The Charm City Craft Mafia is accepting applications for the 2nd annual Pile of Craft. The show will be held in Baltimore, MD on Saturday, June 21st from 10am-5pm.

Non-refundable application fee is $10. If accepted, vendor fee is an additional $55. Vendor spaces are 8 ft. in. length. Chairs and an 8 ft table will be provided. The deadline to apply is May 1st, 2008.

Applications and more details can be found on the Charm City Craft Mafia web site.

You can read the review and see the pictures we took at last year’s Pile of Craft. Plus, watch Kim Dorn’s video interview with Pile of Craft organizer Rachel Bone to learn more about Charm City Craft Mafia and get the walk through experience:

Towson University is hosting its annual Tigerfest on Saturday, April 26th, and they’re giving artists and crafters an opportunity to have booth space to sell… and it’s cheap!

$50 will get you a 10×14 space where you can sell your wares to Towson University students and the local community.

This is Towson University’s biggest spring event, and with an estimated 10,000 people attending, it’s a great place to gain new clients and make some $$. Word on the campus street is that the Roots will be playing… but nothing is confirmed yet.

Tigerfest hosts a huge stage with live nationally known musical acts, food, games and giveaways.

Towson University’s Tigerfest 2008

Location: Burdick Field, Towson University

Date: Saturday, April 26th

Time: 3pm-10pm

To Apply: E-mail Jenna Irving at Jirvin2@towson.edu or call 410.704. 4429.

Sponsored by Towson University’s Campus Activities Board

A few weeks ago, Sean Hennessey and I drove out to Baltimore to visit the The American Craft Show in Baltimore. This is an annual show put on by the American Craft Council (ACC) whose mission statement is: to promote understanding and appreciation of contemporary American craft. Sean and I were on a mission to meet CircaCeramics and Margaux Lange, both in a section labeled as ‘New Wave.’

Lacey Jane Roberts

Walking over to the ticket line, I was hopeful as I spotted Lacey Jane Robert’s hot pink knit fence. But as I stood in line reviewing the exhibit map, planning my strategy, I was shocked to find how little space the New Wave artists were given. But I was determined. I walked past booth after booth of the same sea of scarves, jackets, bags, scarves, all reminders of why I don’t usually visit this show, and found the New Wave corner.

So what does ‘New Wave’ mean? Well, according to a press release dated January 14, 2008, the American Craft Council describes them as: artists typically labeled ‘indie’ as they usually exhibit and sell their work at small local craft shows.

Small local craft shows? Seriously? Is that why they were given so little space at this event?

The press release goes on to explain: The New Wave Craft section which will feature the 15 artists together will be positioned among the 700 booths of professional craft artists who will present their high-quality, handmade jewelry, furniture…

The New Wave artists were all crammed together in a fenced off area and barely had three feet of space each. Sadly, this section, the only reason I wanted to visit this show, seemed like it was all thrown together as an afterthought.

I’ve been a big fan of Chicago based Andy Witt & Nancy Pizarro, aka CircaCeramics, for a very long time: Gocco and ceramics, genius! Andy makes the 3D objects and Nancy does the surface decoration, and I frequently covet their work on Etsy where they’ve also had some fabulous articles written about them in the Storque.



CircaCeramics

At Crafty Bastards 2007 I had wanted to sneak away from my booth to see Margaux Lange’s work but I didn’t have a second to spare, so a few weeks later I bought this necklace as a little gift to myself when I reached a milestone on Etsy. Getting to meet Margaux in person and see more of her work was awesome, and I hope to cross paths with her at some point again in the future. Be sure to visit her blog where she writes more about her work.



Margaux Lange

There were 13 other artists featured in this section including artwork by Dolan Geiman, letterpress by Yee-Haw Industries, and clay work by SODA.

When I wasn’t talking to Nancy, Margaux, or Andy, I did a little exploring and ended up finding some familiar faces and new favorites.

Caitlin of Rebound Designs is a member of Craft Mutiny and this was one of her biggest shows ever. She had a full size booth among all the regulars, and her display looked fabulous! Caitlin’s booth was a perfect example to show that ‘indie’ and ‘professional’ can be used in the same sentence.

Rebound Designs

Not far from Caitlin was the ‘Searchlight’ section. It was obvious that the organizers put a lot more thought into the way their space was designed and presented. Even though they were hidden at one end of the show, it was set up to look like a spacious gallery that was designed for the space, rather than an afterthought. Here are some of the amazing talents in that section:

Jung Yeon Choi

Haley Reneé Bates

Also notable in the section was jewelry by former Crafty Bastard Megan Auman, works in string by Maggie Casey, and glass sculpture by Andy Paiko.

