Patchwork Indie - Santa Ana

As much as I love making and selling earrings and other items, I have found that there is a point at each event where I sort of wish I was done, because it's hot and I'm tired and I have been sitting in a booth for 5 hours and I want a change of scenery. This point never lasts long, but it has happened. However - at today's Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival - that moment never happened.

I got to the space at about 8am. I circled the block probably 4 times before I figured out where to pull in the truck - I have officially moved up in the world of vendors, I now have enough set-up to warrant borrowing my husband's giant truck instead of being able to use my Yaris. I set up what I could, moved the truck, and then waited for Wi and Ken to bring their soaps and lotions for set up.

The wind was a bit of an issue - twice my new cabinet fell all the way over, taking and breaking my mirror and lightbulb in my new lamp with it. But it wasn't anything a football field's worth of 50 lb test fishing line couldn't handle!! I tied earrings to lamp, lamp to easy up, cabinet to easy up, and weighted everything down with rolls of duct tape. By the time the wind came back in the afternoon, everything just swayed slightly. woohoo!



This event seemed WAY bigger than the Long Beach one. Maybe it was because it was mostly set up in one narrow road, with a few parking-lot offshoots of vendors, or maybe it was because I was pretty close to bathrooms and a food truck and so saw more traffic - but it did seem like there was a pretty steady stream of people, dogs, and strollers going by.



I have finally started tracking what items I'm selling, because I'd like to track over time to see what trends exist for what shows. I am a little surprised at how quick my bottle-cap-resin-magnets are going!! I am almost out, and will definitely need to make more.

I have to do a little sidebar here and make a comment about how AMAZING it is that people actually stop to look at my items, and then like them enough to buy them. Part of me is not totally surprised - I think they are neat, or I wouldn't make them - but it is a totally different gratifying feeling to know other people think so too. It is especially gratifying when people who saw me at the Long Beach Patchwork show came back to my booth to buy more - or people who found and liked my page on facebook choose which earrings they want to buy and then come to the show to get them. It's a really humble feeling, and is the most encouraging one in the world.

Here's a photo from my perspective in the booth, while people perused my table...


One of the contributing factors to my not having that ready-to-leave-feeling at this event was the people watching. I have to say - there were SO MANY CUTE PEOPLE at this show. I have never seen so many adorable boots in one place before in my life. People were fun and funky looking, it was obvious that the majority of what folks were wearing were handmade, and everyone was smiling and really seemed like they wanted nothing more than to be walking down this sunshiney street in Santa Ana looking for more handmade items to buy. The street itself was cute - beautiful and richly colored homes behind us, and Bowers Museum one street over. There seemed to be an abundance of pregnant and stroller pushing mama's, and a lot of little kids. That was fun too - my earrings and magnets are bright and were at the perfect level to catch 6 year old eyes. Some of the best conversations of the day were with the kids who came to ask about crocheting.

I always like to showcase another booth in my blog after an event - and this time is no exception. This particular booth was right across from me, and I spent the whole time getting distracted by her brightly colored fused glass pendants. They are beautiful, and with a name like Sunny Scarlett, she deserves a comic book, not just a mention in a blog post. But here she is, and here are a few photos of her work:




if anyone wants to buy me a present, I want that tree pendant!!!

I wasn't ready to pack up with 5pm rolled around. It was a blast, and I am jonesing for the next Patchwork Indie.

I'll leave you with two more photos - one of the traffic jam of vendors trying to get out of the show at the end...


and this one I saw on my walk back to the truck at the end of the day.

Patchwork Indie - Long Beach

Well, I survived my first Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival!!! It was a great experience, and I have so many things on my to-do list to accomplish before the Santa Ana one.

My day started with waking up to RAIN. RAIN RAIN RAIN. Luckily, I had packed the car up the night before, but I was still not looking forward to an entire day outside trying to sell soggy items to soggy people. My mom met me at my house and we drove to the store so I could get change and candy, and then we headed to the Marine Stadium! By that time puddles had formed, but the actual downpour had stopped, and never came back. We were setting up in a parkinglot right on the water, and there were big beautiful clouds and gusts of wind all day - the sky was blue, the sun was out, it was gorgeous.

