Big Ass Wrap Up

I took no decent pics from the Big Ass Indie Show yesterday but they have a whole photo montage on their Facebook page here if you are interested. The above was my view from my perch yesterday afternoon as I guarded the dressing room. This was a rack of mostly my scarves. I think it was a good show, not necessarily a great one for me but I really can't complain at all. I haven't seen my actual numbers yet but just reviewing what I didn't come home with I can estimate how I did.



It looks like I sold over 10 of the higher end scarves which is what I was hoping to move at this show along with the majority of my lower end scarves. I think I sold only 2 scarflettes which was surprising to me until I started thinking about it. They had the majority of them buried in a wheel barrow that they were using as a display instead of arranged on a table so I really don't think people were willing to dig through it. Not a big deal since I need something to keep my Etsy shop going until I can get more pictures taken.

I started the season with 2 large tubs and 2 medium tubs stuffed to the brim with my inventory. After my last show I could probably fit everything into the largest of the tubs if I stuffed it tight. I'm very happy with how it all went and couldn't have asked for a better 3 shows for my work. I'll do a more complete wrap up later with my thoughts on how to improve things for next year.









There were some really amazing vendors at this show including a few that I'd never seen before. I got a Flesh doll by Michael Baird that I'm absolutely in love with. Mike says it is probably the weirdest thing I've ever bought which is really saying something. It has the coolest eyes in it with a long tail that I can use to hold it while I hit Mike in the back of the head, only when he deserves it of course. The leather is so soft and smooth I actually found myself cuddling it last night while laying on the couch watching TV under my blanket.

I always go into a knitting funk after my last craft show of the season. It's like I get all the frantic work done and I don't know what to do with myself after it's all done. I've knitted a few Christmas gifts and I'm going to give myself 1 week to not knit and then hopefully I will get some inspiration back. I really am wanting to work on some hat designs for next year and hopefully that will get me going.

Big Ass Indie Weekend!

The Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show starts tonight and if you are in the St. Louis area I hope you will come out this weekend for some Big Ass fun. There will be entertainment and refreshments to go with your shopping until 11 p.m. tonight. The Craft Mafia always puts together the coolest displays and visuals.

It is St. Louis's biggest collection of alternative art and crafts.

The Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show showcases St. Louis's finest artists and crafters! FREE admission! Friday Saturday and Sunday.

As I was dropping my inventory off one of the girls checking me in recognized my work from the Rock N Roll Show. She asked me if the Bud Light scarf had sold as everyone had been talking about it when she was there. I told her that surprisingly it hadn't so it must be meant to be hers. The Mad Art Gallery is literally in Anheuser-Busch's backyard so hopefully the scarf with little Bud Light beads will find a home this weekend.

The Upcycle Exchange will also be there the whole weekend led by their fearless leader Autumn. If you bring items to donate you will get complimentary gift wrapping in addition to contributing to a great program. Lucky for you I chose not to volunteer at this table as my gift wrapping skills are comical.

I talked about the Upcycle Exchange as it related to the Strange Folk Festival here but there have been some interesting changes made since. Here is the new description, "a “co-op junk shop” that will now serve as our central sorting and distribution center called Finder’s Hive. The Upcycle Exchange will still be collecting at area events, in addition to new drop-off locations to be announced in January 2010." There is going to be a $15 seasonal membership fee that will allow you to be a part of the distribution of the donated supplies. I'm seriously considering becoming a part of the program and getting my hands on some cool supplies for next to nothing.

60 Wristcuffs Rock N Roll Here I come!

I'm sure you've always wondered what 60 wristcuffs all together would look like. Well, today is your lucky day. I just put the finishing touches on my remaining cuffs for the show next weekend. I now need to get them tagged and I'm ready to go. I will have to make my way down to the city tomorrow after my sister picks up the girls to bring all of my inventory to the Rock N Roll Craft Show. The last time I did a drop off at the Big Ass Show last year it took forever. I had each of my items individually itemized so during check in when everything had to be verified it was a nightmare. I had convinced Mike that I needed his help and he was not happy about the experience so I don't expect any help this year.










It shouldn't be quite as painful as I have things inventoried by type this year. I have 30 wire wristcuffs and 30 fabric wrist cuffs as seen above. I also have 3 large tubs, one for $15 scarves, one for $30 scarves and one for $25 scarflettes. I do have different inventory numbers for different fiber content but it should still go much faster to count out the different items than to frantically search for the Orange Crush Scarf which could be in any one of 3 tubs like I did last year.

I'm bringing some of my display items for them to use like my quilt rack and mannequins but all of the display work and selling is in their hands. It is a little bit stressful to be leaving several thousand dollars worth of inventory in their care for a week but that is the price you pay for one of these types of shows. I've heard that this show has a huge turnout and with the gorgeous weather this weekend it should be a big draw. I'll be putting my four hours of work time in on Sunday afternoon and will then check myself out. Then I will have to get home, do a new inventory count, and get it all ready to drop off the next day at the Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show. Oh, the busy life of the crafter!

