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By Merritt Gade, May 5, 2010 12:03 pm

I haven’t done First Thursday since late last summer.  The EtsyAustin Team’s regular space ran into some issues and had to cancel all future participation.  I’ve been wishing to try it again since I had a few sales and a lot of really positive comments from browsers.  Plus, hanging out in Austin on a nice spring evening with other crafters is always fun.

Recently, the team found a new spot and organizer, so the regular showing of the handmade magic is back on.  We will be located near Hey Cupcake! on the east side of the 1600 block of South Congress.  Everyone will be set up by 4pm and stay until dark.

In addition to my usual wares, I’ll be sharing a tent with April Wright (who is also a tent buddy for Renegade next week).  Her jewelry and wine charms are fantastic.  She designs and draws each piece on shrinkable plastic, which makes every item one-of-a-kind.  Her images are bright, original, and totally cool.

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By Merritt Gade, March 16, 2010 10:43 am

Click the poster for the giant list of excellent vendors.

Hope to see you there!

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By Merritt Gade, March 2, 2010 1:03 pm

Fun and fun!  The WonderCraft Grand Opening show was loaded with great finds, great food, and especially great people.  I, luckily/unluckily, was placed directly next to The Cupcake Bar, where I got to watch a million people go by with a million different combinations from the customize-your-cupcake offerings.  They were all grinning.  Toward the end of the show, I decided on chocolate with pink cream cheese icing and M&Ms, and then I was grinning.

Of course, I was grinning before that because there were so many wonderful shoppers in attendance.  Great taste and great attitudes was the theme of the evening.  I received a lot of compliments, a few sales, and even a custom order.  I debuted my new martini picks, which also received big love.

Packaging including olive sticker made by Joe

Sterling silver, hematite, glass

If you missed the event, or attended but haven’t stopped thinking about that one thing you should have gotten, then check out the vendor list again.

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By Merritt Gade, December 3, 2009 11:59 am

This weekend I’m participating in the EtsyAustin Craft Riot! A Handmade Revolution in Shopping.  This is the first stand-alone team event I’ll be a part of since joining and am sure it’s going to be a success.  There are a lot of very motivated and organized people on the planning committee and the vendor list is incredible.

I have a lot going on this month, including the Blue Genie Art Bazaar, so my inventory is almost all fresh.  I have just a few of the lingering pieces to bring to the event, and am excited to show off a couple new designs.  Since the Craft Riot! is being held at Wines.com, a wine distributor out of East Austin, I have been exploring a few wine related items.  Cute cheese picks and wine glass charms in colorful plastic-coated wire and glass beads are completed, and I’m aiming to add martini garnish sticks and maybe a wine bottle stopper or two to the mix.  Just like my jewelry, it’s important to me to not just copy what I’ve seen, but try to create these non-jewelry things in my own style.  I do experiment with looks and often come up with pieces that aren’t that original, but I usually do that just once and move on.  The cheese picks are definitely made by me, but you’ll have to come to the event to see them.  An added bonus to this project is thinking about cheese while I work.  Goat cheese!

Here is info about the Craft Riot!

What: Over 25 EtsyAustin hand-crafters who make quality items in all sorts of mediums selling their goods in a relaxed and festive atmosphere. Wines by the glass and bottle, chocolate by Holy Cacao, and other delicious treats to enjoy while shopping or purchase as gifts.  There will even be a photo booth with Santa!  The $3 entrance fee comes with a drink ticket for either a glass of wine or bottle of water.  The first 25 guests per day get a goodie bag full of treats from the vendors.

When: Saturday, December 5th from 10am to 8pm and Sunday, December 6th from 11am to 7pm

Where: Wines.com headquarters, 5005 Commercial Park Drive, ATX, 78724

Why: Buying handmade means your gifts are packed with love and shopping locally keeps our community thriving and healthy.

Who: You!

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By Merritt Gade, November 23, 2009 2:51 pm

I’m calling this one a success.  I’m tired, sore, and sunburned, but I made some new friends, met some new shoppers, and earned a decent wad of cash.  Saturday was cold and overcast, and set-up was clunky due to a co-vendor not showing up with her tent, but once we got that ironed out, things were pretty good.  Traffic seemed slow and we all agreed that if we weren’t doing the show, we’d be at our homes being cozy and quiet.  The pace of the day did allow for looking at the art inside Flatfork Studios and Smith Road Studios, where we were located, and I was never at a loss for company and good conversation.  Sunday was warm and bright and full of smiling art lovers looking for handmade goodness.  We reorganized our tent and table set-up to be more open, allowing for folks to really browse, and it was the last day of the tour so it seemed like people were in a buy-it-when-you-see-it mode.  We handed out tons of postcards for the EtsyAustin Street Team and our upcoming Craft Riot! as well.

One important thing learned from this show is that I really never know what people are going to take home.  I make earrings sometimes as experiments in styles or colors and when they don’t work for me, I just put them with the other strange ones and move on.  At least half of what was purchased from me this weekend were those one-offs.  I love when any of my items finds their owner, but I was genuinely surprised that so many of my funky loners were taken.  I’ll never stop experimenting, of course, but E.A.S.T. solidified that there’s someone for each of my “mistakes” and I can keep trying without any real failure.

Another thing learned–if I can park my car nearby, there’s really no reason not to throw in extra stuff like gloves, scarves, and sunscreen, no matter what the weatherman says.

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By Merritt Gade, November 19, 2009 11:50 am

This is my first time to participate in the East Austin Studio Tour as an artist, as opposed to an art-appreciator.  I love this event and was excited that it was going to be expanded to two weekends AND that the EtsyAustin Street Team was organizing a large group showing.  I signed up right away.

