Holiday Market Publicity & Next Craft Show

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This is the 16-page brochure the Junior League of Rochester printed for last weekend's Holiday Market. Each shopper received one as they entered the show. And it was included in some or all of the local Messenger Post community newspapers. It's newsprint and only the front and back covers are in color, but still - pretty impressive. This is why the big shows are expensive to get into. You get what you pay for.

What's that? Stefani's art at the head of the article about the show? Oh my!

Oh I know her! How cool is that? I'd forgotten all about it until I arrived at the show to set up and my friends told me about it. The Junior League emailed all vendors and offered this opportunity. There were only 8 artists featured so I don't know if that means only 8 out of 67 vendors responded or if I'm special. :-) The other vendors featured offer pretty unique wares too, so maybe we were chosen. I didn't think to ask; I was just happy to be included.

They printed exactly what I submitted. Note to self: next time - write more! Some artists had a full page.

(Gretchen - Doug McFarland was included in the brochure too. What are the odds that 2 out of 8 artists featured live on the same road?)

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On to the next craft show!

Wednesday night I took my stuff over to my friend MJ's house for her annual home craft show. She's a glass painter I met at the co-op gift shop in Fairport, Village Gifts, which turned into Celebration Gifts. I worked for her in her booth at craft shows for a couple of years, so I definitely consider her my mentor. I picked up so much from her while working for her that I didn't even realize I was learning until it was time to put it to use.

One year ago she picked up a bacterial infection in one eye and almost lost the eye altogether. She's still going through surgery and medical procedures but the prognosis is pretty good, considering. So she's had to scale back her full-time glass painting business. I remember she used to do 20 shows a year - and a lot were big shows. She told me the other night though, she won another blue ribbon recently - at the Brockport show, I think she said. So even with only 1 eye working 100%, she's still got it!

I don't take my full booth set-up to MJ's. For instance, I took a wooden bi-fold door I painted black, instead of my big double screen, for my framed art. I also took a floor spinner for cards and my 3' wide acrylic rack for my Sticky Notes. All that and several plastic tote bins of product - all fit in my Prius! I had told Steve I thought I could do it so he didn't have to hurry home so I could use his Explorer. But when I saw the length of that bi-fold door again, I had my doubts. Fit like a dream!

MJ's show runs Thursday, Friday (9-4) and Saturday (9-4) so please stop by if you're able. I'll be working there Saturday morning. She rearranges 3 or 4 rooms in her house to showcase about 10 vendors. It's nice stuff - I usually do a little shopping there myself!

MJ Cramer's 5th Annual Home Craft Sale
342 Pannell Road
Fairport, NY

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