TIAM - Summer Sunset Market

Hello! I'm trying something new this week, my first evening market! If you're in the area (Queen/Dufferin) come by and check it out. Looks like a fabulous crowd!

The Post Market

Summer craft show season starts tomorrow! I'll have a table at The Post Market in Leslieville on Saturday and Sunday. Looking forward to a fun weekend!

The Post Market

One of a Kind Show - This Week!

Well this is it! The week I've been working towards since January. If you're in Toronto, come check it out!

March 26-30
Etsy Section, K20A

Click here for discounted tickets!

What's Happening?

As predicted, with OOAK around the corner (42 days ahhhh) the poor blog gets neglected because I've been too busy getting all my ducks in a row. I'm very glad I took a week in January to just think about it.

What will my display look like? What's my budget? What about packaging? How much should I make? What should I make? Should I use a new sign? Should I get new business cards? (Yes and yes.) What do I do about bringing my own seating? Who can I enlist to help me out?

You get the idea. A lot of thinking.

Once I got my inventory plan sorted and initial supplies purchased (round two happening this weekend!) then I really got to work. My goal was to leave weekends free for friends, supply shopping, business card designing etc. The reason for this is that I am notorious for wasting weeknights and now is the time to change. I will totally go home, change into pjs and just eat and watch TV all night. Especially in the winter because when I come home it's dark and I'm tired so there. But with OOAK looming I knew I had to get my act together so my plan became: only sew on weeknights. And it's working! I am making my weekly goals no problem by dedicating a couple hours a night to sewing. It's been tiring still, yes, but it's really working out so far.

Week 1: complete.

Week 2: cutting day.

Week 3: a mishmash of stuff.

I am in the middle of week 3 of my 8 weeks of sewing (leaving the last week of for moving in, grocery shopping, etc) and so far I don't feel stressed at all (knock on wood)! I went to an information session for OOAK back in October before I applied and people asked how much inventory to bring. Of course there is no set number. The organizers just said "make as much as you can" and that's exactly what I'm doing. That's all I can do!

So with my business cards ordered, a display plan in place, my inventory well on its way, I am feeling pretty great about the whole thing.

More updates to come!

Supply Shopping - Getting Started

Last weekend I spent a full day travelling around the city hunting down sewing supplies for One of a Kind. It was a ton of fun!! Then, however, I turned my sewing plans into weekly goals and officially freaked myself out. There is lots to do in the next two months! Anyways--this is the first of several picture posts!

Waiting at the cash while the ladies sort through my zippers...

Seems like enough, right? Haha no.

Guhhhhh.

As soon as I bought this I knew I would have to go back for more.

Got a great deal on this gorgeous floral tapestry!

My first big leather purchase and I couldn't be more excited!

Craft Show Table Displays

Last season I spent a lot of time obsessing over my craft show displays. I thought I was satisfied with my display for my summer show--at the time it was nice, but the more I thought about it, the more unhappy I was. Isn't that always the way with something you create? Once you get some distance you really start seeing the flaws.

- It wasn't shopable: patterns and clutches were just piled on or stuffed in baskets. It looked like STUFF. Not like a display.

- There was no vertical interest: This one I gave myself an out. I was on a budget, and a public transit taker. I had to keep it to a minimum so despite my constant Pinteresting, I just gave up on that one. You know when you're afraid to look into something in case it fails? Yep.

- Blah-ness. Everything kinda melded into one. Nothing about the display stood out. Sure it was cohesive but it has to be exciting as well!

So for my first show last season I made some changes: new styles (More sequins! South American fabrics! Leather!) and a new table cloth to complement these styles. That's about all I changed.

What I found was that if people looked over at my table, they came over and rummaged. However, a lot of people didn't even notice me! I knew then and there to stop mucking around and create a vertical display. To stop piling on all the stuff (but I've made SO MUCH) and focus on showcasing the quality of the items instead of having a table that says "look how much crap I made!"

So. Everything changed. Different baskets. I made display boards. I left things at home (GASP). For the first time I was truly happy with my display! The best part? It worked!

Testing out the display at home.

Vertical interest!

Last-minute button earrings. Seriously, I made these the day before a show.

The final display. So much happier with it!

A close up.

So of course, even though only a month has passed, I am now dreaming up ways to change my display for the next round. I want to expand on the shelving idea. The boards are just fabric-covered foam so I know they won't last me forever. But that's what sketchbooks are for, right? Planning!

Thanks for reading!

Lookback

I cannot believe that this year is almost over. 2013 was my first full year as an active Etsy seller, something I had wanted to jump into for quite some time. And I accomplished quite a bit! My goals were firm but doable: grow owlswakeup, do a craft show or two, keep blogging. I have more than achieved that. I had strangers order my clutches and patterns (and if you're an Etsy seller, you know the first Stranger Sale is something to be celebrated!), I learned new sewing techniques, I connected with others with my DIY posts, and I did 8 days of craft shows. I wasn't as consistent as I would like with the blog but that will hopefully find its rhythm in the new year.

The main thing I have learned?

Always be better.

These few words have stuck with me throughout the year. It's okay to make mistakes, to take breaks and reevaluate, to try something new, something risky. Because no matter the experience, you learn from it and you'll always be better next time. These few words don't get me down, they excite me. Life without challenge is boring. Projects without enthusiasm are doomed. We can't constantly compare ourselves to others and feel down. I am proud of my ability to see the success of others not as a failure in myself, but as an opportunity to grow.

To quote my beloved Fever Ray, "Now's the only time I know."

Here's to 2014!