Handmade Harvest SPRING!

Nothing gets me more excited than planning a craft show.
Really really.
Event planning + Marketing + Decorating + Handmade Stuff + Telling people what goes where = my idea of the perfect job.

And here we are again!
Planning our SECOND Spring Handmade Harvest.
The call for crafters went out just this week.

You can find all the info on the snazzy new website I put together.
Here.

Few things

August 16th.
That's the last time I wrote? Impossible.
I'm sure it was just last week.
In typical Emily fashion, I've managed to cram a kajillion things into the last 2 months. I'll tell you about them now if you like.


It's safe to say I have completely adjusted to life without the store.
Not once have I felt any sense of remorse or regret. Only relief really. And a small pining to start decorating for Christmas.
I suppose I could just do that in my own damn house. Though I never get anything done there. So I guess not everything has changed.


So what am I doing with myself now you wonder?
Back in August I started working out of the Humm. I was there 2.5 days a week just pretty much using up their oxygen and taking up a desk space while I continued with my freelance writing.
They also offered me a column in the paper. Maybe I told you about that.
It's an advice column where I get to just make shit up and occasionally impart some of my marketing/business know how. Which I love 
I very much hope no one heeds anything I write in there.
I've written two now.
You can find it on Page 6 here.
I have a scan too, but it's not the best.

It's been fun to stretch my creative writing muscle with something that's slightly heavier lifting than a headline here and there. Hopefully nobody gets hurt.


After a few weeks of getting very comfortable leaving my children to work in an office environment, I decided to branch out further. One of my very best friends and her mother own Mahogany Salon and Spa in both Stittsville and, now, Carleton Place.
I've been helping them with their ad work since they opened over 7 years ago from a distance, and I thought it might be worth everyone's while if I pitched myself as their in-house marketing and merchandising girl.
I put together a little proposal and they took the bait.


So now, I'm not at the Humm anymore. I'm still writing, but now I'm at Mahogany 3 days a week.
Things are good. 
I love what I'm doing (something different everyday really), it's a beautiful space, and every now and then I sneak upstairs to get my nails did.
I feel like I really have my you know what together.


It was a busy transition figuring out a new schedule with the kids, but we're in the swing of things now and I feel like I'm contributing to society once again.


I'm actually twice published this month. 
So, you know, whatev.
We squeezed a Handmade Harvest article in there too.

It was a joint effort between me and Colleen for the record.
That girl doesn't always get the props she deserves.

With less than a month until the show, we're getting pretty jazzed up.
We try to be better with each event. Offering our vendors as much as possible to help them be inspired and successful.
One of the things Colleen and I both love to swoon over is creative merchandising ideas.
We went hunting for inspiration online and found the mother load on this site.
Also, gotta love Flickr.

Have a peek.
Hope to see you at the show in November!
And hope to write before then!

Em

Calling all Crafters

Decisions have been made and the Handmade Harvest Holiday 2011 Call for Crafters (mouthful!) has been officially launched! 
Click here for details.

I really thought this would get easier to organize!


Colleen and I had been toying with the idea of hosting the show at two different venues (Old Town Hall and Textile Museum) simultaneously in November, and then we realized that would probably suck the joy out of it for us.
There are always little fires to put out, and it's just easier when we can work together.


I'm VERY excited to say that the show will be held at the Old Almonte Town Hall again.


We've expanded into additional space within the Hall this time - to avoid the chaos that was Holiday 2010 - but we still have a lower cap on vendors than the spring show.
Looks like we'll max out at 35 this time.
So the bar will be high, and the vendors that are accepted will truly be exceptional.


No pressure.
No pressure.

Handmade Harvest SPRING!

I know.

AWFUL that I haven't posted about Handmade Harvest on here yet.

But I just did a little write up over here.

Hop on over to see some great pics courtesy of jemmTale Photography.

I'll be back soon!

Em

Blog linking...Blinking? Whatever.

So excited/terrified/peeing a little that Handmade Harvest is only ONE WEEK AWAY!!!

The swag stuff is rolling in and so are the Google Alerts letting us know that folks are talking about us.

Can't wait for next Saturday.

Why can't every day be craft show day?

Check out the latest from our a few of our blogger friends:

From Re-hash

From Laura Daub

From Venus Beadery

From Love Ginger

From Lines by Davis

From Sweet Stitch

I know there's more out there. This is just all I could find with one hand on the keyboard and the other snuggling my boy.

You would be disturbed by the number of posts I've written while nursing.

Or maybe you'd be impressed.

Too much info?

Hope to see you all Saturday.

More posts to come as soon as I find the time to take a few shots of the amazing swag stuff!

Em (and, technically, Griffin)

Repost: Interview with a Dutch Girl

I know you're sick to death of hearing about the craft show (you're not really are you?), but we're getting pretty revved up around here about it.

It's just a bit more than a month away donchaknow.

Exciting stuff.

Since Jody of Dutch Girl Textiles is our ever-generous show sponsor (yeah, we have sponsors, we're totally the real deal now) Colleen and I thought it'd be the perfect time to do a little blogterview.

Blinterview.

Intervlog.

Whatever.

I thought it'd be fun to have a little interview with Dutch Girl herself as a little get to know you.

Without further adieu.

Our interview with Jody Dixon of Dutch Girl Textiles.

Hi Jody.

Hi girls.

Let's just cut right to the chase. What made you decide to open an on-line fabric store?

