End of Summer...

It's mid-August and summer is almost gone!  What does end of summer mean to you?  

For me, it used to mean the end of staying inside where the A/C kept me comfy instead of being hot, humid and sticky, eating ice cream, or being at one of the fabulous beaches in NC!

Now, it means looking forward to cooler weather, enjoying the smells of fall weather (including the aroma of delicious NC State Fair food!) and the energetic atmosphere of art and craft festivals!

To get into the spirit of promoting for upcoming festivals, I'm starting a weekly blitz for promotions of fellow artists and crafters on CraftCafe.co where I now have 3 active shops (OOAK Jewelry, Affordable Everyday Jewelry, and Fabric Stash).

This first installment is around the theme "End of Summer".  I've asked several artists / crafters to recommend an item of another artist or crafter that reflects this theme.

Please be sure to stop by each shop, browse, and spread some CraftCafe Love!

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Tammy of B'eadUnique

Summer flies

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Terry of POPEmbroidery   

Totally love these canning jar hang tags!

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Ginger of GoatieGirls

And of course with the beginning of fall
you get autumn leaves.......... I really love these

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Laura of Peachie's Pasttime

What better way to end the summer and welcome

the fall than with this beautiful bag

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Rhonda of Variety Gifts and Services

The Beginning of holiday shopping. 

Here’s a cute gift for Teachers or Co-workers.

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September DDM Show - Photos

This was my 3rd show with Designers Downtown Market and will be the last one for me this year. I wanted to share a few photos of this event.

And how my booth setups have evolved from the 1st DDM show. This was the first time I set up fabrics for sale - I had fabrics in plastic storage bins on a single 6' table. I saw that it was difficult for customers to really see what was available with all items folded tightly in those boxes!

So I invested in several grid walls, shelving and baskets from A & B Fixtures. I was able to spread items around where people could touch, feel and unfold pieces of fabric to see all the fabulous colors and patterns.

And my jewelry setup has changed, again! Before I used empty boxes as risers to create height. But I found that when nature's elements (gusty wind, specifically) made an appearance, my displays ended up on the ground. Not good for the jewelry!

Now, my displays have more weight, have a neater look (since I used some of my fabrics to cover the pads in the display trays), and is easier to pack and unpack (items are pinned in each tray, is covered in bubble wrap and stacked in a single box).

I was able to visit a few vendors near me -2 sisters, Elisabeth Ashlie Jewelry and Kate of CardsbyK8

Christy of Hoot Creations - handmade jewelry

Jennifer of Sweet JAM Designs - jewelry, sewing, paper crafts, and crochet

Ashlee of Hepcat Roux's - funky jewelry, pet tees, cards, and gifts

Wall Quilt - Asian Print Scraps

Just wanted to show a quilt that a friend of mine (Nancy) created using small scraps of Asian prints from my fabric shop. Pieces she used were at least 2 inch square. Isn't this just so beautiful?

The long-arm quilting (snaking feather) was done by Bethany.

New NC Triangle Team Treasury - Cherry Blossom Pink

In preparation for snagging an Etsy Treasury which I find very hard to get (IMHO it's a big waiting game), I used the Etsy poster sketch (shown below) to collect my favorite things that remind me of cherry blossoms and the coming of Spring! Poster sketch allows you to post 12 shops and 4 alternates (in case an item gets sold while in the Treasury).

Check the Cherry Blossom Pink Treasury and visit the NC Triangle Street Team shops.

Photos - Designers Downtown Market, March 2010

Just a few photos of the first Designers Downtown Market for 2010 - it was my first time for this venue.

The last 3 pics are of my booth setup for both my jewelry and the fabric stash.