South Florida Renassaince Festival 2weekend 3 days

Saturday morning broke with a hint of the heat that was to show it's self later in the day. Our morning set up went on as usual, with the addition of another crew member. Her name is Alex, she is in her second year with us.

Morgan



Alex



 Everyone had an air of expectation of the the day.  You could feel it in the air. The energy was rising as we came closer to the Cannon greeting . Our Patrons created lines out into the parking areas, it definitely was going to be a day! The cannon greeted us with it's throaty Kaboom and the energy levels started to rise even higher. We were gaining excitement with each wave of patrons , and wave they did! I remember looking down at my time piece at 10:15 and truthfully the next time I caught the time was somewhere after 3:00pm, it was crazy, everyone Knew exactly what they wanted, no hmm, or maybe. People were on a mission, no need to sell them or offer options.

The Amazing Debra



 Days like this are so wonderful, you can really get inside their views and see where they want to take their dreams. It makes my part in their creation so much fun.  So with the day flying by most of us did mange to be a privy run late in the day, food was a grazing event , I dont think any of us had a real lunch , however we really did have a Wonderful day with our clients.

An old friends daughter gave us a huge pick me up, she was doing chocolate sales for her school, and had Dark chocolate bars which the staff and I really needed by the end of the day. It gave us just enough energy to finish out the day.

 The sun had bought us the heat we expected , however once again the site crew and Bobby had thought it all out, We have on our path, sections of Shade cloth hung from poles every 20 or so feet, these keep the heat down amazing well.   Huzzah for Bobby& site crew!!!!!  Even with the heat of the day there was shade and that South florida breeze. I have added pictures of our area and neighbors so you can see how the shade cloth works.You can see the poles in these pictures take support the shade cloth

                                                                Our Neighbors

We also we able to aid the Queen with wardrobe this weekend as well . I have created a way for our clients who are breastfeeding to be able to still look awsome and take care of their childrens needs with very little fuss and or visual disharmony.  It's tuff enough having small children when you are 4 feet wide, and laced in .

                                                     Her Magjesty  The Oueen with her prince

           And thank you to our clients and friends who came out and supported us this weekend



The Lady Rebacca and Her Lord



The Lady Rebacca Squire

Florida Renaissance Festival video

South Florida Renaissance Festival Day 3 Kids Day

Our morning started with a Cool gray sky, slowly warming up as if stretching it self to wake slowly. Faire site in the morning is kinda of erie, quietly waiting for something , a sense of expectation. Yes it seems to know when the "kids are coming". Our Schools, come and learn something of the Faire and the handmade items that we sell, as well as a chance to socialize with other schools. It can be a large challenge to work with 5500 kids at once. Our Security Staff does a helluva job considering all things, and how many kids we have. We open a littler earlier for them 9:15,and the day ends at 2:30.  It has always been challenging to do these days, because kids can ask some of the wildest Questions you can imagine. It is a day for us to encourage future clients, teaching about the history of a Spanish held village during the rein of Isabelle and Ferdinand, we are also part Parent, diplomat, and sheriff. 

We often see some of the smartest as well as the bored and those kids tend to want to bring out the wood swords and fight with each other - Bad Idea? or Natural Selection?
  Debra came in to help with the invasion of kids, I thought having an extra hand would help. Oh so glad she was there....

Our Faire gives out questionaires to the kids ,to aid them in learning

about the Period, this includes the Joust, clothing, the technologial of the age . It can be amusing to see a young male student stammer out the question about the farthingale. My personal farvorite is the princess reaction to the gowns , of course. 

 The day warmed up very quick, and it was going to get hotter that we expected. Most of the morning was spend talking to the kids and doing photos with all of them. We are basis photo prop's for most of the kids, on average we are photographed about hundred times a day during kids day. It can be very hard to do this, while talking to them . The energy is crazy and the volume of sound is of rock concert quaility. It is almost like watching a small army taking over a defined area, a swarm that spreads out quick over the site. But for all the insanity it is a wonderful way to see how the education system, so needs our help. If we can make it fun , it will stick. Which is awsome when a past years kid walks up and quote you from last year,  you know why your doing this. I really wish parents would really work on Manners with their kids, it is the first thing you notice.  Sadly it shows that we are forgetting how important manners are.

 We answers questions that are the normal ones and tried to answer the new ones. The best Question of the day for me was, Can you Hide someone under there - meaning my Skirt.  The second best : How did they stay Fashionable. The range of questions are becoming more current based, not easy to put in period context.  I have to say yesterday seem like a full day, brain wise ,but that is because it was a three day push and those are always hard, we have another next week end.

