hillary bird is one of the most darling shops i’ve come across in a long time!  her illustrations show her passions for nature and the arts, and her new moth prints are so pretty and unique.  she mixes color and pattern in a way that is so unexpected and fun, i can’t visit her shop without a smile breaking across my face.

wrap up: {art} {craft} {decor} {illustration} {nature} {whimsical}

hello love birds!  spring and summer craft shows are officially here, so today i’m telling you my top ten craft-show-booth tips!

{paperleaf at handm@de cambridge}

1. keep it simple and keep it lovely. a booth that is organized and easily navigatable will always be pleasing to your customers.  clutter will annoy some shoppers and may make others doubt your professionalism.

{christmas bazaar}

2. make a list! it’s a good idea to write a checklist and stick to it!  make sure to read this fabulous checklist that jen from indie fixx wrote recently!

{katie daisy’s booth at the big crafty}

3. keep business cards handy. having a great business card accessible and ready to hand out is a vital part of craft shows and networking.  i’m always surprised at how many people forget to bring them!  added bonus? make it memorable.  one idea i used once was to make an ‘i’ll be back card’. when a shopper left (w/out purchasing anything) and said, “i’ll be back”, i made sure to give them an ‘i’ll be back card’ promising them 10% off if they indeed returned!

{chomp and stomp}

4. tag your goods. check to make sure that each of your items are properly tagged.  it’s important to include all of you business info as well as the price.  having to search for answers to commonly asked questions (i.e. how much is this?) will discourage some shoppers to wait around for the answer.  it’s also important that the buyer knows how to find you when they get home with your product (or where to point their friends who love it so much)!

{market stall}

5. collect info. now is a perfect time to collect some info!  if you have a newsletter, make sure to have a form out so that people can add themselves if they like.  also, if someone has their own business or is there for press, you always want to make sure to gather info about them. learning about your shoppers, browsers or interested guests is an essential part of networking.  added bonus? send a little follow up thank-you to everyone you gathered business cards from!

{eyepopart booth photos 1}

6. plan your booth. plan ahead for your booth and consider setting up a mock trial before the big event.  having a theme to your setup will help you come off as polished and cohesive. it’s also a good idea to step back from your setup, and even take a picture of it to see it as other’s will.  working with different height levels and colors will help draw shopper’s eye to your booth.

{cozies}

7. go beyond the table. some of the best advice i’ve heard!  try to think outside of the box, or should i say table!  anytime you can incorporate a piece that will intrigue those walking by will help them notice you.  think fabric, unique displays, and furniture items- especially vintage finds that can help doll up your booth!

{rockton show2}

8. talk, talk, talk. ok, maybe not too much, but if someone shows interest, at least introduce yourself!  i’m always sad when i get to a booth and don’t get addressed.  if someone is looking around your booth, you can bet they would like to meet you and possibly find out a little more about what you do.  of course, some shoppers like to be left alone, so don’t forget to judge their character and let ‘em be if they like!

{paper pastries set up}

9. show yourself. make yourself shine through in your booth!  most businesses have an aesthetic that they like to portray, and what better place to show this than at your booth.  let yourself, your business, your shop and any website you have portray a cohesive look that shines through to your buyers.

{renegade booth stamp your own postcard}

10. stand out. don’t be afraid to be a little different in order to catch they eye of any passer by.  bright colors, fabulous signs, a giveaway or shopper involved activity will catch attention and help you stand out from the crowd.

speaking of craft shows, have you heard of the art start craft bazaar? this much anticipated yearly event is coming up this weekend!  it’s an outdoor retail art and craft show juried by philadelphia’s art star gallery and boutique.  over 100 local & national artists have been chosen to set up shop and sell!  if you’re in the area, it’s certainly a must-see.  it will be held on may 15th and 16th in philadelphia, pa at penn’s landing great plaza.  i wish i could be there in person, but i’ll be there in spirit (and product!) at hello bluebird’s booth.  if you attend, make sure to take lots of pics to share! ;)

wrap up: {art} {booth} {craft} {etsy} {fair} {savoir faire} {shop help} {show} {tips}

{pictured above :: scented soap cubes, invitation wraps, bath salts, cookie envelopes, signs for mini soaps}

are you ready for some eye candy?  if not, make sure to prepare yourself!  nonpareil magazine is the result of a beautiful collaboration between maddy hague of the inspired bride and kristen magee of paper crave. nonpareil is an online magazine focusing on weddings and special occasions, with a passion for projects and do it yourself tutorials. each magazine (there are three published already!) features page after page of beautiful inspirations.  these innovative ideas, clever projects and stunning tutorials will leave you inspired and your guests in awe.  most of their diy projects can be used for any number of occasions (not just for weddings)-and with a page dedicated to downloads, you’ll find plenty to keep you busy!

wrap up: {craft} {diy} {online magazine} {special occasions} {tutorials} {weddings}

la bonne femme is a place to find beautiful vintage and new supplies for crafts, gardening, cooking and more.  she says, “Bonne Femme literally means “good wife” or “good woman”, it encompasses the style of taking what you have on hand and making it spectacular, be it the perfect roast chicken, a new dress, a gift for someone special, or a pretty country French garden. Simple and Honest.“  what beautiful imagery to accompany this lovely shop!

elsewhere :: {shop1} {shop2} {blog}

wrap up: {cooking} {craft} {gardening} {sewing} {supplies} {vintage}

please welcome, guest poster: love, natalie

Hi everyone! It is so good to be posting on one of my favorite, favorite blogs today! I have a fun project in store for you! There is no doubt Bonnie and I share a love for thrift store frames and repurposing things. There is so much you can do with frames, and they don’t always have to be used for pictures. Many frames lying around thrift stores do not have glass and are usually dirt, cheap. We’re talking cents here!

