Setting Up a Booth for a Craft Show

A behind the scene look, how to set up your booth for a craft show.

You’ll start off with a blank space.
Unless you order booth extras such as carpet, tables, table skirts, chairs etc.

Best to start off with hanging your samples/fliers on the walls of your booth.

Have gorgeous quilts? Use them as table covers.

Try out a few layouts as you’re spreading things out.

Use stands to maximize the table’s space.

Take boxes, flip them, cover with a pretty quilt and you’re got a one of a kind stand.

Play with placing your samples and wares.

Carousel stands are a great way to save on space.

Bring or rent a dolly, it will save you valuable time on trips into your booth.

Have a machine you want to demo?

Have everything set up in advance so folks can easily get a feel for the machines.

Bring your tools for any last minute adjustments.

Hang fliers so folks know what they are looking at and can refer to it.

Think about having enough clearance to walk around and several ways in and out of your booth.

Front of your tables is prime real-estate, use it!

A big thank you to ‘Always Quilting’ for letting me tag along!

Check out Always Quilting web site:
www.alwaysquiltingonline.com
To visit the store:
4230 Olympic Avenue
San Mateo, CA 94403

Phone: 650-458-8580

Bring fabrics to cover your booth at the end of the day.

The San Mateo Sewing and Quilt Show is FREE to attend!
You can find more information about the Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival

Enjoy!

Celebration of Craftswomen San Francisco

Celebration of Craftswomen took place in November 11-13, 2011, San Francisco.
Bask in the view of San Francisco when you come to this festival.

It began in 1976 as a small crafts show.
For the past three decades, The Women’s Building Celebration of Craftswomen has allowed Bay Area residents, along with visitors of San Francisco from throughout the world, to discover the work of the nation’s best female artisans and fine artists.
Celebration of Craftswomen is the largest event celebrating the craft of women in the nation.
www.celebrationofcraftswomen.org

To follow on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/celebration.craftswomen
Among the contemporary and traditional handcrafted items you can fine:
Functional and decorative ceramic and glass vessels.
Sculpted wood and works of metal.
Polymer  clay, beaded, stone and precious metal jewelry.
Women, painted silk, leather clothing and wearable.
Home Furniture and accessories.
Fine art sculpture.
Photography.
Watercolor and oil paintings.

Don’t miss the hidden treasures as you walk by them, such as, Greens Restaurant, Fort Mason in San Francisco for some beautiful bayside vegetarian dining.
www.greensrestaurant.com
The Oatmeal raisin cookie was to die for!

THE WOMENS BUILDING (TWB) is a multi-service community center whose mission is to provide women and girls with the tools and resources they need to achieve full and participation is society.
The Women’s Building is located at 3543 18th Street in San Francisco.
For information call 415-431-1180 or visit www.womensbuilding.org

Always ask the artist permission to take a picture of their booth and/or individual item.

A recap of select booths:

Rene Almon Woodworks, her inspiration comes from organic shapes and the wood itself. Building long lasting quality furniture, pleasing to the eye and inviting to touch.
www.renealmonwoodworks.com

Alexandra Von Burg, creating Fairy Tale imagery with soft sculptured dolls and fiber paintings
Look for her workshops to hone the art-making skills that enhance anyone’s natural talent.
www.alexandravonburg.com

Anne Klocko, produces different types of artwork, Vinyl Clay Artwork, Figurative Sculpture and Ceramic Sculpture are whimsy original works of art.
www.anneklocko.com

Margaret Grisz-Dow, passionate about art, her ceramic work & drawing she is integrating these by making incised drawings on the surface of her clay pieces.
Teaching  in a relaxed aesthetic environment, which is often in her own beautiful home studio.
Contact: mgriszdow@yahoo.com

Tess McGuire, hats are knitted on a knitting loom out of wool yarn and then felted using hot water, soap and friction to turn a loosely knitted fabric into a warm, solid, and virtually waterproof garment.
www.tessmcguire.com

Mountain Exotics, taking the beauty, texture of wood to form our unique products.
We create heirlooms from ‘Tree to Street.
www.mountainexotics.com

Monterey Fiber and Design by Margaret Thompson

Naoko, Creating botanically themed felt and glass Jewelry.
10% of sales are donated to humanitarian non profit organizations.
www.naokonojiri.com

Alchemy, Fine chocolate, pastry, & baked delicacies, Savory catering, Classes.
www.facebook.com/pages/Alchemy/130946720282942

Ruxton Designs, mixed media art, vintage buttons, metal hardware, felt all combined in a unique way by Nicky Ruxton.
www.ruxtondesigns.com

Sharing a booth with Laube photography, a joyful rendition of California by Nancy Laube.
www.nancylaube.com

Large Leather is a beautiful store in Sonoma, California.
Choose from in house designs to custom orders, by Paul Terwilliger and Jessica Zoutendijk.
www.largeleather.biz

JYC Arts, Fine Arts painter, Illustrator, Fiber artist as well as Jeweler and quilter.
Working with non traditional fabrics in traditional ways.
www.janecorich.com

Janice Cormier, functional and non functional ceramic art, sculptural vessels, figurative sculpture, small series of functional pottery, and Jewelry.
www.janicecormier.ca
Sharing a booth with Judy Beebe Designs, Merino wool scarves and gloves.
Creating elegant, comfortable, neck pieces with rich texture & color.
www.etsy.com/shop/judybeebedesigns

Theresa Honeywell, provocative imagery and macho icons are rendered into delicate and beautiful pieces of art.
Her inspiration comes in the contrast between art and craft, macho and feminine.
www.theresahoneywell.com

Booths 421-422 is a collaborative mixture of a group of women, a web site is in the pipe line.