I'd love for you to check out my pal Kristin's post on her first craft show this weekend here. She had a good first experience and I think it's a great read for everyone out there contemplating their first time. She very sweetly told me that I was her inspiration but I think her ability to juggle her family and her art is the true inspiration.

What's Coming Up

So before I knew it we are right in the middle of Fall. I'm not complaining, early Fall really is one of my favorite times of the year. There is the cooling weather, the start of scarf season, a nice lull at work, the pretty color changes (like the ones in my Fall Envy Felted Wrap above), my birthday coming up, and the holidays right behind that. But it also seems like I have something scheduled for pretty much every weekend from now to the end of the year. I'm more of a spur of the moment kind of gal and having my life planned out so far in advance actually makes me nervous.



I went ahead and canceled my booth at the Lindbergh Craft Show that is on the weekend before the Rock n Roll Craft Show. It was my least successful show last year, was a ton of work, and my friend's parents who were next to me last year are not doing it again this year so it was something that I could easily cut. The R n R show requires that you submit your inventory list a week in advance so it would have been really difficult to work out anyways.

So the two shows that I have left are both boutique style shows which means I don't have to be there or work my own booth. Besides the RnR show I also got into the Big A$$ Indie Show at the Mad Art Gallery again this year, which was a relief. I am really looking forward to both of these events. They are my target audience of youthful, indie people. What can I say, the hipsters like my stuff.

I'm debating about adding a small local show in my area in December. There is one on December 12 at the local High School that costs $55. It's just a one day event and it would be nice to build up some local support and bring out some friends and colleagues that have never been to one of my shows. We'll see if I can work it into my busy social life:)

Should I or Shouldn't I Apply?

The Rock N Roll Craft Show 6 deadline to apply is coming up and I have been going back and forth about applying all month long. Normally I would just apply and worry about it later but this show has a $40 jury application fee that is non-refundable so I want to be sure about it before I apply. Since I can't seem to make a decision and I don't want to just wait too long and have the decision be made for me I thought I would put the pros and cons down here and let you help me decide.

I haven't done this show before but I've talked to others who have and they were happy with it. The application process is a total pain in the you know what. They use this on-line application called Zapplication which is pretty tedious in my opinion. You have to download pictures to their exact specifications which are listed here. I'm sure that I can do it in GIMP but it is annoying.

It is just like the Big Ass Indie Arts and Craft Show that I did last year and loved. It is a boutique style which means that they do all the displays and process the money. You don't have to be there the whole weekend, just for a 2 hour shift. It is on Thanksgiving weekend though which I plan on spending in Rolla with the family. My whole family will be in town and I would hate to have to come back early but it might be worth it if the show would be as successful as the other indie shows I've done in the past. That is my market and I really wanted to do at least 2 of the boutique shows this year. I would probably be coming back on Sunday anyways so as long as I could get my shift for Sunday afternoon I would be ok.

The Big Ass Show will be the following week so I would have to get my inventory updated right away and they both use a tagging process that I would have to make sure was compatible. Basically I want to do the show but I don't know if it is worth the stress. The timing is bad and being with my family is likely more important than the possible profit to be had. So what do you think should I or shouldn't I apply?

Big Ass Wrap Up

So the Big Ass Art and Craft Show turned out to be a big ass deal indeed. I don't know what my "take" will be but it appears I probably made more than I did at Strange Folk which was my best show so far. I was dieing to total up my receipts before I left today but I was given the impression from one of the mafia that I would be overstepping my bounds so I backed away. I didn't want to worry about my camera today so I didn't bring it so I only have a few other pics from yesterday to show. I bought a new purse and made some great trades at the end of the day when everyone was packing up their stuff.

After checking off my inventory it seems my $30 scarves were the big hit. This is very reassuring since they are my favorite to work on and I spend the most time and thought on them. $15 scarves were the next biggest seller. Scarflettes were not as big at this show, which I think is because I wasn't there to explain and promote them. They also had them spread out throughout the place in different displays, and most people are too shy to take something down from a display on their own. I sold a bunch of wrist cuffs and bracelets and a few headbands and barrettes as well. I only sold 1 necklace but I think it was because they had them buried at the bottom of a basket. I guess whoever was setting up the displays was not impressed with them. I really love making the knitted necklaces and using my cool beads and pendents, but they just haven't taken off like I had hoped. I'll keep listing them on Etsy and see if I can find a market for them since I really think they make a statement.

I traded for the yellow skull tee and the cookie bag with Evil Little Girls. I traded for the eye plate with Sacred Space. I traded for the screenprinted pillows and purple umbrella with Bird On a Wire. I bought the Asian girls bag from Hoags Bags. The other things I bought are likely gifts so I didn't want to display them here.

I'm seriously debating applying to join the St. Louis branch of the Craft Mafia. It looks like my best venues are going to be indie shows and the mafia sponsors most of those shows. They say they aren't taking applications right now but I can submit a request on-line. It feels a little cliqueish to be honest, but I really liked the girls I talked to today and I made trades with several different mafia members.

I can see pros and cons for joining. They help promote each other's work on their blogs and websites. They organize and work the craft shows. My introvert side is afraid it would be too much pressure but my business and social side sees the advantages. Who knows if they would even accept me but it is something to think about.

