Adventures Of MiniBunny at the NAME Convention in Franklin TN

Written by MiniB

Monday

I went to Franklin, TN last week (with Gene and Preble) for the NAME Convention. We arrived Monday evening, checked in and got our badges. Preble brought a lanyard with pins and moved some to the badge. New pin is the Franklin logo pin that was suggested to wear over the logo.

We also looked over the roundtables which were hard to see and write, so we took pictures to look at later. Later discovered they were all in the convention book in black and white. That worked great with the photos we took.

Here are just a few of the 40 plus available (red roundtables /blue are mega).

Tuesday

What a 1st day (pre-convention). I was in Linda Farris’s workshop Teaparty in Wonderland.

Got paint everywhere.

I lost my head in the bathroom. Literally. So now I have to ride in the pouch not sticking out.

Saw in person lots of people I’ve talked to online or on zoom. Not naming names cause I might leave someone out.

Already added to my pin collection for being on create team (wood cat). Exhausted after a good day.

Wednesday

Today started with meeting Stuart Little. He travels with the teacher of the Tea Party class.

Didn’t finish my project. Back pain is crazy 🤪. Check out the little mouse.

Turned in my 21 swaps. Can’t wait to get those back.

My purse is ready for the sales room and roundtables tomorrow.

Lost my head a few more times. Literally. 🤣 So I had my head glued on. It can’t turn anymore🥴. Plus I was moved deeper in the pouch.

Friday

Friday started early. 1st timers meeting we got this neat pin among other things.

Then waiting for Gene while he was in a workshop, I visited the hospitality room where I won a the clock in 1 inch scale 😕.

Gene had a great time in his class. Check out his fabulous painting in miniature.

Opening Luncheon was great seeing more friends and meeting new ones.

In the evening, Gene and Preble sold Roundtables and Mega Roundtables in raggedy theme.

Then afterwards I had the Thursday night project. I got my roof on. I was last one working on it because the zoomers (online) had me beat because they were more focused by their teacher (no distractions like snacks and seeing finished ones).

My teacher aka Granny had to cover 2 tables and help with the online class.

These other pictures are goodies from the sales room.

Gene wanted the penguins and cowboy boots

Friday

Working in Hospitality with Sharon.

This is the wheel we got to spin for prizes. Gene got 4 micro or smaller kits.

Home Improvement Seminars (yes plural as it was repeated) – What’s Happening on Create went well.

While Gene volunteered in the sales room, we found some new friends that Volker Arnold brought.

Plus had to get some of the tiny things he had made. They are incredible with the little details.

Garage Sale started as the Home Improvement Seminars ended. We were in the back of the line when they said First-Timer can go on first. Yeah!

I was so excited to attend the AOH/Life member reception.

We saw this beautiful sunset.

Afterwards, we were spectators in the Auction activities. During the live Auction, the complete Robin Betterley calendar club kits from 2022 went for $1500. (Which is a steal considering the cost of the kits plus time to assemble).

Saturday

Late to the Regional meeting, but on time for the NAME Business Meeting. Sad for Alician to be finished as President (although she is still on the board as Past Pres.). Sad that Stan Boyd had to step down due to his health. But excited for Jane McNatt’s term.

Another session in the Hospitality Room. This time we had lots of people waiting to spin a second time but only after first time people did. For my 2nd spin I won a blue tutu. It was also in 1 inch scale 😕. Then a lady was bummed because she got 2 “bad” prizes in quarter inch scale that she gave away so I gave her my tutu and it made her day.

For Gene’s 2nd spin, he was debating on getting the shadow box but Preble handed him a big bag. At first, he was disappointed but kept opening to find bunnies on the tin in the box. He knew that we would love anything with bunnies.

Terri, the gold star volunteer chair, stopped by the Hospitality Room and gave Preble her gold star pin.

Picked up the Mini swaps. Didn’t look until later.

Popped into the 2nd chance garage sale where maybe got better items.

Gene meet up with the Men’s Garden Club during the cocktail party.

Time for the Banquet and table gifts

Then we opened our big table gifts.

Then it was time to open the souvenir made by Carl Bronson.

After the meal it was time for the Houseparty Helpers winners to be drawn. This took awhile because there was near 150 of them.

I won the $400 box of kits from Karen Benson.

Sunday

We attended the Closing Brunch during which we were all invited to Cincinnati next summer. Afterwards, we got the car packed. Said lots of goodbyes to all our friends. Then Gene was back in the sales room as a gold star volunteer.

Preble packed up the exhibits so when Gene’s shift was over we were ready to go.

Written by Preble

Being a first-timer to an in-person Convention was amazing. The other members would yell and clap for you anytime that they heard that you were a first-timer.

I was frequently asked how was I first-timer? They knew who I was through being on Create or Quarter Connection. I’ve only attended the three online Houseparty. I had never been in person except to public day. It’s really different. There is more to do and see in person.

It was also really nice of the committee to let the first-timers into the garage sale first.

Lessons learned and other take aways

• Take fewer exhibits. We were driving so I thought it would not matter. But when it came time to pack them out was. Nearly all our exhibits had minor damage or pieces loose from the ride.
• Keep the packaging for exhibits so they don’t go missing. Most of it was found thankfully.
• Keep the unwanted prizes (or swaps) around so you can swap later. That 1 inch clock found a new home with a dealer who gave me something in quarter inch scale. 😍 (Then some others went to our daughter who has a 1 inch dollhouse.)
• If you have problems with reservations, wait for the office to help. We stayed in a separate hotel during pre-convention which saved us money (used points). But the hassle of changing rooms was potentially worth the difference next time.
• Don’t agree to Home Improvement Seminars before the garage sale. People really do line up an hour before.
• For selling the roundtables, I suggest boxes for keeping them in, not bags. Someone suggested the bags and I went with that but it was hard for me. Having separate boxes, would be important because as stock lowers, still easy to know which box has what.
• Extra thankful for giving my list of roundtables to a friend to buy. I was busy most of the time. Plus it’s a nice way to split the work between multiple people.

One might ask how I knew so much before going, in order to be prepared. First, I had attended multiple online conventions. Quarter Connection modeled theirs similar to NAME, which was my first introduction. Then the NAME online Houseparties also similar.

Being on zoom calls with Marcia last year I learned a bunch. (I missed her so much during the convention. Despite never meeting in person, I felt the absence.) This year I took notes every time I thought it would be relevant (also on zoom calls).

I printed out pages of the packet and added notes (as things were discussed) specifically to the list of things to take and the tentative schedule. Once we got our official schedule at check in, then I highlighted things to do or where we had agreed to volunteer. I didn’t want us to miss anything. We kept the schedule in our badges for easy reference any time.

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Happy miniaturing!

Preble

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