Mayday Underground (Spring 2015)

Bethany Gardens Bazaar 2014

Here's my setup at the Bethany Gardens Bazaar at the Bethany Gardens Skilled Living Center in Rome NY.

My cousin, Kristyn, made sure she got her favorite monsters early! She works at Bethany Gardens and helps organize the Bazaar.

My behind-the-scenes tools all jumbled in their drawer. They usually are more organized, but this is what it ends up looking like mid-show.

Rome's pretty Christmas lights on the parking garage downtown across from Fort Stanwix.

Even though this show is 3 hours away from where I live, I didn't need a hotel. I spent the night at my grandma's house! (and taught her how to play Mahjong on my new laptop). The fact that my cousin helps organize the show and that I can visit Grandma are the main reasons I do this show! I always figure that even if I don't do that well at the show (which is not the case. I do pretty well), I get to spend a weekend with Grandma!

Christmas In Medina 2014

Thanksgiving weekend is always a bit of whirlwind for us due to having a booth at the "Christmas In Medina" celebration that's always on the Saturday after Thanksgiving. Either we're driving back from visiting my husband's family in Cleveland, or switching gears from hosting Thanksgiving at my house. But it's a nice local show for me, so it's worth it!

My usual spot outside the old Bent's Opera House...on the corner of Main Street and West Center Street in Medina.

Braving the cold, as usual! I always figure more people are more apt to shop when I'm outside because I have more visibility being out on the sidewalk (instead of in one of the indoor spaces inside one of the empty shops). Plus, there's no booth fee if you opt for an outdoor space! Again...worth it! I just make sure to bundle up and have some hand/toe warmers on hand.

My mom being silly while trying to stay warm...

Snuggly monsters waiting for a home!

Raccoon Nubbins.

Trying to encourage people to support small business (and handmade) on "Small Business Saturday".

Having fun with sidewalk chalk and the "Shop Small" & "Shop Handmade" slogans...

The view of our cars and my booth from the 3rd floor of the Opera House.  We're acquainted with the mayor, and some mutual friends of ours were in town, so he was showing them the inside of the building. I had to man my booth so I didn't get to see it (mom hadn't gotten there yet), but my husband got to get a mini tour of the third floor of the building, which is where the Opera House stage was. He made sure to take some pictures for me...

There are people trying to revive and restore the building back to its former glory.

"In 2010, Bank of America, the building's last commercial owner, donated the Bent's Hall property to the Orleans Renaissance Group, Inc. (ORG), a not-for-profit organization dedicated to bringing arts and cultural programs to the greater Medina community. Leaders of ORG hope to restore the Opera House to its former glory as a functioning performance venue." (excerpt from Wikipedia)

Rochester Mini Maker Faire 2014!

CJ and I attended the Rochester Mini Maker Faire today! I had a few RNEST & artist friends who had booths there. (Jackbear Stamps, Manic Metals, and Retrobots) as well as some of my friends who work for Simplified Building Solutions. It was a blast! I'm considering having my own exhibition booth if they have it again next year!

Mayday Underground (November 2014)

Mayday was awesome, as always! It continues to be my favorite show of the year! Here are some highlights...

Artist Row 2014

Artist Row is an annual craft fair they have at the Rochester Public Market.  It's held on a Sunday, since the regular farmer's market is on Saturday.  This was my first time ever doing Artist Row.  My friend John from RNEST has been trying to get me to do it for years, but there was always some reason I couldn't do it.  But this year, I took the plunge...and was glad I did!

I've started saying "You know it's a good show when I don't have time to take a lot of pictures!" That means I had a lot of customers and sales and was kept pretty busy!  I made a little sign for this show to encourage people to take pictures and tag me on Instagram.

Technically, it's proper etiquette at a craft show to ask the artist if you can take pictures of their work. Some artists don't like people to take pictures of their booth or their work, because they're paranoid that people will steal their ideas/designs. I can understand this if they are a photographer or painter. I've heard stories of people taking a photo of someone's work at a show, and then printing it out at home to frame instead of buying a print from the artist.  I agree...that's pretty shady.  But there are other artists, like jewelers, who are afraid that the people will go home and try to make the item themselves... or worse, make it and start selling it.
 But I personally don't give in to that kind of paranoia.  I'm secure enough in my work that I know no one can make my stuff exactly like I do.  And if I can encourage people to make stuff, I'm glad to!  Sure... if someone started making and selling my Nubbin design, I probably wouldn't be too happy.  But I don't want to let that fear make me into one of those people who forbids picture taking.  And if someone wants to make something for their personal use... I don't care! Besides, sometimes when people try to make stuff themselves, they realize just how much hard work it is and that it's just easier to buy it!

And... I love seeing the pictures that people take of my stuff at shows!  Sometimes (like at Artist Row) I don't get a lot of time to take pictures myself.  Plus,  I consider it free promotion if they share them! I encourage people to share pictures on social media and tag me.  As long as I'm credited, I'm happy!

