I've been gearing up all week for my first real foray into the world of the Craft Fair. I've had this week off from my "day" job, which was very nice, and I did my best to not stress out too much. As far as prepping for the actual show/sale, I succeeded, but other shit happened anyway. Like having my week book-ending by my car being in the shop. I had to get it towed in on Monday because the driver side axle gave out (it actually failed while making the first turn on the way to the shop), and then had the privilege of taking it back in on Friday when the passenger side axle started to go. But they gave me a cushy loaner, which really is nicer and newer than my own car, so I can't complain too much.
But back to
Crafty Wonderland: I'm fairly well prepared. Better prepared than I was for my Seven Virtues show. It's a strange feeling, being prepared... I printed a bunch of brand new cards which will be debuting tomorrow, including my full Concentric line and a mother's day-inspired card. I also had to put together a little table set up. It's pretty cute for a first go at it. I'm excited.
So, you should drop by and say "Hi," unless you're physically out of town, hospitalized, or one of the half-dozen people who still have a job. If you can't make it, I'll list all my new cards on my
Etsy Sunday evening/Monday morning. But the April Crafty Wonderland sounds like it's going to be full of awesomeness. In addition to the vendors, it's also Crafty Wonderland's 3rd birthday, and Faythe Levine of [book-turned-film] Handmade Nation is going to be there 12-2pm to talk about the film's
Portland premiere. PLUS, there's giveaway stuff and donuts for the first people there. (If I don't eat them all before the doors open.)
So be there!!!
What: Crafty Wonderland's 3rd Birthday
Where: The Doug Fir Lounge @ 830 East Burnside, PDX (if you've never been before, it's around the side and downstairs, look for the sandwich board)
When: Sunday, April 5th, 11am to 4pm
How Much: 44 vendors! Free admission!
Then, you'll be able to find me at a new art walk/craft sale/street fest starting up in Vancouver, WA, called "
Craft In The Village." It's being organized by
Chris Stevens, who has years of experience as a vendor at these sorts of events, and is now growing his own from the grassroots level. The first one is on Friday, May 1st, 4-8 pm, and they're slated to run through September. More info as it approaches.
I have to share this brand new (not even open yet) gallery for the simple fact of it's ingenuity of venue and general portlandiness. All over Portland are houses with these little 1-car garage structures out front. Some are kind of half-buried in lawn, sometimes. Most of them look very out-dated, often run-down, and useless. You would have a hard time fitting anything larger than a compact car in them, after all. Some have had the garage-style door -- on structures like this, the door is the single wood panel type that you have to heft up, with a spring to assist you if it's not totally rusted -- taken off entirely and a normal door put in. When we were looking at houses to buy, I had always categorized these little urban outbuildings as a possible studio space for myself. The people at Good, however, have made theirs into a gallery, with a cute little window box. i had never even thought of that idea, but it makes perfect sense. Assuming that it's the garage on your own house, overhead is super low, and the commute is nil. Most galleries go out of business because they can't make the sales pay up the rent/lease for their space, but this arrangement sidesteps that problem.