Friday, March 29, 2013

craft fair-ology: be your own favorite booth

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If you're just joining me, this is "Craft Fair-ology," my regular feature on helpful tips and hints for selling handmade goods at craft fairs.

But wait, you don't have to be a craft vendor to learn something useful! I will be mentioning how to apply these tips and techinques for display and storage to other aspects of your life as well... truly win-win! 


wholebooth

One of the best pieces of advice I've ever heard for selling at craft shows is to be the booth you would most want to stop at. The set up pictured above is the booth where I feel like I did that the best. I am drawn to lots of color, but I like for it to have some uniformity - hence the black and white chalkboard theme with the pops of every color of the rainbow!

What you like might be different from what other people like, but it's guaranteed that you will do your best work if you are doing what you love and showing in a way you like instead of copying someone else's style. When you are at craft fairs, take a walk around and note what you like that the other vendors are doing. Make sure you're using them for inspiration rather than directly copying them, because you always want to make sure you make things you're own. When you have a chance, jot down all your ideas and think about what you do with your time and space.

Most of all, be patient with yourself. The most well put together booths didn't happen overnight, and I have spent the better part of 4 years perfecting mine, and I am always improving.

For more craft fair advice, read the rest of my Craft Fair-ology posts.

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

Thursday, March 28, 2013

bison friends

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At the Tallgrass Prairie last week we had a chance to see HUNDREDS of buffalo in their natural habitat - no fences, no gate, just open praire and lots of honkin' big animals. 

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Almost all of the Midwest used to be this type of prairie - tall grass with impossibly deep roots, wild flowers, big sky, and bison. It was like time travelling to be there. We loved it.

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Wednesday, March 27, 2013

wild heart

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These photos were taken at the Tallgrass Prairie Reserve in Pawhuska, OK, where we went for a great little day trip last week to celebrate spring break... Unfortunately it was really cold, so it didn't feel much like spring.

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Tuesday, March 26, 2013

illustrations: random inspiration

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smalllettoday


I have always loved to draw with words and so I have decided to challenge myself to share at least one illustration of a quote each week with you, my dear readers.  Today it says, "Let today be the day."

All of my illustrations will be free for your personal use. To download the full size picture you can visit this link. Please attribute where you got them from if you share.

Hope you have an inspired Tuesday!


Monday, March 25, 2013

hot pink hot pants

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hotpink
Shorts: Soffe, Shirt & shoes: thrifted, Tote: Trinity College Library, Dublin, Earrings by Favoring Brave

Before the days of Revolt Now, I never would have bought hot pink shorts, but thankfully I have discovered their wonderfulness. They are not tight, thank goodness, otherwise I wouldn't have gone near them, but they are delightfully perfect for warm weather. A sports store near our house has all their shorts on clearance ($2!) and so I was feeling extra adventurous with color.

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I wore this outfit out to draw in the park and it was idyllic. I have been doing lots of exciting sketches lately and I am getting ready for what (I hope!) comes next for me professionally.


Saturday, March 23, 2013

the revolt link up #3

Revoltlinkup
Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.



Friday, March 22, 2013

craft fair-ology: creating versatile space

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

8368512562_2ba772621d_z

If you're just joining me, this is "Craft Fair-ology," my regular feature on helpful tips and hints for selling handmade goods at craft fairs.

But wait, you don't have to be a craft vendor to learn something useful! I will be mentioning how to apply these tips and techinques for display and storage to other aspects of your life as well... truly win-win! 


2ndsuitcase

One of the best favors you can do yourself as a craft vendor is to create display spaces that can do double or triple duty. The blue suitcase above is one of my favorite examples. The clothespins on the back can hold whatever I need them to - necklaces, earrings, signs, etc. I have divided up the bottom with tins and canisters because they have lids that can be taken off and the items inside can be displayed as is. The other great thing about suitcases that they are easy transportation to and from the show!

clothespins

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Also, back in the left corner you can see my big black corkboard, which I used with cup hooks from the hardware store to create more versatile space. I use it to hang necklaces, earrings, etc. 

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Think about what it is that you sell and what you might like to sell in the future and how those items can best be displayed. Having a good amount of space that can change with your changing inventory will help you be most ready for whatever shows and quick turn arounds might come your way.

Read the rest of my Craft Fair-ology posts for even more ways to use your space and optimize your craft fair performance!

Thursday, March 21, 2013

new old-fashioned way

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

oldschool6

I cannot believe I haven't blogged this dress before. It is one of the most beautiful pieces of 1960s vintage I have ever seen (much less owned!) and I adore it. I found it at the Tulsa Antique Show in February and it was love at first sight. The lady gave me a great deal on it and it had the ORIGINAL, 1960s department store tags on it. Literally like-new vintage. Sometimes life just tosses you those easy ones so you can feel great about knocking it out of the park.

This outfit is basically all the weird things in my closet that I love. And I love that about it.

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What to call this piece of clothing - a shawl? a shrug? a cape? a cardi? I really don't know - but I like it! The proportions are tricky though, and this dress seems to just work so well with it. Happy accidents.

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Wednesday, March 20, 2013

*happy spring*

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

springflowers

Thought I'd celebrate this lovely first day of spring with some pictures of my spring flowers. 
All are made from paper and natural elements by me. Enjoy!

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lightyellowflowers


yellowflowers

Happy Spring!

Tuesday, March 19, 2013

illustrations: phoebe from friends

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

smalloh


I have always loved to draw with words and so I have decided to challenge myself to share at least one illustration of a quote each week with you, my dear readers. For a light bit, today's quote comes from Phoebe - "Oh, I wish I could, but I don't want to..."

All of my illustrations will be free for your personal use. To download the full size picture you can visit this link. Please attribute where you got them from if you share.

Hope you have an inspired Tuesday!

Monday, March 18, 2013

blue jays

Dear Readers, Google Reader AND Google Friend Connect are going the way of cassette tapes, so make sure you don't lose your favorite blogs - Especially Favor the Brave, which you can follow on Bloglovin' HERE! Import all your fave blogs from Google Reader to Bloglovin' here.

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Dress: Birdseye View Dress c/o Eshakti, Booties: Maurices, Thrifted cardigan, belt, and scarf, Earrings by Favoring Brave.

Friends of ours had a party the other weekend with a "Noah's Ark" theme, and they told us that themed couples animal costumes were "encouraged." So after I spent an entire day racking my brain for ideas for a couples costume, my husband came up with a winner in three seconds - we wore all blue and went as "Blue Jays" since our names are John and Jill. Way corny, but we got to wear normal clothes, and we were all for that. This was my blue jay outfit.

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Hope you're smiling and ready to have a good week! I know I am!

Saturday, March 16, 2013

revolt blogger link up #2

Revoltlinkup

Hosted by:

Favor the Brave

Cohosted by:



It's that time again, bloggers - time for our weekly Revolt link-up! Join up with your links to your Revolt centered posts.

Thanks for joining up this week and we'll see you back here, same time, same place for next week!


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