BOO Y'ALL....

As seen on all*you blog

Make a Kittycat Pumpkin Craft for Halloween

Craft this adorable pumpkin overflowing with kitties for the cutest Halloween decoration.

YOU'LL NEED

• Scissors
• Ribbon in a variety of widths and patterns
• Large pumpkin, hollowed out
• Craft glue
• Thumbtacks
•  Ear Template
• Black cardstock
• Pencil
• Patterned scrapbook paper
• 5 small foam pumpkins
• Hot glue gun
• 10 black thumbtacks or 10 1/4" black buttons
• Black floral wire
• 5 pencils, sharpened
• Florist foam

1. Cut pieces of ribbon long enough to extend from inside top edge of large pumpkin to the underside. Starting at bottom, use craft glue to attach ribbon pieces one by one to each pumpkin rib (the raised part between the grooves). Secure end inside pumpkin with a thumbtack.

2. Print templates and cut out. Place ear and nose templates on black card stock and trace around, making 5 noses and 5 pairs of ears. Cut out. Place inner-ear template on patterned paper and trace around, making 5 pairs. Cut out.

3. Use craft glue to attach a patterned-paper inner ear to each black-card-stock outer ear. Let dry. Hot-glue one pair of ears to each small pumpkin.

4. For eyes, insert a pair of black thumbtacks into each pumpkin, or use craft glue to attach a pair of black buttons. Attach a nose to each pumpkin with craft glue. Cut four 1½″-long pieces of wire for each pumpkin. Attach two wires on either side of nose with hot glue.

5. Arrange foam in bottom of large pumpkin. Insert sharpened end of a pencil into bottom of each kitten pumpkin and insert other end into foam. Prop top of pumpkin on kittens.

(As seen on all*you blog)

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Lessons Learned at the Georgia Marble Festival...

This past weekend I was a vendor at the Georgia Marble Festival in Jasper, GA.  Jasper is a small town in the foothills of the Appalachian Mountain Range.  Most of the early industry revolved around the marble industry.  For decades Georgia Marble has been mined and used to create historic architecture around the world, including the Archives Building in Atlanta, the New York Stock Exchange, the Supreme Court, and the Lincoln Memorial to name a few. The marble is also used for tombstones for the United States Military at Arlington National Cemetery. Most of the marble is white, but there is also very rare pink marble. It is one of the few places in the world where pink marble is found. The town of Jasper celebrates it's marble heritage the first weekend in October each year.

With my granddaughters Jade (13) and Aidia (14) at the Georgia Marble Festival

I was selling my handmade jewelry at the festival; the things I learned as a vendor at this festival (my second festival since retiring)....

1. The quality of handmade items at this festival was lower end; my jewelry was expensive in comparison with other artists work.  Having never been to this festival before, I did not know this when I applied to be a vendor.

2.  The festival also allowed "retail" vendors to set-up in amongst the artists. The retail vendors were selling mass produced jewelry at less than half the cost of my handmade items. The jewelry was rubbish, but it was shiny stuff that attracted the low end buyers. Lesson learned... I will never sell at another show that allows retail vendors, only shows that are promoting handmade artists.

3.  Inflatable Bouncy Houses = bad artistic vibe. I learned from other artists that a large children's area is not good for sales.  The majority of families are visiting the festival to amuse the kids, not to purchase handmade items.

4.  I need to work on a better way to pack-up my jewelry, individual ziploc bags was tedious and after a full weekend of working the festival I was tired and not happy with the time and effort it took to tear down my booth.  Any suggestions?

I did get to network with other artists and got some great suggestions for future festivals. Overall the festival was a great learning experience and I did make a larger profit  compared to the last festival. I'm pleased with my results, but I will not be joining this festival again next year. 

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Craft Show Alert....

Just a quick reminder...I will be a vendor (selling my handmade jewelry) at the Georgia Marble Festival in Jasper, GA. 

YIPPEE! 

The Festival is this Saturday October 1 and Sunday October 2 opening at 10am - 5pm. The festival will feature artist booths, food trucks, entertainment on two stages, a kids area, a parade, and a 5K race. Hope to see you there!

Some examples of my jewelry....

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

It's a Southern Thing...The Barn Sale!

Yes, I sold my jewelry in a Barn!

Since retiring from the corporate world I've been working full time on my Etsy jewelry shop and a traveling jewelry booth setup.  This past weekend I participated in my first Barn Sale at the Old McDonald's Farm in Sale Creek, TN.  It was a "shabby chic" themed event put on by the Traveling Bazaar Group. 

Did I make a lot of money? N0.  Did I have a great time? YES!  It was so much fun I'm going to do it again in December.  It was great networking with the other vendors at the event and I learned a lot from them.

Some Craft Show Tips:

1.)  Bring snacks - eating a full meal is impossible if you don't have a friend to booth sit.

2.)  Bring a fan(s) - shoppers will stay longer in your booth if they are cool.

3.)  Bring Backup Supplies - many shoppers wanted to mix and match chain lengths with my sea glass pendants, no one wanted the necklace "as is".  Additional lengths were needed.

