Thursday, April 14, 2011

Saturday's the day!

I am getting sooo excited!  And I hope you are, too.  The SPRING TRUNK SHOW is two days away.  Actually it's a day and a half away, if you want to get technical about it.  I do get a tad stressed when putting on events (I used to co-ordinate corportate events in one of my previous jobs) but the added anxiety usually causes me to be extra detail-oriented, so let's hope that's still the case.  Thankfully my husband's gallery, ningyo editions, where the show is happening, is well-stocked with supplies.  Speaking of the gallery, on display is Deb Todd Wheeler's, Holoplanktonica show. Her prints are gorgeous (and also for sale.)  So you could potentially kill two birds with one stone on Saturday; see some art and buy some hand-crafted goodies.  So fancy.

As mentioned in my previous post, we'll have some amazing, crowd-pleasing vendors.   
If you're in need of gifts for any friends or family or yourself, you won't want to miss this!  Just scroll on down to the previous post to see descriptions of who will be there and what's for sale.  There will also be FREE REFRESHMENTS, in case you're hungry. 

Looking foward to seeing you on Saturday! 

Saturday, April 9, 2011

SPRING TRUNK SHOW - Next Saturday!

Next Saturday is the SPRING TRUNK SHOW at my husband's print-making studio, ningyo editions, in Watertown, MA.  If you are in the area, I hope you can make it.  Not only will I be selling my pottery, but I will be in the company of some other amazing local artisans:

Claudia Venon, owner of Me & Louise fashions and Claudia Venon design, spent her childhood in nature, on the water, in museums and around other artists. Her life in Vermont inspires her to create amazing shirts, scarves, dresses, and accessories, layered with textures of embroidery, screen print, and various types of fabric.

Vonica Designs makes beautiful fabric accessories including handbags, cosmetics bags, eye glass cases, scarves and clutches in her Jamaica Plain studio.  I have given a few of her bags as gifts and people always love the gorgeous fabric and modern designs. 

Looka Jewelry is based in Northampton, MA.  Liz's necklaces, earrings, rings and money clips are delicately made in silver, brass and gold.  I love the various shapes from nature - bunnies, insects, and leaves.  One of my favorite necklaces I own is the bunny necklace from Looka.

Advintage Antiques does not have an online presence yet, but sells out of Thoreauly Antiques in historic Concord (MA) Center.  Specializing in ephemera, costume jewelry, pewter and silver, there is always something fun to peruse in her shop.

We'll also have some light refreshments available.  Please add our Trunk Show to your plans next Saturday!  See you there!

Thursday, April 7, 2011

my new iPhone

Last Friday I bit the bullet and bought the new iPhone 4.  For a while I had been poo-pooing iPhones and their seemingly crazy, obsessive fans.  I was comfortable with the buttons on my Blackberry.  Being a tactile person, feeling the buttons under my fingers was familiar to me.  I couldn't imagine using a touch-screen and not having as much control - or so I thought. 

When we were away on vacation a couple of weeks ago, I tried using my husband's iPhone.  We navigated with it, found restaurants, and looked up activities.  The ease of use amazed me, as well as the sensitivity of the touch-screen.  My fingers weren't too clumsy to type, as I thought they would be.  So, instead of getting a new Blackberry when my contract was up for renewal, I indulged in an iPhone.  (I am also planning to use it for credit card sales via the MerchantWARE app.) 

Since I've brought it home, I haven't been able to stop playing with it!  Never did I think I'd be so excited about a gadget.  I'm so low-fi, I thought all the apps and features would be confusing.  Not yet!  I've downloaded some apps, watched some YouTube vids and created radio stations on Pandora.  It's so awesome!  Last night I splurged and bought the Hipstamatic app.  For those of you who already have iPhones, you're probably thinking to yourselves - big whoop.  But if you're familiar with my Etsy shop, you may have noticed my merch photos.  I really love taking pictures and making them look pretty.  Hipstamatic does that for you.  While I will continue to take my pottery photos with my regular camera, I took some test shots with my iPhone just for kicks.  What do you think?







Saturday, April 2, 2011

You always remember your first time...

In this case, I'm talking about my first craft show.  Considering it was the eve of April Fool's and the forecast predicted a snow storm - which I thought was a joke in itself - it was a great experience.  From 7 to 9 Thursday night, I sold my wares at the Pamper Yourself party held at the Sandy Burr Country Club in Wayland.

After driving in painfully slow rush hour traffic and pelting freezing rain, I arrived later than planned and not in the best mood.  Walking in the door, as my boots sunk into the plush oriental rug, the first thing I noticed out of the corner of my eye was the flicker of flames in the fireplace.  The chill of the weather started to melt away. 

My mother, who is a veteran craft show vendor from back in the 80s, agreed to assist my husband and me.  Arriving first, she went in early to stake out my designated area.  She waved us over to an empty table right by the fireplace and the food/bar station.  It was a perfect spot.  My stress from driving in stop-and-go traffic after a frantic quarter-end at my day job began to fade. 

Since I arrived later than planned, we unpacked my bags as quickly as possible and set up the table.  I hadn't experimented at home the different ways I could set up my display.  Why would I do that?  Prepare ahead of time?  Who, me?  Thankfully my mother had lent me some plate stands and display risers so we had some different ways to show my pottery.  Always prepared, my mother also brought her camera to document the event.  (I think the fact that she's a grandmother now is the real reason she always has her camera with her.  My niece and nephew are freaking adorable.) 

I had very low expectations for the night solely based on the weather.  A slushy Thursday night.  If I didn't have these plans, I wouldn't have gone out myself.  But about half an hour after the starting bell rang (not really) the ladies starting pouring in.  The event was being hosted by the Wayland Parent and Children Association; lots of moms from town crowded around in groups, sipping wine and chatting.  Ladies lined up for chair massages and filled out tickets for the "spa day" raffle.  For sale there were aprons, handbags and candles; stationery, wallets and blankets made out of pretty fabric. I had quite a few visitors to my table, received many compliments on my work and made sales to two girlfriends who came (thanks Mary Ellen & Germaine!) and a stranger - who bought two mugs and commissioned two more.  While I didn't break any sales records, I covered the cost of participating and then some! 

It was a great first craft show experience, to repeat myself.  I found out people like my ice cream bowls, especially the red & light blue ones, the grey and yellow nesting bowls, my mugs and trivets.  Abby, the woman who invited me to be a part of the show, was so helpful throughout the whole process.  She even asked me back for next year!  I'll have to make sure it's not at quarter-end, though.  All in all, two thumbs up for the Pamper Yourself party at Sandy Burr.  I'm definitely ready for the trunk show coming up in TWO WEEKS!