Home from GHEA 2011

We had a wonderful time at GHEA 2011 - although the week afterwards I was the most exhausted I think I've ever been in my life. :D My mom has written a post here with more pictures of the event, if you'd care to read that too. :) (Check out her new blog look while you're at it! I designed the header for her to go with her cute new background)

On Thursday morning we left the house driving my dad's truck and pulling the trailer full of stuff... we had to cart along a truckload of duct tape weapons, jewelry paraphernalia, and our luggage, since we'd be away from home for 3 days.
Being in the truck meant me and my two strapping brothers had to squeeze into the back seat, 3 in a row, all the way to Atlanta. :P It worked, despite legs going numb and stiff from the long trip with no wiggle room. Lol!

We were able to stay with some friends during the weekend and eliminate the cost of a hotel room, which was a huge blessing and one we very much appreciated! Their apartment above their garage was absolutely gorgeous, a light and airy space with two huge round windows at either end that poured in sunshine on the gleaming hardwood floor, and with walls painted in sunny lemon yellow and a cool periwinkle blue. So pretty! I can't believe I didn't take any pictures.

On the first day we signed in and found our booth location and worked hard setting up our displays. I'd gotten some new stands for this year's booth, and was thrilled with how professional they made my booth look. :)

I know how bloggers love pictures, so here's one of my booth...

Mom sold a few aprons displayed on the back wall, and I had a few afghans for sale too... and on the last day of the weekend I sold both of them! I was ecstatic. I'd never sold 2 afghans in one place before, especially not on the same day! :D 

I was especially grateful that we did well because for some reason they stuck us on 'college row' along the back wall of the exhibit hall, right in the middle of a bunch of booths from colleges and employment stuff. (I was hugely disappointed, actually, with the location) But the Lord prevailed and despite being in the back corner we sold enough to make the trip worthwhile!

Another boost to our sales was my brothers' duct tape swords, which attracted a lot of attention once a few sold and began to wander around the hall. Little boys would see one and immediately desire to own one themselves.

A friend told us later that Mr. Voddie Baucham actually 'gave us a plug' during one of his speaking sessions, while talking about the problem of effeminate young men. "You need to get over to the exhibit hall and buy some of those swords!" He was reported to have said. "Boys need to be boys!"

We also were listed directly behind Voddie Baucham ministries and Vision Forum in the exhibit hall list, as Warfare by Duct Tape was next in the alphabetical order! (I thought that was really cool.) :D

I was able to purchase a copy of Jasmine Baucham's (awesome!!) book, Joyfully at Home, (which I will be writing a review for as soon as I finish it) from the Vision Forum booth while browsing the exhibit hall. While I was waiting for the young man running the booth to ring up my purchase, I turned the book over and pointed to the picture of Jasmine on the back. "Would you like to see something neat?" I asked him. He looked up, and I said "I made that earring." indicating the gold hoop with Swarovski crystal dangles that was visible on one side of Jasmine's face. "You made that earring?!?" He repeated, incredulous. "Yes." I answered, "I gave a pair to her at the Father-Daughter retreat one year." "Wow!" He said, "That's the picture we send out with all the advertisements and everything!" He gave me my change and receipt with awe on his face, and I left shortly afterwards. :D I thought that was a funny experience! :D

I greatly enjoyed seeing old friends I hadn't been able to see in a long time, and making new ones! I had several girls simply return to spend time at my booth because they just loved being there! :D

We arrived home at 10:00 on Saturday night, blasted, tired, and happy to be home. It was a delightful weekend, but now that the routine has settled back to normal again and we don't have the convention looming in the future anymore, it's like a big weight has been lifted off my mind! :)

I hope to be a much more consistent blogger in the future on my personal blog, and of course I will continue to write for the young ladies' devotional blog, Meditations of His Love ... I actually just posted my part of the study we're doing at the moment in the book of Ruth. Head over there if you'd like to read that. :D

For the convention, I finished 3 e-books on how to make jewelry, as follows...

 How To Create Noticebly Noteworthy Necklaces, with seven different beautiful styles of necklaces,

 How To Create Easy, yet Exquisite Earrings, with seven different gorgeous styles of earrings,

And How To Create Beautiful, Beaded Bracelets with five lovely different styles of bracelets.

All of these are available through instant download at my website,

JewelsbyJuliaShop.com!

Please check out my website and tell me what you think, I would love to hear your feedback about the look of the shop. 

Blessings!

Julia