Well, finding pretty fabric in Canada (let alone in the Ottawa Valley) can be difficult. I like designers like Amy Butler, Heather Bailey and Valori Wells. They create fabric that is vibrant and colourful often with bold prints and florals (which can be hard to find in quilting stores and large distributors) but there aren't many stores either online or storefront here that carry their fabric. So what's a girl to do? Create her own fabric store!

We love the name Dutch Girl! Is there a reason you chose it? We mean, besides the fact that you're a girl and we're guessing you're probably Dutch.

Well, you guessed right. My parents are Dutch. Every time I visit the Netherlands I am overwhelmed by the amount of time and thought people take to make things cute and cozy. Many of the fabrics I carry remind me of all those cute Dutch things. My Mom always sewed clothes for me when I was a kid and my grandmother and aunts would send fabric from Holland. The name Dutch Girl Textiles encompasses all of that for me.

What is your business philosophy for Dutch Girl?

Even though Dutch Girl is an online business I still want to create a personal atmosphere. I try to email each customer to see if they are happy with their fabric and have started a blog so that they can have a peek into my life. I also wanted to start a small business that included my hobbies. I don't want this adventure to be stressful, in fact I want it to be quite the opposite. I want it to be something to look forward to and so far it is.

How do you find balancing 3 small children and an on-line business?

I can't say for certain that I've succeeded at balancing anything yet! I generally feel like someone or something is constantly neglected. Now I don't know if it's actually the case or if it's all in my head but I'm getting used to the feeling. There are many things I wish I had more time for but I guess sometimes you just need to choose the important things to focus on. I often wonder how other people do it but maybe some people think the same about me...I'm not sure. I've always been a person that likes to have something on the go. Kids certainly provide that but now two are in school and I wanted to have a little something to focus on other than the usual home related stuff.

What merchandise do you sell at Dutch Girl? Do you plan to grow into other product areas?

At the moment I am selling fabric only. Soon I will be expanding to fat quarter bundles, handmade items, patterns, DIY kits (like quilt tops) and home decor fabrics.

What makes Dutch Girl special over other online fabric shops?

I am really hoping to appeal to Canadian buyers. I know there are people like me out there who have an interest in designer fabrics and don't want to pay high shipping, duty and tax when they shop for fabric at online stores in the US. So I guess what makes Dutch Girl special is that we're Canadian.

We thought you said you were Dutch.

You know what I mean.

What can shoppers expect to see at your booth at Handmade Harvest?

Well, there will be fabric for sure and I'm hoping to get my hands on some Amy Butler patterns so that people can get some ideas of the things they can make. I'll also have Aprons, Place Mats, Napkins and maybe a few Pillow Covers. And of course you can expect to see me!

Come see Jody and all her beautiful fabrics and creations at Handmade Harvest May 7th.

There she is.

I may not have been blogging much, but it's not like I'm sitting here popping bonbons and watching Oprah's Farewell Season.

Ok, so I am watching some Oprah.

But only in between episodes of Max and Ruby, nursing, beating the toddler off the baby while nursing, emailing vendors and trying to maintain some sort of order in this house.

I am burned out!

Seriously.

Mentally, I'm toast.

My adrenaline is even pumping as I type because I'm trying to zip through this before somebody wakes up.

Heaven forbid.

What have I been doing you ask?

Well.

I've been doing loads of advertising freelance lately from home, which is great considering I'm only back to work at the store a few hours a week (last Saturday was my first day back...my boobs weren't the same for about 24 hours. Sheesh, this boy eats more than I thought!).

Also,

Handmade Harvest is rapidly approaching and we've had some amazing sponsors step up.

Some even unsolicited! I feel like a superstar.

It's going to be so amazing. The vendors (of which there are 52) are incredible. I have literally started putting cash aside so I can spend a wad on May 7th. Happy Mother's Day to me!!

Here's a sneak peek of what you'll find at the show:

Also,

Workshops are officially back in session.

I haven't been posting about them on here because they've been filling up too fast just through the emails.

So if you want to be in the loop on those, I hope you'll join my mailing list.

You can go here to do that.

Also,

I'm hosting my 2nd Clothing and Accessories Event.

But this time I'm calling it a "Trunk Show".

You know. Because it just sounds cooler.

It is set to be held Friday April 15th in Heritage Court (14 Mill Street).

I'll extend the hours this round I think because it was a little nutty last time.

I've bought even more amazing stuff than last time. The jackets are even more ridiculously awesome and I have some really gorgeoso bags coming in.

And scarves. Beautiful, funktastic scarves.

That's only 4 of about 25 styles I have coming in.

Another good reason to get on my mailing list.

I'm going to cut this one a little short, although there's still lots I could talk about.

I'll try to get back on the blog wagon.

To tie you over until then, maybe you'd like to see pictures of my babies.

Clemmie is now able to sit through the better part of a movie (which may sound terrible but I'll tell you, it's a flipping godsend right now) so I thought it was about time we started letting her try popcorn.

Here she is thoroughly enjoying some on the couch with mom.

Is she gorgeous or is she gorgeous?

And here's her baby brother "Giff" (as she calls him) lounging at her feet.

I've nicknamed this kid "Dream Boy" because that's what he is.

He doesn't sleep through the night, but he will go for stretches as long as 5 hours at night, and at 7 weeks old, I really can't ask for too much more than that.

Right?

Answer me. Because if I can, I will.

That's all for now.

Hope to hear from me soon.

xo Em