why I'm crazy this week - Albany Holiday Crafts on Madison

poster I designed!

If I'm distracted, not returning phone calls and emails, letting the house go to crap and not even cooking (thank you wonderful spouse for making a tray of lasagna to feed the kids) this week it's because...

I volunteer to organize a fundraiser and it's this Friday and Saturday.

I have to say, half the time I wonder why I ever do this. I should be doing other things! But then after all the press releases, booth layouts, graphics for postcards and posters, emails and phone calls and goading people to bake cookies for the cafe... it's all worth it.

It's a local event with top-notch talent, in a GORGEOUS mansion and raises some much needed funds for the programs of The Woman's Club and Double H Ranch.

Volunteering has pushed me in new ways I never knew I could be pushed. The first year I did this (yes, this show is now in the 5th year) I wasn't confident that I was one of "those people" who could get things done. Now, a bit more public confidence. I started blogging a year ago by making a blog for the show because it was an inexpensive way to get the word out about it. I learned the ropes on that blog before I started APPLESandRUBIES, my own blog.

Now, in another move to try and get the word out cheaply (because, sadly, I have no budget for advertising Albany Holiday Crafts on Madison other than money to print postcards) I joined Facebook. Wow, Facebook is powerful. Just on it a few days and most of the traffic going to the Albany Crafts on Madison blog is coming from... Facebook! Would I have joined Facebook if I weren't working on this show? Probably not. Another way volunteering has pushed me.

Enough of my chattering, if you are in the Albany, New York area please come out to the show! Here's the blog I write to promote it: http://www.holidaycraftsonmadison.blogspot.com  and Facebook event link: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=108069285924963

and here's the event info:


5th Annual ALBANY HOLIDAY CRAFTS ON MADISON
Fri Nov 5, 2010 (5pm-9pm) Sat Nov 6, 2010 (10am-5pm)
725 Madison Ave, Albany NY (near corner of Madison and Lake)


A Splendid Show and Sale of Art & Craft held in a gracious 1895 mansion near Washington Park, The 5th Annual Albany Holiday Crafts on Madison benefits the programs of The Woman's Club of Albany, New York and Double H Ranch, a camp for children with life threatening illnesses. The sale will feature local work by Loretta Fontaine, Cherry Schacher, McGillycuddy’s Naturals, Nancy Noble Gardner, Ben Rauch, Pat Bohrer, Elsa Fletcher, Mary LaFleur and Kathryn Benson, Lisa Phegn, Karen Greendale, Cinderloop and Katie Nare.