Queen City Craft

Applications are now closed

2012-02-11T13:00:00.000-05:00

Thanks to everyone who applied. Applications are no longer available. It's time to jury the show! I'll be sending out emails to all who applied in about one week.

Get Involved!

2012-01-24T11:34:00.000-05:00

The Queen City Craft Bazaar is coming on 5/12 and there are several ways you can get involved.

Become a Vendor
Applications are now being accepted through Feb 10th for the Spring show. The QCCB is a juried show and we look for unique indie crafters, artists and designers who embody the DIY movement. Please take some time to look around the site, read the About page and if you feel you might be a good fit check out the show info and application page.

Volunteer:
We are seeking help in the following areas.

Promotion - are you a PR/Marketing student who is looking to gather some skills and experience with event promotion? I'm looking for people to help out with promoting the show via digital marketing as well as good old fashion street marketing (hanging posters, postcards etc)
Show help - Setting up, running the show and breaking it all down is a lot of work. I can always use help if anyone is interested in learning the ropes of what it takes behind the scenes to make this show happen. Ideally this person (or people) would be available to help set up for the event and or also be available to work with me the day of the show helping to run the Queen City Craft table, checking in on vendors, breaking down the event.

These are non paying opportunities, but the experience you gain will be worth it. Plus you get to hang out with some of the most talented indie crafters in the state! Contact me to find out more

Become a Sponsor:

If you are a local business who would be interested in sponsoring the show please email me for info.

Seeking indie musician

2012-01-24T10:00:00.000-05:00

I'm looking for a musician to possibly play at my upcoming Queen City Craft Bazaar show in May. Preferably a solo singer/song writer type who would fit into the scene of an indie craft show. Kind of busker type street performer who would be playing indoors.

Contact me if you are interested so we can discuss options.

2012-01-24T09:32:00.000-05:00

I finally got off my butt and joined Pinterest a few weeks ago. What the heck was I waiting for? I see so many of my friends and craft vendors have been pinning away already so I had some catching up to do. What can you do with Pinterest? What can't you do is really the question. People create boards with different themes such as My Style, Food, Crafts, Kitchens, etc. Then they "pin" photographs they find online or "re pin" from other users to their boards. It's a brilliant way to find inspiration for project, keep track of photos of kitchens you like for a big remodel, get garden design ideas and so much more! Really the ideas of how to use this site are endless.

Another interesting way to use Pinterest is for your craft business. Talk about viral sharing, this is the place to make it happen. Create a board for the items you create and pin directly from your Etsy site or your website. if you put a $ in the description (Etsy does this automatically) it will create a small price banner across your photo. If you are manually adding your pin remember to put in the website url so people can click through to the page. I've created a board here for Queen City Craft. I'm using it to promote items created by indie crafters in Vermont. The more people re pin, the more viral your products go. Just remember to delete the picture if it is something that has sold. Also don't make your Pinterest account all about selling. Create other boards of interest so you have a variety of content to share. Check it out and think about how you can use this great new tool to help out your business as well.

Don't forget to check your web analytics tool to see if you are getting referral traffic from this great new source!

Applications Now Open

2012-01-20T17:36:00.000-05:00

Applications are now open for the Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar.

Apply Now!

Spring 2012 Queen City Craft Bazaar

2012-01-19T13:49:00.000-05:00

Hello!

The date and location has been set for the Spring 2012 Queen City Craft Bazaar. It will be held on Saturday May 12th at Union Station in Burlington, VT.

Applications will be available soon. Check back or visit our Facebook page for updates.

Thank you!

2011-12-07T09:06:00.000-05:00

Well the show is over and I wanted to thank everyone for once again making it a wonderful success! Thank to all of my fabulous vendors, the amazing customers who come and support local indie craft, and to our sponsor Catamount Color.

Pictures from the show will be up soon so check back!

The spring QCCB will be Saturday May 12th.

Almost Show Time

2011-11-16T21:23:00.001-05:00

The holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar is almost here! Saturday November 19th from 10am-6pm you will find over 40 of Vermont's best indie crafters, artists and designers all in one space. This is the 5th year of the QCCB and I am thrilled at how much it has grown. If you haven't been to this show before you are in for a treat. For starters, it is held in one of the coolest buildings in Burlington, Union Station at 1 Main Street.

It is also very different once you step in the doors. The Queen City Craft Bazaar is Vermont's indie craft extravaganza. Each show is juried which results in an exciting mix of unique handmade goods.

You can't help but feel inspired and creative when you walk through this show. The level of talent that comes to sell their work amazes me year after year.

Here's a little sneak peak at the kind of products you will see on Saturday

Boda Boda

Upcycled Dinosaur Planter by Found Beauty Studio

Copper Creations

The fabulous Feisty Ink Designs

The Madhattess Crafts

and of course the famous urban farmgirl

There are way too many (over 40 in fact) to list so hop on over to the full vendor page to see them all. Better yet, come see them all in person on Saturday November 19th from 10-6 at Union Station at 1 Main Street. Start your holiday shopping this weekend. Shop local, shop handmade!

Vendor Spotlight: Laura Macchia

2011-11-14T19:26:00.001-05:00

Laura Macchia is an artist and designer living in Montpelier VT. She creates paper goods, invitations and custom designs. I love the fresh, simple patterns of her work. She will make a great addition to the show. Her products are also eco-conscious using 100% post-consumer recycled card stock and envelopes and biodegradable packaging. Find Laura at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday November 19th.

You can find Laura online here

Vendor Spotlight: Nifty Kidstuff

2011-11-11T21:13:00.004-05:00

New to the Queen City Craft Bazaar this year is Nifty Kidstuff from Essex Junction VT.

Caitlin Betsy Bell of Nifty Kidstuff makes puppets, quilts, and super adorable stuffed creatures all made from natural fibers. I am so excited to have Caitlin in the show this year. Her products are vibrant, fun and perfect for all the little ones on your shopping list. Find her at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on 11/19 at Union Station!

Visit the Nifty Kidstuff online shop to see more and check out her blog to follow all her crafty posts and find her on Facebook here.

Digital poster now available

2011-10-24T12:00:00.001-04:00

Shop local, shop handmade

2011-10-18T22:27:00.002-04:00

from our friends at Shop Locally

Buy local this holiday season and come to the Queen City Craft Bazaar on November 19th!

Congrats Nicole!

2011-10-11T22:00:00.001-04:00

photo by Nicole Carey

Congrats to Vermont's own Nicole Carey of Nicole's Threads for being featured in the latest Etsy Quit Your Day Job feature. Nicole is a veteran of the Queen City Craft Bazaar and will be selling her handmade goods on at the Holiday show on November 19th at Union Station.

QCCB Update

2011-10-08T22:59:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who applied for the holiday show. As always there were a large amount of very talented applicants. Notification went out by email this evening and the final vendor list will be posted here soon. It's going to be a great show! See you all on November 19th!

Holiday 2011 Show Update

2011-09-26T13:19:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all the wonderful applicants! The application process is now closed. I will be sending out notifications later this week.thanks!

Now Taking Applications

2011-08-24T17:48:00.000-04:00

Now accepting applications for the 2011 Holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar! Click on the Holiday 2011 Application link to apply.

That's a Wrap

2011-06-06T10:52:00.002-04:00

Check out the photos from the Queen City Craft Bazaar Spring 2011, a set on Flickr.

Thanks to all who came out to support indie craft and shopping local on Saturday. Everyone had a great time and the response from customers about the mix of artists at the show was wonderful!

Thanks to our sponsor Catamount Color for the beautiful posters and banner.

Thanks to Matt Ames for taking these amazing photos at the show.

A big thank you to the wonderful vendors who continue to surprise me year after year with their talent and dedication to the indie craft movement. We had lots of returning vendors as well as a group of new ones. The show wouldn't exist without you. I am thankful to work with such an amazing group of creative talent.

See you all in November for the holiday show! info will be posted soon.

Today is the day!

2011-06-04T08:00:00.001-04:00

Thanks to our sponsor!

