Tomorrow at the Bash: New Wall Art

These photos do not do justice to the two new large fabric wall art pieces I made this week to debut tomorrow at the 3rd Annual Spring Bash!

{dangit this thing didn't rotate! tilt head to the right}

>>>SEE YOU AT THE BASH<<<

A photo journey through my crafty madness.

Here's a little photo essay walking you through all of my behind-the-scenes preparation for this Saturday's 3rd Annual Spring Bash. What you're seeing is the final stage of what has been a half-year-long process getting handmade product ready, reworking my displays, painting, swearing, cussing, loving and creating. If you aren't in Dallas, you have 2 more days to shop my goods in my Etsy shop before I close it down for the weekend.

{all taken with my new iPhone!!!}

fabric rings $8

super secret, newly-repainted beautiful display built by Dowdy Studio

hair clips and hair bobbies for $10 on my newly-painted pegboard display

pottery shard necklaces for $25 and all sorts of pretty earrings

the new gridwall set-up; it's a work in progress

check out that gorgeous new wall art, top right

>>>SEE YOU AT THE BASH THIS SATURDAY<<<

I've got crazy eyes.

It's on like Donkey Kong, y'all. This Saturday is the 3rd Annual Spring Bash, co-founded and co-produced by yours truly along with a team of fellow dedicated Etsy Dallas members. This will be our 9th show to date and I could not be more excited and downright scared of all the things I still need to do to prepare:

+ Cut out labels, write prices, and tape to new display, which I traded with Dowdy Studio for a stash of fabric and my never-ending gratitude. It was black, I painted it straw yellow, it's awesome and covered in fabric sculpture necklaces - loads of new designs. Pics coming soon! DONE!

+ Go to American Store Fixtures to get a ton of gridwall hooks for my fabric wall art. DONE!

+ Take legs off gridwall panels, hose down (or leave out in the rain overnight), set up panels in living room, merchandise the heck out of it, covering it with fabric wall art, magnets, brooches, hair clips and more! (oh so much more)

+ OMG make more fabric wall art.

+ OMG make more brooches. DONE!


+ Go to the bank, get a million dollars in ones and fives, because this show is off-the-hook crazy with awesome shoppers throwing money at us wee Dallas artists.

+ Set-up newly painted pegboard, hang pottery shard necklaces all over it. It's the color of the ocean and it's beautiful.

+ OMG make more pottery shard necklaces.

+ Stop at Michael's to pick up some large shopping bags for my large wall art. DONE!

+ Label large shopping bags. DONE!

+ Pack all this up Friday night, sleep.

+ Wake up at the butt-crack of dawn on Saturday, drink a pot of coffee, put on my new awesome mum, and head to South Side on Lamar to get the space ready for the big show.

>>> 3rd ANNUAL SPRING BASH <<<

Bash Bucks Giveaway Through April 25th

Hey hey Dallas-area people, or those of you badass enough to drive to Big D for the 3rd Annual Spring Bash (co-produced by yours truly), listen up! You can enter to win free Bash Bucks - gift certificates that spend like cash at the Bash - on our Etsy Dallas blog. Click here to read all about it and enter. And if I were to win (yes people, I'm eligible, too), these are what I would buy:

Merbaby Print by Signifying Not


Mounted Narwhal by Crochette

Tom Selleck pillow by Bolsa Bonita

See you at the Bash!

Tefi's Craft Show Survival Checklist

With the spring show season kicking into full gear, and the amazing 3rd Annual Spring Bash just around the corner (April 30th @ South Side on Lamar in Dallas TX), here's my crafy show survival checklist, culled from years of doing shows and forgetting this and needing that. If you've got a "must have" that I've left off, let me know and I'll add it! Tefi’s Craft Show Survival Checklist
calculator
cash box
small bills and coins
sales receipt book
clipboard
business cards (lots!)
price tags
product signage
pens
Sharpies (black, red)
glue stick
clear tape
duct tape
stapler
scissors
note pad
envelopes
safety pins
paper clips
clothes pins
Kleenex
paper towels
hand sanitizer
wet wipes
lip balm
hand lotion
first aid kit
paper sacks
gift tags
tissue paper
ziplocs
zip ties
bungee cord
screwdriver
pliers
hammer
tape measure
power strip
extension cord(s)
garbage bag(s)
rope/twine
snacks
bottled water
charged cell phone
umbrella
deodorant

Spotted At the Bash: Bradley Whitford

This is an article I wrote for the Etsy Dallas/Handmade Bash blog. Enjoy! Holy Toledo, Batman! Several vendors - Silla Soup, Hip Hazel Hoops, and Wrap Couture - got a glimpse (and even talked with) super actor, Bradley Whitford at Saturday's insanely fun Spring Bash - our 7th show to date. Best known for his roles in The West Wing and Studio 60 (and lesser known role of a smarmy Fed in A Perfect World), Whitford is in Dallas filming his upcoming TV show The Good Guys. The [ahem, good-lookin'] actor took time out of his busy filming schedule to stop by the Bash in support local artists. Incredible! We are truly humbled and star-struck with his visit. Hey Bradley - did you buy anything? Email us! We are dying to know... More about The Good Guys (from Wikipedia): The series is being filmed primarily in Dallas, Texas and is making use of the Fair Park area as much as possible for its diverse shooting locations and so as not to disturb the residents. The show was originally planned to be set in Los Angeles until Dallas city officials convinced creator Matt Nix to set the show in Dallas. Nix said of Dallas, "It’s a great city to jump on the hood of a car." Production work on the series began in January 2010 and principal photography of the pilot wrapped in early February 2010. Cast members spent time shadowing their real-life Dallas counterparts to prepare for their roles.

This is what crazy looks like.

