Wood & Copper! My jewelry display at the Weekend Boutique trunk show.

Display views from the Weekend Boutique! I love designing my display almost as much as I love designing jewelry!

What do you think? Do you have a favorite? Mine, at the moment ;) is my newly made copper necklace stands! I have a total crush on them, lol.

My Wood and Copper Jewelry Display 

Copper Cuff Bracelet Jewelry Display

Copper Necklace Display

Men's Necklaces on Wood

Fern Leaf Collection on Wooden Display

Layers Collection on Wooden Display

Cascais Collection on Wooden Display

Lola the loyal shop assistant working the show!

Lola - Loyal Shop Assistant, Dressform extraordinaire!

-xoxo

Double-Booked!

Two shows, one weekend. What do you do?

The super fun and festive Takoma Park Folk Fest.

So, sometimes trying to figure out what shows to apply to is a PITA! Tracking all the entry deadlines and show dates is an effort in organization and pushes my naturally disorganized nature to the limits!

Some shows have deadlines up to a year in advance, some allow you to apply with-in days of the show date. Some let you know if you've been accepted right away and some take agonizingly long to get back to you.

What really gets confusing is when you want to do two different shows equally bad that are on the same day. If you just apply to one and *gasp* don't get accepted, you're screwed. So you have to apply to both... just in case. And in the very awesome case of being accepted to both you have to make some hard decisions.

And this is the situation that I'm in now. I REALLY, really wanted to attend Takoma Park Folk Fest, which I've attended twice before and it's by BEST one day show of the year. But I also really, REALLY wanted to attend Arts on Foot because it's just an awesome 2 day show in downtown DC and likely to be a good show for me also. So I applied to both... and got accepted to both! Yay!!!!

The huge and diverse Arts on Foot.

But that means that I had to figure out what to do. I obviously can't be in two places at once, but I really wanted to do both shows, it'd really suck to have to say no to one... and then which one? So I decide to do both and just figure it out.

My husband could sit one show for me, he sort of knows what I do and he's helped me out at shows before, but that'd be asking a lot of him because really, he's quite clueless when it comes to jewelry, how it's made, what metals I use, what in the world a lariat is and WHAT you do with it! lol.

So in comes Jen! My amazingly awesome friend who's also a jewelry designer and metalsmith. She's totally saving my bacon by sitting my booth at Arts on Foot on Sunday while I attend my booth at Takoma Park. Yay Jen. :)

Now to work out the little details... accepting credit cards in both places, finding extra tables and table cloths, making a LOT more jewelry, and juggling setting up and tearing down... Ugh.

But, I will have my booth at both shows this weekend and am super excited to see how it all goes.

Please come visit me on Saturday or Sunday at Arts on Foot and/or on Sunday at Takoma Park Folk Fest. Tell me you read this post for a 20% discount on any item!!!

~xoxo
____________________________
Arts on Foot -- Washington DC -- September 10 & 11, 2011
Saturday 11am - 7pm
Sunday 11am - 6pm
8th & F Streets NW in Penn Quarter
Gallery Place-China Town Metro Stop


Takoma Park Folk Fest -- Takoma Park, MD -- September 11
10:30 am- 6:30 pm
Takoma Park Middle School
7611 Piney Branch Rd.

Spring: The Beginning of Show Season

Show season is starting, and unfortunately, so is the rainy and windy season! Spring is exciting because everyone is going outside, ready to cruise handmade shows and markets and bask in the sun... when the sun is out that is! Lol.

Shows are a challenge in the rain (obviously) but even more so in the wind. It requires some creative thinking to ensure that all displays, and more importantly, items for sale stay put when it's windy. I use a lot of river rocks to weigh things down, tape to secure displays and signs, and my display tends to stay closer to the table surface rather than up high on shelves. Securing the display is definitely tricky but securing the tent is detremental, no one wants their tent flying off into the horizon (or into someone else's display)! Really heavy tent leg weights are the key, enough to hold the tent down in mega wind is important. I've seen people literally hanging from the roof beams of their tent to keep it in place! Not good... it's kinda hard to chat with customers, answer questions, and sell your goods while hanging from your tent!

