first birthday party

so I have always done festivals/events/Fairs..... I have never done private parties but since the gigs are far and few between of late I went ahead and put out my feelers for birthday parties. Well I got my first gig and the lady seems a bit..well lets just say tight. It's for a 3 year old and it's a pony party she's having ponies and a balloon twister and me. Over and over in the conversation she said she wants a painter that can do it better then she can, and she has seen my web site so I'm not really sure what that comment means. She wants me to dress up and be cute..I'm 47 and a BIG woman not sure I have any cute left in me...?? Willing to pay my rates no issues there, for 3 hrs. Does not want her 3 yr old to have a full face paint, wants some cute cheek art....okay I can do that and wants to have a picture list the kids can choose off of, okay no issues there.
She wants my "area" to be cute and colorful....I have a popup that has horse's on it and other then that I am at a loss...Private parties may not be my thing...this is stressing me out.
If you have any ideas or suggestions I'm open

if she has so many "cute" requests, maybe her "cute" butt should provide the "cuteness".

I dont do "cute" I do my job.

Then again I am a smart a......

LOL! Put on a hat and a bandanna and call it a cowgirl! As for making your tent "cute".. tell her you'd be glad to put up whatever decoration she things are "cute" if she provides them for you!

I'd let her know that I can provide the tent but she might want to provide her own decorations. You are the face painter, not the party decorator. If she has no problem with your prices then she is probably fine with your skill. I looked on your site but couldn't find a section on face painting, so she may not have seen it either? (Your other work is beautiful tho!)

If she's got a twister coming, that should be decor enough for your table and tent. A tablecloth maybe, and that's it. You should be painted, wear a bandana like what was already mentioned, or a flower or even a colorful scarf. Call it good. Any more than that would require additional charges.

When I get an inquiry, I usually give them an idea of how to expect me to look, and how my set up looks. If they want extra, I'll twist a few balloons for an added charge. Then I'll tie them to the tent(flowers work well for that).

Birthday parties are great. I love knowing how much my time is worth, and can do a couple in a day. Don't be discouraged. You'll work out all the kinks:)

Rest assured, she sounds like a particularly difficult client. Most moms I work with aren't nearly so demanding.

I agree, she's pretty demanding for your first time. I have had very little demands from most of the parties I have done.

I usually ask them if they have any requests, but they rarely request anything.

Birthday parties are my favorite. It's easy, slower paced, and not so stressful. It should be fun because you are helping make memories I'm not exhausted when I leave a Birthday party, but a festival, I'm in pain!

this is my face painting web page...not the greatest but it's free
http://facepaintingbyshandi.webs.com/index.htm

your art is exceptional. You can tell you master horses...totally awesome.

maybe this 'cute' lady is just a perfectionist and wants the best for her baby and is sizing you up. Well a pony party is definately your forte'

You will be awesome and dont sweat it. She picked the right person for the job.

and be 'cute' hahahahaha

I have never had any request like this, and I would tell her that all of the "cute" is extra moola. I charge if I have to bring my tent! I work out of my fat max, and at birhtday parties I wear a skirt, plain button down, nice plain shirt of some kind, and my painting apron. I try not to draw any attention to me, just to my boards and my work.

IMO, and I am a big lady too, I would not feel cute in anything. My paintings can be very cute. That is what I offer, and I cannot imagine anyone better for a pony party than you, Shandi, your horses are out of this world.

You just got the hard one first...the rest will not ask, or care about anything but the painting and the price.

Good luck!

Love your braids! They are cute and your face paintings are awesome.

I've never had anyone be that particular. I think she just has a vision in her head of the perfect party, and that includes someone "cute" painting faces somewhere "cute." The problem is, you can't see the picture in her head. I would also get a little more information from her on what she wants. I would tell her what you usually wear, maybe send her a picture of your set up, and say, she will need to provide any additional "cute" decorations, or you will do it for an additional . . . .

Good luck with your party! I'm sure it will be awesome!

I would just go with what you are comfortable with and let the cards fall where they may. She will most likely be so wrapped up in everything else and how wonderful the kids look when you're done that the rest won't even have been worth mentioning. If she complains, then she was looking for something to complain about and you couldn't have made her happy with whatever you did.