But one of my very favorite finds at the show was the work of Elizabeth Perkins. What struck me most about her work was the combination of fiber arts and glass, materials and techniques. Is it even possible to make lace more delicate than lace? Described on her website as: cast glass using the pate de verre method. They are replicas of tatting, lace, and doilies made by my great-grandmother and her sister. The colors are inspired by 1940’s lingerie.



Elizabeth Perkins

It’s admirable that the American Craft Council is finally acknowledging a new generation of crafters, but overall it seems like this event isn’t quite caught up with the current revolution of hand made. From the look of the majority of the booths, the ‘professional craft’ style represented seems to be a little bit stuck in the 80s. And quite possibly the same people that named the area ‘New Wave’ were the ones listening to new wave music in the 70s and 80s.

Rania Hassan once coated herself in baby oil and rolled in cheeto dust. Imagine if she’d lost the bet? See the results on her blog,
goshdarnknit.com.

The Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia is now accepting vendor applications. This year’s show will have 50 more vendors than last year and a new venue!

Who: 150 artists
What: Affordable, unique, and high quality art and crafts
When: Saturday, May 31st from 11-7pm & Sunday, June 1st from 11-5pm
Where: Penn’s Landing Great Plaza - on Columbus Boulevard between Walnut Street and Market Street

The application deadline is April 8th and accepted vendors will be notified of acceptance by Saturday, April 12th. You can either apply online or mail your application to them (see instructions). The booth fee is $150 and includes a 10’ x 10’ space, 2 chairs, and a 6’ long table. The event is held outside.

For more information, check out the Art Star web site. You can also read my report from last year’s Art Star to learn more about last year’s show.

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.

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/

If you have been looking for a really cool show to sell your handmade goodies at in February, you are in luck! Crafts and Kisses, a Valentine-themed craft fair in Washington, DC, is looking for a few more vendors.

The fair will take place on Sunday, February 3rd, from noon to 5pm. The location is the Josephine Butler Parks Center, a gorgeous old mansion right next to Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park on 15th Street NW. It’s situated a few blocks from both the Columbia Heights Metro and the U Street Metro.

This fair will feature 30 to 40 vendors, entertainment, edible treats and drinks. You are welcome (and encouraged) to make Valentine or even anti-Valentine themed crafts, but this is not required. BUST magazine is a media sponsor and will help to market the event.

For information about becoming a vendor at the fair, just email Moira or check out the website at http://craftsandkisses.wordpress.com/

The list of vendors already signed up is impressive! Check it out:

Vendors

* 60 bugs
* 8th Street Soap
* Amplifiche
* Art School Dropout
* bLuGrn Design
* bookish lady
* Bookwyrms
* Charming Vices
* De*Nada Design
* Erica Burns Designs
* Had Matter Art
* Imogene
* Jenafusion Fashion Accessories
* Karen Jabo
* Kristina Bilonick
* Leah Sturgis Jewelry Art
* Magpie DC
* Manatea Party
* Patch Ink Designs
* Peacock Blue Design Studio
* Penelope’s Spa
* Pile of Craft
* Raygun Robyn
* REALM Jewelry
* Rebound Designs
* Red Prairie Press
* Resurrecting Victoria
* The Devil Made Me Do It
* Tina Seamonster
* Trees
* Woolarina

Going out of town takes a lot of preparation and certainly getting ready for a craft market does too. Combine them both and you have a big project on your hands. Planning is essential. You have a lot of work ahead of you the day(s) of the actual market and you don’t want to be an exhausted wreck before you even get there. Your purpose during the market is to smile and engage with shoppers and to be ready to talk about your crafts. If you’re stressed or worn out just from the getting there part, the day is going to just drag on and you might not have as much success as you had hoped for.

Crafters usually don’t have a lot of extra money and unlike a vacation where the purpose of the trip is to have fun and consequently spend money, the purpose of traveling to a market is to make money (plus gain exposure, network with motivated crafters and market your creations). There is a careful balance necessary when traveling to a market out of town. Try to be frugal in as many ways as possible so that the show pays off, but allow yourself certain luxuries in order to make the weekend functional. An example of this is staying at a hotel that is more expensive than your normal budget, but is only a few blocks away from the market, thus making it much easier to get there and back.

