...getting ready for another art & craft show

You would think after all the art and craft shows I have done over the last ten years I would have it down. Never forget anything, have my display figured out, remember to bring lunch and plenty of change. But not so. Talking to other folks the good (or bad) news is that I am not entirely alone.

This year I vowed to get it together and be more organized. Make sure that the night before every event I was not stressed and up until one in the morning looking for my receipt book and rummaging for singles to make change. This year would be different.

Well, the first show a couple of weeks ago didn't go exactly perfect. I did have everything, however I was up later than I wanted to be. Not till one, only midnight. And I didn't have anything in the apartment suitable to take for lunch. Thank goodness the food at the event was healthy - I had an amazing vegan chili. I was not your average craft fair, Not Yo Mama's to be exact. But I digress. The reason I had it more together was I had a list. A list of all the things I needed, and a few I didn't but you can never be too prepared.

So I thought to myself, self... you should share this list on your blog. So here it is ...

The "I've Got It Under Control And Will Not Forget A Thing"
Craft Show List

I hope it helps. If there are things you take to your shows that I don't please let me know and I will add to the list for others to know about.

namaste
नमस्ते

... Shopping The Cavalcade

The Spring Handmade Cavalcade is just two days way on Saturday April 24th! The HandMade Cavalcade is a shopping extravaganza that is entirely produced by members of The {NewNew} Etsy Street team.

This year’s Spring Cavalcade coincides with Earth Day and will feature many eco-friendly products. Plus shopping local helps sustain the local economy and reduce your carbon foot print! Come by Berry Park in Williamsburg, Brooklyn (it's right across from McCarren Park) between 10 and 5 to catch all the shopping action.

There will be free raffle opportunities to win some unique creations from vendors, packed up in hand-embellished lunch boxes! Raffle tickets are free with each purchase, so the more you shop, the more chances you will have to win!

Berry Park is located at 4 Berry Street in Williamsburg Brooklyn, on the corner of Berry Street and North 14th Street. So come out for a day of eco-friendly shopping and then hang out in McCarren Park to enjoy the rest of your day! By subway take the L train to the Bedford Avenue stop (the first stop in Brooklyn) or take the G train to the Nassau Avenue stop.

Can't make it to this show, find other {NewNew} events this weekend and every weekend on the {NewNew} blog.

namaste

नमस्ते

...hoping to win Martha's new book to pass on to a friend

Just found out that SINGER®, is giving away a copy of Martha’s book every day in April. just become a "Fan" of Singer Sewing Company on Facebook and/or register to follow Singer Sewing Company on Twitter and you'll will be automatically entered in the giveaway. They have the complete rules of entry posted at: http://www.singerco.com/support/contest_rules.html.



The book is terrific like I said in my post last week! Sure you should buy it, but if you can win in even better right!

namaste
नमस्ते

...breaking through creative block (Pt. 2)

So I've been "being with" and accepting that I don't have a creative idea left in me for the last several weeks (months? I've lost track). I'm okay with that. But now it is time to do something about it.

After sifting through the volumes of tips and advice online and on bookshelves I have come to one conclusion...I have to just keep on chugging on.

What other choice do I have? I'm not going to let this stop me from doing what I love now am I? But now what?

Tips For Breaking Creative Block

(A Personal Top Ten List)

1. Accept It -remember it will pass.
2. Clean Your Desk - clutter makes it hard to concentrate.
3. Get Something on Paper - 4 -6 ideas for anything in 10 minutes. A few words, a rough sketch, a doodle made on a napkin, envelope, piece of paper or sketchbook.
4. Think Big -sections, shape, style at first. The details can come later.
5. Talk It Out - surround yourself with creative people...creativity breeds creativity.
6. Change Gears - taking your mind off the project you are stuck on can actually open your mind to ideas for it.
7. Relax - meditate, listen to music, take a walk. Give your mind a bit of quiet time to be open to and have room for ideas to flow in.
8. Dumpster Dive - recycle old ideas, cobble old ideas together into something new. Use them as random points of inspiration to jump off from.
9. Have Fun - even if crayons are not the medium you work with, get a box, some big sheets of paper and use them. Think mad, think "what if", come up with crazy ideas then bring them back to reality. Cookies help too! Just not too many.
10. Keep Chugging On!

These are the "Top Ten" that I have found helpful. Let me know what's worked for you.

namaste
नमस्ते

...in Stitches

Last night (4/1/10) I went to Stitch Fest, the launch event for Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and peek Fabric Crafts. It was a sewing bee to end all sewing bees. Hundreds of women (and a few men) spent the evening getting a sneak peek at the many projects featured in the book. And better yet, doing a little sewing, a little drinking and some noshing.

Many projects from the book were on display featuring appliqué, quilting, hand dying.

Eco-friendly ideas were represented as well, would you ever think of turning a tuxedo shirt into a pillow? Make a bunny out of that wool suit jacket you haven’t worn in years, turn old wool sweaters into adorable animals.

The line to make your own heirloom tomato pincushion and machine embroidered hand towel were very long. But how often do you get to say you stuffed a tomato at Martha Stewart’s place?

As fantastic as Stitch Fest was I could hardly wait to get home to devour my copy of the book. Martha Stewart’s Encyclopedia of Sewing and Fabric Crafts is both beautiful and useful. It delivers exactly what the title promises, straightforward, basic techniques covering both sewing and fabric crafts. The information is reminiscent of that on the website and magazines, however here it is all in one well-organized place.

The first part of the book is divided into sections each featuring a different area -- sewing, appliqué, embroidery, quilting, dyeing and printing. In each section you learn the basics and a few more skilled techniques. The second part of the book takes the techniques and works them into 150 clever and delightful projects, organized from A-Z. The entire book is beautifully photographed and well illustrated. I think it is safe to say (almost) everything is in here – tips on setting up a workspace, essential tools, glossaries, techniques, suppliers, and 150 projects with a CD that contains the patterns and templates.

I’d say this is a book that belongs on your bookshelf, but in reality it will spend it’s time on your sewing table. Now I have some sewing to do!

namaste
नमस्ते