginia Beach. As an April show, it was still a bit chilly be this was a fun, vibrant weekend fair and great for getting the fair season rolling.

This fair really had a great atmosphere. Lots of vendors happy to be out on a lovely weekend, good crowds, and an entertaining night life. This fair threw one hell of a pot luck feast for people staying on site Saturday night, which was both delicious and an awesome way to hang out with show friends we’ve made over the last couple of years.

The only criticism is that the flow of how they set up the space was kind of bizarre, and we definitely want to be farther from the entrance next year. But this is a firm contender for a regular event for us.

20160416_134107 — We set up our booth for a nice walk around set up, visible from the multiple ways people would walk around the booth.

20160416_140410 — Yes, that is indeed a chicken in a tutu, on a leash. I love fairs.

20160417_115932 — Sky, my new little fan, watched my leatherwork demos.

20160417_170251 — Mark, channeling his inner barbarian, in an awesome bear pelt one of the other vendors had for sale. I wish I’d had the funds for some of his gorgeous furs!

20160417_171152 — Thanks guys for a great start to the fair season!

20160416_134052 — The patchwork red tent makes its opening appearance for the year! A bit of a breeze, but not too bad of one.

After Show Report: Hunt Club Farm Renaissance Faire

November 23, 2015 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

When we were first led to where we would be setting up at this show, I had to laugh. “We should tell people to look for us in the cemetery. This is a first.”

A lot of Hunt Club Farm made me grin. This was their second year holding a Renaissance Faire, but the farm itself has been there quite a while. We started off a tad lost – the farm was easy to find, but where we were setting up wasn’t. I accidentally wandered through the petting zoo, waking up llamas and pigs, before we found someone to lead us to where our spot was.

So, into the Halloween Maze we went, through the old mine shaft and into the graveyard…

20151122_133630 — …wander through the mausoleum to find our shop…

It was certainly an unusual space, but made for a fun one. It might not have had as much traffic as some areas, but it had plenty. Especially Saturday, which was an absolutely gorgeous day. Plus we got to visit again with some of our favorite booth neighbors from shows past.

Sunday… well, was not so nice a day. The rain rolled in over night and we spent Sunday cold and wet. Fortunately, cold and wet does not keep “die-hard” rennies away, even at a weekend faire.

20151122_133555 — Our little corner of the maze. Notice the impressive muddy puddle.

Rain does add some complications to any show. Not all inventory does well with the wet, so some items weren’t on display the second day. Plus we had forgotten one canopy top – oops. So we made an emergency run for a tarp to make inside the tents slightly dry. At least not actively being rained on.

All and all, even with the dreary ending, this was a fun faire that I heartily recommend for the future.

Virginia Renaissance Faire Wrap Up

June 9, 2015June 9, 2015 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

Well, it has been a crazy five weeks for us, and mostly in the good way. Almost every week had us hurrying back to our respective studios to make inventory to replace what sold and fill special custom orders. We had some great outfitting team-ups, and while we are enjoying a little bit of a rest we’re already thinking towards next year.

Here’s some fun photos from around our tent:

More leatherwork added as the weeks went on. And one week, I had comics on the mind.

Nathaniel's wooden weapons, in all kinds of shapes and sizes, wait for their new homes. — Nathaniel’s wooden weapons, in all kinds of shapes and sizes, wait for their new homes.

Or perhaps an axe is more to your liking?

Visitors line up for the Queen's procession in front of our booth every day. — Visitors line up for the Queen’s procession in front of our booth every day.

Thus, we also get to meet the court... — Thus, we also get to meet the court…

...and the Queen's lovely ladies. — …and the Queen’s lovely ladies.

Virginia Renaissance Faire, Opening Weekend

May 12, 2015May 12, 2015 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

Hello everyone! We’re going a tad nuts at the combined lands of Wyrd and Wired and MalHanch Armouries, and we have been for a couple of weeks. All of it was to get ready for our first bigger show together, all five weekends of the Virginia Renaissance Festival.

First step, the new and improved Red Tent…

I spent the day before opening finishing the sides and getting sunburn while painting our sign and front trim, while Nathaniel made new stands and tables.

End result? Way better tent, and easy to spot in the middle of the fair. Plus, shade - a must for a summer fair! — End result? Way better tent, and easy to spot in the middle of the fair. Plus, shade – a must for a summer fair!

Next, bring in the happy customers…

Our happy first customer of the second day, with his new shiny weapon.

Or just lure colorful characters into the shade as the day gets hot…

Nicely detailed costume! Always a good idea to befriend the Goblin King.

Saturday had their highest opening day attendance yet, and it’s always fun to watch the festival crowds. Now to rinse and repeat for the next four weekends! So, stop on by and look for the pretty red tent.

Show Report: College of Southern Maryland Renaissance Festival

April 29, 2015April 29, 2015 ~ Cynthia Abernathy

This was the third year of the College of Southern Maryland Renaissance Festival, and our second year as vendors. It’s a tiny show, but we love it. This faire is thrown by the theater department of the College of Southern Maryland, on the front lawn of their performing arts building. Each year the faire centers around multiple performances of a period appropriate play – this year, it was Midsummer Night’s Dream.

20150425_150006 — Nathaniel the corsair threatens to stab me with a tiny knife, while wishing he had waited a week to shave his hair off. Cold!

We showed up on a cold Saturday, threatening rain. A boon for my cloak sales, but not all that fun to sit in. Still, people were out and about, having fun. The local chapter of the SCA joined in this year, teaching, giving demos, and otherwise adding to the faire feel with their presence. Everything felt just a little more renaissance and festive this year.

Probably the last show for the patchwork red tent - but we're still sticking with red! And first show for awesome helper Gwen. — Probably the last show for the patchwork red tent – but we’re still sticking with red! And first show for awesome helper Gwen.

Our booth was first in the row, just across from the SCA and in front of the outdoor stage. Which mean we have a great view of the highlights – magic show and Queen Elizabeth are awesome – and lowlights – ouch to blocking with your face, fighting demonstrator – of the faire. And we are right there, bantering with guests and doing our best to the festive air.

This show, tiny as it is and as early as it is, is also a bit of a test market for us. We touch base with friends from the Virginia Renaissance Festival, bring out new items we’ve been making, and encourage people to come to the bigger faires later in the year. It’s free to attend, so next year, take a look for our big red tent and see what’s new!

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