How shall I thank my fan club? Ideas needed.

OK, I have a fan club of two, but still…

As I’ve mentioned in a couple of other threads, I got into a juried art & craft show, which is coming up sooner than I want to think about (like, two weeks). It’s my first show evah.

There are two people who have been really supportive and encouraging, and I want to do something to express my appreciation.

The first person is a male friend. (I’m female.) He’s a work colleague. He’s told me for some time that I really ought to sell my work. If someone compliments me on my jewelry when he’s present, he will immediately chime in, “She made that!” He has gone so far as to say, “And she has a web site!” He fronted me the money for the booth fee, which had to be submitted at the time of entry.

The second person is my sister. She has been totally awesome! She’s helped me get past the “If it’s craft, it’s not art” thing. She has sold some of my pieces for me (and won’t take a commission!). She’s given me great design ideas and gives me honest critiques. She regularly tells me how proud she is of me. She’s coming up for the show to help me with set-up and to help man the booth.

I can’t give my male friend an outright and frank expression of my appreciation. It would make him uncomfortable. Silly and/or funny would be the best for him.

I wish I had time to make my sister an ultra-special piece, but I am in serious production mode to create inventory. She’s an artist, too, but with issues. When I told her I was nervous about getting into the show, she said, “Are you kidding? How could you not get in? Why would you think you wouldn’t?” I said, “If you submitted your work for a show, what would you think?” “That my work is shitty and I can’t possibly get in.” Bingo.

So, what ideas do you have for some way I can thank these two people?

I know that feeling. I also have a “fan club” of two or three individuals who adore my writing, even the things that I think are awful and hacky and just… bad.

I’m not so sure about your male friend (since I was able to give frank expressions to my male friend “fan club” member), but since your sister is also an artist, maybe you could do some kind of “collaboration” with her on some piece? I’m not sure exactly what the two of you make, so that may not be possible, but it’s the first thing that popped into my mind when I thought of “artist appreciating each other.”

Maybe you could take 'em both out to lunch. And if it needs to be silly, you could go to an “arcade and pizza” place, give them ten dollars for tokens, and tell them to go hog-wild. :smiley: (Just tossing ideas out there…)