Renegade Craft Fair in Chicago!!! Apps Open May 10 - June 7

Chicago applications for the ever amazing Renegade Craft Fair are open May 10! I always believe it's best to get your applications in as close to the first day as possible. The Chicago location is said to be the best Renegade of them all! 

The Renegade Brick and Mortar shop is actually located in Chicago at 

Here is a little more info about Vending at Renegade! It also looks like they are accepting Vintage Vendor Applications too. If you have a cool stash of vintage items, especially clothing, purses, SHOES, jewelry, and other fun items, you might as well give it a try!

//  APPLICATIONS {on May 10}   \\

All images were created by the Regenade Craft Fair - All were found on their website HERE. Their new website and graphics are just wonderful.

Find Renegade on Pinterest HERE.

Have you ever vended at or attended any Renegade Craft Fair? Do share :)

(16) Fantastic Toys

Craft Fair Extraordinaire Feature Interview #16!



I am so impressed with this crafter. He has some absolutely stunning, stuffed creatures. He has such a whimsical aesthetic too. I was luck enough to get a bit of his time, and learn a lot about his work and how he prepares for shows, both indoor and out. Once you see this bright, colorful setup, you will probably be re-thinking your whole display! I know I am :)

1.) Please tell us a bit about yourself:
Name/Company Name:
Timothy Haugen/Fantastic Toys
General Location:
Minneapolis
Website or Contact Info:
http://myfantastictoys.com
His Flickr Site.
2.) What form of art/craft do you make?
I'm a toymaker. I design kawaii inspired paper printable toys and soft toys.

3.) When did you start vending at Craft Fairs? Were you successful at first?
Craftstravaganza 2007 was my first show. It was one of my most successful shows to date.



4.) What is/was your favorite Art/Craft Fair you have ever attended/vended at and why?
My first craft fair I vended at was my favorite. My head was spinning from all the nice comments and gifts I received from other vendors. I couldn't sleep at all after the show. A representative from Etsy was there to film the event. I was filmed demonstrating a quick needle felting tutorial. The demo was later available on Etsy to watch which was really cool.

5.) What was your least favorite Fair to attend/vend at? Why?
My least favorite fairs are the ones where the feature the same artists year after year and none of them inspire me. If I can find one artist that I like, the fair was worth going to. The worst fair I vended at was the one I lost my tent to high winds. After that I decided no more outdoor shows. :(

6.) Who tends to be your target audience? What tends to be your best selling item(s)?
My best buyers are people who love and appreciate all things CUTE. Although after doing craft shows I found out that my toys appeal to a much broader demographic then I thought. Young children go bananas over my toys and grandparents often consider purchasing my soft toys as baby gifts.
Buyers have learned to spend less with the current economy. As a result I've developed a lot of items under $10.00. These items seem to sell better than the higher priced items.



7.) Do you ever do marketing for your upcoming shows, or do you leave it to the Show Coordinators? If you do promotions, how do you do them, and do they seem to work well? Do you ever do giveaways at shows? Give out lots of business cards, etc...
I'm pretty bad about promoting my shows. In the past I've posted photos on flickr and mentioned it on my blog. I've never had a giveaway at my shows. I prefer to do those on my blog. I usually have a giveaway for the holiday season to promote my Christmas Collection. I've given away thousands of business cards at shows and surprisingly I don't get many sales because of it. For me online sales have always been better than local craft shows.

8.) Have you ever helped put a show together or run a show? Which one(s)?
I've thought about organizing a local plush show but I just don't have the time to put into it.




9.) How have Flickr, Etsy, Facebook, etc helped you expand your crafty business?
Without Etsy I'm positive I wouldn't have half of the sales I've made today. Etsy is truly the best thing ever to happen to crafters. Without it I wouldn't have collectors from around the world. Both Flickr and Etsy have been great to expose my work to a much broader audience then I ever expected. In the past year I have put a lot of focus on my blog. Blogs are great because they're easy to customize and add new info daily. I've added tutorials to my blog to gain exposure for crafting as well as my toys. I find Facebook and Twitter boring so I don't spend that much time there.

