(**NOTE: I started this blog from the vending room of the Hexfest 2021 Convention.**)
In the ballroom of the beautiful Bourbon Orleans Hotel, in the lovely city of New Orleans, I look around the room and see witches of every walk of life. Booths line the room and have so many incredible products. I am awe inspired by the amount of magickal talent in this room. I've spent the past two days in sea of feelings..... Anxiety, the first morning of vending; frustration when things were not coming together as planned; irritation with myself for not planning things out better; overwhelmed at the quality of the items at other booths and insecurity that I wouldn't measure up.... But I also felt pride, at how well the items of my partners were selling; excitement when people complimented (and BOUGHT!) items I've made, joy, at being in a new city and on a new adventure; awe, being able to meet so many authors and practitioners I've only read about; and comfort, comfort in my own skin, and that the work that I've done is valued by more than the people that love me..... I'm not the type of person that needs validation from other people to find my worth, BUT I admit that people in this community find my products interesting and worth a purchase is EXTREMELY validating! It's kind of a cool rush..... (**End of 8/7/21 POV**)
8/24/21: I had to break away from my in the moment perspective, to help customers and to help with a spiritual emergency. Looking back now, it's still pretty surreal. As I pointed out in the 8/7 POV, I got to meet so many practitioners I've only seen online, or read their books. It's funny, it's not like I haven't met authors at the cons before, or during workshops I've attended. However, this time was a very different medium. I was meeting them as a vendor, a fellow creator. I am someone who is very comfortable in my behind-the-scenes role, yet it was fulfilling in its own way. I also got to meet and chat with Christian Day, the "Bad Boy" of the pagan community and one of the hosts of the convention. I'd heard a lot of things prior to my coming to Hexfest, a good majority of it negative. However, I choose to form my own opinions about people. I found Christian Day interesting on a few levels. After my interactions, I think of a few quotes:
WC Fields - "There are three things in life that are extremely hard ; steel, a diamond, and to know oneself."
"It ain't what they call you, it's what you answer to."
PT Barnum - “No one ever made a difference by being like everyone else.”
“Comfort is the enemy of progress.”
He freely admits the controversial things that he has done, without embellishment or excuse. There is a candor to him that I find quite refreshing. He can be quite blunt, which I very much appreciate. I enjoyed talking to him, as brief as our interactions were. That being said, do I agree with every choice he has made in the past? Of course not. But I can only judge this person by my own interactions, as I've no personal knowledge of past events. And, say what you will about him, what they have built in New Orleans IS impressive. Hexfest was an amazing experience that I hope to repeat next year. I am also looking forward to visiting their Salem location as well in the (hopefully) near future. Moving on...........
Here's the booth when we first set up, with Christine Kendall, of Crimson Fairy Boutique; and my daughter Noelle. They helped run the booth this weekend, while Diana and Synty were doing workshops, and held down the fort when Diana, Synty and I helped a woman with a spiritual issue.
Top left view of the booth. Shown here: Golden Apple Brand Candles, Incense and Lemon Salt, as well as Crimson Fairy Boutique Resin Products!
Top right view of the booth. Shown here:
Crimson Fairy Boutique resin products, and Golden Apple Brand teas, oils, and tinctures.
Diana and Synty brought some awesome products from our Michigan workshop:
DOWNSHIFT tincture (top tier), BLACK SALT and LEMON SALT (middle tier), SMOKE OIL (bottom tier), and FLORIDA WATER (bottom left). In the background we see VOID SCREAM & PHASED teas, as well as INVISIBILTY incense.
The Crimson Fairy Boutique resin collection was a HUGE hit! We sold out of the TRAVEL SPIRIT BOARDS & the WITCHES RUNES SETS! Don't worry, they will be back in stock again soon!!!! We love the resin altar tools, as we find them very easy to charge with your intent.
Worried that you can't connect to nature as well, being a city witch? Want for some great Fall reading? URBAN MAGICK: A GUIDE FOR THE CITY WITCH might be EXACTLY what you are looking for!!!! Order quickly though, these babies are flying off the shelves (**broomstick not included**) Also, check out our events page to find workshops around this and other subjects!
Lastly, we introduced our GOLDEN APPLE BRAND CANDLE COLLECTION & GOLDEN APPLE BRAND INCENSE LINE. I design all the recipes for these, as well as custom blends specific needs.
All in all, we had a successful, fun trip, and I can't wait to go back. See you next year, Hexfest & New Orleans!!!