To contact the artists directly:
Wanda Fudge, wfudge@peoplepc.com
Colleen Ehle Patell, mixed media figurative art, www.wildwackywomendesigns.com
Suzanne Duran, artist, miblu3@yahoo.com
Mary Porter Vaughan, fine art dolls, www.mpvdolls.com
Donna Perry, art dolls, mixed media artist, dreamandplay.blogspot.com
Zanaib Nia, artist, zniagreen@yahoo.com
Stephanie Smith, doll maker, smitharts@yahoo.com
Bonnie Hoover, Whimsical cloth doll creations, bondonhoov@sbcglobal.net

Tree Stump, Master wood artisans Christine and Ron Sisco prove Fine Art can be functional.
In addition to custom furniture, their most popular pieces are spoons and bread boards.
www.treestump.biz

Santa Barbara Felted Fibers, wearables fiber Art, soft and billowy, exciting and sometimes just wild and crazy.
www.sbfeltedfibers.com

Enchanted Burl, Burls form as an outgrowth on the trunk of a tree and/or within the root system transformed to tables, chairs, lamps, clocks, vessels and serving platters.
www.enchantedburl.com

A close up look on this gorgeous crafted chair.
The vessels have been used as food servers, three-dimensional wall art, center conversational pieces, and even spiritual baptismal vessels.

Browse the list of the entertainment schedule that was offered at the rear stage
www.womensbuilding.org/craftsfair/Womens_Building_Craft_Fair/ENTERTAINMENT.html

Zola De Firmian, Fine Art Ceramics and tile design, one-of-a-kind porcelain and stoneware pieces are hand-built, or cast, then carved, using simple molds of own design.
Project Greenheart, First, 10% of sales go to support programs that connect youth with art and nature.
www.zinfusionz.com

Dawn Mountain LeatherArt, creating and designing original Leatherart pieces.
Decorative techniques such as trapunto, pleating, weaving, and beading are frequently used on one-of-a-kind pieces
www.dawnmountainleatherart.com

FOR INFORMATION ABOUT THE SHOW CONTACT:
TEEVAN PRODUCTIONS
1557- 15TH AVE.
SAN FRANCISCO, CA 94122
PHONE: (650) 615-6838
FAX: (415) 731-6794
EMAIL: CRAFTSWOMEN@GMAIL.COM

Hope you enjoyed Celebration of Craftswomen!
Didn’t make it this year? Try and make it to next year.

All pictures were taken after approval by the artist.

Let’s create something!

 

Tips for Booth Set Up in a Craft Show

You’ve decided your business is coming along and you want to try and participate in a craft show.
This is what you can expect…

You will get an empty booth.

Some shows will let you rent a carpet, tables, chairs etc.
Check with the event organizer for exact details as it varies from show to show.

You start unloading the equipment and supplies you brought.
A u-haul track and dolly may be in order.

Start  by arranging the items you bring in, by approximate location to where they should be.
Make a mini map for yourself and plan ahead where you think things will fit in your booth.

A lot of commotion is going on.

Take a look and see what other folks are doing.
You can get great ideas for your next show!

Check out what containers they are using to carry their items.

Maybe you will want to get your own draperies.

You start by moving the tables away from your walls and hang everything you want.
Don’t forget to bring a ladder.

Once you are done with your wall set up, arrange your furniture.

Then it’s time to start arranging your table displays.

Take use of the space under the table.
You can hide your containers and wares under there tacked away.

You will need pens and paper.

Think about how you will charge your customers.
Most people prefer to pay with a credit card…

Take advantage of all areas of your booth for display.

Long power cords, splitters and lights could be very handy.

AAA Vac and Sew in San Mateo were kind enough to let me tag along.

You can check out the store:
AAA Vac and Sew
501 S. B Street • San Mateo, CA 94401
Phone: 650-344-5006
Email: aaavacsew2@sbcglobal.net
http://www.aaavacsew2.com

Every square inch of your booth is prime real estate.
Treat it as such!

Walk around and say hi to your fellow vendors, you may need to borrow something later on.

You may want to “close” your booth once you are done for the day.
And most important, have fun!

You can find more information about the Quilt, Craft & Sewing Festival
This year it’s FREE, enjoy!

Lebanese Festival

A friend came across a flier to the 1st Lebanese Festival. Thanks T!
Armed with a camera, here is what you missed, or did you?

Bouncing houses for the little ones.

Various performances along with a mock traditional wedding.

Check out the different booths.

A nice selection of gaming booths

Face painting anyone?

Fun prizes

One of the booth with variety of drinks.

Nice selection of traditional foods

Of course the desert is a must

You can check out more information about the Lebanese Festival.

Keep an eye out for next year’s event!