2011-05-18T20:02:00.000-04:00

HUGE thanks to our wonderful sponsor Catamount Color. They are responsible for printing the gorgeous posters and postcards each year as well as our new banner which will hang on the front of Union Station.

Thank you!

Markets of New England

2011-05-14T22:54:00.003-04:00

Today I received a box of copies for Markets of New England by Christine Chitnis. The Queen City Craft Bazaar and some of my amazing vendors are included in the book. I was absolutly thrilled with how it turned out. If you live in New England, are here visiting and are a fan of farmers markets and craft shows this is a must have guide book.

Please note that the book lists the Queen City Craft Bazaar as happening in early May and November each year which it normally does, but this spring we had to move the date so the show will be happening on June 4th instead of early May. In case you pick up the book and are heading to VT you didn't miss the show. Stop by and check it out on Saturday June 4th. I will also have copies of the book for sale at the show.

Vendor Spotlight - Love Like Laughter

2011-05-11T20:24:00.000-04:00

I am delighted to announce a wonderful new vendor Love Like Laughter.

Stephanie is from Vergennes VT and she will be attending the Queen City Craft Bazaar for the first time and bringing with her handmade eco-friendly necklaces, headbands and brooches. Perfect accessories for the spring summer season.

You can browse some of the products she will be selling in her Etsy Shop.
Visit her on the top level at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday June 4th at Union Station in Burlington.

Feather Hair Extensions at the QCCB by Bay View Designs

2011-05-09T21:48:00.000-04:00

What do Hilary Duff, Jennifer Love Hewitt, Steven Tyler, and Taryn Manning all have in common? They are rocking feathers in their hair, and so can you!

Feather hair extensions are installed with a cold-fusion bead that causes no damage to the hair and can last up to four months, with proper care. The feathers can be brushed, blow-dried, straightened and even curled along with the rest of your hair.

Stop by Bayview Designs’ booth at Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday June 4th to take part in this fun and funky trend – feathers are the perfect accessories for summer. Clip-in feather extensions and earrings will also be available.

Vendor Spotlight - DiNofrio Handbags

2011-05-04T10:15:00.006-04:00

I am a sucker for bags, purses, handbags - whatever you want to call them I own a ton!

DiNofrio from Woodstock VT is coming to the Queen City Craft Bazaar to show off her selection of retro chick handbags and you won't want to miss it.

In the meantime you can check out her Etsy shop and find her on Facebook

Markets of New England Now Available!

2011-05-03T13:28:00.003-04:00

I am pleased to announce that Markets of New England hit stores today! Christine Chitnis visited 50 artist, craft and farmers markets throughout New England and featured them in this wonderful new book. Summer is coming and the markets will be in full swing soon. This is going to be a wonderful guide to help you find interesting new events throughout New England.

I am even more thrilled to announce that the Queen City Craft Bazaar is one of the events she features in her book and highlights some of the vendors from the show.

I will have some copies available for sale at the next QCCB on June 4th or you can buy it online here.

The Business of Craft: Intro to Web Analytics

2011-04-26T11:04:00.015-04:00

This is the first of many posts to come about web analytics and digital marketing. I have worked in the web world since 2001. In addition to my experience running Queen City Craft and my own indie craft business I was a Web Project manager at Burton Snowboards for 5 years and I am going on my second year as the Web Analyst for them now. Web Analytics and digital marketing can be overwhelming. I am excited to mesh my experience in both the digital world and that of indie craft to help you better manage your businesses.

These days being an indie crafter you have more online tools than ever to help promote and sell your products. Long gone are the days of just having a blog or website. Social sharing, social selling and web analytics have become very important ways to help support your business but the question is are you using them? It can also be overwhelming trying to manage all of your different accounts. Your business is probably spread across several places online like Facebook, Twitter and Etsy, but how do you keep track of what source is working best for you?

First of all if you are not using web analytics to track your website or blog you need to go sign up for an account now! Google Analytics is FREE and it offers a powerful tool to help you understand trends in your traffic sources and content. It does so much more than that, but you don't have to be an expert or even understand half of what the tool can do in order to get meaningful insights out of it.

Let's start with the basics.

The Dashboard
The dashboard is the first screen you see when you log into your Google Analytics account. You can create this to show different reports but it starts you off with the basics. The graph you see at the top shows you traffic to your website over a time period that you can adjust. In this example I am showing stats on a blog I created for my 20 year high school reunion coming up this summer (yikes). See the big spike in the graph? That is the day I posted a link to the website on our Facebook reunion page.

I can keep track of activities like this by adding an annotation below the graph that helps me remember what I did to try to drive traffic and on what date. Annotations are available under graphs on all reports and allow you to keep track of any marketing promotions you launch or changes to your website. Keeping these important reminders in one place will help you relate site changes and marketing efforts to your reports.

The Site Usage section below the graph gives you a quick view of some of the basic web metrics Here is a quick breakdown of what some of the most basic ones are.

Visits - a visit is when someone arrives at your website and starts looking around. These are not absolute unique visitors. If I come to your website 5 times in one day the Visits metric will count all 5 unlike the unique visitors metric which would only count me once. A visit can have multiple pageviews or just one.

Pageviews - This metric tells you how many pages were viewed on your site. Don't expect this metric to match your visits. Typically pageviews will be higher than visits.

Bounce Rate - This can be a powerful metric that will tell you a lot about your site. It explains how many people land on your website but choose to not go anywhere else but the page they landed on. They leave without exploring meaning they bounce. This is a great way to measure the quality of the content you have on your site. You don't want your visitors to bounce upon arrival. You want them to dig deeper and visit more pages. A basic rule of thumb here is anything over 30% should be a red flag which should make you scratch your head and see what improvements you can make to your site.

The Content Overview section gives you a quick peek at the top pages being viewed on your site.

All of the info on the dashboard is available to dig into deeper using the report links in the left hand navigation.

Now we get into my favorite part of Google Analytics - Traffic Sources. I dig into this every day and it is amazing the nuggets of information you can pull out from this one report. There are basically three main buckets your traffic goes into. Direct, Referral and Search.

Direct in a nutshell refers to people who type in the address of your website directly into their web browser or have it bookmarked. This used to be a pretty clean cut metric but with the uprising of third party apps such as Tweetdeck, Hootsuite along with untracked email campaigns, your Direct traffic bucket is going to be filled with spillover from a few of these areas. Don't worry too much about it for now though. In general Direct traffic is a good indicator of brand loyalty.

Referral traffic is someone who comes to your site via another online source. For example if do a blog post about your craft business on Queen City Craft and have a link to your site from my blog post, someone clicks on the link from my post which brings them to your site you would see www.queencitycraft.com show up in your referral traffic report. Checking this report is an excellent way to see what websites are driving the most traffic to your site. Is it Facebook, Twitter, Queen City Craft, or another source? You may be surprised at what you find. The results will help you figure out where you should be spending most of your online marketing time and which blogs you should try to hook up with to promote your products. It is also a great way to find out if someone promoted you that you weren't aware of. If all of a sudden you see 100 visits from Design Sponge for example you can check to see if they posted something about you and end up really happy!

Search represents both paid or organic search results and the report splits them out as such. Most indie crafters might not be diving into the world of paid search yet, but organic search is an area worth learning more about as it can tell you how well your website is showing up on search engine result pages. If you make recycled coasters for example and someone does a Google search for "Recycled coasters VT" does your website show up in the list of results? If not you need to work on your search engine optimization. This is a topic we can discuss further at a later time.

There is so much more to talk about and I'll continue in future posts. Please hit me up with any questions you have.

Vendor Spotlight - Bella Buckles

2011-04-25T22:33:00.001-04:00

website

etsy shop

facebook

Designers Joanne Palmisano and Tina Noel created a line of belt buckles made with vintage and recycled materials. These upcycled accessories are made in Vermont and come with a leather belt. With so many designs to choose from you are sure to find one that fits your style.

Visit Bella Buckles at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday June 4th. They will be located on the top floor of Union Station.

Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar Posters

2011-04-25T14:57:00.002-04:00

Vendor Spotlight - Feisty Ink Designs

2011-04-23T21:59:00.003-04:00

Feisty Ink Designs

Josie from Feisty Ink Designs is many things. From visual art, graphic design/illustration, hand made clothing and screen printed tshirts to jewelry design - I think she can do it all! I am thrilled to have her in the Queen City Craft Bazaar this June and I can't wait to see her work in person. Her designs are unique and refreshing and will be a perfect fit for the show.

Find Feisty Ink Designs here

website

etsy shop

facebook

Make sure you stop by to check out Feisty Ink Designs on Saturday June 4th. She'll be on the bottom floor of Union Station at 1 Main Street. See you there!

Vendor Spotlight - The Spun Monkey

2011-04-19T19:40:00.000-04:00

One of the things I love most about running Queen City Craft is coming across amazing talent that exists in our wonderful state of VT. Every year when I think we have tapped out the talent I am blown away by the amount of people who apply to the show. These talented people exist out there and I feel privileged when I get a chance to meet and work with them. I will be highlighting lots of the vendors you will find in the spring show on June 4th, but I am going to really focus on some of the new vendors to the QCCB.

So here is the first in several posts to come.

The Spun Monkey
website

Shannon Herrick of The Spun Monkey describes herself on her blog as a fiber flinger, tea drinker and obsessive maker. She sounds perfect for the QCCB. What first caught my eye was this lovely nuno felt scarf. If you aren't familiar with nuno felting it is a fairly new technique created by textile artist Polly Stirling and her assistant Sachiko Kotaka in 1994. It is lightweight and flexible and can be used for accessories and other projects.

Besides these lovely nuno scarves Shannon also sells handspun yarn, feltwork and hand dyed fibers.

Visit The Spun Monkey on June 4th at the Queen City Craft Bazaar.

Mark Your Calendar!

2011-04-08T21:50:00.004-04:00

The Queen City Craft Bazaar is coming on June 4th!

RSVP to the event on Facebook.

2011-03-22T22:47:00.000-04:00

Thank you to all the wonderful crafters, artists and designers who applied for the spring show. We received a record number of applications and the jurying process was harder than ever. All applicants should have received an email with your status by now. If you haven't received one please let me know. I will be posting a list of participating vendors in the coming week.

Shop local, shop handmade!

Sorry for the delay

2011-03-18T20:25:00.001-04:00

I'm sorry for the delay in sending out notifications for the show. I had the flu last week and it threw me off schedule. I will send out the emails this weekend. By Sunday evening.

thanks!

Applications are closed!

2011-03-05T09:00:00.001-05:00

Thanks to everyone who applied to the spring Queen City Craft Bazaar! Applications are now closed and the jurying process begins! I received a record number of applications this year and I am excited to dig in. I'll send out notifications by March 18th.

Application Deadline!

2011-03-03T09:45:00.002-05:00

Tomorrow is the last day to apply for the spring edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar!

Applications will not be accepted after tomorrow so the jurying process can begin. Applicants will be notified in about a week.

Don't miss out on Vermont's only indie craft extravaganza!

Treasure Chest - iRetrofone Steampunk - Black/Gold

2011-02-10T22:26:00.002-05:00

This was way too cool not to share. Freeland Studios created this amazing fully-functional, stationary iPhone dock with working handset and is complete compatibility with USB cable.

Wow. That is all I can say is Wow!

Fuel TV interviews Beth Robinson of Strange Dolls

2011-01-27T14:37:00.000-05:00

Fuel TV was in Burlington a few weeks ago and interviewed Beth Robinson of Strange Dolls.

Crafter Spotlight - Little Hill Woolworks

2011-01-25T19:34:00.010-05:00

It still amazes me sometimes how many little gems there are hidden around Vermont. Little Hill Woolworks is one of those gems.

Little Hill Woolworks

Tell us a little bit about your business and how you got started.

We are a collective of 2 humans (designer Nora Swan and farmer/felter Sam Stone) and 7 sheep who make "ultra local" hand-felted hats, baby booties, and whimsical accessories for kids and adults right on our hundred acre farm. We make our own felt by hand (from our own sheep's wool), and craft our hats, booties and other creations using original designs and patterns. We source everything as close to home as possible, so our goods are created "from the grass up" right here in Vermont.

We got started when my (Sam's) 3-year-old son Luca looked down at his plate one day and asked, “Mommy, who made this pasta?” Since moving to Vermont from Manhattan a year earlier my family had plunged headlong into mini-farm mode, raising sheep, growing food in our enormous garden, keeping bees and chickens, and getting all our meat, cheese and milk from neighboring farms. During that first year, Luca had become fascinated with the origins of so much of what he consumed. So when I said I didn’t know who made his pasta, he looked exasperated. “Everything is made by someone mommy,” he said. Duh.

This basic insight, so clear to three-year-old Luca on his farm, is not so obvious to many of us. Disconnected from the sometimes simple, sometimes incredibly complex processes that bring food to our table or put shoes on our feet, we can get lulled into thinking that stuff just "is".

I thought then, wouldn’t it be wonderful to somehow share this experience with our less, shall we say, “earthy” friends. I stared at my sheep, and my sheep stared at me. Wouldn’t it be great, I thought, if someone made baby booties out of the wool of individual sheep, and paired them with a little book that introduced the sheep and farm they came from?

I shared this idle thought with my friend, Nora, who surprised me and said, “Let’s do it!” Turns out, my mountain-hermit friend Nora lived a fabulous former life making hats for Broadway in pre-bubble New York City. (You really never know what you’ll find in them thar hills.)

Sooo, over the next few months I taught myself to felt and Nora dusted off her old hat blocks and got to work designing and making patterns for our line of baby booties, hats and other surprisingly high-fashion accessories. We plunged ourselves into the arcane yet...arcane world of bookmaking, and developed a series of tiny books to accompany each of our baby products.

Once we started selling our children's line, customers began asking for adult sizes, so we started designing hats and hair ornaments for adults as well. Our style is a little bit country, a little bit whattheheck? Whimsical, unusual, beautiful and playful. We pride ourselves on fine craftswomanship, and offer a unique combination of couture sensibility, old-school millinery techniques and earthy vermontiness. Response has been wonderful so far, and this year is shaping up to be much bigger than last!

Who/what inspires you?

We envision a world where one-year-old boys wear purple fedoras and toddlerettes wear 1920s-inspired beaded cloches. We’d like to see newborn gentlemen wearing tiny felt wing tips and bowler hats embellished with vintage buttons, and we’d absolutely love to see itty-bitty ladies completing every outfit with a feathered cocktail headband!

And don't get us started on our hats and hair adornments for women! (Let's just say Sam has been spotted hauling hay bales in frothy head wear on more than one occasion!). Just because we are hard working wild women of the woods doesn't mean we can't be spectacularly coiffed!

Our vision is not only to create fabulous items of adornment however; we are also on a mission to connect children with the origins of their essential possessions. We believe that knowing where things come from and how they are made enriches a child’s understanding and appreciation of our world. To this end, we accompany each of our goods with a mini-biography introducing our farm and the sheep that contributed the wool. Our sheep have distinct personalities, and we design along thematic “lines” that celebrate them.

Where do you sell and promote your work?

We take our goodies to various craft shows in Vermont and New England which is loads of fun playing dress-ups! We also sell through etsy.com, and our fancier ladies' accessories are featured in Adornment in Brandon. We do custom work as well, both locally and through etsy.

What are three things you can't live without?

Hmmm. Our children, artistic expression, and the natural abundance that surrounds us!

Tell us why you love living in Vermont

Ooh, we just love stuffing our children in and out of snowsuits all winter!
...
For real, we are constantly inspired by the beauty of the landscape, and the plucky individuality of the people here. There's just so much personality hiding under all those layers of thermal underwear!

What does term indie craft mean to you?

Indie craft is about a new energy and playfulness people are bringing to the creation of handmade goods. It's tied to an ethos of conscious consumption, sustainable production values, local-ism, and solidarity between the makers and the buyers.

