Calling All Team Members!

We have been working on our directory and a pack of other things. However we are having some trouble getting good information on craft shows and other vending opportunities.

Come on team! Let's get to posting!

If you are participating in ANY craft show any where in the state, or even just across the lines.

Let us know about it! We want to help our team with as much advertisement, and getting seen is the only way to do it!

If you are at a show or fair, tell people about AREtsy! Tell them to visit the other shops! If they are looking for a certain item and you know of a team member that sells that, then send them in that direction!

We want to help as many as possible! I know it is a slow process, but we want everyone to have as many opportunities as possible to succeed!

Team Successes?

It is hard to remember that when I post these blog entries that not everyone knows me and when I refer to myself in the first person my English teacher cringes! My name is Felicia Norwood, and I am one of the four leaders of the AREtsy team! I have been working to help our team lately by posting discussions on the Team page in Etsy, facebook posts, and these blog posts. I am also working with the other leaders to make our team one of the best on Etsy!

In other teams I see discussions for treasury listings (we have a contest running now) and success threads (have one of those too) and I want all of us to work to celebrate our big and little victories! We will be making some changes to the blog in the way of including a directory, which we are requesting the information you want included be sent to sweetydarlindesigns@gmail.com. We are going to include a show schedule for the entire state, so send that information to the same email. I have been selecting and posting featured sellers on a monthly basis, the winner of the treasury contest gets to be featured in March!

We also want to eventually have a special AREtsy Craft fair!

In this depressed economy, and the pressures that creates on all of us we (as a society) seem to have lost our focus that there are some very good things in our lives worth focusing on, and I know for myself those are the things I want to focus on this next year. I think our team is one of those BIG HAPPY THINGS!

What are your New Year's Resolutions?

'Tis The Season To Shop Handmade In Arkansas

It's that time of year again, time to do your holiday shopping! What better way to shop than to shop handmade (and locally!)? You get beautiful, quality items while supporting your local artisans and artists, sounds pretty good to us! So many of our AREtsy team members are getting ready to sell their wares in Arkansas craft shows all over the state that I just had to share a list. If you know of any other shows, please leave a comment about it! If you're an AREtsy member who is participating in a show but aren't listed, please leave your information here.

2009 Holiday Craft Shows

Northwest Arkansas Boutique Show
Saturday, November 14 : 10AM - 5PM
Holiday Inn Convention Center in Springdale, AR
Show Website

AREtsy members selling at this show:
Dana of PishPoshCreations
Erin of Idyllhands and Woolyhands





Handmade for the Holidays
Saturday, November 14 : 9AM - 4PM
ArtChurch in Hot Springs, AR
Show Website

AREtsy members selling at this show:
Ducky Jewelry Designs
The Beehive
EkioArt



Lamar Handmade Boutique
Saturday, November 14 : 9AM - 7PM
Memorial Hall in Lamar, MO
Show Website

AREtst members selling at this show:
MyCurlyRed



Searcy All Handmade Show
Saturday, November 14 : 8AM - 3PM
Carmichael Center in Searcy

AREtsy members selling at this show:
LoonLanding


Fayetteville Farmer's Market - Holiday Markets
Saturday, November 21 : 7AM - 1PM
Downtown Fayetteville on the Sqaure
and
Saturday, December 5: 9AM - 3PM
Botanical Garden of the Ozarks

Both will feature more crafts and gift items than the usual market and include the following AREtsy members:
Laurie of Punkinhead and Girlchild
Erin of Idyllhands and Woolyhands




Arts Eureka Fall Show
Saturday, November 28 and Sunday, November 29
Inn of the Ozarks Convention Center in Eureka Springs, AR

Carmichael Center Holiday Show
Saturday, December 5 : 8AM - 3PM
Carmichael Center in Searcy

AREtsy members at this show:
LoonLanding

HAPPY HOLIDAY SHOPPING!!!

Ravenwood Festival

Click to enlarge poster

If you're a lover of all things steampunk then there's an event coming to Northwest Arkansas October 2nd and 3rd you will not want to miss called Ravenwood Festival. Ravenwood Festival is a yearly Steampunk, Darkwave, Industrial event that takes place in Northwest Arkansas featuring bands, live performance artists, and djs from all over North America as well as artisans from all over the globe. One of the artisans that will be selling her wares at the festival is our very own El's Bells! For more information on the performers, vendors and tickets visit ravenwoodfestival.com

**If you're a member of AREtsy and have an upcoming event you'd like to share on the team blog, please feel free to contact us via the yahoo group, etsy team thread, or by directly contacting IdyllHands or TheBeehive on etsy.**

Is that a cool breeze I'm feeling?