10.) What do you think the difference is between an Art Show and a Craft Fair? If there is any difference...
I think there is a big difference. I've participated at both and I prefer the Indie Craft Fairs. The buyers at those shows seem to get my work and appreciate it more. The art shows tend to focus on the fine arts: painting, pottery and photography. None of which I have any interest in. I find the artists at indie shows to be more creative. The work at those shows are usually more fun and whimsical.

11.) If you wish, please list your upcoming shows for 2010 and beyond.

Textile Center Holiday Show and Sale
November 1 - December 30
Textile Center, Minneapolis, MN

Peggy's Holiday Boutique
November 6-14
Roseville Skating Center, Roseville MN

HandmadeMN Market
Saturday November 20, 10 am - 6 pm
Ballentine VFW, Minneapolis, MN



12.) Any words of advice for people who do not think their setup is as good as it could be? What is your most successful layout for a table or booth. Be as general or specific as you want.
The best advice for setting up a booth is to go to a fair and look around at what others are doing and ask questions. I find that most artists are more than willing to give advice and help you out. I don't think any layout is specifically better than the other. I used to think the U shaped layout was the best but at the last show I did I went with a V layout. Because I wanted to display less I found the V layout showed off my work a little better. No two booths are the same and different layouts work better for different items. You wouldn't display pottery the same way you would paintings. Every artist displays and decorates their booth according to their personal preferences and personality. Your booth will not appeal to everyone that walks by. It really depends on weather or not they have the same aesthetic as you. Just be yourself.

How To Organize A Craft Show by Etsy!

Etsy wrote a fun article about how to organize a Craft Show. I have had the opportunity to help with our Carbondale, IL DAWF this year, and I have had a great time experiencing the volunteering and the behind the scenes stuff.
If you ever have a chance to help organize a fair, or start a show of your own, you are going to need a few other like-minded people to help, and also some city officials who also support your cause. Having food and drinks is a big plus to any community event. And there are so many more things you need to know....
Here is a bit of the Etsy Article, which I found HERE.

"Every year the summer season blooms with craft fairs and markets showcasing the handmade work of independent designers across the country and the world. In this week's edition of How-Tuesday, Julie Meyer from HandmadeMN, a team of Etsy sellers based in Minnesota, shares a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the organization and process of their first craft show, the HandmadeMN Spring Market. Read on for tips and inspiration for how your team might go about organizing a successful show.

The HandmadeMN Team members are no strangers to the craft and art show circuit in and around the Twin Cities. With local shows filling up with more and more team members it was only natural that the idea of hosting a team show came up. If your team is ready for a show, here are a few tips to get you motivated.

1. Who, What, Where, and When?
Gather a small steering team to meet in person and online several months prior to your show. Members from our team met this past January to begin the process of organizing an exclusive Etsy team show held in May.

* Select the venue and map the space to determine the maximum number of vendors.
* Draft the show application. We chose to jury the show, but you can fill a show on a first-come, first-served basis.
* Don’t forget to collect all the required tax forms needed for your city and/or state from each vendor.

2. Recruit Help
When the venue was booked and applications were coming in, the next thing we easily agreed on was that we needed a lot of help from the team to make the show a success!

* Set up committees to manage different aspects of the show and ask your vendors and team members to volunteer their time when they can. Keep track of each committee’s progress online so the team can see what needs to be done.
* We created committees for graphics, advertising, and show hosting.

The graphic committee selected show poster designs submitted by committee members. Courtney of justanotherday had the winning design for our show marketing materials, which included a show poster, postcard and HandmadeMN blog banner.

