Search results (tags) for: "booth"

Handmade Weddings: It Takes a Village to Craft a Handmade Wedding

2009-05-14T16:19:00-05:00

Jimmy and I got married at our alma mater in Berkeley, California, in late January 2008. I cherish that day and the months leading up to it — not only because I got to marry my superstar sweetheart husband, but for a few other reasons as well. The first? Our wedding was an amazing and unforgettable collaboration of family and friends, which made it that much more special. Second, I really got to thinking that maybe the world of handmade could be the life — and a living — for me!

My last freelance gig as a web project manager ended in October 2007, and I spent the next three months plotting for what I came to see as the uber craft project challenge of a lifetime. Given free reign by Jimmy, I set out to DIY it all: from invites to thank you cards, bouquets to centerpieces, favors to photo booth...to wedding gown and veil!

Credit: Top Left: Jesse Leake Photography, Bottom Right: Nina Lao

Little did my then-fiance realize what this would mean for him: hours of paper punching, sticker adhering, flower assembling and other crafty tasks ahead. Soon I recruited even more unwitting victims — friends and family — to help along the way as well. No one was safe from crafty endeavors, for as I learned, it takes a village to craft a handmade wedding.

Credit: Bottom Right: Nina Lao

About 25 projects and minus ten pounds later (wedding planning is a great method for rapid weight loss), we had our very own DIY wedding! Bridesmaid Clara contributed the tastiest his-and-hers batches of homemade green tea (his) and double-chocolate (hers) cupcakes, topped with our initials.

Credit: Jesse Leake Photography

Big sister/matron-of-honor Christine and brother-in-law Don grew our delightful wheatgrass centerpieces, displayed in hand-stained wooden boxes and bringing bright happy splashes of green throughout our UC Berkeley Faculty Club venue.

Credit: Nina Lao

And the groom's family labored over intricately designed centerpieces made of orchids and bamboo. These were one of the main elements of our wedding day, chosen for their symbolism of longevity, strength and grace.

Credit: Jesse Leake Photography

Bridesmaid Jenn masterminded our slideshow, which she transformed from the traditional photo-by-photo setup and turned into a real deal stop-motion animation film!

Something that still comes up in conversation with friends is our homemade lip balm wedding favors. This was one of my favorite projects, as Jimmy and I each concocted our own recipes (mine was Hot Chocolate Mint and his was Cool Cucumber Melon) and gave each guest a packaged tube of creamy lip balm marked "Please ask about our free lifetime refills." (Make your own with this how-to!)

We couldn't do it without a photo booth, so we rigged our own setup with PVC pipes, some free software, a borrowed DSLR camera and a remote control. We loved how creative our guests got with this, and we came home with boatloads of memorable shots.

Credit: Left: Jesse Leake Photography, Right: Don McKee

Then there was the gown, which was by far the biggest and most stressful project. I sketched out a look based off an assortment of gowns from ripped-out magazine pages and online bridal sites, then found an out-of-print sewing pattern that somewhat resembled my design. I was having the hardest time fitting it on myself, so Mom came up from Los Angeles and made me a wacky replica of myself via a duct tape dressform. (Here's a how-to from the folks at Taunton publishers.) I spent an entire three months on my gown, veil and wrap, and ultimately considered it a relief and a success when nothing fell apart as I walked down the aisle or as Jimmy flung the veil from my face.

Credit: Nina Lao

Once we danced the Hustle for our first dance (which you can see a part of in this mini-commercial made by our dance instructors), we costume-changed into our traditional garb to round out the night: Jimmy in his traditional Filipino barong tagalog and me in my Taiwanese chi pao. Luckily Mom talked me out of making my own chi pao, and I found the perfect one online instead.

What are the lessons I learned from having a DIY wedding? One thing I'd say is that even if you CAN make it yourself, that doesn't mean you should! In retrospect, there were plenty of projects I probably should have outsourced or de-prioritized. I can't say I regretted any of them, but I probably could have saved myself a few moments of panic had I turned elsewhere — like all of the talented sellers on Etsy! — for them.

And two of the best pieces of advice I got? Not everything's going to turn out the way it's supposed to on your wedding day. When that happens, don't even think about it! This is just one day in a lifetime of days ahead...and no one else is going to notice anyway. Also, accept help from other people! Don't try to do everything on your own.