Preparing for a huge art/craft event can make a gal go a little cuckoo. As we (me, Pam, Cheyne, Larry, Carrie, et al) prepare for our 7th big show, the following keeps us centered on a somewhat even keel. See you at the Bash!

Pam did this.

I did this.

I'm In Renegade Austin!

Whoo-hoo!!!!!!!!!!! Last month I applied to Renegade's first Austin show. And I was rejected. I gots sad. But then I got an email yesterday inviting me to be in the show after all. Let me say again, in my most professional voice, "Whoo-hoo!!!!!!!! Dance pants party!!!!!!!!!!" What an honor. I'm going to craft my butt off from now until May. What I don't sell at the 2nd Annual Spring Bash, I'll bring on down to my old stomping ground, Austin TX to sell at Renegade (in addition to lots of new stuff just ripe for Renegade). I'll be with boothmate Patricia of Karmacrochet and next to my friends Pamela Michelle and Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect. Ah, so many good times ahead. For example: BALLS. I just listed a ton of my original needle felted Balls necklaces in my Etsy shop, and plan to list more this week. Check them out! These babies are one-of-a-kind and cannot be duplicated. Balls party time!!

Cutest Couple of the Year

Pam + Dylan = ADORABLE. Dig the toe pop!

Thanks to The Vanity Stand for kickin' it at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash. Too bad I didn't get a chance to sneak away from my crazy busy booth to get my pic taken (boo-hoo me).

"Best Show In Dallas, Ever"

That's what I overheard time and again at Etsy Dallas' first ever Spring Bash. There was non-stop traffic, with a slight lull that lasted about 3 minutes. Then at 4:42 the crowds finally began to subside, but then it was time to pack up. Incredible! A huge thank you to Dallas shoppers who came out to support their local craft collective and spend a little dough, even when the purse straps are a bit tight these days. We thank you! It looks like all that promotion and marketing we did paid off. (Who knew I could write a killer press release?) I credit a huge chunk of all of this to Miss Pamela Michelle, my co-conspirator in the Bash. She did all the pretty, pretty graphics and makes me jealous that I was never too good at painting and drawing. Some of my favorite press moments: Daily Candy D Magazine NBC DFW (and we were on Channel 5, as one of the "Things to do in Dallas"!) Make: Zine KERA's Art+Seek Dallas Observer I blame the huge crowds of shoppers on this incredibly fantastic press. Whoo-hoo! To see more press coverage for the Bash, click here. Sadly, there was so much I'm not able to list it all. If you do a Google search, you will make it to PAGE 20 (you heard me right) before the promotion begins to subside. *jaw dropping* But the best thing is, all of our vendors had a good time. That's what matters most to me. That, and the huge wad of cash I walked away with. Holla!!! What's Next? 2009 Jingle Bash Saturday, November 21 @ Sons of Hermann Hall MARK THOSE CALENDARS!!

Tefi Loves: Christina Likes

Okay, so I may be a bit biased. After all, Christina did spend the afternoon at yesterday's Spring Bash (a lot more on that later), and she did come by my booth to introduce herself (she's adorable!). And then, she went on to feature a ton of Spring Bash vendors on her blog, Christina Likes, including one of my Big Balls. Bookmark her blog and stay tuned to her new Etsy shop Paper Fingers. Seriously, what's not to love about Christina Likes? Shop: http://www.paperfingers.etsy.com/ Blog: http://www.christinalikes.com/ Location: Dallas, Texas

We Made Dail Candy (OMG)

Do you want to make a bunch of handmade crafters hyperventilate? It's easy. Just feature them in the Daily Candy Weekend Guide.

HOLY COW!!!And not only did we make it in, but we are the FIRST item, and this includes a photo of the new unofficial Etsy Dallas mascot - an owl pin by member Silla Soup.

Am I bragging? Oh yes. Do I want to see you at the Bash this Saturday? You betcha.

Oh My Stars: More Bash Press

Dallas Observer by Merritt Martin Craft Gossip blog Examiner.com by Vanessa Brown Craftophile blog Did I mention all of the following are FREE? FREE Raffle FREE Admission FREE Make & Take crafts FREE Whoo-hoo!

Dallas Observer Splash

Whoo-hoooo! I'm so thrilled to see our first ever Spring Bash splashed across the masthead of the Dallas Observer web site. Super mega uber thanks to South Side on Lamar for setting this up for us. Since it can't be there forever and ever, I'm including a couple of screenshots below. Support your local handmade collective by stopping at the Bash and spending some time and dollars on great handmade goods. Free crafts! Free admission! Free raffle! Free goody bags! Free good times! Smiles by the gallon!

Uber thanks to Patricia and Susie for taking these screenshots for the team!

Orange Pretty

I was honored to be featured in the following treasury starring other Spring Bash vendors and their pretty orange handmade goods. Thank you Katie of Two Hills Designs for curating this! [Click the image to see the goods up close.]

It's On Like Donkey Kong

I have a meeting tomorrow with South Side on Lamar to finalize Spring Bash stuffs. Pam, Mandi and I will do our best to make sure this Bash is tip-top fabulous. Exciting! This show is going to be so much fun. I am so excited about the line-up this year. Have you met all of our wonderful vendors? Tomorrow night I'm heading to Larry's to help Mandi (our Decorations Leader) and a bunch of other Etsy Dallas volunteers make some origami birds to decorate the Artist's Quarter at South Side where our booths will be set up. Fold, fold, fold. And guess who is screenprinting our famous Goody Bags for the first 50 shoppers.... If you guessed Dowdy Studio, you are correct! Get there early to snag one of these collectibles chock full of free goodies, promos and coupons. Read about my contribution to these bags. See you at the Bash! (Saturday, May 16th, 11am-5pm)