4.)  Be prepared for the surge - Serious shoppers arrive within the first two hours of the show.  After lunch was very sluggish for sales.

I'm on the standby list for the Jasper, Georgia, Marble Festival; keep your fingers crossed for me to get in this year!

Cheers!

Lori in Blue Ridge, GA

Tennessee Craft Show....

I will be a vendor selling my original handmade jewelry at this event.

It will be a FABULOUS Barn Sale with High Quality Arts/Crafts/Handmade Items, Women's Shabby Chic/Boho/Vintage Style Boutique Clothing, Vintage Items & Antiques! 

Vicki MacNeil Hentz Gould will be Performing Live!

Good Ol' Sloppy Top & Music City Blazin' BBQ will Have Their Delicious Food Trucks There!

Old McDonald Farm will have Their Cow Coaster, Offering Rides for the Children for Only $2!

They will also be Selling Their Homemade Lemonade!

Food, Fun & Shopping!

FREE ENTRY!!!

The 1st 100 Customers will Receive a Bag of Coupons to Use at the Sale!

Please stop by my both and mention this blog post for a 10% discount!

Cheers!

Lori Dorrington

Lori's Glassworks

Atlanta Artists and Crafters - New Meetup

Clipboards used for Jewelry Display

While chatting with some fellow Etsy sellers, we were discussing how much we all love creating our art, but we all need to focus some of our time on selling it. I found a new Meetup group in Atlanta called "Art Biz in the 'Burbs"; the sponsor will focus on creative ways to advertise and market our creations through digital, social, and traditional media. Additionally, we will discuss galleries, gift shops, shows, art walks, and exhibitions. Together, we hope to expand our visibility and increase our understanding of the ever-changing art market.

If you are in the Atlanta, GA area and would like to join the group, I've included the link to the Meetup site below.  The first meeting is on Monday March 18 in northeast Cobb. 

http://www.meetup.com/Art-Biz-in-the-Burbs/ 

Pup teaching the 'old' dog new tricks…

While at a recent bead show here in Atlanta, I was inspired by a young artist who was selling pretty hand forged copper jewelry interwoven with brass wire, gemstones, glass, turquoise and tiny copper beads.  He had a few lovely pieces on display, but selling the jewelry was not his focus; he was more interested in explaining the techniques he used and sharing his knowledge of working with copper.  It was obvious to me that teaching was more important to him than selling his finished jewelry.  I found this very refreshing from such a young (early 20s?) man.

So, I purchased some copper components from his booth and another vendor selling copper beads. Admittedly, I have very limited experience with copper, but I’m starting to like working with it.  Copper has such a warm and organic feel.  And my new favorite young man assured me that I could master the technique.  Stay tuned to see what I come up with using my new copper materials.

The Yellow Daisy Craft Festival

#8 Logging My Favorites

This is the eigth installment of a ongoing log of my favorite things. Once a month I will post a favorite. It might be a person, or a place, or even an event. Hopefully it will help you get to know me a little better. I'd love your comments and I hope to make some connections through our mutual enjoyment of these treasures.

Have I mentioned yet that I’m a craft festival, flea market, farmer’s market, and antique market type of gal? More than anything I love supporting handmade and homemade artists. This weekend is one of my favorite events, the Yellow Daisy Festival.

Despite its growth from a small arts & crafts show to the four day event that it has become today, the Yellow Daisy Festival continues to be a big show (over 400 crafters) with a small-town feel. Multi-generations of mothers, daughters and grandmothers will be roaming the wooded trails together in search of the perfect item. Just look at the map, the festival is huge and it’s jam-packed full of artistic vendors and shoppers.

I’ve found that there is no apparent rhyme or reason to the location of the vendors throughout the massive festival area, although I must say that the setup works. A supposedly one-way path is often walked the wrong way by newbie’s, but nobody seems to care because most shoppers are really only interested in getting to the next booth. The paths are shaded by huge native hardwoods making the day more enjoyable; our weather here in Atlanta can still be a bit warm in September.

Whatever your passion, you will find fun items to purchase at this festival. I’ve also found that the festival is a great place to go and get new inspiration. So many wonderful artists all in one place! Shoppers and crafters alike enjoy the atmosphere of the event. There is live music, fabulous festival food and crafter demonstrations all day.

One of my favorite stops each year is the antique grain grinding machine (below) from Logan Turnpike Mill. It spurts, sputters, shutters and occasionally backfires as it grinds the most superb stone ground grits. I’m not a native southerner, but I do love good grits!

Here is the link to the festival website if you are interested in getting more information. Hope to see you there! http://festivals.stonemountainpark.com/mini-section/default.aspx?id=14



A day at the Craft Show

Today I spent several hours at the American Craft Counsel Show. This show is always very inspiring, I came home with a renewed focus. I love to see what other artists are creating. Here are a few examples of my favorites....


Tang Fish by Cynthia Chuang - www.jewelry10.com













Pink Balloon by Ricky Frank-
www.rickyfrankenamels.com




Exotic Wood Backgammon Set by David Levy
www.davidlevycreations.com

Hope you enjoyed my selections!