Any new products, projects or news you want to share?

We are hard at work coming up with a spring line of shady hats and winsome headbands for kids and adults. We are also partnering with a neighboring farm to create a line of felted alpaca hats and baby booties. And we are collaborating with the talented Vermont-based jewelry designer Rebecca Zelis on a new approach to bridal finery - coming soon!

website: www.littlehillwoolworks.com
etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Littlehillwoolworks
blog: http://littlehillwoolworks.blogspot.com/

Spring QCCB applications are ready!

2011-01-24T10:25:00.001-05:00

Applications are now available for the Spring QCCB on June 4th, 2011.

Get all the show info and application HERE!

Erinn Simon of urban farmgirl

2011-01-21T09:54:00.001-05:00

From super sweet sweets crocheted with love to zombie cupcakes, Erinn Simon of urban farmgirl does it all. She has been an important part of the indie craft scene in Vermont for many years. She was the founder of the Burlington Craft Mafia and has gone on to build herself a well known indie biz selling her unique and very well made crocheted items. Not only is Erinn a poster child for the indie craft scene in Vermont, she is also an amazing person. If you don't know her you should.

You can find Erinn on line here.

Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar

2011-01-19T14:58:00.000-05:00

Hold on to your hats! The Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar is coming soon!

Details and applications will be available here once the date has been nailed down. Keep checking back or follow us on Facebook to get up to the minute updates.

Press for local indie crafters

2010-11-29T14:37:00.000-05:00

Lots of press for some of our local indie crafters.

COOB Originals was included on the on the Inlu blog about holiday gift ideas that give back.

Beth Robinson of Strange Dolls was featured on Geeks of Doom.

South End Holiday Hop

2010-11-23T23:05:00.000-05:00

December 10,11,12
Throughout the South End of Burlington Vermont

4th Annual South End Holiday Hop. Artist Market and Open Studio. Shop local, support your community, see your neighbors and buy amazing wonderful goods for all your holiday needs.

Check out their Facebook Event Page

Queen City Craft Bazaar Pictures

2010-11-23T22:11:00.000-05:00

Here are the pictures from the Holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar 2010. Thanks to Matt Ames for shooting the show for me. Click on any one of the pictures below to see the full set.

www.flickr.com

Friend or Fan?

2010-11-23T07:49:00.003-05:00

Facebook. We all love it, we sometimes hate it, but the reality is Facebook has changed the way we interact with each other and surprisingly the way we do business. There are so may discussions we could have around how Facebook can help your indie craft business, but I am going to start with the most basic one today. What type of page do you create?

This topic is sort of a pet peeve of mine and writing about it will probably help explain to several people who have recently "friended" me, why I have not accepted. I have a rule and it is as simple as this. I don't "friend" a business. Set up a business/fan page and I'll "like" you for sure, but sending out a Facebook friend request for a business is a no no in my book. Here's why:

When you become friends with someone on Facebook the other person has access to your personal profile. Let's role play here. Say Queen City Craft decided to set up a Facebook page but went with a personal page where I have to "friend" people to get my followers. I do some promotion to build my following and someone named Beth decides to become friends with my QCCB page. After she friends me I now have access to her personal profile page because she told Facebook that we are friends and according to her settings her friends can see her wall posts, photos and info page. She will get my updates, but I will also get hers. Beth realizes this and decides to stop being friends of QCCB. She is bummed because she wants to stay connected to QCCB, but she doesn't want QCCB to know all about her Friday night adventures.

The flip side of this is setting up a business page instead. In this situation QCCB sets up a business page and people "like" it by clicking a button instead of having to send out "friend" requests. There are several reasons why a business page is better:

You will build a bigger and better fan base
People will be "like" you more often than they would "friend" you because of privacy concerns.
You have the ability to promote your business with ads
Business pages come with built in insights so you can have visibility to how engaged people are with your brand page.
More robust marketing tools

If QCCB set up business page instead of a personal page this means Beth could "like" the QCCB page which allows her to stay up to day with what QCCB is doing because whenever they post something to their wall it will show up in Beth's news feed. The biggest difference here is that what Beth posts on her own Facebook page is NOT seen by QCCB. QCCB would have no access to Beth's page.

I encounter this situation all the time. I have several "friend" requests right now in my inbox from businesses and I feel terrible because I just can't "friend" them back. In some cases we are actually friends in real life, but I can't break my rule. I don't "friend" businesses.

What can you do? If you are still thinking about whether you should get your indie biz on Facebook the answer is YES (I'll go into more of that later). When you decide to make the leap please consider setting up your Facebook page as a business page instead of a personal one. If you have already set one up and want to switch you may be hesitant thinking you will lose your current following. My advice is DO IT! Create the fan page and post it on your current page, message all your "friends" telling them to jump over and "like" you on your new page. Leave it up there for a while until you see people making the switch. It will be well worth it. I promise.

Shop local this weekend!

2010-11-22T23:29:00.000-05:00

The Women's Festival of Crafts is happening this weekend! Don't spend your money at the big box stores this Friday. Boycott Black Friday big box shopping and support local crafters instead. The event starts this Friday 11/26 from 5pm-9pm and runs through Sunday 11/28. That's right - you have three days to shop your heart out.

Check out all the vendors HERE!

Open call to Artists

2010-11-22T23:15:00.000-05:00

The S.P.A.C.E. Gallery will be accepting work for its annual 'Small Works' Holiday Show, opening December 3rd. Work must be no larger than 12" in any direction, 2" allowance for frame. There is a 'small' fee of $5/ piece, and no more than 10 pieces will be accepted per artist.
Email spacegalleryvt@gmail.com for application or check the website for info www.spacegalleryvt.com.

Thank you!

2010-11-22T09:59:00.000-05:00

This past Saturday was the 5th Queen City Craft Bazaar. This unique Vermont craft show made it's come back in the holiday circuit and I would say it came back with a bang. I was blown away by the steady flow of customers from the moment the door opened at 10:00. The energy in this building was buzzing with creativity from both the vendors and customers. Thank you to everyone who came out to support indie craft. I will have an album of photos from the show posted soon.

I am already starting to plan the spring show so if you are a vendor interested in applying keep checking back in the coming months for info. I have a few new ideas up my sleeve for the next show.

Just because the show is over doesn't mean Queen City Craft goes away. The website will continue to get updated with vendor spotlights, news and events, resource info and much more. I am hoping to start up a series of gatherings called "The Business of Craft". The first will focus on digital marketing and web analytics. I'll post more info once this idea comes to life.

Thanks again!

Today is the day!

2010-11-20T05:46:00.000-05:00

2010 Holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar

TODAY! Saturday November 20th

10am-5pm

Union Station at 1 Main St. Burlington VT
Free Parking (in lot next to building) or take the college street shuttle (for free) and it will drop you off right at the front door!

Free Admission!

After months of hard work the day is finally here. Today from 10-5pm you can check out Vermont's indie craft show at Union Station, 1 Main Street in Burlington VT. Each show I am blown away by the amazing vendors who apply to the show. This one is no exception. Stop by and give it a try.

Shop local, shop handmade!

In the news!

2010-11-19T06:42:00.000-05:00

The Queen City Craft Bazaar and local artist Jess Graham were featured on the front page of the Vermont section of the Burlington Free Press today! Read the article here

Thanks to the Free Press for choosing to highlight some local crafters and the show! I want to take just a moment to clarify a one part of the article to my readers.

I did not organize the first holiday QCCB in 2007 as the article states. The show started then, but it was first organized by Sara DeFilippi of the late Made Boutique & Gallery. I took over the name and continued producing the show after she moved out of state and handed it over to me.

thanks!

Vendor Spotlight- Small Equals

2010-11-18T19:21:00.001-05:00

Dubbed "A Tiny Treasure" by the Burlington Free Press, Small Equals is a 90 sq. ft shop run by Liza Cowan, artist, designer and former curator of Pine Street Art Works.