Packing- Be really conscious of how you are getting there (flying or driving) while you pack. Instead of waiting until the night before to pack everything, find some spot in your home where you can start collecting everything you’re going to need. Once you’ve finished making a product put it in that corner. New business cards come in the mail? Put them directly in the corner so they are all ready to go for the trip. Buy new displays? Put them in the corner. Make a new sign for your booth? Put it in the corner. That way you aren’t scrambling at the last minute. And you’re not constantly trying to remember little things. Anything you see in your house that makes you think “I have to remember to take that with me to the market” just pick it up right then and put it in the corner. Don’t rely on your frazzled brain to remember it later!

Travel Plans- Once you’ve decided if you are driving or flying to the market start planning the details early.

If you are flying, determine if you can rent a tent, tables and chairs from the show. Most shows offer this for an additional fee and renting them from the show is going to make setup much easier. You should also determine early on how much luggage you’re going to have. Find out your airline’s baggage restrictions and how much they charge for oversized bags. Figure out where you are going to stay based on the location of the market. You may decide to rent a car, but chances are this is not cost effective. Figure out if there is a convenient way to take public transportation. Other options are a local car service or a cab, but make sure you have enough cash and have budgeted this into your costs for the trip. Multiple rides in a cab (four trips for a two day show) can really add up. However you choose to get around make sure it is going to work for the amount of stuff you have, and likewise, make sure you don’t have too much stuff that you can’t get from place to place with all of it.

If you are driving, you’ll probably feel like you can bring way more stuff than if you are flying. Make sure everything you pack is essential. Driving a long distance in an overstuffed car can be stressful if your visibility is obstructed. Make sure you have really good detailed directions to your destination and a driving map of each state you’re going through. You never know when a route is going to be closed for construction and you want to be prepared.

Whether you are flying or driving, before you leave home get a really good grasp on the layout of the city you’re going to. If you’re taking public transportation study their map and study a map of your route if you are driving or taking cabs. You need to be familiar even if you are taking a cab. You don’t want to get lost on the way to the market, it will just make the whole day much harder.

Fun- The number one most important thing to remember while traveling to a market out of town is to have fun! The whole ordeal is just that, an ordeal. You have to get ready to get there, you have to get there, you have to haul a bunch of stuff, you have to pitch a tent, you have to unpack all your stuff, you have to make it look pretty, you have to pack it back up at the end of the day, you have to deal with weather for an extended period of time, you have to figure out logistics, you have to get along with the people you are traveling with or you have to figure out how to make all this happen on your own if you are traveling solo, you have to smile and talk to strangers all day, you have to handle money, you have to get yourself food and you have to figure out a way to take bathroom breaks but not leave your stuff unsupervised.

Seriously, doing craft markets is really hard work and not for the faint of heart! If you’ve done one, you are a rock star. So just prepare yourself mentally that it’s going to be a grueling day. But so worth it! You get to show off your hand crafted work to the world, you get to meet crafters from other cities, you get to see crafty friends from all over the country, you get to talk up your product (when else is it really appropriate to brag?) and you get to take money from people in exchange for something you made. What could be better? It’s so exhilarating! So for all the grueling work just keep a positive attitude because this is going to be a great day!!!

So go get ‘em! Get prepared, get ready and then you’re going to have fun!

Additional Reading:
To read more specifics on how to get ready for a craft market in general you can read an article I wrote for Get Crafty a couple of years ago. All the info is still true, but notice the photo with a disposable camera. Now I don’t go anywhere without my digital!

HOW TO: prepare for a craft fair

Christy Petterson is currently preparing for her second drive to DC to participate in Crafty Bastards and her third drive to Chicago to participate in Renegade with her line a bardis. She co-organizes the Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta, co-produces the annual Starlets of Craft Calendar and co-edits Get Crafty.

Welcome to guest blogger Christy Petterson!

Christy is currently preparing for her second drive to DC to participate in Crafty Bastards and her third drive to Chicago to participate in Renegade (this weekend!) with her line a bardis. She co-organizes the Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta, co-produces the annual Starlets of Craft Calendar and co-edits Get Crafty.

When she’s not busy prepping for, travelling to and selling her goods at craft fairs, Christy will be dishing out tips and hints to help you get ready for your next craft show. To get a taste of the helpful info Christy will share, check out the How to Prepare for a Craft Fair entry (complete with checklist) she wrote for Get Crafty a couple of years ago.

Welcome Christy!