Bash Voted "Best One-Stop Shop!"

Holy cow holy cow!! Our Bash shows were just voted as Dallas' "Best One-Stop Shop" in the coveted and uber popular Dallas Observer's Best Of annual issue. It's on stands today!!

This is a huge. mega. deal. Here's the write-up:

Sure etsy.com—the online boutique community for crafters, jewelry designers, knitters, tailors, bookbinders, vintage sellers and collectors of everything—is a surefire way to kill an afternoon and build up a wish list, but an Etsy Dallas event is even better. Prices are great, the craftsmanship is fantastic, it feels good to support local crafters and you'll still cover everyone on any gift list you might have for the next two years. But the downside is you'll also empty your bank account with little to no effort without some preventive measures. We have a friend keep us from purchasing on the first lap through the show. We spend only cash (even if a booth takes cards). And we buy no more than we can carry on our own person. It's hard, but, well, you gotta leave something for the rest of the shoppers to look at. On the other hand, screw everyone else, retail therapy rocks! The Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash takes place November 21 at Sons of Hermann Hall. Sharp elbows stimulate the economy, people.

In case you're wondering, What the heck is the Bash?, let me fill you in. The Bash is the premier arts and crafts event in Dallas that we started back in 2008. The Bash is put on by Tefi Designs and Pamela Michelle, with support from the Etsy Dallas leadership team: Larry, Carrie, Cheyne, Alicia, Mandi (that's me :), Dylan, and Randi.

This year's 2nd Annual Jingle Bash will take place at the historic (and somewhat David-Lynchian) Sons of Hermann Hall, November 21st (that's a Saturday) from 1am-7pm. More deets here.

Reposted from Etsy Dallas Blog

My Big Crafty Weekend

On Saturday, I got up early, got all my beady supplies together, then drove through the rain to the Dallas Bead Society meeting. Marcia DeCoster is coming to teach classes next month, and we were practicing Right Angle Weave in preparation.

My friend Ralonda just finished a huge project, Willow, who is a semi-finalist for the Land of Odds Competition. I can't show a picture until its been posted to the site. She needed to go on a huge bead shopping spree to restock. Two other DBS members Carol Ann and Lisa joined us. We went to Rock Barrel, had some fabulous crepes at Cafe Brazil, then headed to Artful Bead. Here's a shot of my loot:


Driving through the rain this whole time made me realize my Jeep needed new windshield wipers! After my DH installed them, I was off to Larry's for the Esty Dallas 2nd Birthday Party. We had a great time and honored our fearless leader, Stephanie, with a surprise:

I LOVE football. So all I did the entire rainy Sunday was bead and watch the Cowboys, and a few other games. At 9pm, I watched the final episode of Design Star, and my fav from the beginning, Antonio, was the winner! Those design shows can inspire my work and give me great ideas, so I can't wait to watch his show :)

$212 Giveaway & Online Sale

Happy Birthday 2nd Etsy Dallas! This group started with a few convos from Stephanie Hindall, our fearless leader and fabulous designer. We had a trunk show that fall with like 8 vendors, where I met graphic artist extraordinaire, Pamela Michelle. Now we are putting on the 2nd Annual Jingle Bash with 50+ vendors, entertainment, free raffle, and 50 Etsy Dallas reusable grocery totes full of handmade goodies! We have come so far, and now it's time to Sale-A-Brate!


This is the pen I donated for the Birthday Giveaway. Just leave a comment on this post for your chance to win the $212 worth of handmade goodies! There are a few other ways to get extra entries, so scan through the whole post.

We are having a huge online sale as well. I am offering free worldwide shipping all week! Click here to see the full list of sales. Here's to many more years of fun and crafts with Etsy Dallas. Cheers!

FREE Promotion with the Jingle Bash Goody Bags!

Ok, I just misplaced my decoupage scissors, so I decided it was a good time to take a break from crafting, and talk about promoting your crafty business by sponsoring the Jingle Bash. This fabulous show is put on by Etsy Dallas, and I am in charge of the goody bags this year.

About the Goody Bags
Our popular Goody Bags have become a thing of legend. Shoppers at the 1st Annual Jingle Bash arrived over 30 minutes before the doors opened just to get one of these bags! The line of shoppers was winding down the hall, out the door, and down the sidewalk to the next block (pictured). At the 1st Annual Spring Bash, a crowd of Dallas shoppers snatched up the bags in less than 2 minutes. Wow!

I am working on getting some reusable grocery totes for Dylan of Dowdy Studio to screen print, and all 50 will be filled to the brim with handmade goodies from the vendors and other crafty businesses. To participate, please fill out the form found here.

