Thursday, May 8, 2014

Prepping for my first vintage market

About two months ago I was invited to participate in a Mothers Day Vintage Market and Tea in Errington. Apparently the coordinator of the event found me on usednananimo.com , where I had listed a few vintage items. I was immediately intrigued,although I haven't participated in a craft fair since I was a child. Growing up  my mother and father often had a booth at our local craft fair. My father sold woodworking and my mom made wreaths, handmade stuffed animals and other crafty things . My sister in law recently started selling handmade items at craft fairs and I was thoroughly impressed with her creativity. She had created little bird mobiles using vintage fabric from her grandma's attic, as well as banners and adorable little wooden toys. 

When I started thinking about what I wanted to sell, I decided  to stick with things I already new how to make. Two years ago Nathaniel and I made a 7" ruler and I have always been curious how well they would sell at a craft fair.


 I always seem to have a stash of frames and heaps of chalk paint so making a couple of chalkboards was a cinch.  I had a bunch of burlap leftover from the pinterest Christmas party that I hosted in December, and used it, along with lace and twine, to decorate some mason jars I also already had.  I plan on filling them with lilacs and attaching cute chalkboard tags.



I used a pile of burlap and twine to create six banners.

 

I wanted to stay true my "Curbside Joy" aesthetic, which was inspired by the color of sea glass, so I included a couple pieces of small furniture in varying shades of white, turquoise, and sea foam.  A vintage steamer trunk, an old chair, a vanity mirror, a side table, a medicine cabinet, a dresser and a star made out of yard sticks. I recently started working with graphite chalk paint and I love how it looks, especially when paired with antique crystal knobs.


I also decided to make a few handmade cards since  already had all the supplies on hand.



 I had toyed with the idea of selling cupcakes as well, but decided against it, after learning I would need to apply for a permit. Perhaps in the future I may try my hand at some of these eye catching creations.



   I was told that I have 6' by 6' to display my wares, so I have been brainstorming ways to fit all my furniture into the preassigned margins. After careful consideration I decided to forgo a table and just make attractive piles. Here is a mock up of how I plant to display my product at the market.  Now i just need to find a creative way to cram all of this into my Dodge.


This venture finally motivated me to create a business card, something my customers have been asking me to do for some time now. I designed it using my silhouette software and then printed them on craft paper with my canon printer. The fact that I included my furniture blog freaks me out a little bit, but perhaps it will motivate me to update it more often.

 Preparing for this market has motivated me to get a lot done in a short space of time. My goal was to paint and list all my furniture on usednanaimo.com before the summer starts, and now I am well on my way. I only have two tables left to paint and seal, a custom hutch to paint for  a client, a vintage TV cabinet to turn into a bookshelf, and a secretary desk to glue, sand, and paint.Oh and a heap of vintage chairs to restore and paint. Whew! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel. Now, if only I can talk myself out of not filling my vehicle with roadside furniture this summer!

The market will be held at the Errington Hall on Saturday, May 10th from 9-2 if you want to come!

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