The advertising committee got the word out by putting together a press release for local newspapers, set up a Facebook event page, and negotiated print and online ads with local magazines. The show host committee got to work on the last-minute tasks that needed to be done as the show drew nearer. This committee canvassed the show’s neighborhood with flyers the week before the event, worked with the venue to make sure tables were set, and helped vendors during set-up. They were also in charge of setting up the team Information tables and greeting customers once the show started.

3. Creative Budgets
You’ll need someone to loan the down payment for the venue and handle all of the finances, including vendor payments coming in and print and advertising costs. Hit the streets and ask your local supply shops, garden shops, fabric stores, etc., to purchase advertising spots in your show program. These paid advertising spots helped to offset the printing costs, plus our advertisers spread the word about our show to their customer base!

4. Shout It Out!
Ask your team members to network with everyone they know. Blogging, tweeting, and Facebooking are an easy way for vendors and team members to help promote the show. Encourage team members to collaborate with their connections to creatively get the word out.

For example, one member of our team connected with one of her shop fans from Metro Magazine and the team received a beautiful spread in the May issue. Two other team members also had the opportunity to chat up our show and Etsy on FM 107’s Get Real Girls show. (You can hear the podcasts here and here.) Our advertising committee was able to team up with Articulture, a non-profit arts education center, to provide a make and take project for our customers during the show. The added bonus was the advertising that they did about our show to their customer base.

5. Follow Up
Putting on a show is hard work, so you’ll want to find out where your efforts best paid off. Offer a giveaway for your customers. Use the drawing slip to gather information from your customers about how they discovered the show and let them opt-in to receive emails about future team events. Ask your vendors for their feedback post-show so you’ll know what went right and what you might do differently next time.

Our first HandmadeMN Show was a great success, thanks to the entire HandmadeMN Street Team! Forty-six vendors rocked the show with a wide variety of amazing handmade items. Our customers showed their appreciation for handmade goods and left with packages in hand, asking, “When will the next show be?"."

(15) Caitlin is NICE

Today, a very wonderful artist is featured! Caitlin is such an amazing woman! She has talent out the wazoo, and my goodness, she can sure set up beautiful vignettes for pictures. I could see her working for Anthropologie as a catalog display gal, or somewhere cool like that.
On top of that, she sure knows how to set up a cute craft fair booth! She tends to attend larger shows near Chicago, like Renegade, Art vs. Craft, and the like. She uses vintage photos and objects in her work, and for inspiration of subject matter.
I love the blue and white plaid background in her booth, it reminds me f vintage fabrics I have! And, it appears a lot of her work has a light, almost pastel appearance to it. She seems to be able to create something beautiful out of items some people might pass right by. Her deer plaques are so sweet! I also adore the wood-burned images she does, where she paints from old photographs. What a talented woman! Read more of her story below.



1.) Please tell us a bit about yourself:
Name/Company Name: Nice - Caitlin Holcomb
General Location if you want: Chicago
Website or Contact Info: www.nice.etsy.com, www.nice-etc.com


2.) What form of art/craft do you make?

I've been making my own style of banners out of vintage fabrics, Mini Deer Plaques and clocks, light shades with vintage doilies and lace, jewelry, and wood burned paintings. One reason why I chose to work under the name Nice is that it allows me to evolve and expand my craft interests!




3.) When did you start vending at Craft Fairs? Were you successful at first?


The first show I did was the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair in 2006. My booth set up was very minimal and not very great- but I did very well and was hooked on the whole experience! By the following year I had more confidence and a better vision, so my booth display improved tremendously and so did my success.


4.) What is/was your favorite Art/Craft Fair you have ever attended/vended at and why?

