Tesla Event and Austin Handmade in the Shade

Whew! What a weekend! I made it through.. it was almost but not quite like a marathon. Trying to get it together for two back to back events was well, interesting. I did it! Yay! Of course I added to my stress by saying to myself, "Hmmm, I really need a table banner.." I've been wanting one that's more portable for indoors. It needed to be something I could pull off w/out a sewing machine since mines in the shop for over abuse. At around 12pm on Thursday I started needle felting "Gypsyharte" onto a piece of recycled sweater and then jury rigged that to a tapestry piece that I think was a valance at one point... It looked amazing! I had this hand dyed green and gold silk fiber (yes, silk) and I just printed out a nice font I liked to eyeball while I did it and lo.. it was done.

Crazy what you can do a 2am in the morning.

So I was running to get ready the next day ... but we made it there no problem. I thought Frugal Media executed a fantastic event. It seemed well advertised and attended. I loved being in the stacks of books and my table looked pretty good. I was right across from Haute Toddies.. I picked up a sweet patchwork journal from Sweet Wolf.. and little hot/cold rice pad w/ pink skulls on it from Deathly Cute. I was surprising swamped all evening long. I did a bit of demonstrating what I do and talking about needle felting. I got a lot of praise and sold some things! Yay! Thanks to all my friends who dropped by to see the event. It was also nice to see old vending friends from the Grapevine Market and of course the Etsy Austin crew.

My husband James/Cedric was there to promote his business Harmony Hypnosis and wow people with amazing hypnosis demos. Of course he was still busy at 10pm when everyone was packing up. Comes with the territory.

So scamper back home for a whole 6 hrs of sleep and schlep out again in the morning to Austin Handmade. The new store on S. 1st looks wonderful inside and there's a lot more space to spread all those cute hand made goodies out. I was afraid of being late and thus was the first one there and got a spot shaded by the huge live oak tree. I actually heard that it was a few degrees cooler than the day before... well, I dunno if a drop from 105 to 101 is "cool" or not. But it couldn't hurt. Out hosts at Austin Handmade are great, Jason helped me unload and get my tent up and everything. Next to me there was the most heavenly scent wafting my way from two soap people, Nepenthe's Bathtime (Samantha, did Tesla event the night before as well, so she's pro) and another soapy person from Dripping Springs (sorry I didn't get the name, I blame heatstroke) Lets see other brave and crazy folks were Irene, from La Beba, and Kelly of GemJunkie. (I love my amethyst wing earrings)

So there was great coffee next door to Austin Handmade... I had a wonderful iced latte,

Later in the day we had our Team meeting for Etsy Austin. I loved talking to all the South Austin folks as the wandered through our little show.. even a few familiar faces from the night before!

Austin Handmade had a gallery opening coinciding with the Market and then was not only great art, but do-it-yourself Mojitos! They rocked. It was mostly too hot to do anything except complain about the heat... but I manged to show a few kids a bit of felting and I made the world's smallest sushi platter out of wool. Oh, yeah Jason is going to be carrying my sushi kit in their DIY room at Austin Handmade, woot! And Amy Hadley was there doing some film interviews.. I shudder to think of myself on camera but hopefully I don't sound like a complete idiot. Its all about the felting, right? Her site will be http://heynowwhoanow.com I'm not completely sure its up yet, but soon.

Then it was sip my mojito and try to stay in the shade... But its all finished now and I can bask in the relative success of my shows and be equally thankful I don't have anymore outdoorsy ones anytime soon.

http://frugalmedia.com/

http://austinhandmademarket.com/

http://etsyaustin.etsy.com/

San Marcos Art at Tantra

I newly joined the Esty Austin street team last week and there I met Kateri, who is doing this great third Sat Market in San Marcos. Its easy to forget that a whole city is just right down south there. So my husband, James and I decided go and set up our respective little booths out at Tantra Coffee House yesterday. James is a hypnosist promoting his business by doing free hypnosis demos showing people how to change their lives by changing their minds. http://harmonyhypnosis.net/
And I had a little bit of everything.... some recycled sweaters hats (since it was chilly) and removable hairwrap jewelry, and of course my felted creations. Anyone who knows me, knows that I hate having nothing to do with my hands, so I had my wool and some bits of reclaimed sweater and was felting away. The place was really fun too.. alot of folks came and went there were some nice bands to to listen too and other see the artists too.
And they were people... bonafide People, they came and talked to me, and I love talking felt! I was suprised at how many people said they had just starting doing needle felting or had just heard about Etsy. That, is my second favorite subject.
It was a good day, I talked to this nice guy, Sean, who was going write something for a paper or zine I think, he also took pics of my stuff. I totally spaced some stuff yesterday morning, like my mirror and I’m still out of business cards… no excuse. Despite my being a tad worried about the weather it was fine, a little windy but to too bad, and the sunshine came out to play later in the day. Tantra’s got some yummy lemon bars and good coffee ( I had the Landry) and my hubby hypnotized some folks… oh yeah I sold some stuff. That’s always nice. The best thing was being in this happening little Texas town, surrounded by talented kids, so creative and it so-made-me-remember-my-college-time; and I was much buoyed and encouraged by so many asking about my stuff and liking it. I think it was a success all around and a lot of promise for growth in the future. So thanks a bunch Kateri! We can’t wait for next time.

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