Last Saturday was the Fancy Schmancy Holiday Shoppe. The place was packed with vendors! I didn’t count, but I’m told there were over 40 of us squeezed in there. Space was tight, but I definitely preferred being close together rather than very spread out, as it was at the last Fancy Schmancy event. That may be a difference in philosophy, but as a shopper, I would like to have all the vendors in relatively the same spot, so I can be sure I don’t miss any. I had a chance to check out many of the booths at the beginning of the show, and there was a great variety of jewelers, knitters and felters, sewing, woodwork, painting, and paper art. There were also vendors like Tupperware and Mary Kay, but I liked that they had a separate space from the handmade vendors.
With so many great artists, I thought for sure this would be a well-attended event. It’s mid-November and people are starting to think of holiday gifts. Unfortunately, the event was a lot slower than I, and many others, expected. It seemed like a lot of the shopping was going on between vendors. I did get to see one of my favorite customers from the Farmer’s Market, so that made me happy. Although sales weren’t as strong as I liked, I’m still calling this a successful event primarily because of the networking I was able to do. I saw some familiar craft show friends (Janet of Q Luvs Ya Baby! and John, who makes beautiful wood fishing lures and was my neighbor at the Farmer’s Market) and got to know a few other crafters, including Amanda of YellowDragonfly Designs. I was also able to use the time to make a bunch of new Little Hootie Owls and some pretty flower brooches.
Towards the end of the show I ended up trading with Amanda for this gorgeous necklace she custom made for me based on a pair of earrings she had for sale.
This was definitely one of the highlights of my day. I love how it sparkles in the light, and the sterling silver chain is definitely a lot nicer than some jewelry makers use. If you aren’t already familiar with Amanda’s work, definitely check it out on Etsy. And it’s even prettier in person!
now i’ll def have to get going posting more on etsy! lol.
thanks for the plug. and the pendant did turn out quite pretty. 🙂