My Mom is very creative and I grew up doing crafts and various projects with her. She often sold her work at local boutiques and she did a few craft shows. I did one with her when I was in 5th grade. I sold headbands and ink pens wrapped in embroidery floss and beads. I was very particular and didn't want to sell just friendship bracelets, haha. As an adult, the first show I attended was the Chicago Renegade in 2005. I went alone to check it out and it was so exciting! I remember having butterflies in my stomach going from vendor to vendor! I knew I had to be a part of it, and since 2006, I've done every September show. I am so, so fortunate to have the Renegade fairs in my city. They are absolutely amazing and draw people from all over the country- even world! As a shopper it is simply fantastic, and from a vendor's perspective it ends up feeling like a family reunion!






5.) What was your least favorite Fair to attend/vend at? Why?

So far I haven't had any bad show experiences. I've just recently started doing shows outside of Illinois. I've done Art vs. Craft in Milwaukee, and the Craft Revival show in Detroit. They were both different from Renegade, but both great in their own way. I'm really hoping that I'll be able to do other Renegade shows outside of Illinois!


6.) Who tends to be your target audience? What tends to be your best selling item(s)?

My target audience seems to be young (and young at heart), creative people, which perhaps is a given in the handmade craft movement. My biggest sellers have been the Mini Deer Plaques, and my banners which have been featured in weddings and baby nurseries.



7.) Do you ever do marketing for your upcoming shows, or do you leave it to the Show Coordinators? If you do promotions, how do you do them, and do they seem to work well? Do you ever do giveaways at shows? Give out lots of business cards, etc...

The people in charge of the shows I've done have always promoted very well, but it's important that I do, too. I have a blog ( www.nice-etc.com ), a Facebook page ( www.facebook.com/NiceByCaitlinHolcomb ), and I also maintain a mailing list. I always try to have a few business cards in my bag, and I always encourage people to take a card at shows.


8.) Have you ever helped put a show together or run a show? Which one(s)?

I have not. It is a huge deal and I think you have to have a special talent to do that. I think it would be fun to volunteer, but so far I haven't had the time.


9.) How have Flickr, Etsy, Facebook, etc helped you expand your crafty business?

Etsy was life changing for me and has really made having a handmade business possible. It's a great community and is very helpful with exposure. New customers find your shop every day due to browsing around on Etsy.
Flickr is a wonderful way to display your work and organize it into a sort of portfolio. This comes in very handy when you apply to shows or are in contact with wholesale buyers.
I am still getting the hang of my Facebook Fan page. I want it to be a place where I can show my appreciation to the Fans. I'm trying to discover a good balance for posting- I don't want to post too much and end up being an annoyance! It's kind of tricky!



10.) What do you think the difference is between an Art Show and a Craft Fair? If there is any difference...

I think sometimes there can be a difference in things like aesthetic, price points, clientele.. But importantly, they both provide the opportunity to meet the maker, experience their vision, and I'm sure that the work at both art and craft shows come from the creator's heart.


11.) If you wish, please list your upcoming shows for 2010 and beyond.

I'll be at the Vintage Bazaar ( www.thevintagebazaar.com ) on August 22nd at the Congress Theater.
Hopefully I'll be at the Chicago Renegade Craft Fair ( www.renegadecraft.com/chicago ) on September 11 and 12 - acceptance emails go out in a week or so!



12.) Any words of advice for people who do not think their setup is as good as it could be? What is your most successful layout for a table or booth. Be as general or specific as you want.

Plan, plan, plan! Keep a little notebook with you and jot down ideas. If you're like me, you'll be anywhere from a flea market, bookstore, or a restaurant when you suddenly see something that offers display inspiration. I often set up my booth in the house or yard, and I always set up my tent and make sure it's still working.Think about your crafts and the aesthetic you want to achieve, and don't forget that you want to make it easy for your customers to see everything you have to offer!
My most favorite booth set up was at last year's Renegade show. I spent a lot of time thinking about it and it worked out very well! You can see it here: www.nice-etc.com/2009/09/ok-man.html

13.) Any closing remarks?

Thanks so much for the chance to be on your blog!