Now, there are goods and bads about vending in a group.  The bads are that everyone has a different selling style (or complete lack of), the tent can be crowded and hard to maneuver from behind the set-up, and a booth with too many people and products can actually deter some shoppers.  Think about a department store with a helper at every rack.  Frightening.  Also, there is more chance for funky communication and frustration between all the different personalities.

The benefits of selling in a group, however, usually outweigh all that.  First, there is just more inventory of more variety.  Any shopper is sure to see something he or she likes and possibly must have.  That makes for a good mood that is contagious through the tent, and that is more inviting to folks out looking for special gifts and finds.  Additionally, advertising and marketing a group event is better.  Each vendor telling everyone they know gets each person in contact with a larger audience of new faces and tastes.  And the creativity of how to get the word out is bigger than just one’s own limited experience.  Finally, you’re not alone.  It can be pretty boring killing seven or eight hours by yourself in one spot, having small, barely-considered-conversations with strangers as they pass through your tent and look at your goods.  It’s hard to get breaks, keep your own spirits up, and not go mad with just sitting and staring at the back of the displays for what seems like days sometimes.  I’ve always been pretty good at entertaining myself and generally need more alone-time than most, but having buddies and making new ones is my favorite part of vending.  Well, after getting my jewelry into the hands of an appreciative shopper.

So, this Saturday and Sunday, I will be out with many of my EtsyAustin teammates, selling our handmade works.  In addition to the EtsyAustin tents, Flatfork Studios and the other permanent art galleries and studios that make up this locale will also be selling their art.  Sip on Tito’s Vodka, nibble on snacks, shop, and of course, fill your heart with art.  A couple live demonstrations will be held each day as well.  You won’t be disappointed in making this multi-studio, multi-vendor stop a part of your E.A.S.T. trip.

Saturday & Sunday Nov 21th & 22th
10 am to 5 pm

Smith Road Studios
1406 Smith Road
Austin, TX

map

Read more about who else will be there at the EtsyAustin Street Team blog.

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By Merritt Gade, August 17, 2009 8:11 pm

Austin is a town of huge creative talent and it seems that over the last couple of years there’s been an increase in the handicrafts especially.  I know I have more options for places to sell my wares and more interest in who wants to buy them.  I’ve also found more great things to get for myself and for gifts.  Going along with good shopping options, there are even more learning options.  The talent wants to share and I want to learn.

The WonderCraft is a newly launched teaching project run by four women with a variety of skills and creative backgrounds.  They each have their own well-established, handmade businesses (Paired Hearts, The Snuggle Herd, Lucy Blue Studio, and Broken Ear Productions) which gives them a leg up on running this new team venture.  They offer classes from jewelry making to photography to bookbinding to, get this, how to decoupage a purse.  I’ve never decoupaged anything flexible and had no idea it could be done.  It can, apparently, and they’d love to show you how.

The schedule is flexible, the prices are fair, and their website gives thorough information about what you’ll learn.  Classes are in all parts of town and they can even bring one you to if you want to have Girls’ Night include an upcycled t-shirt accessories party or a Baby Shower where guest learn to applique baby clothes and linens.  They will also participate in events around town, like We Make Stuff in September.  A good demo is hard to beat.

An added bonus to this new school is Stella, the refurbished Airstream trailer where many classes take place.  So cute!

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By Merritt Gade, August 11, 2009 9:39 am

Thank you, Austin!  Both of last week’s shows went much better than I anticipated.  1st Thursday shoppers weren’t shy at all.  We had a lot of traffic and each of us Etsy Austin Team vendors made sales.  A special thanks to Hill Country Weavers for letting us use their excellent location, electricity, WiFi, and restroom facilities.  The Austin Handmade Market had about one third the number of vendors and probably one third the amount of traffic than the last time I participated, and I still count it as a success.  Folks came there to shop, that’s for sure.  It was fun, despite the heat, but how many times can I mention that before someone shakes me into recognizing it’s summer in Texas.  I stayed hydrated and went home with a couple new friends, tons of compliments, and a fair wad of cash for my troubles.

Kelly from GemJunkie noted that she’s going to do at least one AHM a month, because she finds it worth the time for her business and also sees it as a place to help build up for the future.  I’m glad a more experienced vendor had the same idea I did about this place.  Makes me feel like I’m on the right track.

I have no shows for the rest of August, but three in September to get ready for, including a BIG one.  That gives me two weeks to just make jewelry (new stuff, too!) and attempt to finish a long-standing upholstery project before going on vacation to visit family.  It already feels like not enough time, but sometimes that helps me focus.  Sometimes not.

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By Merritt Gade, August 6, 2009 11:49 am

Tonight, I’m participating in 1st Thursday on South Congress.  I signed up with two other Etsy Austin Teammates to share a tent on the lawn outside Hill Country Weavers.  I’m excited about it, but also slightly pessimistic.  The space is at the very end of the long strip of shops and stalls, so I think foot traffic will be less than if we were in the middle.  Also, folks at this event seem to be out for beers, music, and people watching, and not so much for actual shopping.  And shopping for $30+ jewelry is even lower on their lists.  I don’t expect to sell much, so I won’t be disappointed if I don’t sell anything.

Positives are that I get to practice the various things that must happen for events: setting up, tearing down (neatly), talking to strangers, staying upbeat for six hours, and not eating at the nearby Airstream trailers of food like Hey Cupcake! I mean, it’s right there.  I do get to hang out with two teammates, AmeliaBeth and Maggie913.  And, it’s free for us to participate because the Etsy Austin Team (rad) and Hill Country Weavers (rad) are interested in helping each other out.  That’s probably the best thing about most of these events, the community and the love.

If you’re in Austin and you haven’t been to 1st Thursday in a while, come check out our tent and say hello!