In the end, it was our perfect wedding. Handmade or not, we were together and surrounded by loving family and friends in a beautiful venue, and were even blessed with a bright sunny day in the heart of an otherwise rainy winter month. We couldn't have been happier. And that's our story!

Credit: Jesse Leake Photography

Further Resources:
Wedding Bee
Rebecca Thuss
Style Me Pretty
Martha Stewart Weddings
Absolutely Beautiful Things
Oh Joy!
Etsy Labs Dress Form Tutorial

Looking for more wedding content? Try these links:

Handmade Weddings | Weddings Category | Weddings Showcase | Curated Items for your Wedding

News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere: December 11, 2008

2008-12-11T15:30:00-05:00

Are you stressing with holiday woes? Don't let December get you down! Holiday shopping shan't be a burden — it should be viewed as an exciting opportunity! As always, this week's edition of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere is all about inspiration and general cuteness (use it as a distraction if you like...), including, but not limited to, Carmen Miranda look-a-likes, stop motion book shenanigans, dogs to make you squeal and gift ideas from style bloggers. (We're all about providing you with gift ideas around these parts!)

Without further ado: blogosphere!

Beloved former Storque intern Michelle passed along this stunning fashion editorial from the last week's New York Times Style Magazine. The soft focus lighting (as well as the fashionable hats) make for quite an interesting look. Carmen Miranda would surely approve.

National Geographic News recently announced the winners of the Best Pictures of Microscopic Life for 2008. The beautiful image above? Petrified wood. Nature is truly astounding. Check out all of the winners here.

Wow. This video, simply entitled This Is Where We Live, was produced by book publishing group 4th Estate in honor of their 25th anniversary. The stop action is totally breathtaking. Oh, I love books! [Via Smosch]

Design*Sponge had her favorite style bloggers share their holiday wishlists, and it's making my own wishlist that much longer. The picks above are from Jan of Poppytalk. (Many of which are from Etsy!) Check out all of the wishlists here.

Do you love dogs? Then you'll probably love Dog Photo Booth. Aww!

Wanna give me some more artsy, style or design blogs to peruse? Leave them in the comments! And check out past installments of News From the Craft + Style Blogosphere!

Seller How-to: Craft Fair Tips

2008-09-29T13:00:00-05:00

You have spent many frenzied hours preparing your art and craft items for the craft fair, but does that mean you are really ready to make as much money as you can at the event? Probably not. As creatives, we tend to focus on our art and forget about everything else. (My house could fall down around me while I'm in the zone and I wouldn't notice.) You went through all that time and trouble to participate in a craft show, and I want to make sure you get as much out of the experience as you can while you are there. It's not just about what you sell at the show, it's about the contacts you make and how you use them.

Craft shows are great place to network and market. Here are some easy tips to make your next craft fair/show pay-off for months after everyone goes home.

Display is important. Dedicate some creative energy to your display. You want to stand out in the crowd. This is especially important if your artwork is currently a popular trend and you have lots of competition. If you sell jewelry right now, you know what I mean. At the majority of the shows I have attended, I see the jewelry laid out flat-sometimes on black velvet or in white bins at almost every table. What if you bought cool, retro mannequin heads and used them to display your jewelry? I know I would make a beeline to a table full of faux heads to check out what's going on.

Have a free drawing. Ask people to drop their business cards into a hat and raffle off a prize. Instant list!

GET MARKETING MATERIALS! I can't tell you how many artists don't have any information about themselves out on their tables. What if I don't want to buy today, but really like your stuff? How will I ever find you again? You absolutely must put out business cards. Business cards don't have to be expensive. You can even print them out from your home computer; just make sure you give people the opportunity to find you again.

Make flyers about trunk shows or any other venue (such as Etsy) where people can buy from you in the future. If you have catalogs bring them. Create a portfolio of your work and have it out for people to look at. You might get some special orders. I download digital pictures onto my laptop of past work and have a slide show of the work running on it during the show.

More on marketing materials…Every product should have a tag on it with all your contact information. I just use my business card, hole-punched with a ribbon. This gives both the buyer and, if the item is being purchased as a gift, the recipient your contact information. The recipient may want to collect your work, but won't be able to if there isn't a tag.