Small Equals sells only small goods in our 90 square foot shop. They feature personalized gift-building with Keepsake Card Kits, their own line of greeting cards nestled in Vermont-made wooden boxes, filled with your choice of fun, eclectic and wonderful things.

Liza will be bringing her Keepsake Card Kits to the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday Nov. 2oth. Her booth will be located on the top level of Union Station. I have a feeling these will be hot sellers at the show. Stop by and build your own gift!

Be there!

2010-11-16T23:05:00.000-05:00

New Etsy Holiday Badges!

2010-11-12T08:22:00.000-05:00

Make a Badge for Your Shop

When you click on the badge you want, it will automatically generate a link back to your shop. (Double check that you’re signed in to the right account!) If you’re having trouble, make sure your browser is not disabling pop-ups.

Get your holiday Etsy badge here

Vendor Spotlight - The Candy Thief

2010-11-12T06:33:00.000-05:00

Casey Dwyer is the woman behind Candy Thief and she will be joining the Queen City Craft Bazaar for the first time next Saturday on November 20th. Casey is a talented artist and designer who started Candy Thief in 2006. She is best known for her unique line of hair accessories, but she also makes handbags, pillows and even some clothing!

Casey describes her Candy Thief pieces as "a place or surface where all her passions meet. A love of printmaking, folk art, fashion, nature, color, and the traditional arts are stitched together to create an absolutely one of a kind, handmade look."

I couldn't agree more.

Learn more about Casey and The Candy Thief at http://www.candythief.net and make sure you stop by Union Station at 1 Main Street in Burlington on Saturday November 20th from 10am -5pm. The Candy Thief will be located on the top level.

Vendor Spotlight - Nicole's Threads

2010-11-10T21:34:00.003-05:00

Nicole Carey of Nicole's Threads is back at the Queen City Craft Bazaar selling her unique handmade creations. Nicole embodies what the Queen City Craft Bazaar is all about. She is a true indie designer. She combines great colors and textures to create everything from clothing to jewelry and accessories. Make sure you stop by her booth on November 20th.

Vendor Spotlight - John Brickels

2010-11-09T18:10:00.001-05:00

John Brickels will be joining the Queen City Craft Bazaar for the first time this holiday season. John has been creating stoneware sculputure for over 35 years. Known mostly for his larger scale pieces, John will be offering the Queen City Craft Bazaar community a selection of smaller pieces including his new mini robots called lil' bots. I am excited to welcome John to the show. Be sure to check out his work in person on November 20th.

Getting ready

2010-11-09T10:43:00.001-05:00

The weeks are flying by and we are now so close to the November 20th holiday show I am starting to freak out a bit. Producing a craft show is a lot of work and when you also work full time outside of the home, and have two kids it is even more work. On top of that I also make my own products to sell at the show so needless to say I am starting to ask myself how the heck I do it all.

Despite the craziness I am so excited about the line up of vendors we have for the show. After many many weeks of dealing with applications, jurying, making floor plans, buying ads, ordering posters, and lots of online promotion it all comes full circle the day of the show as I walk around and marvel at the mix of talent. It is very difficult handpicking vendors. There are years I want to just open it up and have it be first come first serve, but that would not be in the best interest of the event. I enjoy seeing the hard work come to life as the vendors set up their booths and I get to see my ideas on paper come to life.

The challenges are worth it. The enthusiasm of the vendors and the customers keep me going and I look forward to seeing everyone again in a few short weeks.

If you haven't checkout out the Queen City Craft Facebook page head on over and become a fan. It is an active page and will give you a sneak peek at some of the vendors. You can also RSVP to the event page so you can be sure not to miss the event on Nov. 20th.

Calling all budding photographers!

2010-11-03T12:23:00.001-04:00

Photographer has been found. Thanks for all those who contacted me. I'll need a volunteer again in the spring.

I am looking for a budding photographer who might be interested in volunteering their time to take pictures at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on November 20th. I would need this person to take pictures of each vendor and some overall shots of the event.

If interested please email me at queencitycraftbazaar@gmail.com

thanks!

Vendor Spotlight - Rebel Intuitive

2010-11-02T22:24:00.000-04:00

Based out of Montpelier VT Beckie Sheloske creates handcrafted, botanical perfumes, colognes, and essences. I have had the pleasure of sampling some of Beckies creations and I am excited to share them with the community by having her sell at the Queen City Craft Bazaar. Check out her Facebook page to learn more about Rebel Intuitive and check out her products in person on November 20th.

BCA Holiday Artist Market now accepting applications!

2010-11-02T22:12:00.000-04:00

BCA Holiday Artist Market
December 17th and 18th, 2010

Postmark deadline: Friday, October 15th, 2010

Hello artists!

We will be holding our Annual Holiday Artist Market on Friday, December 17th from 12-8 pm and Saturday December 18th from 10-6pm in the Contois Auditorium in Burlington City Hall. We will not be holding a jury, but we ask that all artists who do not exhibit at the BCA Summer Artist Market to include 4-6 printed images with their application. Existing BCA Summer Artist Market members are guaranteed a space at the Holiday Artist Market. Please let us know as soon as possible whether you are interested in participating.

Payment and space:
34 spaces are available. Each space is approx. 8’x 6’.
Space fee is $90 to participate in both days. Participation is mandatory for both days
Make checks payable to: Burlington City Arts.

Set Up:
Set-up will be Friday, 9 am to Noon and Saturday 9am to 10am.
Break down will be from 6pm to 8pm Saturday evening. Please keep in mind that there is no vehicle access to Church at that time.
You must bring everything that you need for your own booth – Tables, chairs etc.
Electricity is available. Please bring heavy-duty extension cords, a power strip and duct tape.
There is vehicle access to the front of City Hall on Church Street until about 10 am.
Please move your vehicle as soon as you are done loading in.
We recommend carpooling or being dropped off because it is often difficult to find parking in Burlington.

Please return the application and checks to:
Emily Lawrence
Firehouse Gallery
Attn: Holiday Artist Market
149 Church Street, Burlington, Vermont 05401

*If your application is not accepted, your check will be voided.
*Submission material will not be returned.

For questions, please contact:
Jen Wagner, Holiday Artist Market Coordinator
jwagnerdesignz@yahoo.com

Vendor Spotlight - Recycle Moe

2010-11-01T19:22:00.004-04:00

From upcycled journals, to capes and bibs made from recycled products, Moe of Recycle Moe does it all. Come see her creations on November 20th at the Queen City Craft Bazaar!

Re-Construct DVD trailer

2010-10-27T22:15:00.014-04:00

Check out the trailer for Re-Construct DVD - teaching you 11 original step-by-step projects friendly to the Earth and your budget.

Horray for May Day Studio!

2010-10-27T21:36:00.004-04:00

Vermont indie crafter and Queen City Craft Bazaar vendor May Day Studio just had her products featured in the October issue of Martha Stewart Living. Congrats!

Posters!

2010-10-18T11:06:00.005-04:00

The holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar posters are finished! Thanks to Hillary from Robot Dinosaur for helping out with the posters again this year!

This is the web version which can be used to help promote the show online. Share it on Facebook, put it up on your blog, your website and email it out to everyone you know.

Print version will be coming soon.

The holiday show line up

2010-10-16T21:11:00.000-04:00

The holiday vendor list is now complete!

Take a sneak peek at some of the amazing work you will find at the holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar on Nov. 20th at Union Station.

Check out the list here.

2010-09-29T06:53:00.000-04:00

Hello my crafty friends!

Last night I finished sending out all of the emails notifying vendors of their status in the show. If you applied but did not receive an email check your junk folder. If you still don't see anything let me know and I will resend. Everyone gets an email from me regardless of if you got in or not.

I just want to say thank you to all who applied for the holiday show. I know I say this every time, but it is very difficult having to turn people away. I hope people don't take it personally. It is never a reflection of the quality of your work. I am acting more like a curator of a show and I do my best to present a selection of vendors who for one jive with the ideas and principles of Queen City Craft and also who as a group will mesh well.

