The DIY Trunk Show thanks WBEZ and Vocalo
Sat, Nov 21 2009 — Comments (0) |
Many, many thanks to WBEZ and Vocalo.org for helping us publicize The DIY Trunk Show and all of the amazing crafters who run the crafty underground in this city.
ps: You can even become a member when they're not doing a pledge drive.
More to See and Hear!
Wed, Nov 18 2009 — Comments (270) |
We hope that you're planning to spend the day at the DIY Trunk Show this Saturday! In addition to our incredible craft artists, and yummy food, we have other things that you'll find interesting.
We have Massage by Wendi returning this year! Find her in the dining area, and treat yourself to a massage.
Check out the auditorium stage for two more interesting exhibitors, Sidedown Audio, a boutique label for home recording artists, and WomanCraft Inc., an enterprise that provides artisan positions and transitional jobs to women facing barriers to employment.
Visit our lovely supporters on the stage, Gaper's Block, your source for All Things Chicago, and WBEZ and Vocalo!
Our raffle this year supports CHIRP, The Chicago Independent Radio Project! Buy some tickets to win prizes donated by our vendors.
See you this Saturday!
Tips for 2009 Vendors
Thu, Nov 12 2009 — Comments (0) |
Brandy Agerbeck of Loosetooth.com wrote a great set of tips, tricks, and things to keep in mind for doing craft shows. You can download the full pdf from here or you can read this abbreviated version to help get you over your pre-show jitters.
1--Table arrangement
Figure out how you’ll set up your tables. Think of how to draw people in with the placement. Consider how your setup will flow with your neighbors (yes, hard to
know until you get there).
2--Cover your tables.
Think of the best colors and texture to show off your wares.
3--Displays
Find interesting and relevant containers, boxes, racks, etc. to hold your wares.
4--Think of levels.
Laying your work out on a flat table works, and it also evokes garage sales. Think of stands, bowls, blocks to put your work on. Can you make some items vertical? Some hanging? Some sitting on the ground? A great way to learn is to go to other shows and see what others are doing. Or search on Flickr.com for cool craft show displays.
5--Bring items that support your brand:
banners, business cards, postcards, giveaway items, pricetags, packaging. All of these details make an impression and help people remember you. Think of consistent colors and design across items.
6--Be adaptable.
Bring extra containers to adapt your display.
Additional items you might want to bring
Tape I bring duct, masking Scotch and clear packing tape. Just keep in mind that you can't put anything on the walls that will damage them.
Bulldog Clips are great for hanging banners, clipping down tablecloths.
Aprons Preferred over a cash box, to have what you need at your fingertips. I’ve made mine for holding change, buttons, pens, receipt books.
Cash plenty of singles, fives and tens. If someone hands you a big bill, you can ask if they have anything smaller. Avoid a midshow currency exchange run!
Receipt Books I like the duplicate copy kind.
Ball Point Pens and Markers for impromptu signs and writing receipts.
Bags for purchases. Not many folks need one (ask first), but it's good to have around. Minimum order on bags are high, so consider splitting a order for others.
Other packing materials if you have fragile stuff
Extra price tags
Calculator
Scissors
Mirror for trying on jewelry or accessories
Mailing List Sign-Up
Encourage folks to sign up. Shows are about onsite sales, but they are also good
for future sales and marketing. And so important!
Customer Bait:
Buttons, Business Cards and/or Postcards. Make sure they have your logo, contact info, URL and hopefully a product photo on them.Bring loads to
give away. If people walk out of your booth without a purchase, make sure they have something in their hand with your name on it.
Its so, so good to have a friend to help. Both for the grunt work of setting up and taking down, but also for the company to make the day go faster. Feed your booth
helpers, give them free stuff. Granted, you could pay them, but you can't
guarantee that you'll make money that day, so someone willing to work for stuff or out of friendship is the best!
Remember, enjoy the show! It’s the best way to learn from other vendors, get real feedback on your work, get questions, custom orders, hopefully lots of sales. Keep on open mind and a smile on your face. Best wishes from the Chicago Craft Mafia!
3, 3, 3 rooms of fun!
— Comments (0) |
Celestial Kitchens: DIY Food
Tue, Nov 10 2009 — Comments (0) |
We've prided ourselves on always finding delicious food made by local companies from healthy and often sustainable ingredients. And this year is no different. Celeste Dolan of Celestial Kitchens will be joining us again this year. And if you really don't believe that we're the best craft show in the area for people who like to eat great food, then just look at the menu and you may realize how lucky we are. And you, too. Cause for less than $10 you can fuel up and shop all day long.
Volunteer with the DIY Trunk Show!
Tue, Oct 27 2009 — Comments (3) |
Hello!