This project is a framed jewelry display. It is a beautiful way to show your jewelry. Not only does it work as décor, but keeps your jewelry organized as well. Wouldn’t this make a lovely, handmade gift, maybe along with a pretty pair of earrings? The options are endless. I choose a metallic silver spray paint to give my frame a lift, but there are so many colors to choose from, including matte or gloss to make your jewelry display truly personalized.

To start, wash your frame really well and sand down if needed. The frame I used sucked up the paint very well so I didn’t need to sand it or use a primer. If your frame is glossy, I’d recommend sanding it a little and using a primer if you feel the paint might peal.

1. You’ll need one can of spray paint, the little screws with screw eyes, drill, and fishing line.
2. Mark where you would like your screws. Make sure you have them equally spaced on both sides so the fishing line will be straight. You can drill to start the screw more easily or if your frame is made of soft wood you can screw straight into the wood without a drill. (My frame is oak so it’s really hard.)
3. This is to show you what your screws should look like.
4. Spray away, all sides including the back.
5. Tie the fishing line on the screw eye to the other very tightly.
6. Snip the extra fishing line.
7. Hang your jewelry and enjoy!

If you decide to do this project, I hope you have fun with it! Any frame, any size will work. Your personality will truly come though, especially after you add your jewels! Thank you Bonnie for sharing Going Home to Roost today!

wrap up: {craft} {diy} {frame} {guest post} {jewelry} {natalie} {project} {thrift}

when we moved to our new house, we really looked for ways to improve the place without spending tons of money.  since we were working on a tight budget, we decided to keep the existing cabinets, and do what we could do spruce ‘em up.  replacing cabinet knobs is an easy way to do this, but even knobs can cost a pretty penny, so we decided to make our own!

wooden knobs cost a fraction of the price of designer knobs and with a little know-how can easily be transformed into something unique.

what you’ll need:

- plain wooden knobs (mine are natural woodcraft knobs)

- a small paint sample of the color you would like the knobs to be (lowe’s offers any paint color in 8oz samples)

- white spray paint (available at your local hardware store)

- 3m all purpose sanding sponge

the how to:

spray paint your knobs all white.  it’s helpful to go ahead and start the screw on the back of the knob so you have something to hold on to.   it’s also helpful to have something to stick the screw into to allow the knob to dry (i used a block of foam).

*once dry, paint the top coat color on with a brush, i used color #A64-2 called ‘sweet pea’ by valspar.

*once both layers are fully dry (usually after sitting over night) take the sand sponge and rough up the edges and center.  all of them will be a little different- which creates a cohesive yet eclectic vintage look.

easy breezy, right? :)

well i’m signing off for the day, it’s raining so i’m going stay in and start planning my garden for this summer, yay!  i also wanted to remind you that this weekend is the last chance you’ll have to take the roost survey and enter the giveaway!  i’ll be collecting all the data this weekend and will announce the winner on monday, good luck!

last chance to:

(don’t forget! make sure to leave a comment on this post to be entered in the giveaway!)

what are you doing this weekend?  love! bonnie

wrap up: {craft} {diy} {home} {knobs} {materials} {paint} {survey}

alas, we meet another friday!  i’ve had a good week here chatting with all of you, haven’t you? i’m sharing with you today my latest web-window browsing obsession, cox & cox!

clockwise :: oak boot rack, beehouse, citronella candles, seedling paper pot press

clockwise :: towel ladder, three hyacinth bulb vases, herb scissors, herb and flower dryer

clockwise :: travel gift tags, number cookie cutters, little button jar, alphabet stamps

clockwise :: heads and tails, world map wallpaper, sparkling mike, mr. p tape dispenser

they have a little something for everyone, don’t they?  with a simplistic approach to design and function, it seems i could find stuff to spruce up my tiny homestead all day!  enjoy browsing the many pages of cox & cox, they will surely get you in the mood for spring!

xoxo!

wrap up: {catalog} {children} {cox & cox} {craft} {garden} {home} {spring}

have you all been reading young house love?  if you’re looking for design, decor, diy projects and home renovation, this blog is loaded with inspiring projects, useful information and tons of the ‘can-do’ spirit!

pssst! you might want to tune in to ace of base’s ‘the sign‘ to continue with this post!

from gathered inspiration from a recent NYC trip…

the lovely sherry & john whipped these two signs up right on there home computer.  that’s right- and just printed them from their home printer on regular ol’ paper.

after some magic aging techniques and mod podge.. (check this post for step by step instructions).

voila!  two beautiful, chic, diy and totally affordable art pieces!

if you want to check out more of young house love’s delicious diy’s- visit a few of their other homemade art projects: making a magazine monogram, whipping up custom pet art, making free inspiration art, using chalk for freehand wall decor, painting pop art over old art, and creating a bunch of other cheap wall art.

have a lovely weekend!  xoxo, bonnie

wrap up: {art} {craft} {decor} {diy} {handmade} {house} {project} {signs}