Listing shows on your website

I received a book called 500 Tips for Marketing Your Crafts for Christmas last year and every now and then I pick it up and flip through its pages. It's a bit pricey for a paperback, especially one that isn't even that thick, but it is full of information ranging from taking photographs of your work to prepping your car for craft shows. Most of it I already knew, but some tips are new to me, like this one:

Don't list your craft shows on your website.

Really? Their reasoning is that your competition will apply to all of your shows, get into some of them, and take your space or half of your money.

I guess I forget how cutthroat this business can be. I have always listed my previous shows on my website, going back to 2006...until today. I took them all off except for my next three upcoming shows. I see no need to not list the shows I am already in since the application deadline has passed and I can take them down once the show is over. This is going against their advice, however.

I don't know. Is that good or bad advice? What do you think?

American Artisan and Atlanta Gift Show prepping

Greg and I successfully made it through the heat of the American Artisan Festival, and we even sold some jewelry, too!  I also successfully survived the first craft show after baby - a mere 6 weeks after she was born.

Was I crazy to attempt it?

Yes.

But it was my third year of applying (and getting rejected) and I was so happy to actually get accepted!  But Lordy Lordy it was HOT (heat index was over 100°)!!!  But how cool was it to be in a show that I've been attending my whole life??  It was awesome, I tell you.  And having friends in the same city as the show had its perks - we had friends bring us some Las Paletas one day and another friend bring us Sweet Cece's the next.  Bless those dear people. May their air conditioners never fail them.

My sign really sparkles in the afternoon sun

Next we head to the Atlanta Gift Show - my first wholesale show after baby.  Again, yes I am crazy to attempt it but I am relearning time management - something I've not been so good at with so many distractions like facebook and email.  I am learning to say no to rushing orders out by staying up too late and to pace myself instead.  My brain may never be as sharp as before (babies apparently have a way of melting your brain cells away), but as long as my list-making skills stay in tact, I should be good to go.

Here are some photos of what prepping for a massive wholesale show look like:

This is what pendants look like after being shaped and hammered but before their finishing loop.

Displays - a work in progress.

More displays - these will be making their Atlanta debut

My jewelry table has little room for actual jewelry making - I do a lot of work in my lap no matter how often I clear it off!

Amazing.

This photographer makes me want to use my fancy jewelry camera on my baby more often.  Her name is Amelia Lyon and she lives in California AND she even teaches classes on how to be an awesome photographer.  I have found my inspiration for better family photography, although if I lived near her I would definitely book her.  Visit her website here: www.amelialyon.net

Here's one of my faves:

But this one is my absolute fave:

New model photos up on the website!

I just had a photo shoot with the lovely Libby Diaz (married to Jonny Diaz) and the photos turned out great!  Have a look-see:

One of the photos above is gracing my new wholesale catalogs which were supposed to be done today actually.... Hmm... I never heard from the printer so I guess they are are not ready, which is their m.o. and why I always tell them a few days before my actual deadline.  Shouldn't a printer with "speedy" in their name at least meet their deadline?