The DIY Trunk Show is looking for volunteers to help make this year's show the best in all human history. Duties will include greeting the friendly shoppers, selling raffle tickets, handing out maps, helping vendors set up and tear down, giving shoppers a brief survey about their DIY shopping experience, and (most importantly) pointing out the bathrooms.
It's easy! It's fun! It means so much to us!
In order to keep our volunteers from feeling overwhelmed--and give you time to shop--volunteer shifts are just 3 hours long. The open hours for the show are 10-5, but we'll need a hand before and after as well. Here’s the schedule we’re looking to fill:
9 am – Noon
3 pm – 6 pm
[We've already filled the volunteering slots from Noon-3]
We may never be able to thank you enough for your help, but here’s what we CAN give you:
-- a free beverage from Celestial Kitchens, the DIY Trunk Show’s food vendor
-- a 10% discount on merchandise with participating DIY Trunk Show vendors
-- free raffle ticket
-- a cool, limited-edition DIY Trunk Show button (only the volunteers and the vendors get these!)
-- our undying gratitude!
If you'd like to take one of these shifts and help us out, please e-mail Amy at diytrunkshow@gmail.com. And feel free to forward this e-mail to anyone else who might be interested in volunteering with the DIY Trunk Show, Saturday, November 21, at Pulaski Park Fieldhouse, 1419 West Blackhawk.
DIY Banners available
Sun, Oct 18 2009 — Comments (0) |
Hi, everyone. Feel free to grab these banners for posting anywhere you have the ability to.
Vendors for 2009 announced soon
Sat, Jul 18 2009 — Comments (2) |
We had another wonderful and exciting application season. The level of creativity and the quality of the applicants we receive gets better every year. And we will thank everyone who has applied for doing so. But sadly we can't accept everyone. We got twice as many applications as we have spaces so we have to make half of you sad. But we will have a waiting list just in case something happens and people need to back out of the show.
If you applied for the DIY Trunk Show you'll get an email from us by August 1st stating whether you've been accepted, added to the waiting list, or regrettably turned down. It's the hardest thing we have to send out all year. But we honestly didn't get any applications that were awful. We liked everything we got. And we're grateful and humbled by the amazing creativity that exists in this amazing area. Stay tuned and the accepted vendor list will be posted very soon.
DIY Vendor Survey from 2008
— Comments (0) |We think the DIY Trunk Show is the best show around, but we are still committed to constant improvement. Last year, we surveyed our vendors right after the show, and we want to share the results and let you know how we plan on addressing some of the vendor concerns.
Q. How many years have you sold at this show?
A. Range of 1-6 years, including many first-timers (which is consistent with our goal of giving up-and-coming crafters good exposure). Average 2.2.
Q. How much did you do in sales?
Range = $105 - $1500.
Mean (average) = $688.
Median (this means half the respondents made more and half made less) = $625
Mode (the most common answer) = $400.
Q. Did you have an enjoyable day?
94% = yes
Q. Will you apply again?
97% = yes
Q. Were you happy with the booth rate?
100% yes
Q. Would you change venue?
91% no
Q. Would you change your location at show?
21% yes
Q. Would you recommend show to others
97% yes
Q. Are you willing to pay more to attend show?*
More than 50% yes. (Some maybes as well)
*We are in fact charging more in 2009, and that is because Pulaski Park doubled their rental fee.
Additional notes about our survey:
Several folks said they would like to see better signage and more traffic to the back rooms. To that extent, we are increasing the number and size of our signs for next year, and plan on having more volunteers to guide folks to all the rooms. We're also exploring the possibility of having signs (possibly "feet" or "arrows" taped to the floor) leading people into the back rooms.
Better food--and more food!--was a common request. Truthfully, the food vendor did not realize how high demand would be at the DIY Trunk Show. This year, there will definitely be more food. Additionally, we are setting up a program where vendors can pre-order box lunches from the food vendor, and a volunteer will deliver your food directly to your booth!
We tried a little music in the lobby last year, and it didn't work out quite the way we'd hoped. We're brainstorming ways to bring some rockin' into the shoppin' for this year. :-)
We do this show not so much for us, but for the DIY community. It's very important to us that we continue putting on the best show we can, and your feedback is very important to us. We appreciate all the vendors that answered our survey, and will continue to refer to your responses as we get down into the nitty-gritty of show planning.
DIY Trunk Show 2009: The Seven Year Stitch
Thu, Jun 11 2009 — Comments (0) |
The 2009 DIY Trunk Show Application is now live!!
Please click on Join to fill out the application.
Some things to note:
1. The vendor booth fee has gone up this year to $80........we know this is somewhat of an increase but we wanted to let you know that Pulaski Park doubled their rental fee for the space....due to economic reasons. But we still love the space and believe our customers enjoy coming to this venue.
2. The show is only open to people who live within a 5-hour radius of
Chicago. Why? It's Chicago, in early winter. Who knows what the
weather will be like? Also, we're trying to create a community where
the people who come to shop just might keep shopping throughout the
year with the vendors of our show. If you live in Florida, that's not
as easy to do in person.
