I participate in Craft Shows just about every weekend of the year. Of course, during the Winter months, most shows are indoors. But, once April comes around, it is pretty much outdoor shows until November.

One thing I cannot work without is my trusty 10x10 Canopy tent. It protects me and my products from the rain, sun, and most other outside forces. In 2009, I purchased a quality tent for around $300, and it has served me well all of these years. A couple of months ago, I was rushing to leave a show, and I couldn't get the tent to close easily. I forced it closed, and broke one of the bars. I discovered this error the next weekend when I opened it up and saw the broken bar. I had to hold the pieces together with bunjie cords, but it was very unstable. The next weekend, I broke another bar by not being careful when opening up the tent. I started to panic because buying another tent was out of the question (no money in the budget.)

Another vendor friend of mine suggested trying to get parts to fix the tent, instead of buying a brand new one. I am not sure why I didn't think of it, and promptly went online to check things out. Sure enough, the company did offer replacement parts! So, I placed my order for two new bars ($28 including shipping) and prepared to operate!

I am not really a fix it type of person, so I was a little nervous armed with only a screwdriver and high hopes. I happened to get around to fixing the tent on a really hot afternoon in June. The screws were a bit stubborn, but I was able to remove the broken bars and attach the new ones!

I am happy to report, that the surgery was a success! I opened up the tent two days later, and everything was fine. I am writing all of this to let other crafters know that when buying a tent, make sure you get one from a company that offers replacement parts! It will save you a lot of money in case you need to operate too.

Happy Crafting!

Nordea
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