Indie Emporium Review + A Celebrity Encounter

Get ready, friends, because I have a lot of fun things to share with you!  Indie Emporium took place last weekend and it was probably the most exciting year so far.  I'll start with one of the things that has me particularly worked up- I got to meet Juliette Lewis!  

She came to my booth asking for this print by name after seeing one that someone else had, but I wasn't there because the mister was holding down the fort while I got ready for the fashion show.  I returned briefly to check on him once my outfit and makeup were in place and when he told me what had happened, I found one last copy of the print she wanted, chased her down like a crazed fan, gave her the print, let her take a photo of my outfit with her phone, and then hopped into a shot with her at the suggestion of a friend.  I don't even want to admit to all the excited squeaks and giggles that came out of my body following this interaction.  Because that would be embarrassing, like something a regular schoolgirl would do- not the hardcore steampunk schoolgirl I was attempting to channel for the fashion show...

Sam from Bohemian Romance created a unique lineup by gathering a group of friends and dressing them in imaginative ways with handmade steampunk accessories.  The sweetest thing is that this was a split effort between Sam and her mother, who worked side-by-side throughout the show.  As you can see, we had a blast.  I could tell the audience appreciated the effort this mother/daughter team put into the outfits and props.  We had a ball!

As for my own work, I was excited to have a larger setup this year and I used it as an opportunity to bring all kinds of goodies with me! Here are a few shots of my displays this year..

The combined hard work of the organizers, (Thom & Christine), the volunteers, and the amazing vendors helped make this year's Indie Emporium one of the best yet! I can't wait to see what the next one will be like...

A Tour of My Booth at Indie Emporium 2013

Hello and happy holidays!  Since I recently told you how excited I get for Indie Emporium each year, it's only fair that I do a little recap of the show, right?  Plenty of friendly faces were in attendance, and I had a wonderful time chatting with all the interesting folks who came to visit.  I revealed some new goodies such as crocheted hats, fairy gardens, lucky star necklaces, and grab bags- all of which were very well received and most of which you'll be seeing soon in my Etsy shop.  

I changed my setup yet again, because I added new things and because I like to make sure my displays are always evolving so it doesn't get boring.  While I was pretty happy with the way everything fit into the woodland theme I was trying to invoke, I need to improve upon this setup because it's a little too narrow for my taste.  I want to make it more spacious so that people feel invited to linger in my booth, taking in the tiny things I sculpt in a happy, comfortable setting.  On that note, step inside and have a look!

The little brown boxes you see on the tables contain Global Love Necklaces.  The proceeds from these are donated to Doctors Without Borders, and the generous souls who purchased them at the show contributed to a $50 donation for this important cause.

To further establish a warm, woodland mood, I added a few magical little touches to my space. I brought a set of mushroom lamps to help illuminate my area once the sun went down and the lights were low.

One thing that factored very heavily in my enjoyment of the weekend was that my booth was located right next to Sam of Bohemian Romance. She is one of my dearest friends, and there was never a dull moment since I was perched side-by-side with this lovely person.

Although I'm the first to acknowledge that my booth is a constant work-in-progress, I do take a small amount of pride in the way it currently looks when I reminisce on my early craft show days (check out this photo album to view the evolution of my setup and this picture if you want to see it at its worst, but only if you promise not to judge me).  So one of my creative goals for the next craft show season is come up with a cozy, innovative setup that will wow the curious minds who wander into my little piece of the arts and crafts world.  What kind of creative goals do you have for the coming year?

Indie Weekend

As I anticipated, this year at Indie Emporium was a blast! The new venue worked out beautifully, a ton of people came out, and good times were had by all.


Photo by Sherri.

Here are a few photos from the show to give you an idea of the atmosphere created by the decorations, the booths, and all the lovely people.







For the fifth consecutive year, I managed to get a few photos of my setup. Here's what I was working with this year:





This show features live music every year, but this time was special to me because my sweet husband and his BFF performed together. That's Mr. Hollyrocks on the mic.



And if you're wondering about my appearance on the local news, it went very well! It was tremendously exciting, and I had so much fun pretending to be a big star with my lovely friend Nikki from Gleeful Peacock.


Photo courtesy of Christine.

It has been a whirlwind week full of happy times and good memories. I can't wait til next year! This show is like Christmas to me- I look forward to it all year long. What are you currently looking forward to?

Indie Emporium is Coming!

Good afternoon, friends!  I mentioned in my recent terrarium tutorial post that I took on a new position at work earlier this year.  I really feel like I'm in my element now, and I've become married to my work so to speak.  That being said, I decided it was important to participate in at least one craft show this year despite this newly increased workload.  If you've ever witnessed my excitement about Indie Emporium in past years, you might have guessed that even if I reduce the amount of craft shows I take on to one a year, THIS will be the one!

