OK I have tried to post this several times during the last week but my computer is having "problems" (always blame the computer;) ) I'm going to break it into chunks so hopefully that helps . . .

I made it down to the Great Canadain Craft Spring Fling . It was a feast for the eyes and left me so inspired!

First off kudos to Mark Brown for organizing such a huge event! I can't even imagine what work went into it. It was great to meet you Mark.

As promised, here were some of my faorites :)

 

Little Handcrafts

 I fell in love with the little bunnies! They are adorable and the detail is exquisite. Maybe its my fascination with mini things left over from childhood -- I don't know -- but these are so cuuuute!

Take a look for yourselves at Little Handcrafts Etsy Shop.

Mudder Earth Works

I may be a bit biased on this one but I am so excited that my friend Kerri has decided to pursue this full time. She has been making these beautiful hypertufa creations for as long as I have known her and I have had this one in my garden for some time -- I love it and have moved him from house to house :)

Stay tuned for some more of my favorites :)

continued in  Great Canadian Craft -- Spring Fling Part 2

So sad to have missed Make It Vancouver this past weekend!

Would love to hear if anyone made it and what you thought?

Anyone who was a vendor -- would love to hear how you did. Pros -- Cons to this show over previous years, other shows?

Anyone get to the Maple Ridge Elementary School Craft Fair? How was it? How about attendance, signage?

Common people -- I need to live vicariously through you :)

Made it to the Uplands Spring Craft fair this past Sat and was thoroughly impressed! This was an elementary school event well done. Way to go guys!

There was a great assortment of crafts mixed in with a few home based business vendors. I was very impressed with the kids' make and take stations which had the kids entertained and crafting.

It was very busy and signage was good. I knew when I arrived that I was at the right place (poor signage is a pet peeve of mine).

There was a great energy, a friendly greeter at the door and even a free entry into a gift basket draw.

A couple of the crafters caught my eye:

Style Art Studio

Gordana of Style Art Studio makes beautiful pendants and earrings -- I haven't ever seen anything quite like her creations.

I was also impressed with her display and packaging -- simple yet effective. I hope you don't mind me showcasing some of your work here Gordana -- I asked for your card at the fair but never introduced myself (I am always self-conscious about doing so). She was very friendly (I'm always surprised by artists who seem annoyed to speak to potential customers) and I enjoyed my chat with her.

Woodland Owl Trinkets

Jessica's of Woodland Owl Trinkets bird's nest pendants were adorable and unique.

Although I didn't get a chance to speak with her I snagged her card -- take a look!

Unfortunately I didn't get the card of the creator of the Not-quite-paper towels but I am intrigued and will probably pick some up next time I see them. Have you guys seen these? Reusable cloths snapped together that you put on a kitchen paper towel dispenser.

Anyone else get out to crafting events? Would love to hear about them!

In my last post I was talking about my thoughts around submitting an application to a juried show.

Ok so which show(s) do I pick to submit entries to? How do I go about picking the ones that will work best for me and my product?

I have a bit of a check list I have come up with . . . for those of you that are old hats at this (not old as in aged -- old as in experienced ;)) I'd love to hear your thoughts. . .

This is what I've come up with.

1. What is the expected attendance? What kind of promotion/ advertising/ exposure will the show get ahead of time?
2. Will the attendees be there solely for the show or is the show part of something else?
3. What is the fee for the application/jury and if accepted for the booth/table/space?
4. What does the organizer provide for my fee? Electricity, table, room ambiance, entertainment?
5. What are the organizers looking for as far as product -- will they limit the number in each category?
6. What is the feedback from previous sellers?

So that's as far as I've gotten -- I'm sure there's some glaring oversights -- anyone?

So I have been thinking about entering a few juries and seeing about becoming a vendor in one of the fall/ Christmas shows this year. . .

This presents a few problems and is somewhat terrifying!

Firstly -- how do I pick the show(s) I want to sell at? There are quite a few, there are fees associated with submitting entries and it takes time and effort to get a good entry/application together. I want to put my best foot forward and focus my efforts on one or 2 shows. Which ones? How do I pick a show that is best suited to me and will have good attendance and a target audience that is best for my products?

Secondly -- although I have been a vendor in some previous shows, I have never submitted anything to a jury before and the thought is somewhat daunting. How do i best show off my product -- what are they looking for -- what will I be judged on?

Thirdly -- will I have enough time to create the inventory to sell at a show? I have so much going on in my life that I would have to set aside dedicated "making time".

So I thought I'd break it down and split the issues into different questions and put it out to you to see if you have any pointers? Maybe I'm not the only one with these worries and some of you veterans can answer some of my questions :)

So here goes -- the next posting will be dedicated to the first worry I have above -- choosing the best show to apply to. 

 Part One -- Which Show to Choose?