One Crafty Girl Sharing What She Loves
I just love this idea from Martha Stewart Crafts! Not only is it economical but you can repurpose old gift wrap or use small paper scraps to add the decorative touches. I think this would be great for all occasions, not only Christmas! I will definitely be using this idea in the future! Go here for instructions. Have fun! ♥
I know many of you are planning your holiday craft show schedule and have been waiting to hear the date for Crafternoon Tea. They have just posted on their Facebook page that the next one will be held November 26th, 2011. This isn’t their official vendor call yet but they will looking for vendors starting next week. Head over to the Crafternoon Tea Facebook page to watch for the Vendor Call!
I’ve been watching for the vendor call for the Christmas Movies and Makers show and it’s out! Movies and Makers will be held Saturday, December 17th and will once again partner with the Fox Theatre in The Beaches! This was such a fun show when I participated in the spring and a great mix of vendors! Applications are due by September 15th. You can find more information here.
Also, I posted awhile ago about the Made by Hand show but some of you may have missed it. The official deadline has passed but if you didn’t get your application in you’re not too late. They have 130 vendors currently for their November 5th show but still have room for a few more in certain categories. If you’re interested check out their site here.
As always don’t forget you can check out the entire list of vendor calls and upcoming shows on the “Calls for Vendors” page!
Let me start out by reminding everyone why I love to blog. I enjoy sharing helpful information with others, specifically with other handmade sellers. I love how helpful the community of Artisans can be and I think that’s a great thing to encourage!
I’ve been posting vendor calls for quite a while now. I know many people visit this page of my blog on a regular basis but sometimes it’s hard to get feedback from readers. My last post was letting everyone know that I had updated the “Calls for Vendors” page with several new shows and the addition of shows not only in Toronto but throughout Ontario and even some across Canada. I received a great response of positive feedback via Facebook and emails. It was so great to hear that what I spend time doing really is helping! Really everyone who took the time to say thank you made my day!
Okay enough mushy stuff…
One email I received was from a handmade business owner telling me how helpful it was to have these vendor calls posted but that she is very limited to what shows she can get to, because like many of us living in Toronto, she doesn’t have access to a car. This got me thinking. This is a barrier I’ve had but I assumed it was mostly because I’m new to the city and am just starting to build a group a network here. Then today at the market I was participating in I heard the same thing from a couple of the vendors throughout the day. I decided to try to do something about this barrier.
I was a vendor at the new and fabulous 99 Market on August 7th and I had such a fun day I will be returning this Sunday!
If you haven’t had a chance to check it out plan on stopping by. There was a great mixture of vendors selling anything from streetwear, artwork, honey, food, coffee, textiles, local honey products, dog walking services, dance lessons, organic vegetable home delivery services, jewelry (Of course!) and the list goes on. It was a fun and friendly atmosphere and the vendors were having as much fun as those who stopped by to check out the market.
99 Market is this Sunday, August 21st from 11am to 5pm. It’s located at 99 Sudbury. The market is kid friendly and dog friendly so bring the whole family!
This is where you can find me this Sunday, August 7th….
99’s market features local and independent fresh food distributors, artists and designers that come together to showcase their yummy treats and refreshing eats (like Leslieville Cheeses and Green Earth Organics)! And not to mention killer wares and art pieces.
There is space both indoors and outside (be sure to check out the indoor vendors that’s where I’ll be!) at 99 Sudbury Street (The Glass Factory Lounge and Patio). This event is rain or shine and addmission is free.
The Creative Hearth Collective is accepting applications for their Fall Craft Show that is being held at the Gladstone Hotel on Sunday, September 18th. Vendor opportunities are available for local artisans, crafters, bakers, designers and retailers. For more information check out the link here or visit my “Calls for Vendors” page for a full listing of upcoming shows and vendor calls.
Be sure to let me know if you know of a vendor call that is missing from my list so I can pass the information along to other local artisans! ♥
Canada will be celebrating Culture and the Arts come September 30th, October 1st and October 2nd. “Culture Days is a collaborative pan-Canadian volunteer movement to raise the awareness, accessibility, participation and engagement of all Canadians in the arts and cultural life of their communities.” There are many ways you can get involved. You can plan and host an event, volunteer for Culture Days, provide a venue, or simply attend one of the many fabulous events happening as part of the weekend.
They currently have a Call for Event Organizers. If you have an event that you are already organizing or a great idea for a cultural event then they want to hear from you! There is no fee to register and you can be an individual, business, group or municipality as long as you believe in the importance of Arts and Culture in Canadian Life.
For more information about registering an event or to search the listing of events already registered in your area check out their website here.
My next show is coming up! Next Saturday, June 11th I will be at the Historic Cameron House for the Eye Spy Spring Collective Spring Spectacular. Located at 408 Queen Street West the show runs from 12 noon to 5pm. With over 20 vendors there will be a great variety of handmade items including beauty products, home decor, clothing and jewelry. It’s definitely worth stopping by for a look! Hope to see you there! ♥
How I Display My Wool Wrapped Bangles at a Show
There is no exact science to choosing the right craft show that will bring in tons of sales for you. So much of it is based on the customers that day, who the other vendors are, the weather and of course the state of the economy. That being said here are a few tips I’ve learned to help you at least narrow down the shows that will be more likely to work for you.
First is to establish who your target market is and attend shows that will attract those people. If you make gourmet dog treats then shows that market to dog lovers or in areas that have many dog owners would be your shows of choice. But if you make metal spike studded punk rock jewelry you might not do so well at that craft bazaar at a retirement home…although it’s not impossible!