So rather than neglecting my blog and focusing 100% of my passions into my day job, I'm shining some light onto the crafty side of life by giving a you a little tour of what I have in store for this year's Indie Emporium!  Let's start with the swag.  Every year, there are swag bags consisting of samples and small gifts given to the first 50 people in line at the opening of the show Friday night.  The line gets longer each year since many of the vendors contribute to these bags, making them a treasure trove of fun things to browse (it is not uncommon to see the lucky recipients hovering in corners tearing into theirs, unable to overcome the suspense of wondering what's inside).  I've included things like guitar pick keychains, glow-in-the-dark magnets, herbal tea, buttons, and charms in the past, and I try to add something fun and fresh each year.  This time around I put together little sticker packs, each containing three upbeat sentiments.

Last year, I almost completely sold out of the craft kits I brought.  So this year, I'll be equipped with a huge stock of dream catcher kits and these fun sewing kits, which contain all the supplies and instructions for making your own little wallet.  I'll have plenty of bright new color combinations, too!

I also premiered my Slightly Slouchy Beanies last year to a pretty warm welcome, which made me happy because I came up with a pattern and tampered with it ceaselessly until I found what I believe to be the perfect fit.  I replenished my stock of solid colors for the 2014 show, and I whipped up some fun gradient style hats as well.

This idea came from a hat I made for myself in shades of green.  The shifting colors make it an easy accessory to fit into my wardrobe (in the photo above, I was acting goofy and wearing my gradient green beanie with a black tee and bright green corduroy pants).  Mine was getting a lot of use, and receiving some compliments too, so I came up with a variety of color combos to bring to the show.

Up next on the agenda, I'll be sculpting up some new creatures and a fresh batch of glitter acorn necklaces.  If you're in the Tulsa area and you've ever attended this show, you know what a blast it is and I hope you'll come back.  And for those who are close by but have never attended, you have GOT to experience this event!

Photo courtesy of Mandy Gross

There will be all kinds of fun, crafty things to do while you browse this impressive roster of makers.  I hope to see you in a few weeks at Indie Emporium 2014!

It's Indie Time!

Well folks, it's that time of year again! If you've been following along since last year, you may already know how hyped-up I get about Indie Emporium. This year, I'm even more excited than usual because there are some fun new developments I want to tell you about.

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It has been so much fun to watch this show develop over the years. Tulsa had never seen anything like this, so Christine Sharp-Crowe took it upon herself to fix it. Now in its fifth year, I am honored to have been a part of it since the very beginning (and blogging about it most of the way). Here's a little peak at how I'm preparing.

The first 50 guests to arrive on Friday evening will receive a swag bag stuffed full of handmade goodies, samples, coupons, and fun little presents. Since so many of the attendees are themselves crafty, I decided to include a handmade button in each coveted bag. Maybe they will come in handy when people leave the show feeling inspired.



At my booth, I'll be offering my prints for the first time ever at a show! Here they are all packaged up in acid-free bags and mounted onto backboards. Many new photos will be making their debut at this show. Of course you can expect these prints to be colorful and fun, a common theme I strive for with just about everything I make.



I've also been working on my game face, because I'll be taking part in a serious craft competition. It will be myself vs. the lovely Holly Hall in a hardcore craft-off TO THE DEATH!! Okay, nobody will die. But somebody will be defeated, and it won't be me. Watch this hilarious promotional video for details on how you can participate.



If you live nearby and are planning to attend Indie Emporium, I hope you'll be there on Saturday at 3 pm to cheer me on for this fun new segment of the show!

I've read many articles on what people like to see at craft shows, and I learn a lot from them. It's nice to know what kind of preferences people have when it comes to signage, pricing, displays, etc. So now I'm asking you- what do you like to see when you visit a craft show?

Pop Up Shopping in Downtown Tulsa

Hello and Happy December! I've got some news for you and if you're local, it just might mean some magical winter memories are in store for you. The Deco District of Tulsa, Oklahoma has been transformed into a haven for all things festive. A multitude of local businesses have set up temporary shops through the month of December to give Tulsans an idea of how this area could be transformed with the help of retailers and consumers alike. One of the shops that has popped-up for this event is the Indie Emporium Shop!



You will be amazed at how many lovely, unique items you'll find in these shops (see a list of participating businesses here). They all have alluring window displays, and the street is beautifully decorated so you can go for a nice stroll and do a bit of window shopping.



This event is gathering lots of press from local sources, and I got the opportunity to work a shift at the Indie Emporium shop where I was thrilled with the response I was seeing from local consumers. A steady flow of people showed up and visited the area, buying lots of fun items from us and leaving behind a plethora of comments that warmed my heart. They believed in what was going on in Downtown Tulsa, and they wanted to support local businesses and artists.



I had a great time chatting with local shoppers, and I may have even recruited some of them for an upcoming class I'll be doing at the shop. We are going to be making polymer clay snowmen!