So thanks again for the support. I will be posting the final vendor here on the website later today.

Deadline for holiday QCCB is almost here!

2010-09-21T17:27:00.001-04:00

The deadline for the holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar is only a few days away. September 23 is coming fast! If you haven't yet applied get those applications in now!

Applications are now closed. Thanks for applying!

Local Press for local designers - Maggie Rose Bogosian

2010-09-15T23:28:00.001-04:00

Maggie Rose Bogosian is a co-worker of mine and also an amazing local talent. Her work was recently on display at the Burton Snowboards employee Art Hop show as well as at the fashion and accessory bazaar also put on by SEABA. The Burlington Free Press recently interviewed Maggie about her silk painting featured in the Art Hop last weekend as well as her other creative passions. Read it here. Her main medium right now is weaving wearable art which you can check out at her online shop Boda.boDa

Holiday QCCB

2010-09-14T21:22:00.001-04:00

Applications for the holiday edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar are rolling in. I am beyond thrilled with the selection so far. Applications are still being accepted. Deadline is September 23rd. Spread the word.

Apply Now!

Skateboard Dunny by COOB Originals

2010-09-14T19:20:00.000-04:00

I was going to write a blog post about this amazing skateboard Dunny made from broken skateboards from Calvin of COOB Original's, but the blog from Kidrobot beat me to it. Calvin is an amazing talent and someone who makes me laugh a lot. Check out the blog post to see how this skateboard Dunny came to life.

Finding Inspiration

2010-09-07T20:50:00.000-04:00

I am often asked by people "how do you do it all?" They ask this question typically because I am a mother of two boys, I work a full time job outside of the home as a Web Analyst, I run my own indie craft business Subsixstudios, and I run Queen City Craft. The answer I always give is "I don't."

I know a lot of crafty and creative people who always say they don't have the time to spend on their own creative interests. This is true for most everyone I know. Those of us who are trying to make a go of it, and those who can't seem to find a way to start. Is there a trick? No. The only way to make it happen is to try. No one is judging how much time you can put in. I never have hours on end to spend on my side businesses. When I wasn't working full time I did, but since going back to work a year ago that time started collecting dust in my basement on top of my once active craft studio. Speaking of studio space - this is usually the second obstacle people mention to me as a reason to not get dirty with their supplies. I know a few people who have studio spaces away from their homes, but most people I know don't. We work in basements, spare rooms, kitchen tables, sheds, garages, mud rooms, and closets.

The key is to be as organized as you can be. If you are able to find a free space in your house set up a table, get some storage bins or shelves and organize your supplies so it is easy to work in your small space. If you do not have a free space in your home it is possible to craft on a kitchen or dining room table. Again the key is organization. You obviously will need to pull out all of your supplies and set them up to work as well as pack it all up at the end of the night and put it away so you have a place to eat in the morning. Again, this is where having bins, trays, bowls etc . . . to work on comes in handy.

Finding the time is a tough battle for everyone. Most of us create at night after we get home from work, kids are in bed, dishes are (sometimes) done, and usually not after all chores are completed. Finding the time means making the time. It means getting off the couch and turning off the TV. It also means letting go of the need to finish your chores. You don't need to do this every night, but I think the dust bunnies will understand if you let them shuffle around the floor one more day.

So if you are interested in pursuing your creative interest the best way is to just dive on in. Let go of your fears and loosen the tight time band we tend to put on our lives.

Local Press for local designers

2010-09-05T22:00:00.000-04:00

Look who was featured in the Seven Days 2010-2011Burlington Off Campus Guide called What's Good. Erinn Simon of urban farmgirl, Calvin of COOB Originals and Tessa and Torrey of New Duds.

All three of these designers are past vendors of the Queen City Craft Bazaar. Congrats!

Thanks to Calvin for sharing the story and letting me use your picture. You can read the blog post here.

You can also check out the online version of the guide here.

Calling all indie crafters, artists and designers!

2010-09-02T15:09:00.000-04:00

Applications are now being accepted for the holiday edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar.

The show will be held on Saturday Nov 20th at Union Station in Burlington, VT

APPLY NOW!

Holiday QCCB

2010-08-23T16:25:00.000-04:00

Hello all my crafty friends,

Based on feedback from customers and vendors I am going to be setting up a Holiday Queen City Craft Bazaar. The tentative date is Saturday Nov. 20th. Look for applications soon. Spread the word.

BCA meeting tonight - New North End of Burlington

2010-08-23T07:14:00.000-04:00

Burlington City Arts (BCA) in conjunction with the South End Arts & Business Association (SEABA) is proud to announce a series of meetings bringing together Burlington artists and members of the creative economy in a step towards identifying ways to continue to develop and strengthen the arts and creative culture as a key Burlington asset.

Tonight!

Monday, August 23rd, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
New North End Neighborhood Meeting:
Miller Center Gymnasium, 130 Gosse Court

Crafter Spotlight - Martha Pullen

2010-08-15T08:25:00.000-04:00

Sweet Avenue - Creations by Martha Pullen
Handmade Jewelry & Beaded Jewelry Repair
website
Facebook

1. Tell us a little bit about your business and how you got started.

My business is called Sweet Avenue. I make all kinds of jewelry, but lately I've been focusing on two types of items, my collage pendants (lightweight acrylic pendants with images transferred onto colorful scrapbooking papers), and my resin flower jewelry and accessories. I started beading with seed beads at summer camp when I was eight years old, and have been making jewelry ever since. Since I was making more jewelry than I could ever possibly wear, this past spring I started Sweet Avenue (and my shop on Etsy.com). It's been a wonderful creative project that has taken off way faster than I had expected, and I'm having a blast!

2. Who/what inspires you?

Etsy itself has been a great source of inspiration, and I'm so glad I discovered it. There are so many talented, creative, imaginative people on the site. You can find every type of awesome handmade product that you could possibly imagine, from jewelry to furniture to works of art to bizarre items that you've never even heard of! It's also great to be able to chat and connect with so many other artisans from around the globe, as well as here in Vermont. I'm a member of the Made in Vermont Etsy Street Team, a group of Vermonters who have Etsy shops. We all chat together, share ideas and support, and help to promote each others businesses.

3. Give us a peek into your work space. Where do you create? Describe your work space or studio.

Well, I won't take a picture because right now it looks like a tornado hit it! I tend to work rather frenetically - I start making pretty things and then I start to jump from one to another. However, I do love it when my space is neat and clear, so I periodically clean it all up, then proceed to make a huge mess again. I live in a two-bedroom apartment with my boyfriend Eric, and the second bedroom is my work space. It has two windows that let in a lot of light. I have three different tables around the room to spread out on, and when those are covered, I take it to the floor!

4. Where do you sell and promote your work?

Sweet Avenue started purely as an Etsy shop, but now you can find my things at Trinket on Church Street in Burlington (the sister store to Sweet Lady Jane). In addition, I sell my earrings at Spirit Dancer, also in downtown Burlington. I plan to find more shops around Vermont that would like to sell my work. This fall I am going to start doing some small craft fairs, starting with the Art Hop Extravaganza on September 11.

5. What are three things you can't live without?

Music, color, and my family, which includes my parents, my sister, my boyfriend, and my best friend. They mean everything to me.

6. What are your three favorite things about Vermont?

The fact that there are NO billboards, the independent spirit of the people who live here, and the land itself. I love being outdoors in Vermont, and we are so lucky to have Lake Champlain.

7. What does term indie craft mean to you?

I think indie craft means creating things that you like, regardless of what the rest of the world says. The jewelry I make is all jewelry that I want for myself and that I have fun making. Sometimes it's hard to sell them because I love them so much! I've been fortunate to find that my items are things that apparently other people want too, because they are buying them, but they are all things that I would make anyway.

8. Any new products, projects or news you want to share?

I definitely hope to see everyone at the Art Hop Extravaganza on September 11! The Art Hop is always a great event, and I'm looking forward to being a part of it this year. If you'd like to stay updated about Sweet Avenue, you can also join my Facebook page. Also, I'd like to give a big thank you to Kacey for the great work that she's doing in supporting local artisans!

