Table Centerpiece Inspirations (Wine Fair)

Our 2011 Dates for DAWF have been decided: May 21 and October 1, 2011. I am super excited for this next year's events. I think that we did a great job this past year, and more and mroe people know about the event. Visit us if you're in southern Illinois!

Make It! A Handmade Production

WELCOME TO MAKEIT: (See their site HERE)
"Make It is the largest event of its kind in Western Canada. It is an upbeat experience that gives enlightened shoppers the opportunity to buy directly from Canada’s top urban artisans and designers!"

This Canadian Craft Show looks really amazing. I find that people are writing pretty great reviews of the show as vendors too. The event happens in November. You missed it this year, but next year, this seems like a new "Renegade-type show", which happens in bigger cities in the US.

Dates for 2010.

Thursday November 25, 2010

4pm to 9pm
Friday November 26

noon to 9pm
Saturday November 27

10am to 5pm
Sunday November 28

11am to 5pm
@ Alberta Aviation Museum

11410 Kingsway Avenue, Edmonton AB view map
Pay once, Shop 4 days! $5 at the door - click here for $2 off!

Kids 12 & under are Free!

Events in Illinois for the nest 2 months {Thanks to Festival Network Online}

Here are a few events happening in the next couple of months in Illinois. Looks like most of them are up around Chicago and Northern Illinois, but they will surely be well worth checking out... I found ALL of this information (here).

12/15 to 12/17 2010 - Holiday Art Spree
James R. Thompson Center Atrium - Chicago, IL
12/18 to 12/18 2010 - Wheaton Antique & Collectible Market
DuPage Fairgrounds - Wheaton, IL
01/07 to 01/09 2011 - Westfield Hawthorne Art & Craft Show
Westfield Hawthorne Center - Vernon Hills, IL
01/08 to 01/09 2011 - Grayslake Antique and Collectibles Market
Lake County Fairgrounds - Grayslake, IL
01/12 to 01/13 2011 - The Northern Illinois Farm Show
NIU Convocation Center - Dekalb, IL
01/14 to 01/16 2011 - Westfield Chicago Ridge
Chicago Ridge Mall - Chicago Ridge, IL
01/14 to 01/16 2011 - Lake County Home Building & Remodeling Expo
Lake County Fairgrounds - Grayslake, IL
01/14 to 01/16 2011 - Cherryvale Mall Home Base Business Show
CherryVale Mall - Rockford, IL
01/15 to 01/15 2011 - Wheaton Antique & Collectible Market
DuPage Fairgrounds - Wheaton, IL
01/16 to 01/16 2011 - Chicago Music Awards Thirtieth Anniversary
Excalibur Chicago - Chicago, IL
01/21 to 01/23 2011 - Golf Mill Center Art & Craft Show
Golf Mill Center - Niles, IL
01/21 to 01/23 2011 - Home Improvement & Remodeling Expo
Prairie Stone Sports & Wellness Center - Hoffman Estates, IL
01/21 to 01/24 2011 - Transworld Jewelry, Fashion & Accessories Show
Donald E Stephens Convention Center - Rosemont, IL
01/22 to 01/23 2011 - Intergalactic Bead and Jewelry Show
White Eagle Banquets- Victoria Room - Niles, IL
01/22 to 01/25 2011 - Beckman's Handcrafted Show Chicago
The Merchandise Mart - Chicago, IL
01/28 to 01/30 2011 - Northwoods Mall Art & Craft Show
Northwoods Mall - Peoria, IL
01/28 to 01/30 2011 - Lake County Home Improvement Showcase
Libertyville Sports Complex - Libertyville, IL
01/29 to 01/29 2011 - Algonquin Home & Business Expo
Jacobs H.S. Fieldhouse - Algonquin, IL
01/02 to 01/30 2010 - Logan Square Indoor Farmers Market
Congress Theatre - Chicago, IL
02/02 to 02/04 2011 - Valentine's Art Spree
James R. Thompson Ctr. - Chicago, IL
02/04 to 02/06 2011 - Fox Valley Art & Craft Show
Fox Valley Mall - Aurora, IL
02/04 to 02/06 2011 - Cherryvale Mall Health & Wellness Show
CherryVale Mall - Rockford, IL
02/05 to 02/06 2011 - Antioch's Winter Arts and Crafts Faire
Antioch High School - Antioch, IL
02/12 to 02/13 2011 - Grayslake Antique and Collectibles Market
Lake County Fairgrounds - Grayslake, IL
02/06 to 02/27 2010 - Logan Square Indoor Farmers Market
Congress Theatre - Chicago, IL

Howard Alan Events & American Craft Endeavors in Florida

This show happens on certain weekends in sunny, beautiful Florida.

