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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

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!