P.S. Other places you can find Nice:
-- Nice.Etsy.com
-- Like Nice on Facebook
-- Flickr
-- Follow Nice on Twitter
-- Renegade Craft Fair
-- Renegade Handmade brick & mortar
-- Asrai Garden
-- FredFlare.com
-- Douglas & Hope stores
-- PoppyTalk Handmade Market
This sign is so eye-catching! LOVE IT!!!

Craft Fair Extraordinaire Feature Interview #14 (Sarita Baby)

Since I love sewing for babies SO much, this seamstress is right up my alley! Sarita Baby creates some of the cutest items for babies, like bibs, quilts, toy tethers, binky clips, and much much more. She uses mostly designer fabrics, which is such a good idea - the prints are recognizable to even those who do not sew themselves. The quality of these nicer fabrics also is great, since the materials hold up after many many washings! Perfect for an item like a bib which you will be washing A LOT!! Sarita Baby uses quite a nice and colorful display. She hangs some items, while folding others in cute baskets with signs on them stating the price and name of the items. Since her prices are very reasonable, this is a great and welcoming idea!

Please read on to learn more about Sarita Baby...


1) Sarah Gaylor/Sarita Baby, I live 30 minutes outside of Toronto, www.saritababy.etsy.com
Flickr Page Here.
See her Facebook Page Here.
Don't miss her items at The Cuddly Bunny Here! She has been a busy lady :) This setup is astonishing! I can't get over it...What an honor!



2) I make modern funky baby accessories out of designer fabrics. The line includes: Bibs, toy tethers, pinafore dresses, quilts, pacifier clips and more.

3) My 1st show was the Heart of Country Craft Show, it was a 3 day event and very successful. I have done some shows that had a very poor turnout which can be hard.



4) My favorite show to date was the Better Baby Expo in Peterborough. There was a lot of people and a lot of advertising done for the show.

5) My least favorite was a show in Lindsat that was at a lodge. (it shall remain nameless) There were no signs, advertising people at the show!!



6) My target audience is young modern moms who are not interested in the disney/cutesy animal baby products. My best sellers would be my bibs and my pinafore dresses.

7) I always put an ad on Kijiji for the city I will be doing a show in (it's free) I put the event of my Facebook page, and my blog. I hand out a lot of business cards at every show and make sure to check out my fan page which is on the card.



8) I am in the process of organizing my first show with another local Mompreneur, Crazy Baby. We are deciding on the venue, advertising, dates. It is a lot of work.

9) Facebook has brought me a lot of business just from my fan page a lone! I lets people see what you are up to and new products. Etsy was where it all started though, I love that website! Flikcr is a great place to put your photos on and people from all over the world can see them, it's amazing.



10) Difference between Art and Craft Show? When I think of an art show I think of painted pictures, sculptures and things of that nature. When I think of a Craft Fair I picture anything and everything handmade.

11) My upcoming shows are: The Kid2Kid Sale this weekend Sunday March 28th in Peterborough, Ont at The Evinrude Centre,
from 10-2, Saturday May 15th ath the Ajax Convention Centre, Ont for the Mom2Mom Sale, The Heart of Country Craft Show in Oshawa, Ont. October 22-24 at the GM Centre, and last The Christmas Craft Show in Oshawa, Ont. Nov 28th at Kinsway College. I am always looking to book more though :)



12) I think the best advice would be is to make it a shopper friendly as possible and show how your item would be used. I am selling Sophie Leashes/Toy tethers and I have them displayed with one around Sophie the giraffe and one around a sippy cup. I sold out at my last show! Display some things at eye level, and at different layers. I am forever tinkering with my display.

13) My advice for doing shows is to have fun and make as many contacts as possible. It will show in future sales.

