Hurry, hurry! Don’t forget to apply to these great craft shows…

Applications for Craftland 2007 are due tomorrow, August 31st!!! Get to it!

Deadline to apply to Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh is by midnight this Saturday, September 1st!

Now accepting applications for holiday shows…

Charm City Craft Mafia’s Holiday Heap is scheduled for December 1st in Baltimore. Applications are due October 1st!

BUST’s Holiday Craftacular in NYC is now accepting applications. Show will be December 8th. Deadline to apply is October 15th.

Post a comment and let us know about any shows or deadlines we missed.

That gigantic super cool craft show is just a month away. What are you doing to prepare? Brainstorming new items? Buying a new tent? Building up stock? Asking your brother to fly 3000 miles to help you man your booth? (Yes, I did this and he is coming.)

Maybe you haven’t even begun to plan and are wondering where to start? My advice is to spend some time with your promotional materials. These are going to be important before, during and after that big show. Think you don’t have time for this? It shouldn’t take long and you will be happy you did it!

Printed materials. Do you have them? If not, get some! There will be so many people who want to remember you or show your stuff to a friend. Afraid of dealing with printers? I understand. There are a number of online companies that will help you design and submit postcards, business cards, fliers, etc. Use their online tools to create a piece or if you have some skillz, download a Photoshop template. I love Vistaprint.com, but be warned if you go with them, be ready to be spammed for the rest of your life. I have friends who swear by Overnightprints.com because you can get those fancy rounded corners on everything. There are many more places to get your materials fast and cheap.

Have you taken a good look at your promotional materials from the standpoint of someone who knows nothing about you? Try to avoid business cards with just text on them. We need to see what you make! I would also say try to avoid business cards in general. I always throw them away. They are too small and look like scraps of trash in my bag. I truly believe the postcard is the way to go.

Think about creating your postcards to double as products. Why not create an art card with a really cool picture of one of your items or perhaps with one of your designs? If you put your shop name on the back of the card, it turns into a freebie rather than an advertisement. I have a postcard from Glitterlimes.com on my wall that has been with me for 3 years. I took it to every new job and now it is on my daughters’ closet door. It is beautiful; like their products, it is art. Make a set of 4 different cards, package them up and sell them, but give one of them away as your promo card. People will want to take something that has value.

LemonCadet made these little felt bean stickers and added them to her postcards. I picked one up because I liked the bean. I promptly put the sticker on the back of my cell phone. There she is. My orange bean reminds me of LemonCadet every time I use my cell. How brilliant is that? Make your customers know that you like them even if they don’t buy something right then. That might be corny, but indie craft is about people. And the more you act like a person and not a used car salesmen, the more people will dig you.

Other things you could be thinking about are overhauling that web shop for post-show shoppers, clearing up your brand identity and oh yeah, making some stuff. These are topics for another post, though. Get to work!

The Crafty Crew is delighted to announce this year’s Crafty Bastards Vendors!

Take a peek at some of the handmade goodness that will be for sale at Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair 2007. See something you like? Leave a comment for the vendor on their profile page (comments are below the photos) and let them know.

This year’s Crafty Bastards is shaping up to be the best ever! Stay tuned for information on the entertainment line up and the on site workshops hosted by Etsy. Join the email list to make sure you don’t miss out on special announcements!

Mark your calendars for Sunday, September 30th and start compiling your shopping lists now!

You got in! You beat the 4 to 1 odds of making it into Crafty Bastards. Whether this is your first or fourth year, you must be saying, “Now what?!”Last year’s show brought in nearly 15,000 shoppers. This is a unique opportunity to reach an amazing number of people. What fresh and brilliant goodies are you going to offer them? (Note, even if you didn’t get in, the following ideas will work for all of the other rad shows you will be doing this fall!).

The biggest mistake that I always make is first concentrating on the old favorites. Of course this is important and will be done in the coming weeks; but a good thing to do first is brainstorm new designs, ideas and products. This way you can work out the bugs and figure them out long before the day of the event. Last year, I actually came up with my zombie design at 2 in the morning the night before the show. Seriously! I had one Gocco screen left, and 9 t-shirts. I remember standing there, exhausted from heat setting and pricing, thinking, “Should I just go to bed?”� I pressed on and made the new design. Of course, this design is all I heard about all day and I sold them all. Waiting to explore new ideas until the last minute can be exciting, but sad when you don’t have enough to sell!

Another thing that is easy to forget is to explore how you can turn your most popular items into new products. This can be super fun and you know that if someone liked a design in one medium, they will dig it in another, too. If you make a rad stuffed Ninja Fetus (Fort Cloudy) or a super cool Batty (MagpieDC), why not take his picture and put him on a pocket mirror or a badge? Designs for rings can turn into refrigerator magnets or pendants (see Block Party Press for examples of this).

