how to throw an indie craft show

I had such a great time as a vendor at the Second Storie} Indie Market this weekend! The women in charge (Shanna, Rachael, Cris, JoAnn, and Karen) are fabulous. I've never seen craft show coordinators go out of their way like this to see to it that the vendors were so well taken care of. Everything from simply providing tables and linens, all the way to having an incredible brunch catered on Sunday morning, truly made you feel like you were a valued part of the event. I thought the variety of vendors was very well-chosen. There were several vendors selling the same type of product, but each had its own unique aesthetic. Since there wasn't much overlap in product, there wasn't the slightest air of competition. I certainly felt honored to be accepted amongst such fantastic artists and craftspeople.

Every single vendor I met was not only incredibly kind, but also incredibly generous with both compliments and advice. Everyone was very supportive of each other's work and the warm fuzzies were flying, but it was also a great opportunity for sharing information on materials, suppliers, techniques, displays...you name it. Lucky me; my table was back-to-back with Amber Mahler, who makes probably--no, definitely--the most beautiful jewelry I've ever seen. And she might be the sweetest person I've ever met, so be sure to take a peek at her shop!

The experience seemed very positive for shoppers, as well. Seemingly small details such as background music, complimentary coffee and hot cider, and a few sofas scattered around, encouraged people to actually spend some time at the event. Rather than buying and leaving, people were taking a few minutes to sit, relax, and mingle with other shoppers between making their purchases. Speaking of purchases, my aunt bought a print from Freshly Blended Press, I helped a friend pick out a set of three prints from Sarah Ahearn, and I was able to snag some lovely, funky little paper journals from Mackenzie Sasser, as well as an ornament and some printed gift tags from Shanna Murray and Hello Handmade.

Not only was it nice to make some sales and talk with the buyers, it was great to meet and hang out with other crafters. I'm so glad to have joined up with the Second Storie} family and I can't wait to see how they grow.

I only got this one photo (give yourself 10 points if you spotted the handknit!), but you can see more photos of the event on Freshly Blended's Flickr set!