Make-It Mondays: Grant Update

As we posted a couple months ago, our local Etsy team received a grant from Etsy to rent space in Rochester for a month to sell handmade items from our team members and host community art events. Much hard work, grant crafting, and meeting attending was done by Jackbear Stamps and Goldhawk Pottery (you guys rock) and despite a couple road blocks we are on our way to an awesome December for our team.

Here's a look at our upcoming events. Thank you to KiraArts for designing our flyers :)

Hope you can join us! :)

Make-It Mondays: Make it to Mayday!

Hello RNESTers and visitors! No tutorials this week, because, by golly, many of us are way too busy preparing for this Saturday. From 10 am -4 pm, you can visit the Main Street Armory in Rochester, New York for the latest installment of Mayday! Underground Crafts + Art. There will be 90+ vendors selling unique, handmade items in a wide variety of mediums and styles. Several of those members, including the creators of the event, are members of our team. So make it out to Mayday! and support us and all that is handmade and independent.


PS. More info can found at the official Mayday! website.

PPS. The first 50 shoppers will get a free swag bag full of goodies from the vendors!

PPPS. Bring sample size toiletries to the event as donation to Sample Soap and receive a raffle ticket for fabulous prizes!

Make-it Mondays: Boulderfest Review

It has been a whirlwind. Three days of Boulderfest, along with fellow teamies Beadwork by Amanda and Textile Treats. I think it's time for a beer and a

review...

The view from my tent, day and night :)

The Pro's of Boulderfest:

1. Great music! A lot of reggae from the likes of John Brown's Body and Buddhahood , indie rock and blues. My personal favorite was Benjamin Jameson Morey and the Wallpaper Singers who performed upbeat danceable songs all about death and fear in its various forms.
2. Hosted by a sweet coffee shop that also serves beer and liquor.
   
3. Talented, helpful and friendly artists. There was awesome variety.
   
4. Very easy going coordinators who withstood the longest hours to make their fest successful.
5. The fee was $35 for all three days. Not bad when most one day events are more.

My booth after I ditched my cheapo tent for the EZ-up

The Con's of Boulderfest:

1. Parking was sketchy. If you got in early there were a handful of on site spots. Otherwise most of us street parked. Switching times were funny and it wasn't a neighborhood I'd like to walk around alone at night to find my far off parking spot. As it was I got a parking ticket that cut into my profits.
2. Long hours. We came before the music started stayed until the music stopped. That makes three 10 hours days in a row. I have to say though, that I was never bored.
3. Low sales for many artists. This was the first run of Boulderfest with artists, so it is possible that people weren't coming with the mindset to buy art. The sales, for myself at least, went up each day though and I did profit fairly well.
4. My crappy tent and a windy Saturday. Both of these things are totally NOT Boulder's fault. In fact this could be a pro in disguise, because I learned a lot of about outdoor vending practicalities. RNEST has a great thread on this right now.

My booth neighbors: Paul Taylor Glass, Beadwork by Amanda (fellow RNEST teamie) and Seredipity Photos. Thank you Paul and Jason for helping me with my tent!!!

Summary:

If you love music, a festive vibe and have good stamina, this is a fun show. With more advertisement and word of mouth about the vendors, I think sales will increase as well.