For me and my neck of the woods the slow time is in January and February. I imagine it’s the same for most of you too. So what  do we do? Plan, Repair, and organize our clown. After a super  busy fall festival season followed by immediate busy Christmas season my house looks like a clown hurricane. I found a seam coming apart in my Mrs Claus dress, a crotch undo in one of Groovy costumes! Oh my! I want to add embroidery to the sleeves of my Mother Goose outfit. The list goes on. I’m ready to invent disposable clown costumes. Comes in a roll ,like paper towels ,assorted colors of course. Tear off, use and toss! Til then I am washing wigs, repairing and replacing costumes January and February. I’m also going over props and repainting and repairing.

Then there’s PLANNING for summer. I offer workshops to libraries and daycares. The library every year has a theme for their summer so I create a show for them. I also use that same show for daycares. I am often calling my clown friends and brainstorming with them. It’s wonderful to connect with them. It nourishes my soul.

Don’t forget to plan for convention. Competitions are a great tool for personal growth. Planning your costume, skit, parade bit etc. I have been very lucky that inspiration for my competitions past found me. My Fat Elsa- I Let Myself Go! Bit was result of walking in a thrift store and seeing blue gown in my size and the song was playing in background. I thought to myself, I wish I were skinny and could be Elsa and had that DING DING moment.

My husband, Groovy, did a fun parade pulling a School of Fish because I found a bunch of clown fish puppets at thrift store for 50 cents each.

Then I went to grocery and they were throwing out a cracker display from back to school that looked like a bus. Trash rescue and now Professor Groovy has Clown School.

I hope you take advantage of down time to refresh your clown and plan ahead for the next busy season.