Thinking outside the box...

Ahhh, Spring is here! That means the "crafty" season has begun! I have always loved strolling through a craft fair marveling at the wonderful things created by true artisans. Now that I am one of those "crafty" folks, most weekends I am somewhere out selling my wares. But, I have a hard time staying behind my booth. I am still interested in checking out other vendors' creations.

One thing that draws me to a table are the displays. I particularly love when artists choose unconventional objects. Interesting displays are always an eye-catcher, and I took a few pictures while I was at a craft fair last weekend.

Kam, who owns Kamspots had an interesting display for her ceramic hanging planters. First of all, her planters could have been displayed on a paper plate, and still gotten a second look (they are absolutely beautiful!) I was intrigued by the display, and she told me that it was a towel rack...yes like the rack in your bathroom...That's what I call creative!

Angela Colombo, designer and creator of EnchantraGirl injected a bit of nature into her display. Turning a bit of driftwood into something to showcase her delicate bracelets, was a smart move. It is a nice change from the black velvet busts that so often adorn a jewelers craft table.

Lisa LeClaire of Lisa LeClaire Designs highlighted her jewelry with some colorful shot glasses. They were the perfect fit for her eye-catching, sparkly jewelry. Her entire table was shining, and it was hard not to take a second look!

And finally, a little creativeness from Nordea Soaperie (yes, that would be me!) I had a hard time figuring out how to display my lavender sachets. I embroider each design by hand, and didn't want to throw them in a box. I found this display meant for cupcakes! It was perfect because each design can be seen, so customers can check out all of the designs without sifting through a box!

Remember that the annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade is coming up in a couple of weeks (May 4th.) I would bet that there will be a lot of creative displays to be seen. Of course it goes without saying that those displays will be showcasing some wonderul crafts too! Hope to see you there!

Until next time....happy crafting!

Nordea  /  nordeasoaperie

The 5th Annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade . . .

 . . .is back!

Join us on Saturday May 4th, when Etsy New York, your local Etsy street team, hosts its 5th Annual Spring Handmade Cavalcade at The Space in Williamsburg, Brooklyn from 10AM to 5PM. Load up on clothing, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body treasures, toys, housewares and more!

Prize Package Cornucopia From Previous Cavalcade

The first 100 shoppers will receive an amazing goodie bag packed with a unique sampling of handmade wares from members of Etsy New York and local small businesses sponsoring the event. With each purchase, shoppers will also receive a raffle ticket for a chance to win one of three coveted Etsy New York prize packages, filled with handmade donations from our talented members, each worth hundreds of dollars. Shoppers will also have a chance to win an Etsy gift card!

Crafts in Chelsea Returns!

On Saturday October 20th from 11-4 the Etsy New York Street Team in collaboration with PS 11 returns to Chelsea. This twice-a-year affair spans the length of West 21st Street between 8th and 9th Avenue featuring over a 100 different vendors of exclusively handmade products. Endorsed by Markets of New York as "One of the most dynamic and exciting craft market events of the year," visit the festival to get outfitted with appropriate fall attire like this hat by Birdy 27 Designs:

Lulu Vintage Shell Edged Cloche

Since it is never too early to start on your holiday correspondence, you may want to pick up some of these cards by Wishbone Letterpress:

Merry Christmas Dude, Set of 6 Cards

In addition to these unique shopping opportunities, the festival also boasts a bouncy castle and indoor crafts for the kids. This is a benefit for the arts curriculum of PS11, so come out and support our schools!

Ninja Dragon Monster by La Muse Kalliope

Simone / groundsel.etsy.com

Just ONE day until the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade!

Saturday is The {NewNew} Holiday Handmade Cavalcade
You Do Not Want To Miss This Event!


For one day only during the holiday season shoppers can load up on clothing, jewelry, accessories, paper goods, bath and body treasures, toys, housewares and more, all handmade by some of the most creative local artisans and crafters in the NYC metropolitan area.
Where: Public Assembly 70 North 6th Street in Brooklyn
When: 10 am-6 pm Saturday December 3rd


The first 200 shoppers to arrive will receive free goodie bags packed with a unique sampling of wares from the {NewNew} - so come early!


