We really had such a super time at the Clarion "Reunion in the Heartland" bear convention! The first thing I did upon getting onto the computer this morning was to write a "thank you" note to Steve Schutt his committee, his volunteers and the residents of Clarion, Iowa. Everything was so well organized... from the moment we arrived Thursday till the closing ceremony on Sunday! All of us were fed, housed and welcomed!
The classes I took were great and I am going to give some things a try! Wished I had time to take them all! The auction bears were super and mine sold well over my usual price. The spectacular bears were also wonderful and mine went to her new home in Texas. Mine was LavenderBear.. the one that "Bears and Buds" used on its May cover.
The sales room had lots tables and a goodly number of buyers! Some sales events are one very long day... not this one. We took a break for about 3 hours to participate in a parade around Clarion and to have lunch. After the salesroom closed, we had dinner. On Sunday, the sales room was open again after lunch and followed by dinner and the closing ceremony! All the meals were included and served by volunteers from various non-profits from Clarion.
I could have sold more... but I did sell! And I did get some great comments. There were 83 other bear artists vying for sales... so I am happy.
We'd do it again in a heartbeat. Whether there will be another Clarion is uncertain.... some of the committee members have worked all 5 conventions. Hopefully new people will step up sometime before 2015! Whether I'll be making bears in 5 years is also an unknown. But at least I got to "do" one!