A big day for Queen City Craft!

2010-08-13T18:04:00.000-04:00

Today was the kind of day where everything just clicked. I was contacted this summer by a writer who is doing a book for The Little Bookroom all about craft shows and farmer's markets in New England. I was beyond thrilled when she told me she had chosen the Queen City Craft Bazaar to represent Vermont. She asked if she could come up in August for a photo shoot and without any hesitation I said yes! The shoot was today and it featured my own personal work as well as a few vendors she had chosen. Tomorrow she hits up the Burlington Farmers/Artist market.

Thank you Christine for contacting me about my little (but growing) show. Today was a perfect example of why I keep moving along with Queen City Craft. The fact that we were chosen over some of the other big shows makes me realize that all of our hard work is worth it. Every vendor who has sold at the QCCB and every customer who has supported indie craft by browsing or shopping at the show - my hats off to you. Queen City Craft and the bazaar could not exist without you all.

Thank you for believing in indie craft scene. Keep creating, keep dreaming, and never give up on the indie scene. It is alive and kicking.

Bulletin Board - BCA Call to Artists

2010-08-09T10:31:00.001-04:00

Mondays, August 9, 16, 23 from 5:30 - 7:30pm
Burlington City Arts (BCA) in conjunction with the South End Arts & Business Association (SEABA) is proud to announce a series of meetings bringing together Burlington artists and members of the creative economy in a step towards identifying ways to continue to develop and strengthen the arts and creative culture as a key Burlington asset.

The first of four consecutive City meetings was held on Monday, August 2nd at the Flynndog… Gallery in the South End of Burlington, specifically reaching out to artists and businesses in the South End. The schedule for the remainder of the meetings is as follows:

Monday, August 9th, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Downtown Neighborhood Meeting:
Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts, Second Floor, 135 Church Street

Monday, August 16th, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
Old North End Neighborhood Meeting:
North End Studio, 294 N. Winooski Avenue

Monday, August 23rd, 5:30pm – 7:30pm
New North End Neighborhood Meeting:
Miller Center Gymnasium, 130 Gosse Court

Catalyzed by a Burlington City Council discussion surrounding the creation of a South End Arts District, City Council asked BCA and SEABA to develop a plan, to be delivered back to the Council in the Fall of 2010, which would consider a city-wide strategy that includes a South End Arts District as well as other options for supporting the arts as a key feature of the vitality and success of Burlington. Burlington City Arts hopes to understand the unique characteristics of each section of the city and what unifies us as a destination for the arts.
Location: Firehouse Center for the Visual Arts

Local designer gets Etsy feature

2010-08-02T15:02:00.000-04:00

Vermont's own indie designer THIMBLEandACORN was recently a featured seller on Etsy.

2010-05-18T15:18:00.000-04:00

The show may be over but indie craft continues. Summer shows are brewing and VT crafters are busy preparing themselves for a busy selling season. Queen City Craft has had some exciting news in the past few weeks. For one I was contacted by a woman who is writing a book about artisan craft shows in New England and she wants to meet with me this summer so she can include the Queen City Craft Bazaar in her book which is due out next spring!

The second bit of news is that this blog was recently chosen for the Guide to Art Schools 50 Best Craft Blogs on the Internet. I feel so honored! You can see the post here. Thank you!

The QCCB may be over, but this blog will keep rolling with lots of posts about business tips, online marketing, guest bloggers, inspiration, resources, vendor spotlights and so much more.

Thank you!

2010-05-09T15:16:00.000-04:00

The Spring 2010 Queen City Craft Bazaar took place yesterday at Union Station in Burlington. Lots of fantastic vendors filled this old train station and offered an exciting mix of indie craft, designs, and art to our community. The level of talent was incredible and we could hear the excitement from customer feedback. The group of vendors this year was one of the finest yet.

The community vibe filled the station as old vendors reconnected and new vendors made first time contacts. This is what it is all about. Building a place where indie crafters feel welcome and supported while providing a unique selection of products to the community. This is why I do it. The positive feedback from the customers and vendors yesterday was well worth the hard work it takes to put on that show.

Thanks to all of the participating vendors. It is because of you and your talents that this show can continue. Keep producing, keep pushing yourself, keep thinking outside of the box.

Thanks to all of the wonderful customers who came out to support indie craft in Vermont.

Thanks to Seven Days for being my media sponsor year after year and especially for the awesome coverage you provided online and in print this week. Thank you SO much!

Thanks to August First for providing delicious treats for our vendors and customers. It was a pleasure having you a the show this year.

and last but not least, thanks to Hillary Sherman of Robot Dinosaur, and Lorraine Reynolds of Glimmering Prize for being my right hand girls this year and helping me put on this show. We were a great team!

The show may be over but Queen City Craft continues - keep checking back for continued coverage of the indie craft scene here in Vermont. More crafter spotlights, info on upcoming shows around the area, upcoming online sales/marketing round table for indie craft business owners and much much more!

The Queen City Craft Bazaar is here!

2010-05-07T07:51:00.000-04:00

Tomorrow is the big day! Saturday May 8th the Queen City Craft Bazaar is happening at Union Station (1 Main Street) in Burlington VT.

Come on down from 10am-5pm!

Vendor Spotlight - Coob Originals

2010-04-28T07:48:00.000-04:00

COOB Originals creates handcrafted items from jewelry to the occasional piece of furniture using recycled and upcycled materials. Calvin of Coob Originals uses donated broken skateboards (a lot comes from Talent Skatepark of South Burlington) in these orignal creations. I instantly fell in love with his work and was thrilled that he applied for the show. Be sure to stop by on Saturday May 8th at Union Station in Burlington to check out the rest of his products.

Vendor Spotlight - urban farmgirl

2010-04-12T07:47:00.000-04:00

Erinn Simon is one of my favorite people. She is an amazing mom and a rocking crafter. Many years ago she pulled me aside one morning at Viva Espresso in the ONE and asked me to be a part of a new craft group she was starting called the Burlington Craft Mafia. Together with another founding member we crafted our way into a great friendship and we helped spread the movement of indie craft in Burlington. We closed down the group a few years later, but Erinn continues to push the limits with crochet hooks in hand. Her work is wonderful and so is she. I am so happy she is back as a vendor this year and so thankful for her years of friendship and support. Check www.erinnsimon.com to learn more about Erinn and her work.

Vendor Spotlight - Strange Dolls

2010-04-06T07:51:00.000-04:00

Beth Robinson is a self taught artist who has been living in Vermont for 15 years. While she has dabbled in a variety of mediums, it was the discovery of polymer clay that allowed her to combine her interests in design, sewing, sculpting, and painting and gave her a concrete foundation of expression in the form of Strange Dolls.

I am pleased to announce Beth will be a new vendor at the Queen City Craft Bazaar this year. She will be offering special pricing on many of the dolls you see available on her website. Stop by and check out the unique and wonderful work of Beth Robinson.

Amazing resource

2010-04-04T07:46:00.000-04:00

I feel like a kid in a candy store. I stumbled upon a new website this weekend and I have been busy pouring over it ever since. Unanimous Craft is a tagable, sortable index of resources for crafters, artists and indie business owners. I am not even going to try to explain all the awesomeness this site has to offer. Go check it out for yourself and have fun playing. I even submitted a listing for the Queen City Craft Bazaar. You can see the listing here.