With each purchase, shoppers will get a raffle ticket entry for a prize package filled with great {NewNew} wares!


In keeping with its tradition of partnering with local non-profits, the {NewNew} will have representatives from The Brooklyn Community Foundation, an organization that improves the lives of Brooklyn residents and their communities.


Hope to see you!
Holly / EllisDesign

Tutorial: PVC Tent Weights

This post first appeared in March of 2009. Tent weights are such an important item we are running this post once again.  Thanks Nordea for this great tutorial. ed


There are many must-haves for vending at an outdoor market. A tent is one of them, especially during the uncertain weather that comes in March and April. New Yorkers got such a surprise last week after waking up to snow on the first day of Spring!

Weighing down the tent is so important. Last year, I used various methods to anchor my tent; including gallon jugs filled with water and free weights. These worked ok, but there were plenty of times I had to stand by one of the legs and hold onto the tent in high winds...instead of tending to my customers. Not to mention the tripping hazard that these posed. Last fall, my tent died (R.I.P. my old friend...) after being blown around all year. I just purchased a new tent for 2009, and decided to build some proper weights to protect my investment.

I read about using pvc piping & cement to make tent weights, and figured I would give it a try. There is a way to figure out how much sand/cement is needed to fill up the pvc piping…something to do w/cubic ft & volume. I am the worst when it comes to math, so I’ll just explain what I did….

Materials you will need:

10’- 4” diameter pvc pipe (cut into 4 pieces, 2.5’ long each)
2- 50lb bags of sand
1- 25lb box of quick setting cement
4- end caps for pvc pipe
4- ½” x 8” eye bolt w/nuts
Water
A long spoon or stick to stir the cement (anything you don’t mind throwing away when you are finished.)
Something to scoop sand and cement from the bag (I used an old soup container.)
A hammer

1. Place the cut pipes into the end caps and stand them upright. Make sure they are not crooked and they can stand alone.
2. Scoop out a bit of cement and pour into the bottom of each pipe.
3. Pour a tiny bit of water into each pipe and stir w/spoon until the cement is a thick consistency. Do this one at a time because it sets up fast, so finish mixing water into one pipe before moving onto the next.
4. Wait a few minutes until the cement starts to set up, then fill up pipe #1 with the sand, leaving room to top off the pipe w/cement. You can measure this by holding the eyebolt over the pipe to estimate the amount of cement needed to cover it.



5. Finish filling the pipe by adding cement and water, a little bit at a time, gently mixing until the pipe is full.
6. Have at least 2 nuts on the eyebolt (you want to give the cement something to “grab” on to) and space them apart on the bolt.




7. Stick the eyebolt into the wet cement, using the hammer to gently push the bolt into the pipe.
8. Repeat steps until you have finished filling all 4 pipes.
9. Set the pipes in a secure location (where they won’t get knocked over) so they can completely harden.




The next day I weighed each pipe, and they averaged about 22lbs each. Of course, if you want heavier weights, just cut the pipes longer (but not too long, that they won’t fit in your car!)

I had approx 40lbs of sand left over when I finished. When in doubt, just buy extra so you don’t come up short (wet cement won't wait for you to return from the hardware store!)

I plan to use a bungee cord to hang the weights from the top frame of the tent on each corner (attached to the eyebolt.) Additional bungees can be used to secure the weights to the legs of the tent keeping them out of the way. These weights can be decorated to make them a bit more attractive. Painting stripes, flowers, and other designs on the weights can add to the charm of your entire display.

All materials cost me approx $45, and knowing that I have taken steps to protect my brand new tent is priceless!!

-Nordea
Nordea's Soaperie

Decorating for the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade!

Everyone has been busy as bees preparing for the upcoming Holiday Handmade Cavalcade (this Sunday!), and we thought we would give you a little sneak peek at our decorations that we have been making.  

Make sure you stop by on Sunday, December 5th, 2010 from 11am-8pm, to check out our fabulously decorated window display and to do your holiday shopping from over 40 amazing vendors!