Use "gift with purchase" promotions. Everyone loves to get gifts. For the holiday boutique I am participating in this year, I created special, creative gift tags. Each customer gets a free set with the purchase of any item. Of course, the back of the gift card has all my contact information.

Set-up future sales. Once you have attracted clients to you with a great display, you need to capture their information. Have a guest book out and invite people to sign it and tell you what they think about your art. Make sure you ask them to check a box saying they would like to receive mailings from you. The book will give you an idea of what people like about your art and you will have their contact information. Create a snail mail list and make sure that you send out cool invites every time you are going to be at a show. Include a discount coupon on the postcard; that way you can track how effective your mailing was. For an even nicer touch, make sure you send out a thank you note, right after the show, telling them how glad you are that they stopped by to look at your work.

Network with the other artists and crafters. Make friends. Even your "competitors" are potential clients. Gather the business cards of everyone who is participating at the show and send a friendly email to each one within a week of the show. Tell them how much you enjoyed seeing their work. If you remember something specific about them or their work, mention it. Tell them a bit about yourself and tell them to contact you if they ever need anything. This is also just plain nice!

If you follow these few simple steps, you should have a nice list of clients, potential clients, friends and business partners in your possession. Now you must use this list to make it pay. Set up a schedule to touch base with each person on a regular basis. Send them invitations to all your shows, send them your monthly newsletter or just drop them a line or a note telling them you are thinking about them. Have fun and be prosperous!

Further Resources
Katy offers The Craft Show Worksheet through her shop, and if you want more information about networking and marketing your arts & crafts business, sign-up for katydid designs free monthly ezine, The Well-Fed Artist, at www.katydid-designs.com.

See other posts by the katydiddy. And click here for some other how-tos about craft fairs. For the motherload see the Seller Handbook!

Rocking Holiday Craft Shows

2008-09-11T11:00:00-05:00

Dear Sellers,

Julieincharge and I are off to spread the word about Etsy at Renegade Chicago this weekend, so we have craft shows on the brain. Before we depart for Chicago, we want to help you, dear sellers, get ready for your Fall and Winter craft shows too! Read on and join us September 11th, 2008 at 4pm Eastern in the Virtual Labs for a live discussion on this topic.

First of all, if you haven't done a craft show before, talk to someone who has. The Forums are a great place to start. This 19 page forum post was chock full of great tips that I'm going to reference in this article!

Your Booth

There are many things to consider when planning out your booth set up. First let's touch on display.

littleputbooks says: Use height to fill your booth and attract attention.

I could not agree more! Use risers (how about the boxes you've packed your merchandise in, covered with the same cloth you use for your table?) to create different heights. If you have all your work lying on the table, only a few people can hover over your items at a time. Having different levels allows you to be seen from further away and by more people at once. One little trick? Use magnetic clips or hooks to attach to your tent's legs and hang packaged merchandise from them. I've also spruced up these metal legs with flat magnets with my business logo printed on them. Then people can easily grab your info on the way out — and a magnet is something they are less likely to just toss in the trash.

Now what about you? Does it matter how you put yourself on display? YES! Here are some tips from the Etsy Forums:

molecularmuse says: Oh, and... have an opening line/greeting. (I usually ask if the person wants a free molecule temporary tattoo...)

LittleBirdhouseStore says: Be happy regardless if you are selling or not. I just did a show this weekend and the lady across from me was not doing so well and you could tell it on her face. NO ONE went in her booth because she looked grumpy. So smile, smile, smile. Also know what you are selling, be able to answer questions. "I don't know" doesn't cut it when someone is asking about something you made.

ktracton says: When someone compliments your work, do NOT say "Thank you"! That is a conversation stopper right there. Say, "yes, these are great because...(insert reason here)". This keeps the conversation going and you may make the sale on issues they were initially unaware of.

countrywindows says: I use a director's chair if I do sit down. People can come up to you and talk to you eye to eye, because the chair sits up so high. A lot of people slump down in a lawn chair, and to me, a customer may think that you don't want to get up and [therefore] don't [want to] bother you; I can almost be standing up in a director's chair.

