BUST Magazine is now accepting vendor applications for the first ever Spring Fling Craftacular set to take place on Sunday April 27, 2008, from 11 a.m. until 9 p.m. at The Warsaw in Brooklyn. This Springtime craft fair and ’90s themed dance will have 50 vendors, DJs, dancing, and drinks. How rad will you and your handmade goodies be if you get in?

You must fill out the online vendor application by March 30, 2008. There is a non-refundable $10 application and processing fee. If you are accepted as a vendor, your deposit will go towards the full booth fee of $225 due by April 11, 2008. That sounds like a pretty high fee for a craft fair, but the Bust Magazine crew know how to pack a show with shoppers. I was lucky to sell at their holiday show this past December and the line to get into the show went around the block for most of the day. My only problem with that show was that it had 200 vendors. This was really overwhelming for both vendor and shopper, so I think that this 50 person show sounds like more fun. But it will likely be way more difficult to get accepted, so don’t be a sad panda if you don’t get in! There is way more going on this spring in the world of indie craft, so stay tuned!

The 2008 Takoma Park Street Festival is accepting applications for craft vendors. The festival is Sunday, October 5, 2008, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Fee is $125 per 10 x 10 ft. space.

The festival allocate spaces to eligible participants based on the order applications are received, taking into account, however, the need to offer an appropriate mix of participant/vendor types and items sold. The festival is usually filled by June. The application can be downloaded from the web site, here.

The Takoma Park Street Festival is entering its 25th year as a multi-cultural music and crafts festival in downtown Old Takoma. Check out their web site for more information.

Post in the comments if you have done this show in the past and what you think of this local opportunity.

If you are currently a seller on Etsy.com or are thinking about setting up shop, you will be interested in their new Cooperative Advertising Program.

For me, I have always been afraid to buy my own ads in national magazines because the price just seems too high for such a small space to show off my work. So Etsy is trying to help sellers out by securing advertisements in magazines like Bust, CRAFT and Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. Here are some important points from their announcement:

• Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
• Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
• You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
• The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

The first opportunity for a space in the Bust ad sold out in 6 seconds! The next ad will appear in the May issue of CRAFT and is on sale on Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 3:00pm EST. 36 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $50 each.

My advice if you do plan to buy a space is to make sure you pick a spot in the right magazine and that you put your best photo forward. You wouldn’t want to pay $50 for a spot and send a bad photograph of the wrong item for that publication’s demographic. So, do some research and know your customers!

Upcoming opportunities are:

– Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, spots go on sale: Monday, March 3rd, 2008, 30 Spots at $75 each

– Venus Zine, spots go on sale: Thursday, March 27th, 2008

Visit the Storque article for more information on this program (including where to go to buy a spot!).

Oh course, this is only for people who currently have an Etsy shop, so what are you waiting for?

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. She thinks you are rad.

Each week we feature an advertiser from the Crafty Bastards Classifieds. This week the honor goes to…

Three Muses!

This week’s Craftiest Bastard features amazing, large scale airbrush paintings from talented local artist Glen Brown. Each painting is acrylic on masonite, 24×48″, and is ready to hang.

Brown is a member of Three Muses — a collective of artists, founded by Monique Phillips and Robin Hudspeth. The collective is based in the Washington, DC area. Each artist brings different talents and a unique perspective to the collective, while supporting and inspiring the others.

Contact to schedule a viewing, or check out the Three Muses Etsy Shop! Abstract, portrait, photography, and more!

Shop the Crafty Classifieds for goodies like this and more!

Make stuff? Place a Crafty Bastards ad, it’s FREE!

Hey crafters! You can’t hide inside with your knitting and C-SPAN for much longer. Winter will be over soon and you will need a tent and sunscreen and it will be time to go out into the world and sell your wares. With that in mind, it is time to start applying for spring/summer shows. The first local opportunity that should be on your radar is the Ballston Arts + Crafts Market.

The need to know info:
Second Saturdays, May through October
Ballston Arts + Crafts Market
10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. in Welburn Square, across from the Ballston Metro station.

I like this market because of the Metro accessible location, easy load in and out areas and nice neighborhood with really close smoothies and lunch options. It really is almost hassle-free. You will need a tent, though, so keep that in mind.

To apply to sell your items at the market, please download the 2008 Arts+Crafts Market application here, and be sure to note the guidelines and eligibility before applying. There is no application fee, and applications can be sent via mail or email as outlined on the application.

This year’s deadline for the first round of jurying is March 3, 2008. Applications received after 3/3 will be reviewed on a space-available basis. If you are selected, you can pick to sell your wares at some or all of the dates, which makes it really convenient.

For more information on this market, check out their blog at http://www.ballstonarts-craftsmarket.blogspot.com/

A rad show alert for anyone near Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, this weekend. Crafty Bastards alumni, Heidi Kenney, Jenny Harada, and Spooky Daddy will all be showing their work this Saturday February 9th at emmaus, located at 49 York St in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania. Three of the east coast’s most amazing plush artists all in one place! Heidi has some cool sneak peaks up on her blog already and you can check out Spooky Daddy’s Flickr stream, too. For anyone who makes or loves plush as art, I highly recommend you check out the work of these three.

Each week we feature an advertiser from the Crafty Bastards Classifieds. This week the honor goes to…

Novelty Kitten!

Novelty Kitten has everything you never knew you needed. New! Cross-stitch designs! Spokeskitten Patsy says, “Go to www.noveltykitten.com today! Meow!” We have new stuff in our Etsy shop too!

Shop the Crafty Classifieds for goodies like this and more!

Make stuff? Place a Crafty Bastards ad, it’s FREE!