Larger pieces of art that are limited edition like Rania Hassan’s “Knit XIV”� can be made into postcards or small prints. All of these ideas are good because you are offering your best work at different price points. A more casual shopper might pick up a $5 postcard set, but then come back months later for the bigger piece. Lower priced alternatives are also good for people who are buying gifts.

Think about creating something completely unexpected with either an old or a new design. I just finished turning my zombie shirt design into holiday cards. I know it is July, but it is never too early to start making holiday cards. I have rarely in my life sent Christmas cards to anyone for lack of an interesting card to send! I figured there must be other people out there like me. So, the Zombie Plague Holiday Card Set was born by modifying a current product.

Ok, Crafty Bastards, you have 10 weeks! Get to work! And be sure to post links to what you are making in the comments! We all wanna see!

Earlier this month the Crafty Crew spent two solid days poring over the 400 Crafty Bastards applications. Securing a spot at Crafty Bastards has become quite a challenge. With the number of applications increasing along with the skill level crafters are achieving, the process of narrowing the field down to the 100 available slots gets tougher every year. The first year, we were able to take almost everyone. In 2005, about 1 out 2 made it. Last year the ratio changed to 1 out 3. This year, only 1 out of 4 applicants were selected as vendors.

To everyone who applied, but didn’t get accepted: Don’t be discouraged! So many of you are making really wonderful stuff! Keep developing your craft, making things you enjoy and sharing them with the world! Set up an Etsy shop. Get involved in the indie craft community. Place a free ad (or several) in the Crafty Bastards Classifieds. Apply to other craft fairs, shows and sales!

Speaking of other shows and sales, applications for Craftland in Providence, Rhode Island (8/31 deadline) are available. Don’t forget to apply!

Congrats to the Charm City Craft Mafia for producing such a well-run, heavily attended event! Check out the video interview with organizer Rachel Bone:

The organizers did a great job promoting the fair, as evidenced by the press coverage they got leading up to the event and the nonstop flow of shoppers. Often by the end of a fair, the crowd has dropped off and there is very little activity. Not sure what other vendors experienced, but Liz doubled her pillow sales in the last hour of the fair, which gave us an extra boost of energy as we packed up our goods.

C.C.C.M. members were just great! They were on hand to help us unload in the morning plus they negotiated free burritos from Chipotle and water from Trader Joes for all the vendors. How awesome is that?

For the poor souls who missed out, here’s a taste of what we saw and bought.

Liz picked up some fabulous lamps made from recycled furniture by Jason Kirker of Kirkiture. I enjoy his tagline: “Because wood doesn’t grow on trees anymore.”

A friend discovered the Guardian Gnomes (pictured below) offered by A.Bel Studio and promptly scooped up 5 of them.

Cotton Monsters were all the rage at Crafty Bastards 2006, so no surprise they were pretty popular at Pile of Craft Fair. This shot was taken in the afternoon with just 4 lonely monsters left.

Juliet, the lovely woman behind Broken Plate Co. is super sweet and super crafty. She’s pictured here with her case of broken plate pendants. Make sure you check our her new Mutha Crafter clothing line for craft-oriented mothers-to-be and infants.

Ft. Cloudy Sarah makes fun clothes that incorporate her many appliqué designs, including the wonderful Ninja Fetus mentioned in a previous entry. She also had a bunch of great wire sculptures made by her brother on display.

Kpoene’ Kofi-Bruce of Mignonette and Ladies Independent Design League brought some wonderful designs with her, including the dress below. On a side note, you can watch Kpoene’ in action on TLC’s new competitive design show, “I’ve Got Nothing to Wear” this Friday 6/29 at 10pm.

We thought the stained glass, dark wooden floors and aged walls of St. John’s Church served as the perfect backdrop for all the handmade goods on display.

I bought these splendid button rings from Tigerlillyshop. I love the carrot background on the bunny ring.

The Charm City Craft Mafia has been hinting at another show around the winter holidays. We’ll keep you posted.

Don’t forget, the deadline to apply for Crafty Bastards 2007 is this Sunday, July 1st! Hurry, hurry! Apply now.

Already applied? Sit back, relax and enjoy the video from Crafty Bastards 2006. Ah, memories.

Baltimore’s Pile of Craft Fair will be the place to get your craft fix this weekend. The Charm City Craft Mafia has assembled a super fabulous mix of indie crafters and this event is not to be missed.

We chatted with organizer Rachel Bone of Red Prairie Press (she printed the dress below) to get the skinny on this Saturday’s show. See you there!

Printed dress from Red Prairie Press

When is it? How often does Pile of Craft Fair occur?
Saturday June 23rd, 10-5pm. This is the inaugural event, which we hope will be every year- but we hope to start having a holiday event as well.

Where is it? How do I get there?
2640 Saint Paul Street is the location. It’s St. John’s Church, and the space inside is run by Red Emma’s communist bookstore! There are directions to the space on our website.