The worst thing about rain and wind at a show, though, is that fewer people come out to shop. So, please, remember us die-hard vendors out there, hanging onto our tents in the rain and wind, and come out and say hi and maybe pick up a handmade item for yourself of a friend.

I have a couple of shows lined up already and am waiting to hear back from a couple more. I hope to see you at one this summer.

Check my website for current show info: AWEjewelry
and LIKE me on Facebook: AWEjewelry

Artscape 2010 - An AWEsome festival!

Artscape Festival in Baltimore was fantastic!

Even though it was a million degrees and as humid as a sauna!

I was part of the DIY section, which had heavy traffic, and means I got to "booth" with two other fantastic artisans! Illegible Ink and Metropolis Bath and Body. Kathy of Illegible Ink makes super unique linocut art prints that she individually hand colorizes and Megan of Metropolis Bath and Body makes the most amazing smelling soaps (that are wonderful to use, I bought 3!) Check out their sites!!

I didn't get a chance to walk around the whole fest myself, but what I did see was really great. Tons of great artisans and artists, food and music!

Here are a few pics that I snapped while I was searching out some dinner:

My booth... I'm back there, really :)

There I am, although it's a little dark...

My dinner! Yummy :)

Some unscheduled music!

A Hookah Lounge... how cool is that!

 Crowds... (shot just outside my booth)

...and more crowds!

 
The art cars were also fantastic, but I spaced out and didn't take any photos of them :(

I'll definitely be back next year (despite the heat :)

Fenton Street Market in Silver Spring

~•~

Hey everyone, I'm kind of excited to show my work in this market, it just sounds really fun.

I haven't been before, but it seems like it really focuses on the community with local crafters and businesses. Kinda like a farmer's market for crafts. It's right downtown Silver Spring so it's easy to come by early and then head over to have lunch afterward.

I'll be there on April 24th at least, and maybe more dates depending on my schedule. The market is every Saturday until October 31. I'll be sure and let you know if I'm going to be there more dates. Get more details on the show here.

DC Metropolitan Art Expo -- Please come!

This show is going to be fantastic! I'm very proud to be one of the few artists selected to show this year.

A huge Art Expo alongside an even huger Food, Libations & Luxury Home Show. There are going to be some awesome artists showing (including Moi ;) and unbelievable home show displays. So even if you're not looking to buy any home related items, it's worth coming just to look at all the amazing art and taste the great food. -- oh, and bring the kids, the show is kid friendly! :D

The ticket shown above is a buy one get one FREE All Access pass, good for the show and alcohol & food tastings! (some amazing artisan beer, spirits, and wine :) Download the All Access 2 for 1 pass by clicking on the image or here!

I also have postcards for FREE general admission, so if you don't care about the beer and wine tastings you won't have to spend a dime and you DO still get free food tastings.

If you'd like a postcard for the FREE general admission just email me --deb [at] aweshop.com-- with your name and address and I'll mail one right out to you. --I only have hard copies of these tickets, sorry :)

Stop by my booth and say Hi. Hope to see you there!

If you live in the Washington DC area, I have FREE tickets for you.

Hi all, the show I'm doing on Feb 20,21 is going to be awesome! and I have access to free tickets for those of my fans who want them (as long as you promise to stop by and say hi to me ;)

It's a Luxury Home Show and Art Expo and I'm very excited, and proud, to be one of the few artists to be showing there.

These tickets get you in the show and free food tastings. You can also get Libations tastings if you are so inclined for a little $, I think they have wines, artisan beer and spirits.

Here's the banner with the link, just click to download your complimentary tickets!

See you there!

Oh, and here's the info on my shows...

February 6, 2010 - McLean Jewelry Showcase

McLean, Virginia

February 20 & 21, 2010 - Howard Live Art Expo

Turf Valley Resort | 2700 Turf Valley Rd | Ellicott City, MD 21042

March 27 & 28, 2010 - DC Metropolitan Art Expo

Waterfront, Washington DC

The DC Rollergirls 2nd Annual Craft Fair & Holiday Bash!

