Happy

get ready for magic:

F5 2011 RE:PLAY Film Festival. Inductance from Physalia Studio on Vimeo.

thanks for sharing, jo!

Craft Fair Preparation Demystified! part 2

Ah, hello! Let's continue this craft fair demystifying shall we! (btw, if you're just joining us now, here's the previous post!)

6. Setting IntentionsOne thing that I always make sure to do before any fair, big or small, is set my intentions.

My early craft fair intentions used to go a little like this:

• make a profit, any profit!
• have people sign up for the mailing list
• don't be shy
• stay hydrated & don't forget to pee!
• learn a lot! make mistakes!

All very general, but very good to have. I remember on the first day of my first fair, I intentionally didn't put prices on anything to force me to talk to customers. Then as the fairs continued, the intentions became more specific and it became clear the areas I wanted to work on. Now my intentions are more like this (for maker faire, from the photo above):

• actually venture outside the booth & explore! that requires trust, letting go & energy!
• tweet & post pictures throughout the day--requires discipline, and it'll be great promotion
• do not get so tired that it affects your mood and demeanor. remember to drink, take breaks, get rest before & after the show days
• of course meet new people, make friends, inspire, get press, move beyond just an email/etsy username--make it personal! tell your story and learn theirs.
• take good inventory throughout the day. you're great at organizing the space under the table, but make it so it contributes to a rhythm and habit of prep, log, change and give.
• really utilize your helpers! become a better manager and let go of tasks so that you can effectively talk and greet and make sales.

I think writing out intentions is sooooo important. It gives me a focus/foci that isn't merely 'sales.' It's about how to be a better businesswoman, crafter, artist, communicator, manager, etc. You gotta think big picture! which is so important because you have to believe there's a big picture for your craft if it's to successfully become your bread & butter.

I love craft fairs because I get to meet so many people and not only see that they liked something enough to pick it up or buy it, but see WHY. Little known fact: I thought I was going into the plush business. Then I had my first craft fair and to my surprise, my artwork and prints stole all the glory! If I didn't learn that, I probably wouldn't be around. Probably would have been discouraged because no one was buying elephants, and I wouldn't know exactly why.

Craft fairs can be expensive, laborious affairs but I believe they're well worth the effort, stress, everything. So cheers to this weekend! I can't wait!

Stay tuned for the next post about what happens the DAY BEFORE THE FAIR! Dun dun DUNNNN!

Oh Brother What a World!

The origin of this phrase is none other than the talented Manolo. I forget if I've already blogged about him. Well, if I did already, he deserves a revisit! We became friends in NYC through my bffffff Sandeep. He gave me my first 'break' hehe at the Bushwick Artwalk when he let me share his studio space and display my artwork alongside his. He also let me borrow the phrase 'oh brother what a world' which I use at least 23904802384 times a day. Thank you.

"say something funny"
"(nervous)"

His personality definitely shines through his art... there's a darker silliness and understanding. I applaud him for perfecting such a unique style :)

"introverting for a living"

"hello clouds"
these two are my favorite
"the vision is free"

Craft Fair Preparation Demystified! part 1

I recently became a member of the SF etsy street team (yeah!) which has been incredible. It's opened me up to a wonderful community and lovely opportunities I didn't know existed! And on a regular basis too! A recent post was about preparing for one's first craft fair. That paired with meeting a couple new vendors to the craft fair scene at Unique LA got me thinking about how one prepares for a craft fair. So, I thought I'd share to help demystify the scary process. At least for me it's scary. Leading up to last year's Renegade Craft Fair, there were definitely many moments where Victoria and I would look up from our work and just barbarically yawp with anxiety!

So, process revealed! Keep in mind everyone works differently. This is just what works for me!

dawww... my first fair!

1. Planning the craft fair season
For about a solid month, I researched for every craft fair & artist flea market in every state I wanted to vend. I did this months before they requested applications (which is typically 2-3 months before the show). If I didn't see information about this year's schedule, I made sure to join their mailing list. I emailed people, asked questions about the shows, and what they thought about it. I made a list of target craft fairs, organizing them by date. As the application deadlines neared, I started to narrow it down. Rejection & acceptance narrowed it down even more & then I knew where I was headed. A bit of advice: have lots of money saved to apply to the fairs! $400 for this fair, $250 for that one... it starts to add up like WHOA! Or plan to share a booth :)