3. Do not pay until you're accepted into the show.
4. This is a juried show. We divide applications into categories by
merchandise-type and then pick the widest variety of vendors in each
category. Jewelry is always our most popular, and therefore the
category with the most number of people we have to turn down. We'd
love to have everyone in the show who wants to be in the show, but we
also want to create a memorable experience for the shoppers so they
can enjoy the experience and spend money.
5. Even if you've been in the show before, you need to send us links to
your images, or email us images directly. Without these links or
images, we regretfully won't be able to consider your application.
6.And to all the shoppers who get this email, put November 21sr on your
calendar now! You so don't want to miss this show.
Crafting Frugal
Thu, Mar 26 2009 — Comments (0) |
The Do It Your Own D*mn Self Show takes place on Saturday March 28th from 12pm to 4pm at Pulaski Park Auditorium (3 blocks NE of the Milwaukee/Ashland/Division intersection). We'll be in the gym near the front entrance and we'll have more than 40 people selling everything you need to start that next craft project. Bring your bucks and a large shopping bag because you could potentially clean up! while helping fellow crafters clean out (their closets that is!). For more information about all the different things you'll be able to find, head on over to the Chicago Craft Mafia site to get more information about this show.
A few notes:
Sadly this show is very full and we don't have any more openings available but we thank everyone who showed interest but couldn't join us this year. If it is a success we'll certainly entertain the idea of doing it again.
There are no finished products sold at this show, only parts and things to make your own finished products.
Almost all the vendors will be accepting cash only so plan accordingly.
Unlike the DIY Trunk Show we won't be having a fantastic food vendor.
Chicagoans totally rock! Chicagoans Who Craft rock even louder and harder and faster and more!
Thanks to Daily Candy, Ideal Bite, Gapers Block, Apartment Therapy, and so many, many other people who have helped us spread the word for this show on short notice.
Do It Your Own D*mn Self Show
Sun, Mar 08 2009 — Comments (6) |
Hello, Craft People,
Like us, you make great stuff. Like us, you probably have a huge stash
of craft supplies gathering dust—a chronicle of all the crafts you’ve
tried, loved, and moved on from -
Now is the time to liberate those supplies!
Make a few bucks. Get your supplies in the hands of new crafters. Let
the great circle of craft continue.
Chicago Craft Mafia invites you to sell at:
DO IT YOUR OWN D*MN SELF
Craft supplies super cheap!
March 28 2009, from 12:00 to 4:00 pm
Pulaski Park Building, 1419 W Blackhawk, Chicago, IL.
Notes on the show:
[ ] We DO want you to sell your craft supplies (yarn, paper, beads,
etc), tools (scissors, knitting needles, etc) and craft books.
[ ] This is NOT a show for finished work of any sort. Supplies only.
[ ] Each vendor will get a 6’ by 6’ spot for $35. We have 32 spots
remaining. You are welcome to split a booth, but you’re responsible
for finding your boothmate.
[ ] Set up will be from 11:00 am to noon. Break down 4:00 pm to 5:00
pm.
[ ] While not a juried show, per se, we’d like to see a variety of
supplies sold. More variety, more shoppers. On the application form,
we do ask you to list the types of supplies you’ll be selling. We’ll
use this list to compile a great list on our site to entice buyers
(and to try to make sure you don’t end up next to someone selling
exactly the same things).
[ ] Given the economy, we imagine this show will be very popular. We
are doing this show at cost, sending press releases, but NOT buying
advertising. We’ll need your help to spread the good word! We’ve
created PDF flyers you can print and post (link forthcoming). Also,
we’ve created a Facebook event you can invite your friends to.
ARE YOU IN?
To apply, please go to:
Web link form = http://www.diytrunkshow.com/join/
Next, we’ll need your payment by March 15. If you want to pay by
credit card, login to http://www.paypal.com and send $35
chicago@diytrunkshow.com.
We absolutely must have payment by March 15 or we’ll have to give your
slot in the show to someone on the waiting list. We’re sorry we have
to be like that, but we have to pay for things like room rental, and
insurance (urgh!), and these people don’t let us extend our payment
deadlines. And it isn’t required, but it is a huge help if we can have
you pay sooner rather than later.
If you have any other questions, drop us a line.
Keep on craftin’,
The Chicago Craft Mafia
Volunteers Needed!
Thu, Nov 13 2008 — Comments (6) |
Hello crafty and crafty-friendly Chicagoans! The DIY Trunk Show is looking for several volunteers to help us keep our show organized and running smoothly. Would you like a delightful button from the DIY Trunk Show? Would you like 5 free raffle tickets? Would you like the admiration and adoration of more than 100 vendors who know that your presence is making their selling experience better?
