Slideshow: EtsyRain Craft Show
Meet five local artisans, and get their scoop on the May 7 event.
Posted by: Katie Ormsby on Apr 28, 2011 at 03:00PM
3 Comments
SLIDESHOW: Anne Sylte Bloom says her soap sweaters make perfect Mother’s Day presents. To meet four more etsyRain Craft Show vendors, click through the slideshow.
View Slideshow » Illustration:Amy Tappen of Alternative Designs brings her jewelry to the fair.
What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
Tappen: Well, if your mom is anything like mine, then a laser-cut metal sugar skull is sure to make her happy!
WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
It’s actually taken me a long time to get over wanting to keep all of my creations. So now I’m just happy to see all my work go to good homes.
Marja Huhta of Glass Elements is also bringing jewelry.
WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
Huhta: I love sharing brand new work with my customers, so I’m excited to introduce a lovely new necklace style called Silver Flow (pictured). When someone falls in love with a necklace like this, it’s like the glass found a path from my kiln all the way to the right person—all the creative energy I’ve put into it is truly being shared.
What do you do to pass the time when things are a bit slow or quiet at a craft fair?
Here’s a secret most folks don’t know: We crafters love shopping from our fellow vendors. Give me a few free moments during the show, and I’ll swing by This Charming Candy’s booth to stock up on my favorite lollipops.
Susan Dziadosz of This Charming Candy is bringing her sweet treats.
WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
Dziadosz: We are most excited about selling our new Fruit Basket lollipops. Our craft show customers, particularly at previous etsyRain shows, often ask for more fruit flavors in our lineup. We’ve worked hard to come up with the best and still unusual fruit flavors possible: Watermelon-Basil, Triple Berry, Pineapple Heaven, and Guava Colada. We’ve had a great first reaction to them, so we hope they’ll be well received at etsyRain.
What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
The Lollipop Collection of the Month is a great Mother’s Day gift, particularly if your mom has a sweet tooth. She’ll get to try a different collection (Fruit Basket, Breakfast Tray, Celebration Time, Spice Rack, Adventurer’s Pack) each month. That way, she gets to try each of our flavors and be reminded of you for six months.
What are you most looking forward to about the fair?
We enjoy making more people happy with sugar on a stick! In all seriousness, we love it whenever we get to sell in person because we get to connect more with our customers. The best part is when they buy one to try, open it up to eat it, and come back for more.
Thea Starr is bringing her fabric flower creations (her Etsy shop shares her name).
What do you do to pass the time when things are a bit slow or quiet at a craft fair?
I am known for wandering around and snapping up pictures of my fellow vendors. I really try to sneak in a good walk around at least once at every craft show to take some pictures.
What piece do you think would make the best last-minute Mother’s Day gift?
You can’t go wrong with a brooch or pin, a flower that will last forever. It’s what I am giving to my own mom.
What are you most looking forward to about the fair?
I’m really looking forward to supporting the Intiman Theatre. (Since the theater has fallen on hard financial times, etsyRain plans to collect donations throughout the fair.)
For proof that Seattle has a thriving Etsy community, see our ongoing Virtual Reality series, or on Saturday, May 7 join 60 of them when they gather under one roof for the annual etsyRain Craft Show.
The virtual shopkeepers come into the real world at the Intiman Theatre from 11 to 5; arrive early—the first 50 shoppers get swag bags filled with goods made by participating artisans.
In this slideshow, five vendors give us the scoop on what to expect—including some Mother’s Day gift ideas.
First up (pictured here), Anne Sylte Bloom of Seattle Sundries talks handcrafted soap.
WWW: What piece are you most excited about selling?
Sylte Bloom: I’m most excited about my new shaving soaps right now. I spent over a year perfecting my recipes, and I’ve come up with three great soaps. Two are traditional tallow, and one is a vegan alternative shaving soap. It can be for either men or women, but it’s meant to be used with a shaving brush and a bowl to build great lather.
What are you most looking forward to about the fair?
I love etsyRain events. Being a part of this group has really made me feel connected to the craft culture of the city. I believe that there is a bit of a revolution going on right now around the country as consumers are forced to spend their money more carefully. People are more focused on quality and appreciate craftsmanship in a way that has been missing for some time. I love being a part of that movement, and etsyRain is an integral part of it here in Seattle.
Click through our slideshow to meet the rest.
Tags: Locally Made, Locally Designed, Etsy.com, Seattle Etsy
What a great write up! I love Anne’s soaps and am excited to try out the new shaving soaps!
Really looking forward to this show. The EtsyRAIN community is one of Seattle’s best creative assets. What a great opportunity to find Mother’s Day gifts!
Thank you for such a great article. I can’t wait to see these artists at the event and do some shopping for myself for Moms Day :-)