Candy Carnival

TEST's own Krystyn of CalliopeKitten and Fredrick Prince are having a jewellery launch/Candy Carnival party! The party is Tuesday, June 19 and it starts at 7pm and ends at 9pm. It takes place at the Homegrown Boutique shop at 16 Cumberland St (lower level). Krystyn will be set up with all sorts of jewelry! Plus, look out for bowls of candy and takeout containers so you can take it home with you! There may also be awesome carnival games.

There will be a magician doing close-up magic too! If you like card tricks, coin tricks, and disappearing silks, you will be delighted.

For more info see the Candy Carnival Facebook page.

Vendor Tips: 5 tips to attract visitors to your booth

Author: Jacqueline

It's summer festival time.  So you've set up your booth and are eagerly waiting people to visit.  Now what?  How do you encourage more visitors to stop at your booth? I thought I'd share my article: 5 Tips to attract more visitors to your Booth.

1: Smile/Friendliness :

Something so little as a SMILE can go a long way.  Be sure you are always look happy to be at the show.  Uphappy exhibitors will likely turn away potential customers.  Be energetic and outgoing enough to start a conversation.

2. Stand Up (don't sit behind the table):

Customers are attracted booths where exhibitors who are standing and engaging people.  Better yet, get out from behind the table and stand in front of your booth.  Sometimes holding a product and asking people as they pass have you heard of "your product" is a great conversation starter).

3. Offer Something (freebies are great):

There is no doubt that customers love to get free stuff.  Offer customers a free sample or a free promotional piece (ie. pens, magnets with your company information.  At past shows, I make little goodie bags with a business card, promo flyer and a candy, sample, magnet or pen).  For example, at a past show I made 100 handmade gift tags (which I was which I included in the goodie bags). 

4. Hands-on or Demos: (linked with 3)

Customers love to touch, feel or taste.  Offer customers a demo, taster or a hands on opportunity.  While at a past show, I witnessed an exhibitor offering customers to make their own string bookmark with a few loose beads.  This was a great way to draw customers, and while they are there that's your opportunity to pitch.

5.  Entertainment/Contest: (linked with 3 & 4)

If your booth looks fun, it attracts people.  Entertain visitors with a fun game or balloon pop (for a discount or free gift).  I'm always attracted to booths where I get to participate.  Sometimes winning a 'coupon, discount or that free gift with purchase' educes that impulse buy.  How about a free contest 'enter to win', not only does this make a good conversation started, but it also helps build your mailing list.

Remember the more people who visit you booth, the more potential customers and sales you could have.  I hope these tips help increase traffic at your booth. 

Happy Crafting.

~ Jacqueline

(source: originally posted on the Made by Hand Show website)

T.E.S.T. interview: thunderpeep

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 27^th in our series with Michelle of thunderpeep.


Tell me about your creative/design background.

When I was 4 I got one of those Crayola Carousels from Santa and it changed my life. I would doodle on anything and everything. I got into a lot of trouble, especially after I decided that the brand new frilly pink sheet set my mom bought was just too plain and needed some of my creative input. Doodling shapes and patterns stayed with me as I found a more structured career in Graphic Design, mostly working in Editorial design, but when I started to get creatively frustrated with work I just started doing my own thing to blow off steam.

Your designs seem to draw from clean/crisp elements, what inspires your "look"?

My biggest influences and inspirations are drawn from Scandinavian designers. They are known for their use of colour and functionalism. I love to escape to magical places, and the really crisp clean 2D work lends itself well to the folk stories that tend to inspire the stories in my art .

If you were an animal, what would you be?

Polar Bear. I love Polar bears! I love the cold, the snow, the arctic. And looks can be deceiving ;) I can't believe I don't have any polar bears anywhere in any of my pieces……

How did you come about starting your Etsy shop?

A friend of mine turned me onto the site, purely as a shopper (and I was fully addicted). About a year later I started up my shop, but it took me awhile to really take it seriously, find my place and really invest in it. For me now, it's this amazing and supportive community, kind of like my big ol' crafty family as well as a place to sell my work :)

Tell me about the people that inspire you.

