Sharing Some Craft Fair Tips

Display of Artists Anne Buck and Libby Zando art

Delaware by Hand held it's Memorial Day Show yesterday and it was a big success for me.  It was my best show ever.  I am sure that the great weather helped to contribute to the great attendance.

There were artists there with a wide variety of media there.

Since it is held in the park of Zwaanendael  Museum in historic, downtown Lewes, Delaware, there are always lots of gorgeous dogs like this pair.   There is a farmer's market held a few blocks away so that is a big draw to the town.  Of course, there is the beach.  Remember I mentioned the great crowds. They were at the craft fair rather than the beach because the air temperature was cool and the water temperature is the sixties.  Perfect weather for Memorial Day weekend shopping!

                                                                   Bay Moon Design's 2 tables at the fair


Prior to the show, I spent a lot of time preparing for it.  I am sharing what I did with the hope that it will be of help and interest to you.   I had a large inventory of jewelry and cards on hand.  I actually broke down and bought a display rack for my cards from the online store Wudis.   Wudis has a large line of wood displays and they will even customize for you.  You can see it on the far, left side of my left table.  It was huge upgrade for my table.  The natural unfinished wood words well with my gold, black, and tan color scheme. The display also has the huge advantage of raising my cards up and helps to organize them by categories.  Having cards for Father's Day, Weddings, and Graduation paid off for me.  Unfortunately, for me, I didn't notice that the display leaned forward due to the level of the earth below my table.  By the time I spotted that little problem it was too late in my setting up process to make changes.  Lesson learned!

New burlap displays made from tired old white ones

I upgraded the appearance of my jewelry displays.  I spent 1 hour to 1.5 hours in covering 6 old, white jewelry displays with burlap that was sitting around in a closet of mine.  All I did was cut the burlap so that it was larger than my displays and I used a hot glue gun to attach it.  The one tip I have is to make sure to cut the excess fabric out of the folds of the fabric on the back corners.

Large burlap jewelry display is now perfect background for photos

The burlap was left over the time I repurposed an old wood frame into a display for some of my art necklaces.  You can see the frame on the far right side of my photo on the right of my display table.   An added benefit to covering these displays is that they are now perfect for photographing my necklaces.  I originally bought the large, formerly, white necklace display above for this purpose but learned pretty quickly that it did not photograph well.  Another advantage to the fabric is that I can hook matching earrings for the necklace right there on the display.

I also purchased some brown craft boxes to put some of my bracelets in when displaying them.  Their brown, natural look worked well on top of my gold table clothes.  I really splurged and bought brown and black paper bags for purchases.  Prior to this I was recycling my plastic grocery bags for sale.  These little details work to make my customers' shopping experience more enjoyable.

beach bag charms by Bay Moon Design

In addition to the large inventory of jewelry, I made sure that it was varied. This year I made 4 beach bag charms and sold 3 of them.  In the winter, I have scarf pins available.  I also have a variety of price points.  I also priced more items to sell.

Seagull Necklace and Nest Bracelet by BayMoonDesign

I had a lot of lookers at this seagull necklace and nest bracelet.  I thought it was perfect for the beach crowd and priced to sell but it didn't.  Oh well, my online shop customers will have a chance to purchase it HERE.  I am thankful to my customers for making this craft fair a success for me.  It is most likely my only one for the summer I will use my profits to make purchases that I need to make for the holiday season.  

We're All Ears :: May Inspiration

 world renowned troupe Pilobolus 

May's "We're all Ears" challenge is  Sponsored by ERin Prais Hintz and is based on a music video and a live performance by the dancers of Pilobolus.  In the live performance there are six dancers... one 4 1/2 minute song... 32 costume changes... 43 pieces of clothing.  In person, the Pilobolus troupe shows split-second timing in changing into various costumes.   It could be a train-wreck but due to their talents it is completely mesmerizing and electrifying.  You can get an idea of what their live performance is like when you watch the music video called "Skyscrapers".  The song in the video is  "Skyscrapers" by the band OK Go .  Trish Sie is the choeographer.  She is the sister of the lead singer and dancer Moti Buchbootare .  The singing and dancing takes place against  ever-changing urban landscapes. 

music video called "Skyscrapers"

I am inspired by the vibrant colors, music, linear movements and costumes.

Vibrant blue earrings by Bay Moon Design

I selected the vibrant royal blue costumes as my focus for my earring design.  I made a pair of  brass flower earrings with a  distressed bohemian look. I hand patinaed them in a lovely aged cobalt blue. I have hung these royal blue earrings on sterling silver ear wires with blue beads to highlight the aged blue color of the patina.  The long linear lines of the earrings mirror the long straight line of the dancers in blue.  The earrings have a lot of movement to them just as the dancers.  These earrings are available for sale HERE.

May Art Bead Scene Challenge Inspires Geometric Necklace

Modern Art by Augustin Lesage

This month's May Art Bead Scene Challenge is a piece of modern art by Augustin Lesage.  The  artist Lesage’s patterns are unmistakable.  His works show symmetry and he organizes his compositions along a central axis, building complex geometric structures in horizontal layers from the center outward.  
I love all the wonderful color combinations and play of colors found in each segment in the painting. The great thing about this painting is you can focus on just a small piece and pull a set of colors that work together in interesting and unusual combinations. This month we were given a number of color palettes for this piece of art and I  focused on some of the pastel. The color palette that I selected is the one I posted on this blog.  I zeroed in on the blue, white and peachy coral.   Brown is neutral is so dominate in the painting that I added some brown to my piece.

Long Geometric Necklace by Bay Moon Design

The  geometric focal was made by polymer clay artist Claire Lockwood of Something to Do Beads .   Like the color palette I selected for this inspiration piece and it has blue, white and browns. 

