Forgot My Tools: A Last Minute Scramble in Atlanta | $400+ Show and Moving Woes

[KennethandTiffany]

Has anyone ever done this? We got about 10 minutes from our host's house tonight when I realized that we completely forgot our entire crate of tools! I called her and explained and she said no problem, she's really sweet. Anyway, by this time, it's afternoon rush hour here in Atlanta, so I get stuck in traffic on the way home and back to her place. By the time I get there, it was 6:45 and the show was supposed to start at 6:00! I felt SO unprofessional walking in that late! Luckily, the ladies were wonderful and everyone had a good time, turned out to be a $400+ show so far with several more orders left to get! We are in the middle of moving and are in between houses right now, my brain is SO fried! I just can't believe I forgot my crate, not just one or two things, the WHOLE THING!!! Please tell me there is someone else out there as crazy as me!

 

[Chef Kearns]

Tiffany--I'm in the crazy club! I forgot, not all of my tools, but the tool-turnabout once. I was setting up the table and was shocked at how much space I had still. Then I started to prep the ingredients and that's when I realized my mistake.

This was a last minute show, so my host really understood. My hospitality director called me at 3pm to ask if I could take the party for her, which was to start at 6:30pm. I was scrambling!! I don't like to turn down a party, but that was short notice!

I've forgotten a stone before for a ring. That sucked! So...it happens. At Nat'l Conference in 2004 I was in a demo class with (one of the super dooper maled consultants...I can't remember his name right now) and he said he did the same thing you did. Although he did not go home to get it he just did a dry demo and pointed out the products in the catalog. I believe he said that was an $800 or more show for him.

 

[ChefNic]

Ahhh memories!!

In my first year, 10 minutes away from home, so not too far... I realized I forgot a whole drawer full of things... like the Baker's Roller... I turned around and got it... and was speeding to get there on time... and was on time, but the host then told me she hadn't bought the ingredients yet... I had to go to the grocery store!
Another time, I didn't have my bag with all the catalogs and sales receipts! I usually pack my stuff, and set it by the front door and while I'm getting make up on, etc, my husband loads what is sitting my the front door into the car... He somehow missed the bag. But fortunately, the show was in my neighborhood, and my husband ran it over.
Than yet another time... and by far the worse!!... I had a show about 1 hour away from home. I had a former PC consultant friend volunteer to drive there with me so I wouldn't have to drive that far at night alone. This show was at a church ...there were 35 women there... and I had asked my friend if she would bring her mini muffin pan. When she got to my house to rid to the show, she told me she forgot the pan...that was fine, we'll just cook the Mini Ham Puffs in two separate batches.... small bump in the road...it would be fine.
When we got to the church... an hour away... I realized I HAD FORGOTTEN MY MINI MUFFIN PAN TOO!!! The host called a friend, who happened to have mini muffin pans.. not PC ones though.,... It turned out fine, and no one even saw the muffin pans, I prepared the filling and handed it to my friend who finished the puffs, put them in the oven, while I played a game with the group!...
WHEW>... memory lane it sometimes painful! But I really double check my bags before I go...and the whole time I'm driving I'm paranoid that I forgot something!

 

[letscook04]

I had set up for my show, then I started to prepare my receipe (Taco Ring) and I realized I HAD FORGOTTEN my round stone! Thank God my host had a round stone

Colleen

 

[PamperedByJulie]

Murphy's Law showI didn't forget any tools, but I recently had a Murphy's Law show - if it could go wrong it did.

1) We were rather late starting because one of the hosts told half the guests 6 pm and the other half 6:30 pm.

2) A guest put her wine glass by the tool turnabout. When I spun the turnabout, the glass hit the tile floor and broke. It turns out the glass was part of a set that belonged to her Grandmother with lots of sentimental value.

3) I was making the molten choco skillet brownie and the water/fudge mixture boiled over in the microwave. I was using the large micro cooker, I've done the recipe before without problems, and it was a mess. I had to clean it up because we still had to toast the almonds.

4) Almost half the guests left before the brownie was even done because we were so late starting and everyone was so talkative.

5) I pulled the brownie out before it was totally done and just put extra powder sugar on it to cover the slight runny texture.