Everything I have fits into my little Yaris (the advantages of selling earrings and not - you know, furniture or something) and so it didn't take my mom and I very long to get it out. Set up did take longer than I thought, mostly because I had never done this before and wasn't really sure how I wanted things. I was sharing a booth, like I'd mentioned before, with Wisalya Bath and Body, and so it took us a minute to figure out the joint set up. They were both super friendly and helpful though, and shared their expertise with me.

The event itself started at 11, and within a half hour I'd made my first sale. I have to say, I was incredibly nervous about whether or not I would make any money at this event. I didn't have a chance to leave my booth, really, and so I don't know what sort of other vendors were there, but several people mentioned that they had not seen anything like what I was selling. Phew!

Wisalya was doing constant business (her product really is amazing, buy it!!!) which meant that I got to talk to people all day long. My mom, dad and sister brought me a burrito from one of the many food trucks that was at the event, but that was really all the outside contact I had! haha. A few of my friends came by, and I ran into a few people I knew but didn't know would be at the show. My favorite moments were the times when little kids would come up and ask me about what I was doing (I was making earrings while I was sitting there) and I would get to teach them about crocheting.

By the time the event was done, I was pretty exhausted. I had a very unique sunburn on one shoulder, and I was ready to drink a gallon of water. Packing up didn't take that long, and I was out of there by 6. Like I said, I have a whole list of to-do's for the next show -

1. I'd like to make my table taller
2. I'd like to make a better Royaboya's sign
3. I'd like to get a short table to go on TOP of the current table so I have another level for ceramics
4. I need to find someone who can stay there the whole time with me (my mom had to leave at 12)
5. I need to make more stuff!

In the end, the event paid off and I was really glad I did it. I hope to continue to be invited to more and more events like this, because it was a blast, I loved meeting people and getting the experience. I hope folks who met me at the event do find me on facebook so I can keep in touch, because getting to talk to everyone throughout the day really was the highlight of the event for me.

THANK YOU to everyone who came out - special thanks to Sean and his family, Sea-Farin' Aaron, Bam Bam and Caitie, and my mom, dad, and Rosie. Thanks to my aunt and uncle Julie and Tim for letting me borrow their table, and thanks again to Wisalya Bath and Body for letting me share their spot!!!

Sunday Funday

Having a little bit of a rough week - staying up just a little too late, and then waking up just a little too early... I need to get some real, deep, quality sleep soon. I also found out that I did not get either of the 2 scholarships that I applied for, so I am feeling a little discouraged about that. It makes my selling my items even more imperative to be able to afford grad school!!

The Patchwork Indie Arts and Crafts Festival is coming up on Sunday. I have about 90 pairs of earrings, some coin purses, bags, beanies, and some ceramics ready to go. I am still working hard on making more earrings though. I recently got some tie-dye embroidery floss and am making new earrings with that! They're fun. :) They also remind me so much of my mom, and every homeschooled mama that gathers at conferences and camp outs.

So this Sunday - Patchwork Indie. I am sharing a booth with Wisayla LeBlanc who was one of the most popular sellers at the Backyard Bazaar. She sells lotions and soaps and her lip balm is one of my favorites.
I also just found out that Long Beach's fantaaastic Independent bookstore, Open, will be there on Sunday as well. So make sure you stop by there, and my booth - #128 also!!

The other photo in this blog is just me as a little kid. I just found it and it makes me happy, so I thought i'd blog it. That's all. The end!

Upcoming craft fairs!

I am really excited about one of the unexpected results of holding my Backyard Bazaar - I have started networking with other local arts/crafts folk, and that has blossomed into more opportunities for selling!

I am going to be at 3 upcoming arts and crafts festivals! THREE! Super excited.

First - I'll be at the Patchwork Indie arts and crafts festival. This looks like a big one :)

I'm sharing a booth with Wisayla LeBlanc, who makes gorgeous and yummy handmade lotions and soaps. She was at my Backyard Bazaar, and I am really thrilled that she invited me!

The second one I am having a booth at is the Splash into Summer Boutique, happening locally in lakewood!

I'll keep you posted on my preparation for these two exciting festivals, I can't tell you how excited I am to be a part of this!