Thursday, November 14, 2013

Christmas Market Success...

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

So this past weekend I took part in a local vintage Christmas market with 20 other vendors!... the first annual Vintage with Flair Christmas Market... It was quite a success so I expect it will be taking place again next November...


I wasn't sure how it would go as 90% of the vendors items were mixed together throughout the venue... would things fit?... would it all set up together and flow?... there were a few individual vendors who, because they were selling smaller jewellery pieces, had their own spaces and they also took payment for their items right in their "booths"...  but everything else was running through a central cash area...


It was a little nerve-wracking setting up... not knowing... really knowing... the other vendors... moving vendors items around during setup... placing peoples items... everyone has their own way... ideas about how they like their pieces to look... to be displayed... I had to shuffle a few things here and there throughout the day to be sure that some of my pieces were being seen... there was so much at the start of the day it was easy for pieces to get lost in there!... 

For most of the day I manned the cupcake table... it was a nice way to chat with the shoppers... and man where their shoppers!?... the first two hours were B-A-N-A-N-A-S... and then the rest of the day it was steady with treasure hunters...


The lineup to get checked out in the first hour went down one wall... turned at the corner... and then up the length other wall!... luckily the lineup moved very swiftly... the ladies taking payment and packing up treasures were amazing on Saturday... I'm sure they must still be recovering!...

I had some very Christmassy items... narcissus bulbs in jars... giant lux paper wreaths... buntings and garlands... 


...and vintage jar snow globes... THOSE MOVED FAST!... I know it's obvious that people will be looking for Christmas items at a Christmas market but these items really disappeared right away... I was legit surprised how quickly they got scooped up!... 


I did learn that other "non Christmas" plants at a Christmas market just don't really move... they're much better suited for Spring and Summer events... Noted folks!... more narcissus next year ;)


The couple of furniture pieces that I brought were a hit as well... My first item to go was the tea trolly!... and of course the chalkboards and chalkboard trays... the window chalkboards seem to be a harder sell... 


I'm not sure if they're harder to picture in one's nest?... they're a little less ordinary than a gold framed chalkboard... 


One thing that I think really helped with the chalk boards was to have them chalked up with sweet sayings... and seasonal greetings!... 


...really showing people what they can do with these reloved pieces!... what do you think?


Now that the event is over I've got a few of the final items upon the Feathering My Nest Facebook page...  as I'm clearing out the last few items that I currently have on hand to make way for the new... Things are moving quick on there now so pop over and check out the sales!...


There are so many more items that I wanted to make for this past weekend's event but time just did not allow it... I just had to get some sleep... and well working for the man burns up about 9 hours every weekday!... ha!... so be prepared to see a ton of goodies at my solo sale in March!... yep... and stay tuned for details and sneaky peaks of the pieces that will be available at that event!...


Were you at the Christmas Market in Red Deer Lake this past weekend?  What did you think?  Are there things you would improve?... Things that you really liked?... Things you would like to see more of at an event like this?... Things you would like to see less of?... let it rip folks!... these events are for you and we're here to give you what you are looking for to feather your nests!...

Looking forward to hearing your thoughts!...
xo
Lacey

Sunday, November 3, 2013

Sparkly Sea Urchins...

Feathering My Nest has moved!... come check all of this out over at www.featheringmynest.ca/blog

Here's a quick little tute for you on this snowy Sunday while I wait for paint to dry on a dresser that I'm in the process of repainting... I have a pile of sea urchin shells... sans spikes.... that I'd collected while back home on various trips to Newfoundland...  and it hit me the other day to glitter them!...

No urchins were harmed... by me... in the making of these sparkly little treasures!... You see... seagulls pickup the live urchins from the shoreline... carry them up onto the marshy cliff tops and peck out the tasty morsel inside... EW!... the sun dries them out and BAM!... THEY'RE ALL MINE...


This one is another one of those easy quick little projects that you can bang out quickly... so quickly that you won't make it through one full glass of bubbles before you're done!... ;)


So there are a couple of ways that you can paint sea urchins... spray painting is one option if you have a large number to do... or with some craft paint and a soft paint brush... don't be rough with the shells... they are delicate...


For this project I opted for a very fine glitter and of a good clear glue... Check out what Martha Stewart has to offer... there is a lot of choice!... With a thicker glitter like the German Glass Glitter you would lose the details of the urchin shells... though it may be a neat look it wasn't the one that I wanted this time... 

Use a resealable container when you're glittering... this way you contained the mess sparkly magic while you're sprinkling... after the base coat of paint has dried lightly apply glue to the urchin... I brushed glue onto 1/3 of the urchin at a time... lightly glue then glitter... lightly glue then glitter... lightly glue then glitter... aaaand you're done!...


To test out this project I started with just two urchins and white iridescent glitter... they're pinky and green looking depending on the angle of the light... I'm whipping up a batch of these this evening for the Vintage with Flair sale this coming Saturday!... it's sooo close now!... 


I'm going to give them a spin in fine silver glitter... I'll post a few shots after they're done tonight... if you give this a try let me know how it works out!...

xo
Lacey