Craft Fair Extraordinaire Feature Interview #13 (Good Girls Studio)

Today, we will learn a bit more about Johanna Ely from Good Girls Studio! I am pleased to hear that she participates in quite a lot of trunk shows and other fun, fashion-related events. I love the photos from this show: Good Girls Studio @ Durham Art Walk. The table covers are a cute addition too! It is great how the table display tends to always have 2 layers/levels to it. This wonderful artist really considers putting her work into a magical little environment of its own, perfect for a shopper to get lost in!! The vintage jewels, and also the vintage looking displays mesh perfectly together!!! Here is her fun interview:



1.) Please tell us a bit about yourself:
Name/Company Name: Johanna Ely/ Good Girls Studio
General Location if you want: Raleigh NC
Website or Contact Info:http://goodgirlsstudio.com
Her Etsy Page.

2.) What form of art/craft do you make? I am an eco-friendly jewelry designer & I revamp vintage jewelry & found objects into modern one of a kind wearable art.



3.) When did you start vending at Craft Fairs? Were you successful at first? I've been at it for 3 yrs now. My first 2 markets I barely covered my booth fee!


4.) What is/was your favorite Art/Craft Fair you have ever attended/vended at and why?I love selling at the Rock & Shop markets in Raleigh. Beer, bands & shopping...what more could a girl want!/!

5.) What was your least favorite Fair to attend/vend at? Why? Don't really have a least favorite but I do NOT like outdoor fairs. Your best bet for rain or 100 degree heat would be if I was working a tent ...always!!! Not even kidding! I've stopped working outdoor festivals!


This plate display is genius!!

6.) Who tends to be your target audience? What tends to be your best selling item(s)? 24-40 yrs. who are vintage hoarders or fashionistas. My best selling items are my Backstabber Collection which feature vintage pocketknives & hearts. There story line is "we were best of friends until you told everyone my secrets " !


7.) Do you ever do marketing for your upcoming shows, or do you leave it to the Show Coordinators? If you do promotions, how do you do them, and do they seem to work well? Do you ever do giveaways at shows? Give out lots of business cards, etc...
I promote any & all events I attend through Facebook, twitter & my blog. The last show I did was a fashion show /fundraiser & I met quite a few FB fans that I hadn't met in person! Never thought of having a giveaway at a show, something to ponder!


8.) Have you ever helped put a show together or run a show? Which one(s)? Not yet (aside from hosting my own home or store trunk shows) but it is a goal of mine for this year!




9.) How have Flickr, Etsy, Facebook, etc helped you expand your crafty business? I've met & made soo many great connections via Etsy & FB. The support of fellow artists means the world to me! It's great to be able to bounce ideas off like minded craftistas!



10.) What do you think the difference is between an Art Show and a Craft Fair? If there is any difference...I personally feel that the major difference is the perception of the words art vs. craft & that gives the buyer a price point in their mind. I personally do terrible at any show labeled "craft" as I have a higher end jewelry line. Most people who go to those shows expect to purchase most items under $20 & my median $ amount is $56. That being said, you all know the saying "opinions are like..." ; ) Just my own 2 cents!



11.) If you wish, please list your upcoming shows for 2010 and beyond.
On the schedule thus far are 2 back to back fashionshows...
CouturEvolution April 16th (put on by the fashion dept. @ UNC) & Redress Raleigh April17th (an eco-friendly fashion show). I'll be selling at the Green Bazaar as part of planet earth day on the 17th as well.



12.) Any words of advice for people who do not think their setup is as good as it could be? What is your most successful layout for a table or booth. Be as general or specific as you want.
It's all what you make of it Let your personality shine. I love the use of vintage props with my jewelry as it compliments the aesthetics of my designs. Use what inspires you & if all else fails, a black tablecloth can be your best friend & let your work shine out & stand alone!


13.) Any closing remarks? Research, research ,research! Don't apply to just any 'ol market/fair. Do your HW first & find out a bit about it. How long have they been around, how do they promote? Get feedback from other vendors who have worked it before. It pays to do this rather than waste your time at an event that no one attends or showing up to an event that isn't for your target market.