 

[WendyAebi]

I grocery shop for my hosts and once I forgot the food!! They lived out in the country, so instead of going to the store and making the show start late, we scrounged around in her kitchen and ended up with a very unusual veggie pizza. She was very cool about it. It seems like some of my best shows happen from things like this. I've got nowhere to go but up, I guess, might as well just relax and enjoy the ride!!

 

[kitty]

Too late to be of any help in that particular show but what I do (and I realize this sounds anal):

I use Star Office or MS Word, but it can be done in any word processing program

Make a table with 3 columns (Here on this message will show column format as "Column 1/Column 2/Column 3"):

Line 1 - I Type in bold letters: "Host Name/Show Date and Start Time/Show Type or Theme"

Line 2 - I type in information of line 1
ex. Jane Smith/February 12 2:00pm/Kitchen

Line 3 - blank

Line 4 - I type in Bold letters: "Recipes:/Ingredients:/Tools:"

Line 5 - information of line 4 for 1st recipe
ex. column 1: name of recipe 1 + book it is found in, plus any miscellaneous notes such as how far the prep work is done to or if the recipe is doubled or halved including how I will transport it/column 2: all ingredients used including condiments like bacon bits/all tools used to make the recipe (even for it's prep work), all products used to display the dish including serving utensils such as bamboo spoons

Line 6 - same information of line 4 for 2nd recipe

Line 7 - same information of line 4 for 3rd recipe

Line 8 - same information of line 4 for anything extra such as Veggies & Dip, snack stuff like chips and drinks

Line 9 - "Need to Bring" is written in column 1/anything else food-related needed such as plates, plasticware or silverware, napkins/anything else Pampered Chef related needed to do a show such as aprons, oven mitts, pick baskets, towels, briefcase, guest folders, items for display (like your Season's Best books, Case & Recipe Collection Binder) etc.

I print 2 copies. My second copy gets immediately put into my briefcase. All of the ingrdients that my host has gets crossed off the list. As I pack things they get crossed off the list. By the time I am done, all you see is blacked out lines BUT I have never forgotten anything (except for the blender that my first host wanted to borrow because it wasn't on my list). Most importantly, since you list the cookbooks in your recipe column, you won't forget the recipe at home PLUS at the show, you have your second copy to refer to where in the recipe you left off in the prep work.

After the show is done, I use my second sheet as a "teardown" reference so I don't leave anything at my host's home. I also don't let anyone pack for me because my Director once misplaced a knife when everyone helped her pack after a show. If someone offers to help pack I just tell them, "Thanks, but I am trying to learn how to pack up more efficiently so I don't burden my hosts" or "Thanks, but I use some of my products in my kitchen and some I have duplicates for shows only and if I pack it myself, it will save me having to run back and forth between my kitchen and my office when unpacking" or any line you wish to use as long as it's friendly, but firm.

I'm sorry this is so long, but you really won't forget anything again when you use this (or a similar) system.

 

[kitty]

Oh, I forgot to add, I realize that many of you do not do more than 1 recipe, but the other stuff is added for example purposes. I should have written "Line 6, Line 7 and/or Line 8" I'm in no way implying that we should do 4 recipes.

 

[Chef Kearns]

Wow Kitty, that sure sounds like alot of extra work. I'm sure it will help those of you that are organized or work well with lists. I just sell my wackiness!!

 

[lisaterwilliger]

Last night I forgot my cutting board..which was a real shame since it is the free one this month! I also forgot the recipe! Luckily I got there very early and was pretty sure I could wing it..the hostess decided to show me some of her very old cookbooks that she got like 10 years ago from PC...low and behold the recipe I forgot was on the 7th page of her OLD cookbook! What are the odds of that?! And I still managed to sell 3 cutting boards without it!

 

[pamperedmom2owen]

Just this week I forgot my briefcase with all my host packets, pens, door prizes, booking binder and the recipe in it! I was already running late, but apparently my host told everyone that the show wouldn't start until 7 (scheduled at 6:30) but didn't tell me. I was so flustered without everything the way it normally is. I don't the think the sales will be great, but I still ended up with 2 bookings! Sometimes everything just goes wrong!

 

[kitty]

Chef Kearns,

I'm getting close to 40 so my mind isn't so good anymore with remembering things anymore. I'd be lost without a list and I have so much Pampered Chef stuff I'd need a van to transport *everything* to a show. The list is just there to keep my number of boxes down and to sedate my nerves as I am still terrified to do live demos. I'm sure as I do more and more shows I'll have it all in my head.