Friday, September 19, 2014

Indie Craft Parade // Shows and Events

It's been a while since I've posted on the dear ole' blog, and for that- I apologize. It surely isn't for lack of mini-making! On the contrary, I have been working for the last few weeks on TONS  of things especially for... the Indie Craft Parade! And WHAT an experience that was! You might remember me making a blog post about it last year, mentioning that I wanted to enter. I did. Got in. And it was great!

For the sake of this post becoming too lengthy, I will divide it into three parts- Before / During / After - and before I get into it too much you should know that the Indie Craft Parade is a three day arts and crafts show held in Greenville, SC. This year they showcased the artwork of almost 80 artists from the surrounding states and had nearly 7,000 people attend. The event kicked off Friday night with a VIP Gala, for customers willing to pay a special price to get first dibs on the goods and partake in some SUPER tasty local food and beverages. Saturday and Sunday was open to the public for admission of $2 per person, with kids 12 and under entering for free.


/ Before

Preparing for the Indie Craft Parade was QUITE a task. I had no idea what to bring, how much to sell it for, or what to expect. Do I make seasonal and holiday items? Should I make more than just mini foods? Should I make wearables? How many of each item should I bring? Are people even going to buy miniatures? In the end, I ended up doing what I do most often- flying by the seat of my pants and going with my gut!

I made plenty of miniature cakes, pumpkins, and jack o'lanterns. I also brought all of my inventory that was previously listed in my Etsy shop. I then made wearables... and also.... a dollhouse! Just for the heck of it (as if I didn't already have enough to work on) I decided to make a mixed media dollhouse for my booth display. And to make the deal even sweeter I decided I should raffle it off! So among all of the items I brought- I ended up with a decent spread. However I did have a few sleepless nights before the event.





/ During

I didn't take a lot of pictures during this event because, to be honest, I wasn't really impressed by my booth. Other vendors came in with elaborate display units and tablescapes for onlookers to gawk at for hours.... whereas I simply brought a homemade pin-board and a few organizers and spread it all out on the table. But don't get me wrong- I am happy with how everything went. I saw it all as a learning experience that will make my next show EVEN BETTER.






A big help was my sweet aunt, Chastity. I honestly don't know what I would have done without her. She helped my prepare, setup, wrap and bag sales, and clean up everything- all while keeping me calm! For those of you that like to read, she recently started a book review blog - BOOK LOVER. Follow her if you have the itch to read some stuff!




/ After

I literally slept for two days after the event. I was EXHAUSTED. But let me tell you- the last day of the event I chose a winner for the raffle and making that phone call made my MONTH! The winner of the raffle was cute little Iva, and here she is posing with her winnings!

Is that cute, or what?! This entire event not only left me exhausted and worn out- but inspired and motivated to work towards more shows and fairs, as well as improving my work and my brand. I have a good bit of items left over that will be listed in the Etsy shop soon enough. Though I am also working on a website- so depending on how soon that comes along I might just add my inventory there!

I hope you all are doing well! Thanks for stopping by!
X
-Blake







9 comments:

  1. Blake I am so mad at you! Why didn't you tell me this was going to go on? I would have come. I don't hear all that is going on in Greenville, but I would have made it a point to come see you and bought a few items. I know I could have used one of your magnificent cakes or two in my chess-taurant! (see my current post) Oh well maybe next year. :-/

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    1. Oh gosh, I am so sorry! Before the show I was LASER focused on getting work done that I didn't think about anything else. I really wish I would have had time to even make a blog post about it all before it happened. But no worries! I am going to try to get into some more local shows in the coming months! X

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  2. Wow! Looks like you've been really busy. You may not have liked your stall but I think anyone visiting would have seen the beauty in your wares, not be too concerned with the wrapping, if you know what I mean. Glad you had a great time. I love fairs like this =0)

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    1. Aww! Thank you so much, pepper! That means a lot to me! I am already whipping up new ideas for my next fair! :)
      X

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  3. A pesar del cansancio se te ve cara de felicidad. Me alegro que hayas disfrutado de la feria.

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    1. Thank you! Haha! I was VERY tired and worn out, but that wasn't stopping me from having fun!
      X

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  4. Dear Blake,
    I'm very happy for you. I missed your posts and wondered where you are.
    By the way, the beautiful chocolate I won from your giveaway, is now displayed at the Jaffa Museum in Tel-Aviv. I made a mini
    candy stand and it stars among other sweet goodies.
    Hugs, Drora

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    1. Thank you so much, Drora! I have been busy with my other Etsy business and getting caught up in life. lol. That is so wonderful to hear about my minis, and your minis! Thank you for letting me know!
      X

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  5. I did my first fair this Spring, it was so mush fun, but like you said, exhausting! =) I couldn't have done it without my mum, so I understand you appreciated having your aunt there =) I think your table looks great, I like the idea with the pin-board. And it was so very sweet of you to ruffle out a whole house, the girl looks so happy! (I understand her, its a great house)
    I think you are right, it's a great learning experience, and every year I suppose the table will look even better =)
    Hope you sold much and had a wonderful time!
    Hannah

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