I was very lucky to be invited for the Buyers Market of American Craft this weekend. This show is not open to the general public – only press (that’s me!) and buyers for stores, boutiques, and galleries that feature handmade work.
Two Sweet Peas by KnitKnit
This year, the event organizers made a concerted effort to invite the indie crowd to participate in the show. They sent out personal invitations to Etsy teams, offering shared booths and exposure to a whole new level of business! At least 7 teams participated – forgive me if I lost track, this event was massive – and they truly represented the best of indie craft!
Tina the Llama Cloth Napkins by Cakehouse
My friend Alex, a boutique owner, and I spent a good while talking to the ladies from the {New New} York Etsy Team. The ladies were excited to be some place where so many people were making a living from their craft.
Pillows by Alexandra Ferguson (felt made from plastic bottles)
We had a great conversation about the new ways we approaching reading & news in contemporary society, spurred by the “read books not blogs” bookmark by Beacon Bookmarks. I made the point that the former bookstore employee in me totally stands behind their product. However, the blogger in me is slightly offended! But truly, each of us agreed that both books & blogs have their place – whew! – and it’s magazines that are going the way of the dinosaur.
“Read books not blogs” bookmark by Beacon Bookmarks
In the shop local column, I’ve tried to shy away from featuring really large metropolitan areas, like New York City. But these guys were awesome!! So personable and so passionate about their work.
Silkscreened tank dress by Kimmchi
So I had to share them with you, dear readers.