One last tip for your booth: hide your junk!

hairflair says: Have your table covers go all the way to the floor, so you can use underneath for storage.

Want to see what other people are doing with their craft show booths? Check out this Flickr group, Show Me Your Booths. You can also look up the photos from previous year's shows to get some inspiration.

What to Pack

If you are doing an indoor craft show, first of all, thank your lucky stars! You're only going to need to pack a small percentage of the following:

Pens, markers
Paper (scrap and nice paper for signs)
Invoice book
Scissors
Labels and price tags
Tape (EVERY KIND YOU CAN THINK OF: double sided, duct, scotch, packaging. If they make it, bring it.)
Mini-first aid kit (band aids, pain relievers, eye drops, antacids, etc)
Tools (screwdriver, hammer, pliers, wire, zip ties, aka The Crafters Need to Have Supply!)
Weights and tarps for your tent (Tip: bring milk jugs and fill them with water to use as weights)
Apron or waist pouch for change
Plenty of change to put in your apron or waist pouch
Wet naps and hand sanitizer
Water and snacks

Here's my personal tip: Leave your dog at home. I brought mine once to an outdoor show and shoppers would come to my booth and start looking at my work until...they realized I had the cutest dog on earth sitting at the booth. And then they would forget about how much they wanted that bunny necklace and pet my dog instead! Rover can be a serious hindrance to your sales. (I would think a really cute baby would be the same way.) So if you have to bring your baby, child or pet, try to make them look less cute! Unless you sell clothing or accessories for these little creatures, in which case:

littlehanddesign says: I design children's clothes so I TAKE ORDERS! I bring a fabric sample book for ideas & a BIG photo album of past sets & I take orders, hand out tons of cards AND parade cute girls around with cards in my sets to mingle :)

Cash or Credit?

You are going to want to have lots of change on you, especially if you only take cash. Also, decide before you go if you are going to accept checks. It can be awkward to think about this while you have the customer and their checkbook right in front of you.

What about credit cards? Is this your first craft show? You might not want to invest in a credit card service this early. If you've done a few shows and know this is the right route for you, think about using a service through Paypal or Propay to accept credit cards.

AliciaBock says: At my last show 80% of my orders were paid for by credit card. I never had to make change.

Have another service you use to collect credit cards? Let us know in the comments below! This is a hot topic in the among craft show discussions.

Your Inventory

I found some really great tips in the previously mentioned Forum post about inventory. I'm telling you, your fellow crafters are the best resource there is!

madebycarashop says: Don't put WAY too many things on your table—it overwhelms. (I did that my first craft fair—people don't know where to look.)

yippihippi says: madebycara, this is also something I'm learning (don't put too many things on your table at once). I had some bottle cap magnets at a show in July, and people were crazy over them. So what did I do? Run home and make tons more, and filled up my magnet board for my August show. Not a single one sold. I think it was too crowded and there were too many choices. I also wonder if your items look a little more "exclusive" if you find the right balance of amount of product to display.

gentryart says: I sell my gourd art at a reenactment festival. Last year I had 3 or 4 gourds that I was working on, coiling on a pine needle rim. It takes about 30 un-interrupted minutes for a small one. Thank goodness I had helpers. Three different people stopped to watch and asked if they could buy the one I was working on—and later came back after visiting the rest of the show. It took me by surprise, I wasn't expecting to sell these. From now on I ALWAYS demonstrate.

bexcaliber says: Price everything and have lots of signs or information out and visible; people are shy [about] asking sometimes.

DawnLewisImagery says: The best tip I ever read was to have a draw card ... like a giant crocheted squid!!! Something that's not necessarily for sale, but is big and interesting to draw people to your booth. It's a great conversation starter! You know people will ask if it's for sale (even if they don't intend to buy it), which gives a great opportunity to say "No, but his baby brother is." :D

Drop The Hint

If you're doing a show after October 1st, I'd say it's safe to start dropping the Winter Holiday hints. For one show I bought a mini-Christmas tree and tied my earring cards with ribbon and hung them all over the tree like ornaments. Little wintery touches can remind your shoppers that even if this might not be the perfect item for them to purchase for themselves, that it might be just right for their friends or family! I would also think about some great packaging and display one of your wrapped up items. That way it's easy as pie to give an item from your booth as a gift!