My Etsy shop is feeling a bit naked. I will be listing and bringing things back from expired all week to get it looking full again. Next weekend I will have to do another photo shoot to get some other items ready to go now that my shows are pretty much over for the year.

Mad Art Gallery Show

I went down with a friend to see how the Big Ass Indie Art Show was going and things looked great. I took a few pics but I will probably bring my camera again tomorrow. I have to go down to work for a few hours tomorrow and get my inventory back home.

I think the model thought I was a freak since I kept taking her picture every time she changed outfits. They had 3 live models and lots of mannequins all over, many of them outfitted in scarves. The displays looked great and they integrated everything in just like a boutique. I was very impressed. It looked like I had done pretty well last night. I didn't count up the receipts but there were a bunch in my envelope so we shall see.

If you are in the St. Louis area they will be open on Sunday from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. I got a bunch of gifts while I was there and I saw a bunch of other stuff I'm thinking about gifting to myself. You should definitely check it out if you can.

Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show

So I have everything all packed and ready to schlep downtown to the Mad Art Gallery tonight. I'm kind of bummed that I will have to take down my Etsy shop for what will be one of the bigger shopping weeks of the year on line. I don't see any way around it though since I won't have access to my inventory after tonight until Sunday evening. I had 5 sales this weekend on-line not to mention the ones to family this weekend so I really do hope the Big Ass show is truly a big ass deal.

Here is what the website says about it:

We received hundreds of applications, and after careful deliberations, we are proud to present the area's most talented craftspeople and artists for this year's premier holiday indie art and craft show. Our 2008 show offers three days of shopping (December 5, 6 & 7) in St. Louis' most spectacular and well-known venue for art exhibitions and unique events. Our show focuses on presenting original art and hand-made crafts of the highest quality in a shopping environment designed to provide you with a pleasurable shopping experience.

Don't miss the Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show on December 5, 6 and 7. Brought to you by Mad Art Gallery and the Craft Mafia.

Friday, December 5th 7:00 p.m. until 11:00 p.m. Music from D.J. Mahf and Complimentary Toothpicks
Saturday, December 6th 10:00 a.m. until 8:00 p.m.
Sunday, December 7th 10:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Up Close and Personal

So my first big show of the season was a big success. I have 2 more coming up in the next month and so I'm starting to feel the anxiety again. I definitely have more confidence going into the next one but because each show has it's own vibe and target there is still the uncertainty. My next one is the Lindbergh Rotary club show. It is the largest craft show in the St. Louis area and has close to 500 vendors. I went last year and walked around and helped out a friend's mom who has a booth each year. It is overwhelmingly big and sprawls out throughout the high school. I signed up on the day of the show last year and will be right next to Diane who always brings in the crowds.

It will be a very different crowd from the one at the Strange Folk Festival. I'm predicting a more traditional and "soccer mom" group. I've tried to focus on things the past month or so that would appeal to this market more. I've kept to the colorful, fun scarves but stayed away from some of the more goth elements I enjoyed creating for Strange Folk. I've never taken a business or marketing class in my life, but one thing I do know is that you have to know who your audience is. I think I actually learned that in a journalism class but it applies here too.

I also think it's important to check out the water before you dive in. Last year I just did a few little shows for fun and the experience. But I gave a lot of thought to which shows I wanted to do for this year. If possible I think it's helpful to actually go to the show the year before you sign up. I didn't have a chance to do that for Strange Folk but I did check out all the information I could about it on-line to make sure it would be a good fit. I'm hopeful that Lindbergh will be a good market as well, as it was the biggest investment so far with a $90 booth fee. I know this isn't much compared to big art shows but it was to me. The timing on it is good for me, being the weekend before Thanksgiving so the weather should be cool and people will be really starting to think about holiday shopping.

My last show for the year is the weekend after Thanksgiving and it is a real change for me. I'm doing the Big Ass Indie Art & Craft Show. Here is what it says about it on the Mad Art Galleries website:

Mad Art Gallery presents the Big Ass Indie Art and Craft Show, your alternative to the alternative holiday craft shows. Our 2008 show offers three days of shopping (December 5, 6, 7) in St. Louis' most spectacular and well-known venue for art exhibitions and unique events. Our show focuses on presenting original art and hand-made crafts of the highest quality in a shopping environment designed to provide your customers with a pleasurable shopping experience.

I'm not real sure what to expect with this one. It is more of a boutique style in that I don't have to be there the whole time. It is going to require a lot of leg work so I really hope it is worth it. Everything has to be tagged and itemized on a spread sheet. I'm sure I'll be talking more about this process as I work on it. I'm not the most organized person in the world so this will be a challenge for me. I didn't follow my rule of checking the show out ahead of time. I was invited to sign up for it by a convo on Etsy and decided to go for it. It should be a more creative market and I'm hoping since it will be with mostly art, some of my higher end pieces might get some attention. It was only a $30 upfront investment but they will be taking 10% of my earnings. This is comparable to etsy and paypal fees so I think it will balance out. I'm sure I'll be rambling on about these shows as they get closer and my anxiety level increases.