Brainery Spectacular TODAY!

I'll have a booth at the mini Brainery Bazaar at the Brainery Spectacular today, 5pm-9pm, 1050 East Ave in Rochester. (There will be a free Yoga On The Lawn class at 6:30~7:30 pm! Bring your yoga mat!)

Brainery Holiday Bazaar

Photos from the Rochester Brainery's "Brainery Holiday Bazaar"...

Bethany Gardens Bazaar

Photos from the "Bethany Gardens Craft Bazaar"...

Christmas In Medina 2013

Photos from a frigid day at"Christmas In Medina"...

Mayday Underground November 2013

Some photos from Mayday Underground...

1. Me wearing a domino necklace I got from a trade with cloud9jewels

2. Another artist trade.  Traded a fox for a fox with PeachesProducts!

3. The owners of "Andy the Traveling Nubbin" visited and showed me pictures of Andy's most recent trip to Sweden and Finland.

4. Moustache Nubbins
5. This girl comes every year to Mayday and wears this awesome shirt!

6. A One-Eye Nubbin finds a home in the pocket of a happy customer.

7. "Gertie" plays with my hat.
8. "Sergeant Waffles" with his new friend!
9. Cool Doctor Who themed stuff from Cat Clay and Papersaurus Creative. 

Mini Mayday 2013!

Some quick photos of Mini Mayday from today!

We had some worries in the morning, since it was pouring rain when we got there to set up (and I was one of the few vendors who chose to set up outside).  But we still had some die-hard Mayday Underground fans show up in the rain with their raincoats and umbrellas to get the free swag bags!  And by noon, it had cleared up and was nice and dry and sunny!  And after borrowing some sidewalk chalk from the organizer (she'd used it to write a notice on the blacktop that there were more vendors inside) I'm feeling inspired to make sure I keep some of my own in my craft show supplies!  

Upcoming Craft Shows June/July 2013

Here are a couple of my upcoming summer shows!

Midsummer Mini Mayday!
(THIS) Saturday, June 29, 2013 10:00am until 4:00pm
256 Alexander St, Rochester, New York 14607

Lyndonville AFS 4th of July Craft Show

Thursday, July 4, 2013 11:00am until 6:00pm 

 25 Housel Ave, Lyndonville, NY 14098

It's Going To Be A "Bazaar" Weekend!

FYI: I'll be at Rochester Brainery's June "Brainery Bazaar" tomorrow! (10am - 6pm)

(By the way, I love this logo! So clever!)

"Brainery Bazaar is a monthly arts & crafts show held at Rochester Brainery the 2nd Saturday of each month from 10am-6pm. Join us in June as we welcome back some of our May vendors and welcome new vendors, too! As always, the first 25 people through the door will receive a FREE Brainery Bazaar tote bag filled with free swag from some of our vendors!"

"Help up spread the word by sharing the event on your FB wall, please! Also, if you stop by tomorrow, remember to use the hashtag #BraineryBazaar if you snap a photo and please tag us at @rocbrainery."


The next day (Sunday) I am going to another craft show called the "Dichotomy Art Bazaar", but I will be there as a shopper, not a vendor.

As disappointed as I am that I didn't get into this show, I am kind of excited to go to a show as a shopper. So now I can actually check out the booths without worrying about getting back to my own booth to relieve whoever is helping me (usually either my mom or my husband).

Pictures from Mayday Underground!

Here are some pictures from Mayday Underground this past Saturday...

I was pretty busy most of the day (which is a good thing!) so I didn't have much time to take as many pictures as I would have liked.  You can go to the photo album on the Mayday Underground Facebook page to see photos of the other vendors. (a friend of mine took a bunch of photos of me & my booth, I'm just waiting for her to post them).  Check out the Mayday posts on the RNEST blog and the Jackbear Stamps blog as well.

(blurry selfie)

Mayday was the craft show debut of the Fox Nubbins and the Plaid-ypus Nubbins.  The foxes and barn owls were my best sellers of the day.

Before every show, I'm afraid I don't have enough product... then when I set up, I find I have too much to fit into the display!  My sweater monster trunk was PACKED!  I actually had to keep some monsters back behind the table until I sold some.

One of my biggest fans, Tree, bought one of my favorite recent monsters, Rigby.  I had to take a picture of him, since I never had the chance to before the show!

 And friends of mine, Holli and Ben, bought big Tobias, the super tall sweater monster who was over 2 foot tall.  He was my favorite monster I had at the show (you know, the one you secretly hope no one buys?).  It seems silly, but I'm glad he was bought by someone I know!

I made lots of sales, and I considered the day a great success!...as every Mayday Underground show is for me!  But it was exceptionally good for a spring craft show!  Thank you so much to everyone who came and everyone who bought something from me!  It couldn't have been a successful day without you!