Most of the craft shows I attend are outside, and therefore, my most cherished purchase was an easy to put up sun shade. I started out with one that had to be assembled, and it took me forever to set up.

The next most important thing is the wonderful plastic storage cartons you can now purchase. I use a standard moving cart to transport them. I usually pile the supply cartons up and place a table top across them. I stabilize them with bungee cords.

However, my merchandise is displayed by hanging strips of fabric from the bars of the sun shade, and attaching my work on the strips. The only thing I use the table for is my order catalogs.

Don't forget that most shows require the proper forms and paperwork, such as a seller's license, and tax re-sale number. Be sure to find out what all the rules are, since each show is different.

The only thing I have found so far is a list compiled by Gege Reed in the Courier-Journal, July 1, and they were only October festivals. I was thinking about starting one in Crofton, KY but I didn't want to take a weekend that was already taken (at least in the same vacinity).

• Some good art and craft shows in and around Louisville are the Saint James Court Art Show held the first full weekend of October, the Slugger Field Art and Craft Show (I'm not sure when it is held or if that is the exact title), and several high school craft shows that I have been told produce good sales in the fall.

You could also contact Kentucky Crafted. They have a show of 300 exhibitors in March and also are connected with a state-wide program to help artists and crafters market their products.

Across the river from Louisville, New Albany has a big event called Harvest Homecoming in October. It's not just Arts and Crafts, but it draws a major crowd. There are also some other events around the New Albany vicinity that are not major events.

You can find other events by doing google searches for "art and craft events," "art and craft shows," or typing in the names of cities and towns, Kentucky. The home pages of specific towns usually have a tab for their festivals and events.

Well, I can make a yarn dolly. They should be pretty similar. First, you take a long stalk of corn, and wind it around a piece of cardboard an inch in width as many times as it will allow. Remove the cardboard. Next, tie another piece of straw in the place you want the neck to be and one about a centimeter from the top of the head. Cut the fold of straw at the top and bottom of the dolly. Take 3 strands of straw below the neck. Make a tight braid for each. It should now look like a doll with a head, two arms, and a ghost-like body. Tie a piece of straw where you want the legs to begin. Braid all remaining straw into two legs below the new tie. Tada! You should now have a straw dolly!

Making an ancient Egyptian diorama can be a lot of fun and all you need is a little bit of creativity. Here are some suggestions I have to making this kind of diorama.

The first, and most important thing, is the sand. You will need a few handfuls of clean sand to make this diorama. I recommend you don't use beach sand because it has a lot of impurities. You can purchase clean sand from hobby shops or home improvement stores.

Step1: Find yourself a solid base for your diorama. A piece of wood approximately 1 foot long and six inches wide would be appropriate. Now cover the board with a thin coat of elmers or white glue then quickly sprinkle the sand on it. You have to get the sand on the glue before it hardens so work fast. This makes your Egyptian style sand base.

Step 2: Cut four triangles of cardboard - cereal box cardboard works well for this. Then tape the four pieces together so they form a pyramid. Cut and recut the four triangles until they give a pleasing pyramid shape.

Step3: Now add sand to your newly made pyramid by following the same process you did in step 1; cover the pyramid with glue and sprinkle sand onto it.

Now glue the pyramid down onto your wooden base and you have an Egyptian scene.

Step 5: add some extra things. Do you have any small plastic animals like camels or figures? Go through your collection of small toys. Do you have any palm trees? Add anything to your diorama that you think is appropriate.

What I suggest is this:

Use some blue paint to draw the Nile in the middle of a piece of brown strawboard. Then, you can use spray glue to spray the other parts of the strawboard. Use some real black dirt(notice the black) and some real grass to decorate a half of the river. Use sand to decorate another half. You can make some houses out of cardboard to decorate the "dirty" side and you can also use pyramids to decorate the other side. Anyways, just use you imagination! Do what YOU think is right and I'm sure the diorama will turn out to be excellent.

PS. If your teacher is very picky, be sure to paint the pyramids, houses...etc.