If you want more tips and tricks for doing those Holiday Craft shows remember to come out to the Virtual Labs September 11th at 4pm Eastern! See you there!

Find More Craft Show Tips Here:

Penny-wise Product Pushing: Do a Craft Show without Breaking the Bank | How-to Get Ready for a Big Show with the New New Team | Find Your Local Holiday Craft Fair

How-to Get Ready for a Big Show with the New New Team

2008-04-24T17:05:00-05:00

Dear Sellers,

Summer craft fair season is upon us! I've been watching The New New street team organize their booth each week at Brooklyn Flea. This weekend the New New leaves the Brooklyn Flea nest and heading for the Bust Spring Craftacular at the Warsaw. If you're in NYC, make sure you drop by and check out the hard work they put into organizing and displaying their booth! They'll have lots of freebees to make it worth your while!

Here are some tips, and some photos of the New New booth to help inspire you for your next big show.

1. Make a nice big banner!

2. Brand your goods with labels and packaging! Like MiraArtz does here:

MiraArtz

3. Create an inviting atmosphere!

Dripstick and EmilyEJewelry

4. Set up your booth to draw shoppers in.

upfront: Kimmchi

5. Create different heights to display your goods, get as much as you can at eye level.

cakehouse

fubabee

CityBitz

MTLopez9

Hope these tips and photos help you with your booth displays! Have any more tips and tricks? Leave them in the comments below. And good luck at the Bust Spring Fling Craftacular this Sunday, New New York Team!

Find Etsy at Crafty Bastards!

2007-09-27T06:17:00-05:00

This Sunday, September 30th, Mary and Matt will be representing Etsy at Crafty Bastards located in Washington DC.

Come say hello:

Sunday, September 30th from 10am-5pm at the Marie Learning Center at 18th and Wyoming in the hip Adam's Morgan neighborhood of Washington DC. Etsy will be set up with an exclusive tutorial display (find us on the tennis court) and will be leading tutorials throughout the whole event including:

How to make a pincushion
Making boxes from recylcled papers
Making your own envelopes

So stop by, say hello, make something, tell us your Etsy story and get some sweet promo merchandise while your there (rumor has it the Etsy booth always gives away the best free promos at Craft fairs...wink wink).

From the Crafty Bastard's website:

Now in its 4th year, Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair is an exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. The fair is all-day, outdoors, free to attend, and will offer goods for sale, food, entertainment, prizes, and more!

Why are we doing it?
As DC’s premier alternative newsweekly, City Paper promotes underground art and strives to connect the voice and vision of the indie craft community with our readers. In our Classifieds section, in print and online, we have a special Crafty Bastards advertising section through which craftspeople can sell their wares and throughout the year we hold craft workshops finding talented crafters to share their knowledge and expertise with the public. Once a year we hold the fair which creates an experience where the urban consumer can discover unconventional, hard-to-find arts and crafts, meet the artists, as well as enjoy an outdoor event with fun and entertainment!

When is this event and how do I find it?
Sunday, September 30, 2007, 10am-5pm at the Marie Reed Learning Center at 18th & Wyoming in the hip Adams Morgan neighborhood of Washington, DC.

What kinds of crafts will I find?
You won’t find mass produced or imported goods here. You will find 100 talented vendors handpicked by a select jury for their DIY chops and singular vision selling things you never knew existed and that you may never see again! There’ll be surprises at every booth including reconstructed clothing, punk rock baby clothes, handcrafted jewelry, whimsical and demented plush toys, handspun yarn, screen-printing, avant-garde art and much more!

Event History
In 2004, City Paper held the first Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair at the Columbia Heights Community Marketplace. We featured 150 vendors, food, and bands. In 2005 & 2006, Crafty Bastards moved to the Marie Reed learning Center and featured 100 indie vendors, over 15,000 attendees, food, sponsors, prizes, a b-boy battle, a fire-eater, a fashion show, workshops, belly dancers and more! Our fourth year running, we continue to grow. Expect another exciting display of creative talent, entertainment and fun for all!

Hope to see you there and learn more by visiting the Crafty Bastards site.