In the spirit of things

In case you have not searched around in AREtsy shops lately, you are missing out. Many of our team members have wonderful items for the Holidays. Of course we all have fabulous gift items, but these items would be perfect to decorate your home or yourself for this time of year.
Banners have been popular for the past couple of years on Etsy. Our very own StoriaHome makes a collection of wonderful banners for the home. She has one called "Believe" that is just perfect for this time of year. I don't know about all of you, but I still believe in Santa... no really... I do! :) While you're checking out her shop, look at all of the wonderful other Christmas decor she has. They range from traditional to cheeky - you don't want to miss her stuff.Over at AshleighsBowtique - outfit your little ones with these adorable hair bows. She also has some hair bows for Thanksgiving - so hurry over so your kiddos can be decked out for the entire season.
PunkinHead has an entire collection of Snowfolk. These guys are made from repurposed vintage linens, sweaters, and other fun fabrics. They all need a new family to spend the holidays with - so won't you take one up today?
GlassBead always has beautiful items and this year she has some ornaments listed in her shop. I just happen to be a proud owner of one of these lovelies and I know they will look great on your tree as well.
ChrisMassingill never fails to dissapoint with her fun, whimsicle designs. She has added some holiday inspired items to her shop as well. This pin would make the perfect addition to your personal decor for the Holidays or you can easily add a hook to the back and hang it on your tree for Christmas day.

This list is only the tip of the iceburg as far as AREtsy Christmas items go. Search here for more ideas and let the shopping begin.

Oh the weather outside is frightful...

but the sales on Etsy are so delightful!

Okay, so perhaps the weather isn't so frightful yet, but you know it's just around the corner. I was just thinking the other day that Thanksgiving weekend marked the first bit of icey weather we got here in my part of Arkansas a couple of years ago and that weekend is just 2 weeks away! I don't know about the rest of you, but the impending turn of the weather is reminding me that Christmas is just around the corner. In fact, it's only 44 days away.

Yeah, I said it, it's only 44 days away.

There was a HUGE movement that swept the internet/indie/crafty industry by storm last year. That was the "Buy Handmade" pledge. I signed up to do it last year and tried my best, I really tried to adhere to it. Alas, I failed. Guys are hard to shop for. However, I'll do it again this year, with more gusto, with more determination, and with more time spent looking for the perfect gift on Etsy (hopefully within AREtsy).

One way to get people to your shop for the Holidays is to promote a sale or special of some kind. Many shops on Etsy are gathering together for the Artisans for the Holidays Sale taking place Thursday,November 27 (hey, that's my birthday, don't forget it... oh, and it's Thanksgiving) through Monday, December 1.. There is a thread in the Etsy forums with more information here: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5903305&page=1.

If you think you can pull off their requirements - a bit of promotion and such - then go here and sign up for it: http://www.etsy.com/forums_thread.php?thread_id=5903349. Make sure to read the ins and outs of signing up listed in the first post.

If you are thinking a site wide sale isn't for you, please think again. I'd love to see a bunch of us AREtsy members join in on this. A few of us participated in the site wide "Yart Sale" this past summer, and I can't speak for everyone, but it resulted in a good handful of sales for me.

Original art above by bmacre at bmacre.etsy.com

If Graphic Art is Your Thing...

then read on.

El Dorado Promise out of El Dorado, Arkansas is "re-branding" itself and needs a logo. They city has chosen a new themeline for itself, El Dorado: We Promise and they need something to go along with that and all the city has to offer.

Cindy Langston, the Marketing Manager for El Dorado Promise and El Dorado Forward, writes the following:
"We have chosen a new themeline for our city "El Dorado : We Promise" sends a message that we want people to come see what we have to offer. From an incredible arts community, to an eclectic downtown with a vibrant music scene to quality health and wellness facilities to a world-class education and free college scholarship program, we have a lot to promise.

I hope you will consider sending in a design. 1st prize is $1,000 and 2nd place receives $500. Of course the design will be seen in all our marketing material so it will get a lot of notoriety..."

You can read more about the city here: GoElDorado and ElDoradoPromise. If graphic design is your thing, don't delay. Entries MUST be postmarked by Oct. 22 to be considered. Please contact Cindy with questions (and where to send entries) at (870)863-6113.

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.

Puppet Workshop

Just a quick update about an event coming up this weekend:

“Arkansas Community Arts Co-op to Host Giant Puppet Workshop”

The Arkansas Community Arts Cooperative, a local non-profit organization that promotes art and music to youth in central Arkansas , will be hosting a giant puppet building workshop at their art and resource space located at 1419 South Main Street in downtown Little Rock . The event, which will take place on Saturday, September 13, Sunday, September 14, and Saturday, September 20, will feature long-time visual artist and puppeteer, JoAnn Kaminsky, from Fayetteville , Arkansas .

Kaminsky will be teaching Little Rock youth how to build a variety of giant parade puppets as seen in New Orleans Mardi Gras festivals. The event is open to Little Rock youth who are in the 5th through 8th grades. There is a $ 5.00 fee to cover the cost of lunch. During the workshop the students will be assembling five giant puppets to be featured in the SoMa sponsored 2009 Little Rock Mardi Gras Parade.

JoAnn Kaminsky is an Arkansas native who enjoys working with many facets of the community using art. She has worked as an artist in education, with elementary students and high school students, and as an art therapist. She has her own studio, the Art Experience, in Fayetteville , Arkansas . Her community art making interests has led her to create murals and puppet productions in a variety of settings. Through the Partners of the Americas she has traveled to Bolivia , South America to create puppets, large and small and also murals with youth of all ages.

You can see Kaminsky’s work in the streets of Fayetteville on New Years Eve at the First Night Fayetteville’s puppet parade which she coordinates.

For more information see http://www.acacarkansas.org.

For more information about JoAnn Kaminsky - visit her website here: www.JoAnnKaminsky.com

2nd Annual Pinnacle Hills Promenade Art Festival

If you find yourselves up in Northwest Arkansas this weekend, be sure to swing by the Pinnacle Hills Promenade for the 2nd Annual Pinnacle Hills Promenade Art Festival. The schedule is as follows:
Friday, 9/5 - 5:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Saturday, 9/6 - 10:00 AM - 9:00 PM
Sunday, 9/7 - 12:00 PM - 6:00 PM

I hear that Chris Massingill will be up there and after seeing her items in person this past weekend at The Clothesline Fair, I can say that you do not want to miss out on her stuff. It's great!

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!