If so then leave your name in the comments below and let us know what time slot you would like and what your first two choices for activities will be. It's first come first served. We'd be most grateful if you'd join us.
November 22nd from 9 am to 6 pm (with setup and teardown time)
1419 W Blackhawk (two blocks northeast of the Milwaukee/Ashland/Division intersection)
9am to 11am
From 9am to 10am you'll be directing vendors to their spaces, pointing out the bathrooms and taking raffle items. After 10am you'll be handing out brochures, answering questions of shoppers, and directing shoppers and vendors to the raffle table.
1-East doors to direct vendors:
2-West doors to direct vendors:
3-Take raffle items at the West entrance:
The volunteers who will wander through the show selling raffle tickets may also be asked by a vendor to watch their booth while they run to the bathroom or go to get food or something to drink.
11am to 1pm
1-Handout brochures at the East doors:
2-Handout brochures at the West doors:
3-Wander through show approaching people and selling raffle tickets:
1pm to 3pm
1-Handout brochures at the East doors:
2-Handout brochures at the West doors:
3-Wander through show approaching people and selling raffle tickets:
3pm to 5pm
1-Handout brochures at the East doors:
2-Handout brochures at the West doors:
3-Wander through show approaching people and selling raffle tickets:
5pm to 6pm
After 5pm you'll help direct vendors on where to put their tables and chairs when they leave, help pick up trash left on the floors, and assist vendors with carrying items out of their space if asked.
1-Handout brochures at the East doors:
2-Handout brochures at the West doors:
3-Wander through show approaching people and selling raffle tickets:
We'll add your name from the comments into the slots above. And we'll add your names into our list of people that we're incredibly grateful for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
November 22nd: 10am to 5pm: Pulaski Park Fieldhouse: 1419 W Blackhawk
Tue, Nov 11 2008 — Comments (0) |
Hello, Chicago! And friends of Chicago!
Hopefully you're just as excited for the DIY Trunk Show (Pulaski Park Fieldhouse: 1419 W Blackhawk) as we are. The Chicago Craft Mafia has worked incredibly hard this year to put together yet another amazing show. This is the sixth DIY Trunk Show! Can you believe it? 6 years of showing off the amazing hand-makers of fine and functional goods to people who care about quality, like shopping locally, and love knowing exactly who made the scarf that keeps them warm when the cold Chicago wind blows.
It is isn't already on your calendar, make sure that November 22nd is free from any other events or plans. The doors open at 10am and stay open to shoppers until 5pm. There are more than 100 (100!!!) fine, fine local people selling the best they have at affordable rates so bring your holiday shopping list (and some rolling luggage would help hold your booty) and be prepared to make a lot of people in your life very happy.
And lest you think that this is like those craft shows full of needlepointed tissue cozies, rest assured that this show is far more adventurous. Want some stones that have been turned into coaster? glass bottles that have been turned into some swank drinking glasses? a kick-ass sweater made from several other sweaters? baby gear that will make you the belle of the next baby shower? oh, and don't get us started on the jewelry, accessories, t-shirts, posters, soaps, and so much more! And the best part is that it is all handmade by the person who hand it to you and that person isn't too far from where you live.
And if all that shopping sound exhausting, you'd be right. Which is why we're delighted to be joined by Celestial Kitchens and Cafe LeBaron who will be making up some tasty vittles to keep us all powered up and sailing through the day. It's a lot easier to find the energy to shop after you eaten some delicious vegan sandwiches, some chocolate chip bacon cookies, or sipped a delicious cup of coffee to keep you awake.
And if you're worried that you might run out of money, rest assured that we'll have an ATM truck parked directly out front. Which will make it easy to also make a donation to one of our non-profit vendors on the stage in the Auditorium. Handmade Nation will be joining us, as will local nonprofits that sell crafts made by the people they serve: WomanCraft and FriedmanPlace.org.
So if you're even slightly excited, head on over to peruse our Participants page (http://www.diytrunkshow.com/participants) and start getting an idea about who you can't wait to meet and whose work you're excited to see and touch.
See you on the 22nd!
Chicago Craft Mafia
DEPART-ment is now accepting applications
Sun, Oct 19 2008 — Comments (0) |
DEPART-ment, the tri-annual store of handmade goods is here again! We are taking applications for participants for our holiday show (December 5-7) on our website.
DEPART-ment is unique craft show - instead of selling table by table, vendor wares are organized according to section - which makes it easier to browse for buyers, and easier to participate for sellers! You don't have to be stuck behind a table all weekend - simply set up your goods, volunteer a shift or two (or not), and pick up your goods and cash at the end. You're free to hang out with other vendors, make new friends, and enjoy the weekend - all while earning cash from your lovely creations!
The vendor application form will be up until October 31st. Acceptance emails will go out November 4th. We hope to see you there!