Polymer Clay Geometric Focal is by Claire Lockwood

 I paired it with a peachy coral chain from MyElements, vintage peach colored glass melon beads and used some white cultured sea glass.  I also used a copper lobster clasp and findings to add to the peachy coral color.  This geometric  necklace has a modern look to it just as the art work.  It is available for purchase HERE in my online store.

Getting Ready for Summer with a Craft Show and a New Collection

Delaware by Hand Members Show May 23, 2015

I love doing the Delaware by Hand Member's Show in Lewes,  Delaware.  After all, it is my hometown.  This event is on Saturday May 23, 2015,  I am hoping for glorious weather.  Actually, I will be thrilled with anything but rain.  People should be in great spirits there since it is the beginning of Memorial Day Weekend, summer and it is at the beach.  The setting is pretty.  It is in the beautiful park of the historic Zwaanendael Museum.

This is the 10th Annual Outdoor Show 

 A wide array of unique and original artwork will be for sale.

Participating Artists Include: 
Arden Bardol
Ramona Maziarz
Judy Hagen
Elaine Petaky
Deborah Johnson
Diane Issel 
Kathy Buschi
Gerilyn Gaskill
Karen Hornor
Denise Bendelewski
Ginny Barney
Gary Crowl
Mark Turner
Carl Forsberg
Libby Zando
Anne Buck
Marilyn Nugent
Carmela Coleman
Kathy Lindemer
Marian Hertzog
Jeffrey Stickle
Mimi Galligan
Lesley Campana
Caryl Williams
Hank Rhodes
Jane Mayer
Jacqueline Chmiel
Marian Hertzog
Susan Donohoe
Linda Chatfield
Nettie Green
Gwen Schroll
Jim Rehak
Mike Quattrociocchi
Derek Carlson
Brenda Williams

Photo taken in Key Largo, Florida

My preparations began months ago in Key Largo, Florida.  You just couldn't have a better place to make handmade jewelry and cards for a summer craft show at the beach!  I focus on my beach collection for this fair during the winter months there.

Beach Bag Charms by Bay Moon Design

This year I have added some beach bag charms to my summer collection. Ladies love to attach them to beach bags, purses, totes,  diaper bags, backpacks etc.  They are great fun.  

Starfish Necklace by Bay Moon Design

I have a number of new pieces of jewelry that I made with this fair in find.  I like to have nautical jewelry available for this fair.  This starfish necklace was created with this show in mind.  It has an artisan  pendant. I attached it to some sea glass beads with white Irish Waxed linen thread to give it an ocean look. This starfish necklace has aqua sea glass beads contrasted with teardrop beads that are a dark pinkish red. This nautical necklace had 2 handmade artisan brown seashells. The copper clasp is handmade by me.  
The ceramic starfish and seashells are made by a favorite artisan --Suburban Girl Studio.

Sailboat Necklace by Bay Moon Design

Another example of a nautical necklace created with this show in mind is this sailboat necklace.  Focal point of this nautical necklace is a handmade ceramic sailboat in red and bluish green by UK artist Lesley Watt. This sailboat necklace has red sponge coral and white beads attached with boho looking turquoise Irish waxed linen thread. 

Starfish Necklace By Bay Moon Design

Here is another starfish necklace. I am hoping someone will give this pretty starfish necklace a home I think it is perfect for a beach loving girl or perhaps a destination beach wedding. The starfish is made from seed beads by artisan Lindsay Starr and I added turquoise and gold beads to create this piece of ocean jewelry. I also did the brass metal work. The clasp and gold links are hand forged. This turquoise necklace is truly art jewelry.  


If you see something you like, you better hurry up and buy it HERE before my May 23 show!

Pine Ridge Treasures Flora Hues Challenge

Lisa Lodge's Kit of beautiful glass pearls and Tiaria crystal

I couldn't resist getting one of Lisa Lodge's kits when I saw the color palette and found out it would contain beautiful glass pearls in raspberry, wine, pink, red, white and creamy white. My kits also contained some pretty some metals and Tiaria crystals.

Color Palette for this Blog Hop

Floral Boho Necklace by Bay Moon Design is available for purchase HERE


 This is a multi strand necklace. One strand pink and lilac glass pearls. The other strand has fuchsia, pale pink, and lilac beads with Irish waxed linen tread adding a pop of green in between the beads. Both strands are attached to natural brass chain. The necklace measures 19 inches around and the focal dangles below.

Close up of the focal that I made for the necklace

I created the floral focal by embossing flowers on natural brass and applying patina. I then layered a copper bird on top of the floral disk.  If you would like a handmade focal like this floral one, I have one like it as well as others for sale in my online shop.

 

Matching Floral Earrings

Of course, I had to make a pair of earrings to go with the necklace.  I used Vintaj natural brass ear wires and other natural brass findings with some Czech flower beads and the same pearls as in the necklace.  I decided to use the natural brass because the necklace has natural brass in it and the dark color of the metal accentuates the light beads.

Stacked bracelet with pearls, metals, and some very cute flip flop ceramic beads is available for purchase HERE

The last piece that I made is this fun flip flop bracelet. The red bracelet is made with memory wire so one size fits all. There are 3 rows of ceramic, red glass pearls, green, white, yellow, and silver beads that wrap around the wrist. There are 2 ceramic flip flops that make this a great casual bracelet for the summer.The cuff bracelet can be worn with anything from shorts to a casual dress. It is a wear everyday bracelet!

I still have lots of beads left.  Lisa is always very generous with her kits.  

A special thanks to Lisa for putting this together.  Please visit her and the other participants to see what they created.