Here are the details:

*-----------------------------*
March 5th & 6th, 2011
23rd Annual Las Olas Art Fair Part II (Fort Lauderdale, Florida)
*-----------------------------*
December 26th & 27th, 2010
7th Annual Historic Roser Park Art & Craft Festival (St. Petersburg, Florida)
Located in St. Petersburg. Free visitor parking is available at Bayfront Parking Garage with golf cart transportation to the festival.
*-----------------------------*
December 11th & 12th, 2010
7th Annual Historic Roser Park Art & Craft Festival (St. Petersburg, Florida)
*-----------------------------*


Sign up to win The 2011 March Las Olas Art Fair Getaway! To see a list of prizes, sign up and full details visit their site here.

Stonehouse Studio at The Artisan Fair

I found this ultra-amazing photo {HERE}. I love the use of vertical space! This artist seems to really know how to draw the eye to look right at her earrings and other works in the back.
If you wanted to do something similar, you would have to own an EZ-Up Tent and do something like this...

1.) Get or make/embellish 2 Burlap Curtain Panels. Make sure they are only as long as the height of your table. Meaning they should stop a bit under where the top of the table stops. To embellish these, hot glue or sew ribbon/trip to the long edges.


2.) Purchase 2 medium circumference (1/2" or more so it doesn't bend) dowel rods and leave them their natural wood color.


3.) Feed curtains onto dowels. Attach ends of dowel rods to EZ-Up Tent Frame with bungee cords or twine/rope.
**You can also drill holes into each end of the dowels to feed rope through them to create a hanging bar. Then, making sure the dowel is level, tie the ropes to the EZ Up Frame.



4.) Punch holes in your earring cards, and fasten them to the burlap curtains by using S-shaped paper clips or mini S-hooks. Feel free to mark where you want these hooks to be with a ruler and T-square with a marker.


5.) Hang all earring cards onto the hooks and watch your sales increase!

You could also use this hook and curtain method with necklaces, hair clips, clothing items, small purses, lightweight paintings/photos, and more! What would you use with this type of display?

Here are 10 signs you might be cut out for entrepreneurship:

I wanted to spotlight this cool blog, The Blissful. She has loads of good information about entrepreneurial happenings. Check her out HERE\.

Here's her other site. (here)

And Abby Kerr Ink (here)

1. You're an idea person. And not just a dreamy, impractical idea person, but someone who instinctively knows how to give an idea legs. You don't just sit around and say, wouldn't that be cool? You actually get out of your chair and make a plan to see if it's cool.

2. You're an incurable optimist. You believe that things generally work out for the best--even when things work themselves out in a way that others would perceive as a fail. You believe that every deep experience lends itself to learning.

3. You like change. You might even crave it. You'd rather shake things up than wallow or stagnate.

4. You're willing to sacrifice more than the average person would to take a chance on a dream working out. This means you see short and even medium-term sacrifices such as preferred housing, discretionary income, stability in some relationships, and a nice budget for clothing and groceries as all part of the bigger picture. You are willing to forgo some comfort and joy today to get to what you might be able to attain later.

5. You're a self-starter. And a good self-manager. You don't need someone looking over your shoulder--or dangling a paycheck--to get a job done. You don't even really need praise or encouragement. Your satisfaction comes primarily from the process of creation.

6. You bounce back easily. Your setbacks are very short-term and you somehow always find a way to rise again. Or, things always just seem to work out okay for you, even better than okay. Others might say you seem to have good luck, or good karma.

7. You don't dwell on things and people that are out of your control. {Or you get really mad or frustrated and then use it to fuel your next move or decision in a healthy, productive way.}

8. You speak as though the outcome you want already exists. You don't have delusions of grandeur and you're not a liar or a bull*hitter. But you know how to position yourself in the today to apprehend what hasn't happened yet in the time-space continuum most people can see. Whoh. That sounds a little crazy. But you're okay with that, because that's how you think. You don't have to be all loud about it, but it works for you.

9. You're your own toughest critic--and your own best friend. At different times, you need to be both.

10. You have an uncanny sense of when it's time to shift or make a change. You identify what's not working and are intent on finding a solution. Or you know when to quit, as so aptly described in The Dip, a book by one of my marketing heroes, Seth Godin. This trait can sometimes creep your friends and acquaintances out, as you jump from one Big Thing to another Big Thing without so much as a backward glance. But you always seem to know what you're doing.

Candy Giveaways at Shows

I have been using dishes of candy to lure people into my booth for a while now, and it really works! I often use brightly colored candies in a cute vintage dish. I put a little pink serving spoon in the dish, and people come back repeatedly to visit for more. Whether they buy something or not, that's fine - at least they are viewing my work for a second while they munch.

I wanted to feature some candy ideas for you to use, let me know if this works or you have an opinion on the matter :)

Goodies from Vintage Markets and Beyond...

