Toronto Etsy Street Team: November 2016

Vendor call: Humbercrest Public School 2nd-Annual Holiday Craft Fair

Wednesday, November 16, 2016

VENDOR CALL

Are you a crafter, artist, designer or have interesting products to sell? Be a part

of the festive season at Humbercrest Public School and market your hand-crafted

creations to holiday shoppers at our 2nd-Annual Holiday Craft Fair. This year,

we will offer photos with Santa, a bake sale and craft activities for kids!

Almost 500 families attend this 100 year-old school that is situated in the west end of the

city neighbouring the Baby Point, Bloor West Village and Junction communities.

Vendor Fee:

Tables (6 ft) are available for rent at $40 each. Two chairs will be provided with each table

Please submit product description online or with application via email

You are guaranteed a space once full payment has been received

Student Vendor Fee:

Students will receive a 50% discount for the vendor table

PLUS - the first SIX students to register will only pay $10 for their table thanks

to the generous sponsorship of Metro Coin & Banknote - supporting young entrepreneurs

If you're a currently enrolled student, email sofun@humbercrestcouncil.ca

to receive your coupon code to enter online (at check-out)

Apply:

All interested vendors must fill out a brief application form online by

December 9, 2016.

All vendors welcome!

Click here to register online

OR email sofun@humbercrestcouncil.ca for an application

Payment:

Please make your payment online at: http://humbercrestps.3dcartstores.com/

OR send a cheque to the school made payable to “SoFun”

Event day logistics:

1. Set-up will start at 2:30 pm and end at 4 pm

2. Load-in will be from 2:30 to 4:00 pm

Please note: student pick-up begins at 3:10 pm. There will be three parking spots RESERVED for vendor unload on Brookside Avenue near the gym. However, vehicles must then be moved to legal street parking in the neighborhood. Limited parking is available in the Teacher Parking Lot under

the school building, off Watson Avenue

3. Crafters must remain open for the duration of the fair (until 8 pm)

4. You are required to clean and vacate your space no later than 8:30 pm

5. No refund on craft fair fee if you're unable to attend

Additional Promotional Opportunity!

If you’d like additional promotion before the event, consider donating a raffle prize. We will give extra promotion to those companies who donate a small prize (value $10-30) in our pre-event electronic promotion to school parents

For additional vendor information, please contact:

Irene Papadimitriou 647-879-1177
Kristen Juschkewitsch 416-561-6479

T.E.S.T. Interview: Florés Boticario

Friday, November 11, 2016

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 102nd in our series and is with Melissa Oré of FloresBoticario.

Tell me about your Etsy shop.

My sister and I opened our Etsy store over 2 years ago: Florés Boticario, a handmade natural skincare line. We created our company/products in memory of our great grandmother, a holistic healer in our native country of Peru. Our luxurious skincare line are for those who appreciate a delicate and natural skincare regimen. Each product is made-to-order with high quality essential oils.

What does Florés Boticario mean?

Florés means “flowers” and “Boticario” means “apothecary” in Spanish.

Why did you join the T.E.S.T team?

We joined The Toronto Etsy Street Team because we wanted to band together with our fellow Etsy makers for marketing and business support/inspiration/collaboration. We believe that teams win and appreciate all the expertise and experience that each individual in the group possesses. We’re all paving our own path and navigating through uncharted waters and it’s a breath of fresh air to know that we’re not alone.

What is your favourite thing about being on Etsy?

We love the tools and support that Etsy provides shop-makers in order to succeed – from the Etsy Seller Handbook, Etsy Success emails, wholesale opportunities, Holiday 101, Etsy teams, to the Etsy Up Conference in NYC and everything in between. We’re so thankful to be part of the Etsy community.

You mentioned the Etsy Up Conference in NYC, did you go?

Yes my sister and I did go to the conference. It was a motivating and kick a** 3 days in one of my favourite cities. The guest speakers were incredible (especially Nely Galán) and I found the workshops very helpful. The swag bag was the icing on the cake!

What’s new and exciting?

We’re counting down to the Holiday Market at Shops at Don Mills. We will be there Friday December 9th – Sunday December 11th. Looking forward to seeing you all there!

You can keep up to date with FloresBoticario at the following:
www.floresboticario.com

Instagram: @floresboticario
Twitter: @floresboticario
Facebook: floresboticario

Interviewed by Gwen Duda of GwenDudaStudiosGwen Dud in Toronto, November 7, 2016.