Who are you? Why are you doing it?
The Charm City Craft Mafia is a collective of independent artists, designers & crafters owning independent businesses in Baltimore. The purpose of our group is to create networking and support for the indie community in Baltimore with resources for running small business, access to craft shows, etc. We are starting this show to help bring indie craft together in Baltimore, as well as put our city on the map for crafters and artists from other cities.

What 5 words best describe the Pile of Craft?
Indie, art, craft, unique, free!

How is this market different from other markets in the area?
We are focusing more on young contemporary indie craft with emphasis on handmade. Rather than tea cozies and plastic canvas, our artists offer screen-printed apparel, sculptural jewelry, nifty plush objects (such as ice cream, toast, milk and monster softies), fine art, etc.

Plushy goodness from My Paper Crane.

What vendors are you most excited about?
We are excited about all of our vendors! We hand selected almost 40 indie businesses to be a part of this inaugural show. Each artist sells their own wares, and we are not just excited to see what they bring. We’re excited to meet each of them as well!

Honeycomb Glove and Headband Combo from It Knits

How much money should I bring?
Lots of cash. More than you think you want to spend! While some vendors will accept credit cards, and many accept checks, cash is almost always preferred. There is an ATM just off 25th street, and a Bank of America on Charles Street.

Will there be food at the fair? Nearby?
At the fair, Red Emma’s will be selling coffee & snacks. There are many great restaurants in Charles Village, both north and south of the venue on Charles St & St. Paul St.

Will Charm City Craft Mafia be selling goods at the market? If so, what are you working on?
Yes! Those participating (we are a large group) will have their own booths and will be selling a little of everything: cotton monsters, screen-printed apparel, jewelry, handbags, pottery, comics, accessories…You name it!

Handbag from Bake Sale Designs.

Anything you’d like to add?
Our vendors will fill up two large rooms of the church, so visit both rooms, and pick up more info about the Craft Mafia at our outside booth. We’re also holding a raffle with items donated by our members to raise money for future shows…Be sure to try your luck!!!

6/22 UPDATE
Check out this sampling of craftacular items from vendors that will be at Pile of Craft.

Blossom Wallet by Imogene

Colorful Pendant from Broken Plate Company. I picked up a couple of her pendants at Handmade Arcade last Nov. and love, love, love them both.

Purple tote from Denada Designs

Ninja Fetus Onesie from Fort Cloudy

Heavy Duty Vaya Bags

Sushi Cat Toys from Needles Noodles

Cherry Shirt from Salt Lick

Ben and I just got back from the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn, NY (6/16-6/17). It was super duper ridiculous hot, but despite all the sweaty bodies crowding into the booths, the fair was another awesome weekend craft adventure. One of the reasons that I love Renegade is all the crazy, fun, weird people that I get to meet and talk to.

The fair this year was in the McCarren Pool in Brooklyn, just across the way from the field it was in last year. I have to say that the pool was a much better venue for the fair than last year. The gals from Renegade had the vendors in rows, as opposed to one giant horseshoe like years past. This created more of a marketplace-type feel, and I think it encourages more shopping. They also added food vendors: Schnack sold vegan hotdogs and burgers, and meat stuff, and two ice cream trucks and a juice truck… having food and water was essential, and I hope they have even more food & drink vendors there next year.

Getting ready for Renegade is a huge process for both me and Ben that starts months before with us planning to start working on stuff - my shirts, envelopes, and pins, and his comics, shirts and paintings. Eventually we end up planning and thinking about planning up until the last week when we finally realize that it’s time to get down to business. Ideally, I’d love to be able to say that I have everything ready to go a week before the fair, but, as always, I’m pulling an all-nighter with glue, buttons, fabric, pins, stickers, t-shrits, and my beloved Gocco printer. But that is all part of the fun. I think Ben and I had been up for 30 hours+ at the start of the fair. I felt a bit cracked out, and the heat didn’t help, and I think I was walking around the fair like a zombie, but in a weird way, it was fun. It’s just pure fun to be around like-minded crazy crafters and people who also have a soft spot in their heart for giant stuffed creatures with rainbow tongues, monster finger puppets, and chainsaw earrings.

Being around all the crafters last weekend has me inspired and now I’m even more psyched for working on Crafty Bastards…

The Crafty Crew introduces VIDEO. Kim Dorn (the woman behind the camera) and I had a chance to chat with local crafters Rania Hassan and Kristina Bilonick at Ballston Arts + Crafts Market last Saturday. We are vlogging virgins, so please excuse the rough nature of the interviews.

Rania and I discuss her lovely Knit Paintings, her print-making process and Gocco. We’ll bring a microphone next time. Promise. Visit Rania’s shop and check out her blog.

We talked to Kristina about her experience organizing the market and to get a preview of the July 14th market, which happens to coincide with Bastille Day. Wine specials, anyone? Visit Kristina’s site or stop by Smash Records and Junction to purchase her goods.