See more of Contented Sparrow's images on Flickr HERE. Thanks for the inspirations!!

(17) Patrick Ryan

I posted a tiny bit about this designer HERE, but wanted to learn more. So, I asked him if I could feature his words and his work on the blog...



I have truly learned a lot of new concepts just from reading Pat's answers. He has turned on that little light bulb in my head, making me further understand that your booth is not just a 10' x 10' space, it is actually a 10' cube. Please read on to hear words of wisdom from a master artist, engineer, and designer. He builds a lot of custom display pieces, counter tops, desks, and other furniture for upscale buildings. I believe that building your own displays for craft shows is really a great option if you have the skill set. If you own a store front, it is incredibly important to have a some sort of counter that is interesting and functional. This way, you can have you register there, a work space, and a place to store packaging materials and other supplies without the customers seeing your mess.

1.) What is your name and occupation?

My name is Patrick Ryan but friends call me Pat or Patrick. I don't have a preference about who I am name-wise. Patrick Ryan is a common name. Kind of boring really. I make my living using art, design, and engineering.

2.) Your website/business?

I have a lot of websites based on my ideas for that day, but my main website is probably www.patryan.com

3.) How did you get into this line of work? Do you work for yourself?

I graduated from San Francisco Art Institute with a BFA in Fine Art. Then I got a BSEE in engineering from the University of Colorado. I didn't really want to be just an artist or just an engineer so I found a happy world of "design" that fell right in the middle of those two fields. I have created my own career by bridging these worlds, and I have worked for myself since 1994.



4.) What types of things inspire you?

Interesting people who make objects - not necessarily the objects themselves, unique workspaces and studios, authenticity, natural materials, evidence of hard work, color used unexpectedly, complexity within simplicity

5.) Can you tell us a bit about Visual Merchandising?

Visual Merchandising is creating a feeling that the item on display is real. A successful display allows a customer to intrinsically understand that a product can somehow just work for them. Or fit within their personal needs and desires.




6.) Is it best to stick with one color scheme with our main displays, or should we use a mix of colors that work well together?

I like color that is naturally occurring. Using color to mask or detract from the obvious is not necessary and will create displays that cannot be easily changed or modified. This is not to say that color, if part of a brand strategy should be ignored. But consumers have also grown weary of brand thugs.

7.) How much of our display should be at eye level, bend-down-level, and reach-up level?

A good example of conventional, boring display can be seen in jewelery stores. Ninety percent of the product is presented in a flat case you lean over and look down into. But jewelry is actually dynamic and moves with the body in different ways. Lighting angle effects jewelry. Whoever creates a new way to display jewelery will create a whole new and effective way to sell it.

8.) Any major words of advice when setting up a craft booth in a space that is roughly 10' x 10'?

A 10'x10' booth actually contains around 800 cubic feet of potential 3D display space. This is very large in most circumstances. Customers only "see" about 3 to 4 feet into a booth as they walk by. A display should concentrate on the initial 320 cu. ft. of "active" display to engage and draw the customer in for a closer look. This includes the floor, walls, and even the perceived ceiling that makes up the cube. Rented, lightweight display fixtures that are cheap and wobbly should never be used at the front of the booth. Nor should there be a traditional-looking "check-out counter" look that sets up a boundary most customers won't cross. Incredibly creative displays and booths are usually the ones built with the most limited budgets. Limited budgets are a blessing in disguise for display design.





Thanks for opening my eyes to some really important concepts Pat!

Cow Mountain Creations : How to Display Clothing at Shows

Wow! I am totally enamored by this awesome seametress. She and her husband are a team of crafters who really know how to set up a nice craft fair booth. It looks like she is always really stocked up, and has unique items that no one else has.
Her cute aprons and pajamas are surely crowd pleasers.
I saw her booth recently on Flickr, and have been thinking of it ever since.
It looks like they use a gridwall system as well as wooden walls to display this large amount of clothing. Clothes are so hard to display, and they really seem to have a clothing store inside their tent.
I would be at this booth for hours, looking at all of these nice items and displays.
It's like stepping into a huge closet and never wanting to leave :)

Make sure to check out Cow Mountain Creations on Flickr HERE.

Pat Ryan Displays

Pat Ryan's Things - This designer builds fascinating interior displays for shops around the country. He is quite amazing!


Art + Science Salon in Chicago, IL

Craft Show Inspirations!

Craft Show Inspirations!
Originally uploaded by HappySolez on Etsy

Some true inspirations!!
I love the look of bunting...
And I always like to have a bit of free candy to giveaway for the little ones and the adults love them too.
Next show, I will have some animal crackers, Tropical Mike and Ikes, and what else??