2. Inventory preparation

For me, the post-holiday months are the slowest months but I make sure to use the time well! I made a list of what I wanted to carry at the summer fairs, from prints, cards, plush and new items. I set target numbers and due dates, down to which week in which month I'd have all my dinosaurs done. For me, my plush inventory takes time. I sew every piece by hand, and it's just me. So from mid-Feb to mid-March, I sewed non-stop, reaching nearly 100 plush. Once the tough stuff was done, I worked on printing goodies, integrating a new painting or item every month or so. It was tough trying to blindly produce, with no one really buying after such an solid holiday season. But you gotta get over the discouragement because you'll be happy you did it later! (& I am :)

3. Design your Booth!
YAY! So you got all this stuff... Now to organize it in the way that is portable, eye-catching and flattering... in a 10x10 space! EASY! Just kidding! But kinda!

The interweb is a wonderful place to search pics of previous craft fairs & get ideas for booths. Victoria & I started keeping a log of photos to help inspire and encourage us. Strolls through craft fairs & Anthropologie also don't hurt (I dare you to walk out empty handed...!). Booth design, for me at least, is an ongoing project. As I introduce new goodies, I have to move this and get this piece of furniture for that. It's like a game of bananagrams! So don't stress out trying to achieve the ULTIMATE booth the first time around.

Signage is important! & try not to make your table too busy. Like one of those dang myspace pages (whoa did you just cite myspace??!?) with all the flash... you don't want them running for the hills.

4. Marketing & Publicity
Yay! The fun stuff :) I named my craft fair activity the Le Petit Elefant Summer Craft Fair Tour 2011, mailing out postcards & sending out emails to old customers & friends. I talked it up whenever anyone asked me what I was doing for the summer. If I sent out an order to a city near one of the craft fairs, I made sure to mention it in the personal thank you note.

5. The week of THE FAIR!
Ohhhh brother. First thing's first... GET SLEEP! & remember to stay hydrated & eat! You do NOT want to get sick. It's happened to me (at the first fair too!) & ooooh boy it's not great.

I've created a craft fair checklist template in excel that basically breaks down everything for me... from inventory sheet (which I print & use to keep track of my sales at the fair):

to checklist of supplies & furniture to bring:

Experience has taught me that you can never have too much water, business cards, tape, and $1 bills! Things that I almost overlooked if it weren't for Victoria... bags to package the merch after they purchase it (duh-DOY!), tape (oh boy), lights if it's a night fair, extension cord, and basic art supplies (you just never know!). Every fair is different but some require a tent, offer you table and chair rentals, etc. Some even have you set up the day before and leave it overnight. If that's the case, make sure you have a sheet with you to cover & tuck in your goods when you leave for the night a la:
Oh & make sure you label your items with prices. Price tags? Easy! Use a handy scallop punch from Michaels & a screw punch to punch the holes. Walla!
Okay, I'll break down the day before the fair when I'm actually there :) Whaaaaaat... real time blogging?!?! Oh goodness I'm so tired. Okay bye!

Travel. Bug. Stop. It.

Just stumbled upon this AMAAAAZING (said like Manny Pacquiao) chalkboard world map on etsy by shopdirtsa. Oh brother. Imagine it next to my scratch map. I'm not sure if it would satiate or encourage my travel bug.... All I know is I want I want I want. Now now now :)

Anthropologie & Ice Cream

oh hubba hubba.
I meant to share these website screenshots earlier but forgot!

utterly delightful. a million sighs!

Robert Krulwich's Commencement Speech

Mr. Krulwich, the host of Radiolab, gave the commencement speech to Berkeley Journalism School’s Class of 2011. It's long but it hits home. Gold I tell ya. Gold. Here's an excerpt:

What you love can differ, but the love, once it comes, that feeling of waking up with a kind of eagerness, a crazy momentum that pushes you into your day, an excitement you realize you don’t ever want to go way… that’s important.

If you don’t have that feeling, maybe you’re lucky. You can lead a more sane life. But if you do – I say congratulations. You have what it takes to begin.

I've read a fair share of articles & texts about being an entrepreneur, fighting the good fight, living the dream, etc. but for whatever reason, this one made me feel particularly fuzzy. I think this part may be responsible for the fuzzies:

Instead, think about getting together with friends that you admire, or envy. Think about entrepeneuring. Think about NOT waiting for a company to call you up. Think about not giving your heart to a bunch of adults you don’t know. Think about horizontal loyalty. Think about turning to people you already know, who are your friends, or friends of their friends and making something that makes sense to you together, that is as beautiful or as true as you can make it.

Read the speech in its entirety here.