Last Sunday was the final Clover Market of the season and my last show for the year as well. I decided not to do any Christmas shows, because if I've learned one thing after doing six shows since May it's this: shows are a lot of friggin' work! Family life is busy enough during the holidays!
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| a dear little customer checking out Penelope |
I don't seem to have the discipline to pace myself with product production between shows. I routinely do all-nighters before each one due to insecurity. Did I make enough new stuff? Do I have enough of a certain item to make an impact? Am I just too lame for words? Once I'm there, though, and the customers start coming in, it becomes fun and feels like it's worth it. In my previous life as a designer for a clothing company in New York City, I never got to chat with customers or see their reactions first-hand. I really value the insight meeting the customers gives me and I feel less and less like I'm blindly making stuff and hoping for the best.
One of my new products:
lavender sachets. Finally a use for my precious vintage tablecloth scraps- boy do I hate to waste good fabric! I'm using the lavender I brought back from
Willow Pond Farm in June. Gosh. it smells good! Teacher gift anyone?
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| Michabella |
This particular Clover Market was extra fun, not just because of the stellar fall weather. I got to pal around with several members of some of the Etsy teams I am on. Michelle of Michabella from the treasury-curating team,
Curation Nation, was there with her jewelry collection. I love her pendants made from geode slices and her lucite filagree earrings. Her
fool's gold pendant is on my Christmas list... honey, are you paying attention?
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| Beeps' Peeps |
From the Etsy Kids Team, Brita of
Beeps' Peeps was there. I enticed her to come to the show because Ardmore is such a family place. It seems like every other shopper there is pregnant or is pushing a stroller-
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| Beeps' Peeps |
the perfect audience for her play mats and cheerful, kid-friendly accessories!
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| funretro |
I was looking forward to meeting Natalie of
funreto, also from Curation Nation. I cannot tell you how many times I've used her cool vintage pieces in my treasuries. I don't know how she does it, being a full-time teacher on top of running a busy Etsy shop, but she does it well.
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| Almanac Industries |
I am such a sucker for letterpress! I met Jacob & Whitney of
Almanac Industries at the Brandywine Arts Festival in Wilmington and loved their aesthetic which is masculine and vintagey..
I mentioned the Clover Market to them and they actually jumped on it and did the show. I hope to see them again next time.
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| youngest member of "team chirp" |
My dear husband and kids have been such troopers while I've pursued this craft show adventure. I did not realize the impact it would have on them, having to endure my frenzied hysteria before each show and my neglect of household duties, not to mention the early morning set-up duties. Yay for team chirp! Now back to a normal life for a few months at least ;)
One of my new products: lavender sachets. Finally a use for my precious vintage tablecloth scraps- boy do I hate to waste good fabric! I'm using the lavender I brought back from Willow Pond Farm in June. Gosh. it smells good! Teacher gift anyone?
I mentioned the Clover Market to them and they actually jumped on it and did the show. I hope to see them again next time.
I used to be a clothing designer in New York City, then I chucked it all to start a family. I stay busy as an independent designer of kids’ clothing and textiles for various companies, and for my own label “chirp & bloom”. This is my personal blog, where I keep my notes on all things vintage, green, handmade, indie, kid-friendly, and whatever else inspires me to keep evolving. Just for fun, I feature artisans I discover at indie craft shows and share sewing and other DIY projects through tutorials. Thanks for visiting!
All personal designs, images, and written words in this blog are copyrighted by Rebecca Harkin unless otherwise credited. Feel free to link back to my posts all you want, but please do not copy my photos or words without my permission.
7 comments:
So YOU are the one responsible for those great new booths! I loved each of them and scored something great at funretro. (One for me, one for my baby sister.)
Your lavender sachets are a great use of the scraps. People can toss them into the dryer to make all of their clothes smell fresh--Trader Joe's sells sachets of lavender for just that purpose. Hope it gives you another marketing/merchandising angle. I have been making my own to toss into the dryer. After a few uses, they retire to scent my drawers. :)
Enjoy the show-free holidays!
The show was so much fun. I absolutely loved the mix of vintage and handmade--a match made in heaven! Also loved seeing your beautiful designs in person!
Oh, and by the way, I go through all the same emotions when I am prepping for a show. My husband says it is like the stages of grief: denial, anger, bargaining, depression, and acceptance. (Just kidding, of course.)
Good to know I'm not the only one who goes a little over the edge prepping for these things! ~And that there are appreciators out there~ thanks as always for the moral support & the volunteering, ThatGirl!
I always love your recaps & photos! I, too, go through the full pre-Market panic and worry. Many sleepless nights and the whole house falls apart! Your tent looked beautiful, as always, and I was so happy to have connected with Beeps Peeps, Michabella, Fun Retro and Almanac Industries - you were ALL terrific additions to Clover. Hope to see you all back in the spring. xoxo Janet
My first time at Clover Market and I had a blast! I loved finally being able to meet some of my teammies! I am looking forward to the Spring!!
This is soooo eye opening. I have a show this weekend and finally am getting over the flu and had no time to do aaaaalll the stuff I planned - but it's good to see how things are set up!
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