I am attracted to people who don't fit the mold. I'm a total nerd, and I'm ok with that. I don't care if you're laughing at me or with me, as long as you're having a good time. Although if you're laughing with me, you really are my kinda peep! I am inspired by people who aren't afraid to just be who they are, without worrying about what everyone else thinks.

I think they are the most successful people, and I like to be around people who challenge me to push myself.

I am also inspired by people who make me think in different and more interesting ways, that's party why I love meeting people from different places. We have so much to learn from each other.

What do you enjoy doing when you're not creating?

I used to spend a lot of time getting lost in the woods when I lived in Vancouver. I don't find that same escape here, so I'm trying to find more industrial ways to get lost. I am a walker (and not in the Walking Dead kind of way) I don't have a car and am a bit too claustrophobic to deal with transit so I tend to walk everywhere I can. I like to walk off the main streets and just wander through neighbourhoods. Luckily Toronto has a ton of interesting neighbourhoods to get lost in, and it'll take me awhile to adventure through them all. But when the opportunity arises to get the heck out of the city…. SEE YA!! I also love watching movies, I watch an insane amount of them. I love foreign and horror, especially the 2 together!

You can find more of Michelle's work in the thunderpeep Etsy shop, on her blog, or on the thunderpeep Facebook or you can follow thunderpeep on Twitter and be sure to visit Michelle's website: Thunderpeep Designs.

Interviewed in April and May, 2012 by Rob of RobertRatPrints.

Vendor Call - Made by Hand Show

VENDOR CALL:

Fall Made by Hand Show presented Made by Hand.

Saturday October 27, 2012, 11am - 5pm, International Centre,
Hall 6, Mississauga, Ontario.

Spring 2012

Fall 2011

Featuring 150+ handmade exhibitors (food vendors welcome).

ART * BABY/TOYS * BODY * CANDLES * CLOTHING/ACCESSORIES * HOME DECOR/SEASONAL * FABRIC/LEATHER * FOOD * GLASS/CEREMICS * JEWELLERY * KNITTING/YARN * PAPER GOODS * PHOTOGRAPHY * STAINED GLASS * POTTERY/SCULPTURE * WOOD AND MORE

We're advertising like crazy ~ including local radio (HazeFM), local television (Rogers TV), newspapers (Mississauga News, Brampton Guardian, Snap Mississauga and Snap Etobicoke), Flyer Distribution, external signage (2 large LED signs infront of International Centre), various online sources (International Centre, Flyerland, website, event calendars, blogs), social media (Facebook, Twitter) and more to come.

Juried Show - to ensure highest quality and variety of vendors.  Read our Vendor Testimonials from our previous show.  Past show welcomed 1770+ visitors.  Deadline to apply: August 1, 2012

Exhibitor Fees:

$185 (incluedes a 10'x10' booth, full 8' drape, 8' table and two chairs)

$130 (includes a 8'x6', 8' rear drape only, 6' table and a chair)

Apply Now

or visit http://www.madebyhandshow.com/ for more information

We'll see you there!!

~ Jacqueline (email me)
*note this event is organized by a TESTY member

Vendor Call: Paint-A-Thon 2012

Vendor Call for Paint-A-Thon 2012!

Paint-A-Thon is an annual fundraising event that strives to engage and unite the community through art in public spaces. We are currently recruiting vendors to join us at our event on July 14th at Markham Civic Centre. We welcome those who sell family and kid-friendly products and services. Those who can provide interactive activities for our patrons would be preferred and this can include, but not limited to beading, ceramic painting, clay art, felt crafting, hair-wrapping, jewelry making, papercraft etc.

A 10' by 10' booth space is provided free of charge and you can bring your own tent, tables and chairs. We also provide rentals for them if you wish. Please note that there is a $5 fire safety fee and a refundable deposit. Booth sharing option is available. Vending time is from 12pm-8pm

We will help promote your business through social media! Don't miss this opportunity to showcase your work! For more information, please email sales.pat@power-unit.org Please also visit paintathon.com for event info.

Register early as space is limited!

Free Vendor Tables at 99 Market

99 Market is offering free tables to vendors this Sunday, May 13th! For more information visit Handmakers Haven blog here!

Cupcake Tutorial

I have been meaning to post up a tutorial in a while. So here is How to make a Fimo Cupcake. I hope you enjoy it! Let me know what other tutorials you would like me to do. :D

- Candice