Elf: FREE
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog
-Deadline November 13, 2009

Frosty: $50
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on this Sponsors page
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Rudolph: $200
- Hang your company banner or sign at the Jingle Bash
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on this Sponsors page
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Santa: $500
- Logo posted as "Official Jingle Bash Sponsor" on promotional materials (logo due August 24th)
- Hang your company banner or sign at the Jingle Bash
- 150x150 ad/logo and link posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- 175x175 ad/logo and link posted at the top of this Sponsors page and on the Etsy Dallas home page
- Spotlight article about your company posted on the Etsy Dallas blog
- Include 50 business promos in our popular Goody Bags
- Get your 50 promos listed on this page and the Etsy Dallas blog

Click here to fill out the form to participate! Thanks for your support! Now where are those scissors...

Premio Meme Award

Hooray! I received the Premio Meme Award from Theresa of Studio618. She is the creator of the fabulous peace sign ring pictured. Theresa fabricates these herself!


The rules are simple. I just share 7 facts about myself, and pass the award on to another 7 worthy bloggers.

1. It's my Grandma's fault that I'm addicted to beads.
2. I believe coffee is the nectar of the gods.
3. If it wasn't for Etsy Dallas, I would have convinced my husband to move back to Austin, TX.
4. Even though I'm from Austin, I went to the rivalry school, Texas A&M, and had the time of my life.
5. I don't think I want kids. I just want to be the "cool auntie" to my friends' kids.
6. My favorite artists are Peter Max and Pamela Michelle.
7. I just convinced my apartment complex to let me paint my walls!!

And the awards go to...
1. Christina Likes
2. Tefi Designs
3. La Alicia
4. A Bead A Day
5. Kessler Craftsman
6. The Bead Doodler
7. Pamela Michelle

Etsy Dallas Beer-B-Q

My friend and co-worker had her baby this past Tuesday, so I worked overtime last week. I normally work around 20 hours, so this was a huge difference. I was so excited when it was time for the BBQ this weekend! We had a silent auction of member-donated goods to bid on. All proceeds benefited La Reunion. I donated this pen:



Larry aka Kessler Craftsman grilled the burgers and made some awesome Sangria. We had a nice assortment of beer, too. It was nice to catch up with all my friends and kick the soccer ball around. I'm glad Cheyne of Cut Out and Collect shared the picture taking task with me. Otherwise I wouldn't be in any of the pictures. I'm sitting on the step next to baby Ian wearing black in the Texas heat.

Etsy Dallas Spring Bash Review

I am now fully recovered from the Bash! Our fearless founder of Etsy Dallas, Stephanie of Tefi Designs, snapped this shot of me happily (wo)manning my booth. Our show was a huge success, and I heard we were even on the news! I was wondering how things were going to be with the economy and the swine flu scare etc. It didn't affect our show at all from what I could tell. We had shoppers non-stop all day, and the goody bags were gone as fast as we could hand them out! It helped that we had a ton of wonderful press beforehand including Daily Candy and NBC DFW, which mentions me! I was said to have " gel pens with painstakingly beaded slogans as covers, like this CRAFTY pen." That pen was the first one to go, too.

We have already set up a meeting to start planning the 2009 Jingle Bash. Mark your calendars for Saturday, November 21 @ Sons of Hermann Hall!

Spoil a Veteran Crafter

I went to visit my friend Larry while he was showing at the Swiss Avenue Home Tour and Art Fair yesterday. He had a full booth of gorgeous glass art and a special display of Japanese Kanji "Mother" pendants for Mothers' Day. I brought some water and the coveted dark chocolate gram crackers from Starbucks. That's why its good to have your friends visit you at shows!

I've done several shows with Larry last year, and I have learned so much. I am constantly improving my display, and learning how to "work" my booth. Like I said in a previous post, I learned a lot by watching how he interacts with customers, the way he talks about his work, and how he makes them laugh. He has a blog geared toward people who are newbies in the craft show world, and there are some great tips there. You can find it here: Kessler Craftsman Blog.

Larry and I will be at the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash this Saturday. Also Larry will be giving away fused glass rings and I'm giving away marble magnets; both of which can be found in the Spring Bash goodie bags. Be one of the first 50 people through the door to score one!

Flower Power

I have made 100 pink, blue, and purple flower magnets this week! They are for goody bags for the 2 shows I have coming up:

4/25 - Funky Finds Spring Fling - Will Rodger's, Fort Worth, TX (first 50 to buy $1 raffle ticket get a goody bag)

5/16 - Etsy Dallas Spring Bash - South Side on Lamar, Dallas, TX (first 50 through the door get a free goody bag)

I put each one in a little bag with a business card and a coupon attached for free shipping at my etsy shop, Scribble Scrabble. I am also the goody bag coordinator for the Spring Bash, and we are packing our cute tote bags full of free handmade items and coupons, including some really cute Spring earrings by Tefi Designs. I can't wait!

Spring Bash

I am so excited about the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash! I turned in my application today, and I finished making my promos for the goody bags over the weekend. I'm also a member of the leadership team, so I had some postcards printed, and I'm going to get the Deco Squad together for a brainstorming session at our Craft Circle on Friday. We still have a lot of promoting to do, and we are accepting applications for 2 more days. Click here for details :)