As the day came to a close I had one group that really showed interest in the Gowns and what we do , so we did this pic ,with them looking forward to bring their families to faire this weekwend. They were great  and reminded me of why we do what we do

South Florida Renaissance Faire 2011 day 2

Today started at the 5 am wake up call with the Band, 'The Rogues'  something to" hit the floor running". Face in place,coffee in mug and Thermos, boots on and breakfast. Gather up all the items I forgot yesterday including the Half-Moon coat, I should have taken yesterday. Fruit basket and Ice chest in the truck . Dress bags loaded and it is now 6:25, out the door and highway bound. Mr Weather Man is telling me the wonderful news of 70 degrees for the day , cool morning and nice day -made to order!

The Perfect Faire Day and so it has began. The unload and setup went so smooth after the team plan the pack last night, we were set by 8:30.  Booth was quickly set and sweep, with time to breath, and answer text.  The morning burst forward with that Amazing Florida Soft Sunshine, not to hot nor cold,
 It was going to be one of those quiet smooth morning where we can speak to other vendors, laugh with friends,sharing hot coffee and the hopes for the day with your fellows, these days are rare in as such as Faire builds up so does the excitement and the more early patrons we see. Losing those special moments together,until the last days arrive, with the thought of tear down hanging in the back of the brain.                   
 Many of us have a group or family conection we have build over the years of working together. Many of us will not see each other for another year, or two or three shows later in the year. It is a myth that we all travel together, different shows in others states at different times There are Renaissance Fairs every weekend somewhere in this country 
 So our morning gave way to a full booth with questions and lacing task with happy clients. And smiles with attitude. It is one of pleasure in a job well done,watching our clients feeling pretty, it is a powerfully feeling when you can really see "pretty".

Below are Staff and client's photo's  from today I think they say it all

                                                                  

Opening Day of the South Florida Renaissance Fair 2011

Good day and well met to all Ren folk and fellow Bloggers

  We opened here in South Florida to a cold and very rainy,wet morning , not what the weather guys promised. My day started at 5am as a normal fair day does with any show I do. The truck was packed last night and everything was set. So all I had to do was make the coffee and pack the grazing kit that I now carry. Our days can be as long 13 hours. It can be harsh on the eating schedule. I arrive at fair site at 7:30 and the hard part of the day begins, since I don't leave stock in my Tent, it requires setup every morning, all of my clothing is packed in the big blue tuppers, as to keep it clean and neat for my clients. So the staff comes in about 7:45 and 8:00 am, which means that the stock must be put on hangers and put on the racks, each day and all of this must be done by 9:30. We have to be fully dressed by 10am, try putting a big dress on and being on task in that time frame it is quite the rush. Our Canoneer fires our Canon at 10am every morning, sort of a off the the races salute ,it gives us a heads up. So here are the pictures of our setup, to give a behind the scenes look at the before canon that most patrons never get to see

Skirt and Bodice Rack

I have been designing and creating Renaissance Clothing for this show for 17 years, trying to achieve the highest quality clothing for my clients. I have always put quality before price, and now with the jobs going to China, I try even harder to produce the Best clothing on the Renaissance circuit, regardless! I have had the pleasure of seeing some of my pieces 12-15 years later and that make me feel really good knowing that when a client buys something of mine, it will be around a long time. I make many friends this way and very happy clients. It has become very important to me to know that my clients are getting the best clothing they possibly can.

Derek is my manger, and yes He really is a aerospace engineer. He has been with me now for 2-3 years, a great salesman and bodicelacer. Rocketman

This is Kell, I have had the pleasure of watching this lovely young lady grow up in to a beautifully woman , she knows the booth as most as well as I, great with colors and people.
This year Zak has joined us for setup, breaks and tear down, Derek's Younger brother and quite the personality.

So this is The Needle Fairy crew for the South Florida Ren Fair 2011, I think they are the best team on the fair site but I might be bias, but that's me.They kept the banter up even through the rain and wind, and made it a really good day for all of us. Our Patrons were game and came out to have fun, some chose to add to their garb,and others began new outfits.  And so you have now seen behind the curtain so to speak and I hope you will come out and join the fun. Perhaps stop and say " hello in there"

weather,wimpering and custom designs

Okay this week has been full of just about every Disappointment, a costumer,student,and a customer could have . My  Steel Boning is somewhere in Phila, My Grommets are some where in Chicago, My New School Books are in the wind, and my new Beige pumps are still in New York!  I have spend the day casing what boning I had left, cutting cases for the next group of a hundred. And now I have just been told that the bolts of Egyptian Linen will be 6 to 8 weeks behind schedule, if it makes it at all.
   What did we do before the tec era? I know the weather has had alot to do with this, however I am just bothered that in a week my work load has dried up and next week has just become a LONG week of Catch up!!!!! With a show opening on the 12th. This is gong to be very interesting, Sleep may not be an option. I really wish the Snow would stop and Customs would go back to work so My linen would get here!!!!!!!!! Will keep you posted as this insanity continues and I maintain mine.