2010 Participating Vendors

2010-03-31T15:36:00.000-04:00

The following vendors will be selling their handmade wares at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday May 8th. Get a sneak peek at what types of products you may find at the event.

urban farmgirl
Woolymama Fiber Arts
Robot Dinosaur
Glimmering Prize
Subsixstudios
Mannybeads
Stacie Mincher Designs
elm-bellisments
COOB Originals
Nicole Carey
ZeZe & Company
Found Glass Designs
Happy Fantastic Designs
Hearthfire Henna
Ella Etc.
New Duds
Damn Fine Pants
Mountain Ash Designs
Clean City Soap
Broken Fingers Art
Bella Bueno Jewelry
Bayview Designs
hi guys!
danmade pottery
WhirldVishun Designs
1000 Paper Cranes
Luce Creations
Bird on Wire Studio
EmmyBo Originals
ReArt
Kikibird Crafts
drawnonward designs
Lucy's Paintbrush
Strange Dolls
Christa Mans Art
Bethany Bond
Space Baby
my egg blue
Red Thread
Jess Graham Studio
Feisty Apparel
Jamilary
KIMIKO
Bianchi Street Studio

August First Bakery/Cafe will also be onsite selling coffee, beverages and locally made baked goods.

2010-03-30T08:18:00.000-04:00

I am proud to announce that August First will be the food vendor this year at the Queen City Craft Bazaar on Saturday May 8th at Union Station. August First is a funky little bakery/cafe' in downtown Burlington Vermont.

Hot and cold beverages as well as locally made pastries will be for sale at the show.

Call to Artists - Stowe Street Arts Festival

2010-03-29T22:15:00.000-04:00

Revitalizing Waterbury invites artists to exhibit at the 9th Annual Stowe Street Arts Festival

July 17, 2010 • 10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

This community arts festival takes place on historic Stowe Street in the heart of downtown Waterbury and exhibition spaces are available in the tented area or adjoining the tent.

Visual artists, craft and design artists in all media are invited to exhibit and sell work at the festival. The Festival is promoted heavily throughout central Vermont.

EXHIBITOR FEES:
* $55 under the tent - space under the tent is limited to 18 artists, so reserve now!
* $30 outside the tent

Go to www.revitalizingwaterbury.org/ssaf.htm for exhibitor information, including a registration form.

Applications are now closed

2010-03-29T22:13:00.001-04:00

Thank you to all who applied for the spring edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar. The application period is now over and vendors have been notified of their acceptance. I will post the list of participating vendors in the next few days.

Spring 2010 Queen City Craft Bazaar Application

2010-03-08T17:42:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the Spring edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar - Vermont's Alternative Craft Fair. The event will be held at Union Station at One Main Street. The event date is Saturday May 8th from 10-5pm. More detailed vendor info will be available once the vendor list is established.

Please read the following application information and terms and conditions before applying.

Application Information

The Queen City Craft Bazaar is a juried show and supports crafters and artists who appeal to the "indie art and craft scene". This is NOT a fine craft show. Customers of the QCCB come to this show because it has a reputation for having a unique collection of vendors and a mix of products not normally found at most "fine art and craft" shows.

We strive to show a balance of product categories, veteran crafters and new applicants in every show. We tend to get a large amount of jewelry and pottery/ceramics applications. It is difficult to jury this show and have to reject lots of talented vendors, but we try to stay true to the vibe of the show. Before applying please take a look around the website and decide if you think your work will be a good fit. I say this only because I think it is important for the success of the vendors to make sure the shows you do are the right fit for your work. Rejection for this show does not exclude you from reapplying in the future, nor does being a past vendor mean you will get chosen this time around.

We are offering two levels for vendors. Bottom floor in the main train station room is $50 and will have approximately 30-35 vendors. Top floor which is on street level at One Main Street is $40 and will have approximately 10 vendors.

Application deadline is Friday 3/26

Vendors will be notified by Monday 3/29

Vendor fees if accepted will be due no later than: Monday 4/5*

*Due to the cost of advertising and event space your space will not be held if payment is not received by the deadline.

Booth spaces: 6ft x 4 ft. Tables and chairs are NOT included.
Cost for one booth space $40 for the top floor and $50 for the bottom floor.
No refunds will be given for cancellations.
You are not permitted to sell or trade your space.
Vendors may only sell handmade products as reflected in their application.
It is expected that all vendors will be ready and able to sell at time of event opening and may not leave any earlier than the end of show.
Queen City Craft is not responsible for any loss, or damage of personal property, equipment, and/or valuables.

Please send the following info to queencitycraftbazaar@gmail.com no later than 3/26
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Application begins here:

Vendor Name:

What level are you requesting? Top floor is $40 / bottom floor is $50:

Business Name:

Address:

Phone #:

Email:

Website:

Are you a past vendor?
please remember this does not guarantee you a spot

What types of products do you make?

What is the price range of your merchandise?

Are there any special space needs that you have for your space?

*If you don’t have a website/etsy shop/flickr account/ blog that shows pictures of your work, please send up to 4 pictures to queencitycraftbazaar@gmail.com

. Make sure that these pictures are small files and are jpeg format.

Thanks and good luck!

Kacey
queencitycraftbazaar@gmail.com
www.queencitycraft.com

Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar

2010-03-08T07:54:00.000-05:00

There is a very good chance there will be a spring 2010 edition of the Queen City Craft Bazaar. I am securing the location today and will post the application as soon as I have the final word. Start spreading the news and check back here tonight for an update!

Hello - I am here

2010-02-27T08:22:00.000-05:00

I'm sorry I have been gone for so long. I took on a "real" job last August as a Web Analyst. Juggling working full time and being a mother and wife has left me tired. I am ready to emerge from my dark cave and revive Queen City Craft if anyone is willing to jump back on for the ride.

I have been getting lots of emails asking me about a Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar. I am trying to figure out if this will be a reality or not. I will keep you posted.

Queen City Craft Bazaar spring edition

2010-02-11T12:36:00.000-05:00

2010 Spring Queen City Craft Bazaar

The Queen City Craft Bazaar - Vermont's Alternative Craft Fair is a unique showcase of Vermont indie crafters, artists, and designers. It started in 2007 in hopes of giving indie crafters in Vermont a place to call their own. Products seen at our events tend to be a bit hipper, punkier and edgier than your typical VT craft show.

Vermont has many venues for "fine craft" but Queen City Craft aims to promote and support indie craft. To find out more about Queen City Craft click here.

The Spring edition will take place on Saturday May 8th from 10-5pm at Union Station at 1 Main Street in Burlington. 44 VT vendors will fill both floors.

August Firs t of Burlington will be onsite selling hot and cold beverages as well as delicious locally made pastries and other food items.

Free Parking is available in the lot next to Union Station. You can also get there easily from downtown by taking the Free College St. Shuttle. It will drop you off right at the front door of Union Station.

Check out pictures from last years event here.

Have you heard? Etsy interviews New Duds

2009-06-30T07:21:00.000-04:00

Etsy interviewed VT's own Torrey and Tessa of NewDuds and hannapt for their spotlight called Quit Your Day Job: New Duds.

Torrey and Tessa are also past Queen City Craft Bazaar vendors!

Have you heard? Recycling Looks Up

2009-06-29T07:10:00.000-04:00

Moe O’Hara photo by: Matthew Thorsen

Read about the upswing of recycling by several local crafters in Recycling Looks Up this week in Seven Days.

Shop Local: urban-farmgirl

2009-06-24T06:24:00.000-04:00

Hippie boots by Burlington local urban-farmgirl.

Seriously now. Could these boots get any cuter?

Shop Local: Bella Buckles

2009-06-17T07:19:00.000-04:00

I found these sweet belt buckles today on Etsy from this VT crafter. Bella Buckles are one of a kind designs made from recycled materials.

More VT craftiness in the paper

2009-06-12T07:17:00.000-04:00

Tie One On
In this weeks Seven Days read about how aprons are making a comeback and how a few VT indie crafters are leading the pack designing them.

Also from Seven Days Stuck in Vermont Eva gives us a sneak peak into what it's like being VT indie designer Ava Bishop.

Craft with the band w/ Jack Talcum of Dead Milkmen fame at The Bobbin

2009-06-10T07:59:00.000-04:00

Twitter

2009-06-02T18:59:00.000-04:00

I have been on Twitter for quite some time now at twitter.com/rockergirrl Tweeting everything from my gardening, cooking, crafting and about Queen City Craft. I have decided to make a separate account just for Queen City Craft. Join me.

Follow Queen City Craft