Registration is not required but if you know for sure you'd like to attend, you can respond in the comment section of this post or send an email to Holly@maketulsa.com. Drop-ins are also welcome and I will bring plenty of supplies, so feel free to visit the Indie Emporium shop this "Winter Wednesday" (carolers, Santa, $2 specials) from 5 to 8 to browse our collection of homemade goods and make a souvenir from your holiday outing in the Deco District of Tulsa. Hope to see you there!

Motivation and Music

I have been staying very busy in preparation for Indie Emporium this weekend. Shows, events, and other crafty plans can serve as a great motivator for me to make sure I'm putting in plenty of hours at my craft desk. Here is a glimpse at what my busy little hands have been making...

Glitter Star Charms


Tiny Animal Sculptures


Mushroom Garden Stakes


Lots of Glitter Acorns in fun new colors.


I've even got a pink acorn necklace with a baby acorn clinging to the stem. Because it's so special, someone will be taking this one home for free!



The first person to visit me at Indie Emporium and ask for the acorn baby will get it. Ask and you shall receive!



One thing that is almost essential for me to get into a crafty groove is good music. Although I'm a rocker chick at the core, my musical taste encompasses many decades and genres. I put together a playlist of songs I find to be soulful, inspiring, and above all, beautiful to inspire me while I work. If this sounds like your cup of tea and you decide to click play, I've designed this playlist so that your crafty little soul will be satisfied within five seconds of doing so.



I will make sure to report back after the show with plenty of photos. As for today, I'm getting ready to dress up and head to the tv station to promote Indie Emporium on the local news! I'm super excited and a little nervous, but considering I could talk about this show in my sleep, I'm hoping it will come naturally for me no matter how many cameras and fancy equipment are in the room. I hope this week finds you happy and inspired!

Current inspiration: INDIE EMPORIUM!

My friends, the weekend of October 9th-10th is quickly approaching and that means it's almost time for INDIE EMPORIUM 2009!! I'm so excited, because this is my absolute favorite craft show. I look forward to it all year. This time around, I intend to rework my setup. I like for things to be neat and organized, but I think that my craft show setup is a little TOO orderly. It ends up looking plain and boring.

For example, here is my booth at Indie Emporium 2008.



My goal this year is to make my booth more full and lively. As you can see, I've got a way to go. But luckily, I've got a few tricks up my sleeve (like an antique playroom shelf that I just can't WAIT to show you guys). If you're in Oklahoma, I would love for you to come by and see my setup in person. Here are the details if you're interested.



And for my non-local readers, don't you worry. At the end of the weekend, I'll be back with plenty of pictures of the show. Now if you'll excuse me, I'm going to spend the rest of the day (at least when I'm not in class) crafting like crazy. I've also got to prepare a lesson plan, because tomorrow I'll be teaching my very first lesson to the third grade class where I'm doing my internship. How exciting! It's going to be about jobs in the community, and I'm even planning to incorporate a fun little game. I hope they like it. Wish me luck!

Indie Emporium 2010

Howdy, friends! I know of a certain blogger named Holly who has been very busy lately. Since my last blog post, I've traveled to the edge of the county and back, returning just in time to set up at a craft show that I look forward to all year. What a whirlwind of good times! I'm currently enjoying a bit of downtime before I go back to work, and I've got plenty of photos to share with you while I catch my breath.

I'll start where I left off with my last post- Indie Emporium! The community continues to support this celebrated event, and my friend Christine, who organizes the show along with her husband, did an amazing job as always. Since the show took place over Halloween weekend, vendors were allowed to come in costume. I decided to be a hippie on Friday night, but most people didn't even know I was dressed up, which should tell you something about my normal attire.



Here's my full setup for this show, as well as a few different angles of the goods I brought with me.





Here you can see one of my absolute favorite craft endeavors- succulents planted in vintage dishes. I only sell these at shows, because I am too worried that shipping would be a nightmare if I sold them in my shop. They did pretty well at Indie Emporium though! I love it when I find an audience who "gets" me.



My Mama helped me out on Saturday, and she made an appearance in the photos above and below. Isn't she cute in the little devil horns I made for her? We had plenty of jokes about those.



Since I was set up at the end of a row of tables, I was able to utilize the space at the end of my table. I used a cute little shelf to display more of my items, such as the flower pins from this post and some collages. They're made up of vintage illustrations and ephemera in painted vintage frames.



The other vendors were fabulous, as always.



There were all kinds of fun things going on, such as craft demos, live music, and lots of pretty decorations.





This year's show was every bit as fun and successful as I had hoped. I'm really proud to be a part of such a unique, inspiring event. I'm planning to do another craft show a little closer to the holidays. What kind of festivities do you have planned for this season?

Come back soon, because I'll have pictures from California in my next post!