On Wednesday and Thursday this week, I participated in the first annual Holiday Mart for the employees of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. It was a bit of an adventure!

First, you should know that every time I try to find a new location in downtown KC I get lost. There are two reasons for this:
1. Downtown Kansas City is a maze of one-way and two-way streets that curve, some with bridges that separate depending on the direction you are going (in other words, you may not be able to go home the same way you came.) It’s not very logical.
2. Google apparently does not have a handle on the intricacies of this place, because I print maps from there and inevitably end up in the wrong place.

This time I wasn’t completely lost. Google sent me to the employee parking lot when I needed to be on the opposite side of the building for the visitor entrance. There was no easy way to get to the other side of the building once you got past the parking garage, but since the Bank is tall, I kept my eye on it as I made my way and eventually ended up where I needed to be.

The second adventure was getting all of my products and displays through the x-ray machine and loaded onto a cart, then getting escorted by a police officer to the conference room where the Holiday Mart was held. (I also had to send them the make, model, and license number of my van which would be parked in their lot before the event.) Serious security, people! All the vendors had to wear official name badges, and we were supposed to turn them back in at the end of the event, but I forgot mine under my coat, so here it is:

The best adventure was networking and getting to know some of the other vendors! In fact, nearly half of them are now coming to Olathe for another Holiday Mart on December 18-19 at A Unique Boutique. Nancy, the jewelry lady next to me, said we could just call it an “FRB reunion”! She was so much fun to chat with. In fact, I put in an order with her for some custom necklaces that I am excited to pick up at our “reunion” in a few weeks!

Actually, about a third of the vendors were selling jewelry. A couple ladies in particular had a really, really cool concept, and the customers flocked to their tables! Here’s why: their tables were loaded up with thousands of beautiful vintage and modern buttons, organized by color, so you could pick through and design your own wire-wrap button rings or pendants. Then they put your creation together while you wait. So cool! They had plenty of pre-made jewelry to buy or to get ideas from as well. I’m not much of a ring person, so I had them make a pendant for me. Then, as it happens, yet another jewelry lady had the perfect earrings and bracelet to match!

Oh, and I also got this fun souvenir: free money! (Is this like “Mad Money”? As in the movie that was filmed on location at the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City? I haven’t seen it yet, but now I plan to!)

Sales weren’t as high as I hoped – partly due to the fact that I failed to have enough of my two best selling soaps (Peppermint & Stress Relief). They sold out in the first few hours, and yes I am completely out of these at the moment. However, I sure had a great time! The employees who volunteered their time to make this event happen were outstanding. Very organized, really catered to the vendors and made sure we felt appreciated. I’ll definitely go back next year!