What an incredible time!

This show, at McFadden's on a Saturday night in downtown DC, was incredible. So much fun!

It was a little dark, so seeing crafts was difficult, but I still managed to have a pretty good show for the 3 hours we were there! There were tons of people coming by, although it was super-packed in the bar and I think if they'd have made a least a couple announcements about us being in the back, we'd have been even busier! As it was, there were plenty of shoppers looking for Christmas gifts, and jewelry is always a good Christmas gift :D

My husband was able to come with me, which was great because not only did he help with loading/unloading, but I felt much safer leaving at midnight with him there. But best of all, it allowed me to have a couple of beers! Yay!! He's such a good designated driver ;-)

Anyway, this was my last show for the year. I'm in Portugal for 2 weeks over Christmas and New Year's and am very glad for the short hiatus. Being an indie jeweler at Christmas-time is exhausting! LoL!!

Best to everyone and Happy Holidays!

~deb

p.s. I'll try to post a least of couple of times while I'm away, but we'll be traveling around so much, I'm not sure how many posts I can squeeze in :)

Super-Cool Craft Show! DC RollerGirls Holiday Bash!!

I just wanted to share an event that I'm doing next weekend. --especially for those of you who are local to the DC area!

The DC Rollergirls 2nd Annual Craft Fair & Holiday Bash!

It's in downtown DC at a bar, McFadden's, sponsored by the DC Roller Girls!

It's from 8pm to 11pm and I think it'll be a blast just because of what it is...
...a craft fair ...in a bar in DC ...with the DC Roller Girls! How Cool is That?

Here's a link: http://www.dcrollergirls.com/

I'm planning on having at least one beer while I'm hawking my wares to the DC crowd!!! LoL.

Hope to see you there!

A LOT of Fun! Did you get a chance to Pop in?

Yay! The virtual trunk show was sooo much fun. Somehow quite nerve-wracking, but super fun. I made a couple of sales in the hour of the show, so I feel pretty good!

For some reason though, I felt quite nervous, which is hilarious because I do craft shows all the time where I hawk my wares for 8 hours straight and I don't get nervous. Maybe it's because it was the first time I'd done a virtual show and had no idea what to expect? or maybe that so many things can go wrong and you have no control since it's virtual? Who knows! LoL. I'll have a better idea next February, 'cause we're doing another one for Valentine's Day!!! That should be a good show :D

Stay tuned for details!

Here's one item that sold! A fave of mine :D

Cyber Monday Holiday Trunk Show!

So Kids! It's Cyber Monday! THE day to do your online holiday shopping!!

Some of the members of the Etsy team EART are planning a very special Holiday Trunk Show in the virtual labs of Etsy! How cool is that? It's tonight, Monday 11/30 at 7pm EST.

We'll be in the "SKY" room: Open Door to Enter :D

There are 9 shops participating in the Trunk Show and I know most (if not all) are giving special Trunk Show promotions. So if you're looking for some unique gifts, here's your chance to get some great deals!

Here's who'll be there:

MichellesCharmWorld
PnkGeeni
EclecticSkeptic
HairBowsWonderWorld
InspirationRecycled
BeautifulSchlopp
DivaDea
AweShop
IndigoOrchid

Hope to see you there!

My first craft show ever went Fantastically good!

:D

I am thrilled with the process and outcome of my first craft show ever.

It was the Takoma Park Folk Fest and it was amazing. The show is very well put together and organized. There are a ton of super nice people and volunteers around to help and chat. And it is a very popular show, tons of people. The show itself is only minimally crafters, it's all about community and folk events like Thai Dancing demos and such, great music all day, community programs, lots of food, and more. My son had a great day roaming around.

I also had a great day. Sales were beyond what I expected and everyone was genuinely interested in the crafters and their wares. The crafters themselves were great, too. Lots of variety and all of them top notch with amazing handmade things to sell like gorgeous sculpture, great handbags, pottery, and much more.

If you live in the DC area and didn't get to go this year, definitely try for next! It's worth it!! I'll definitely be there again.