T.E.S.T. Interview: Gwen Duda Studios

We hope to introduce you to all the great etsy sellers to be found right here in Toronto. Here at the T.E.S.T. blog, we plan to interview them all. This is the 101st in our series and is with Gwen Duda of GwenDudaStudios.

Why did you join the TEST team?

I moved to Toronto about 8 years ago and joined Etsy 7 years ago. Joining the TEST team is a way to find out more about Toronto and make connections with like-minded Etsians!

What is your favourite thing about being on Etsy?

That your work is online, ready to be seen and/or purchased from anywhere in the world at any time. If you do a professional job presenting yourself and your work, coupled with a definite attractive and unique look for your store, excellent photos, customer service and all those wonderful things that even if you have constraints that keep you from being in a brick and mortar store that doesn't limit you or what you can attain. Having said that, selling on Etsy is as part of my marketing strategy, not the whole of it.

What is your not so favourite thing about being on Etsy?

I think it's the same as what a lot of people have voiced their concern over and that is that it is not a juried marketplace so the buyer has to literally search through hundreds if not thousands of items to find your product. However, this is also a strength of Etsy's in that the customer has hundreds if not thousands of products to choose from. It's weakness can be it's strength, if you will, and vice versa.

What have you bought on Etsy?

I've bought leg warmers, rosaries (that I did a partial trade for), candles, jewelry, jewelry supplies, and other things. In the near future I will be looking for a pair of rad winter slippers as well as furniture, so hey fellow Toronto Etsians feel free to convo me if you make those things!

By the way, just what is it that you do/sell on Etsy?

I have two shops; GwenDudaStudios where I sell my nature-inspired abstract expressionistic original acrylic/watercolor/oil paintings and TheBadCatBeacery where I sell boho beaded bracelets, necklaces and earrings.

If you could share just one thing that you would want people to know about you, what would that be?

That the work I do is done in as eco-friendly a way as possible and that I care about the earth, the environment, even people! The work I do is done out of, well, love. I want to create work that is joyful, beautiful and evokes a sense of wonderment to lift people out of the grind of the every day mundane, even if just for a moment. That is worth it to me.

What's next on your plans for your work/product?

I really want to learn how to use woodworking tools safely as I want to build my own frames for my paintings. I feel that framing is really crucial to the aesthetic success of an image and oftentimes I just can't find the frame I am looking for. Also framing can be horrifically expensive, so, I'd like to build my own frames and pass that savings onto my customer/collector.

Any final words?

Yes, it's been said before and it bears repeating, do what you love.

Instead of going with fine art I had trained as a commercial artist and worked as an art director for television, ad agencies and freelanced. It was a part of what I wanted to do so I could bear it, but really, just being free to create as the spirit moves is a complete liberation and the work I produce is just so, so much better as a result.

I remember hearing an interview with David Gilmore of Pink Floyd and the interviewer asked him a question about if he thinks about his audience when writing or playing. Something like that. His response was that he always just played for himself that way if nothing were ever to come of it (financially) then he'd be happy regardless. I think that is a very good mindset to have.

You can keep up to date with GwenDudaStudios and TheBadCatBeadery at the following:
Website: www.gwenduda.com
Twitter: @GwenDuda
Facebook: GwenDudaStudios

Interviewed by Melissa Oré of FloresBoticario on November 5, 2016.

So, your friend is an artist...

Sunday, November 6, 2016

This is a busy and exciting time of year for handmakers. It can also be a punishing schedule and workload. We spied a great post from our member Alison of EyespotDesigns about how to support your artists friends and we wanted to share!

Acrylic Painting Greeting Cards by EyespotDesigns

You probably have at least one friend who is an artist. Maybe you already own one or more of their pieces, and sometimes buy from them to give pieces as gifts. Alternately, you would like to, but can't afford it. Or, their work isn't to your taste. That's okay!

There are lots of ways you can support your friend.

Offer to help them set up or take down, or staff their booth, at shows. They might pay you, or at least feed you, for your effort.
Come to their shows & openings! They really appreciate the support. Of course, they also understand you can't possibly do everything, and won't be able to come to every show, besides which you'll see the work quite a few times if you do. Maybe you don't really even like or "get" art, or you hate shopping, or crowds, but if you can show up once a year or so, that's awesome. Bonus if you are able to come to a big or new show, or when they have new work.
Share! You know your friend is an artist, and your friend knows you care about them. Maybe you have other commitments or live too far away to get to their event? Help them by sharing their website, social media links, show invitations, business cards, and telling people about their work (and where to find it). This helps a lot in getting the word out, and the work seen, by those outside their immediate circle.