Renegade Design Harvest...Pictures to follow!

On October 2nd + 3rd, 2010, from 11am – 7pm, many of Chicago’s best designers and distributors of handmade, sustainable and refurbished home + garden furnishings will descend on Chicago’s new ‘Design District‘ – Grand Ave. (between Damen and Wood) – for Design Harvest: Chicago’s 1st Annual Celebration of the Home!

Renegade Handmade, the brick + mortar storefront of The Renegade Craft Fair, will be hosting the D.I.Y. Home Decor Pavilion, featuring handmade home + garden goods by over 20 of our favorite indie-craft designers!

We’ve cultivated a curated selection of artists to feature an array of ceramics, clocks, art, pillows, frames, mirrors, kitchen-accessories, kids decor, small furniture items and more – all gloriously affordable + expertly handmade! Check out the artist line-up at the bottom of this page!

We couldn’t be happier to be furnishing our Pavilion with the help of the fantastic ladies behind Wicker Park’s best vintage home-goods boutique – Lenny and Me! We’ll have several pieces of gorgeous mid-century furniture, ranging from armchairs to bistro-sets, culled from Lenny and Me’s vast, treasure-filled inventory of downright dapper housewares!

Design Harvest has a lot of terrific features all weekend long, including musical acts organized by our favorite local venue The HideOut, beer + wine for sale, an Intelligentsia Coffee espresso bar, and all sorts of deals on modern, vintage + handmade home furnishings! We hear there’s even going to be an outrageously festive Barn Dance!!

Find out more, and preview all the outstanding Chicago talent appearing independently at this festival, here!!

We hope to see you there!!

LINK TO THIS ARTICLE

APPLY TODAY! New St. Louis Indie Craft Show on October 30

From the super creative curator of Strange Folk Fest, comes another show. Sure to be well attended and fun...The St. Louis Rally to Keep Sanity Alive!

"Hey Strange Folkies!

I thought I would get a nice long break after Strange Folk, but when it came up to host a satellite event for Comedy Central's Rally to Restore Sanity/March to Keep Fear Alive at the Gateway Arch, I jumped at the opportunity to help plan it! This is totally independent from the D.C. event organizationally and financially, although The Daily Show has already begun endorsing us. We have been doing our best to raise money through donations for a JumboTron to run the DC feed as well as paying for all the permits,port-a-potties, etc. without getting any political parties involved. Comedy Central has taken a bipartisan stance, and aims to dispel hyperbole on both sides of the political spectrum. Organizers of the St. Louis rally are committed to "taking it down a notch for America". We have aimed to make our satellite event a celebration of wit, local independent business, and the spirit of finding common ground. And in that spirit, we are inviting local artisans to set up shop on the riverfront as part of our "Small Business Stimulus Plan"! We think everyone can agree that indie entrepreneurs are a positive trend in our country.

WHEN: October 30th, 10am-4pm
WHERE: The St. Louis Arch (The stage, JumboTron, concessions, and artisans will all be next to each other on Sullivan Blvd along the river)
FEE: $100 per 12x12ft space. You may split the space/fee with fellow artists!
SPACES AVAILABLE: 40
EXPECTED ATTENDANCE: 10,000+
WHY IT WILL BE AWESOME: We have lots of great local restaurants, including Pi Pizza, Holy Crepe, and more in the works. We also have booze (provided by The Handlebar) and an ATM onsite!
We are featuring a "Threatdown" Costume Contest, local bands and comedians before beginning the live stream of the DC rally on a JumboTron at 11am and continuing comedy acts after the DC rally ends until 4pm. The JumboTron will be on a stage on the East side of the street, in front of the river, and concessions/artisans will be on both sides. We believe it will still be viewable, and definitely audible, to anyone walking around on the street, but it wouldn't hurt, if you have room and a laptop, to have the online feed of the rally running and facing out to the crowd (there is WiFi). Turn-out is expected to be fantastic. We have already had press mentions in the RFT, Post Dispatch, Business Journal, and the central satellite rally website where we are listed has been mentioned on dozens of national news sites and TV stations including the NYT, Politico, and St. Louis was mentioned specifically on CBS nightly news. We have over 600 RSVPed on our Facebook event page alone (and this is still 2 weeks out, in comparison, Strange Folk had about 400 RSVPs up until it started). We are starting to promote the crafty aspect of it big time too! Check out our shnazzy graphics! We'll also put a link to your shop on our website.
HOW TO APPLY: Fill out this form: http://stlouissanity.net/artists.php
Then, follow instructions to pay the fee via Paypal.
DEADLINE: ASAP! When we fill 40 spaces, the app will be taken down! Otherwise, this Friday, October 22nd is when we will cut it off."

Visual Merchandising

I have been reading and thinking a bit about Visual Merchandising....