The weather in NW Arkansas, although mild all summer, has taken a cooler turn this past couple of days. Could it be that Autumn is descending upon the Ozark Mountains just in time for the start of craft fair season? Can we be that lucky?

Did I lose you at craft fair? That's right, this coming weekend, Labor Day weekend, marks the start of the craft fair season for Northwest Arkansas. The Clothesline Fair will be taking place in Prairie Grove at the Battlefield Park. This has always been one of my favorite fairs to visit. The artists are amazing, the food is good, and the scenery is lovely. In fact, this fair will be featuring a couple of the AREtsy team members! Starlightdesigns and PeacesofIndigo will both be on site - so make sure to drop by and meet some fellow team members.

This is a HUGE event with tons of artists to shop with. Come on out and get some Christmas shopping done early, eat a turkey leg, drink some fresh squeezed Lemonade and listen to some live music. You'll be sorry if you miss it!

For more information, please visit the Arts Center of the Ozarks Website here.

Ready... set... go!

AREtsy artists seem to be everywhere this fall. As I've said before, we're staring straight at craft show season here in Arkansas and we've geared up, signed up, and stocked up on goodies to show off at a variety of fairs.

If you are like me and love to do your Christmas shopping at a craft fair, or if you are also like me and love the tasty goodies at the fairs (as seen above), you can find us at the following events (event listed first and AREtsy members listed below each show)

Van Buren Fall Festival in Van Buren - October 11 - 12
Morning Star Studio

Bella Vista Arts and Crafts Festival in Bella Vista - October 16 - 18
Punkinhead
IdyllHands
Wooly Hands

Ozark Regional Arts and Crafts Show in Springdale and Rogers - October 17 - 18
My Curly Red
2BlondeBoys

Dazzle Daze in Conway - November 20 - 22
ChrisMassingill

Holiday Extravaganza in Bella Vista - November 22
MyCurlyRed
IdyllHands and WoolyHands
Punkinhead
AshleyArsenic
TutuCuteandMore
ForeverAndADay
TheWishingWell
SpiritBearBeads

Arkansas Craft Guild's Christmas Showcase in Little Rock - November 30 - December 2
ChrisMassingill



If you are a member of AREtsy and are participating in a craft fair/show this fall, please email knittinghands@yahoo.com and let me know. I'll add you to this list.

Let the Craft Fairs Begin

Just when you think cooler weather and changing leaves will never get here, you turn around and there they are. The cooler weather means the start of many a fall/holiday craft fair here in Arkansas. The members of The AREtsy Street Team take a few weekends out of their busy schedules to set up shop at these fairs and share their art with thousands upon thousands of shoppers.

Northwest Arkansas provides craft fair shoppers and fans with plenty of opportunities to spend some money and time browsing. Besides the big weekend of fairs the 3rd weekend in October (does War Eagle ring a bell with anyone?), there are many other fairs that dot the calender leading up to Christmas.

The first one that comes to mind is The Clothesline Fair in Prairie Grove at the Battlefield Park (park seen above). This is a fair steeped in many, many years of tradition, 57 years, in fact. I've been told that artists used to display their goods on clothelines that were strung between the trees and their tents. This would make sense, seeing as how it is call The Clothesline Fair. Those days are long gone, but the fair is still going strong.

A few of the AREtsy Artists will have booths at the fair:

Punkinhead
ChrisMassingill
Starlight Designs
Idyll Hands

So come on out and meet some fellow AREtsy members.

If shopping for crafts isn't your thing (and shame on you if it isn't) there are plenty of other activities for you or your family members to do. You can visit the Latta Barn for some tasty turkey legs or burgers. There is a play ground for the kiddos and a short hiking trail with lots of Civil War history along its path. There is also a museum that is free to the public that has the history of the battle that took place on that very spot. So come on out, do some shopping, learn a bit of history, and enjoy Labor Day weekend in Northwest Arkansas at The Clothesline Fair.

If you are a member of AREtsy and are participating in a fair (in Arkansas or otherwise), leave a comment here so we can share it with the world!