Midwest Art Fairs

My copy of Midwest Art Fairs arrived last week. When it arrives I get excited for a new year of craft show and boutique adventures. For anyone in the midwest looking for venues to sell hand-made crafts or fine art, this publication is invaluable. It's also a fun resource for people who like to shop at art and craft shows.

The other night I spent some time with the catalog and my calendar. I have a hard time setting a budget for registration fees, and very often there are more than one show I'd like to attend on a given date. So many decisions! Luckily I have a few weeks to choose summer shows and a few months for the fall and winter shows.

Of course once I register for the shows of my choice I have to wait to hear the jury's verdict on my presentation. If I make the cut it's all over but the days filled with meeting customers and other artists at the shows, and of course selling my wonderful products.

So go out and pick up a copy of Midwest Art Fairs if you live in the Minnesota/Wisconsin/Iowa/Illinois/North Dakota/South Dakota area. Whether you're selling or buying, you will be sure to find the perfect venues. I'll be sure to post my art and craft fair schedule on this site.

I Heart Etsy

She's up and running! I've finally opened my shop in Etsy.com. There are a few candles listed right now, and many more items will be listed in the future. I'll post updates of the shop on this site, so be sure to stay tuned.

Etsy.com is a wonderful site featuring many talented artists. All of the items for sale in the many shops are hand-made with a few exceptions of really cool vintage items. Add the site to your favorites and visit often to find great one-of-a-kind gifts of all sorts, or treat yourself to something that makes you smile. The artists update their shops frequently, so there's always something new. Even virtual window shopping at Etsy will make your day.

The Flu

After months of watching so many people get so sick, I finally got it. The fever, the cough, the plugged sinuses, the achy fatigue - it was all mine for a week. Needless to say, I was very unproductive during those long and dreary days.

But I'm coming back, slowly but surely. I received a shipment of twenty one-ounce bottles of fragrance oil, all chosen to reflect the upcoming spring and summer seasons. I've been making dozens and dozens of votives with the new scents, and will have a difficult time deciding which ones to add to my line. Coconut Lime Verbena is a shoo-in. Pomegranate is also one of my favorites. Another fragrance that is especially nice, Spring Rain - very fresh and light. There are florals, berries, fruits, and melons. There are tropicals, countrysides, and meadows. How can I narrow it down to four or five?

While I'm going through the process of pouring and testing I'm also warming up to Etsy.com. Hopefully by the end of the weekend I'll have a few things to offer over there.

Today I'm grateful to be drifting around the house without a fever. My routine is returning at the rate of my strength. Soon enough I'll be back to sipping wine rather than Nyquil.

Stay well.

Setting Up Shop

My Etsy shop is coming along. I've set up a banner (very simple as I'm not a techie), a shop statement, a bio, and even made an avatar. I think it's a perfect likeness of me.

Pretty soon I'll put some things up for sale; when that happens I'll provide a link on this blog's sidebar. The presentation I make on Etsy will prove to be interesting as my digital photography skills are somewhat limited. Ah, the many challenges that make life so delightful.

Be Mine

I love this. It's a cross-stitch project I've done which I scanned into the computer and made into blank note cards. I've scanned quite a few of my projects and offer boxes of note cards for sale at craft shows as well as some stores.

And speaking of stores, I've found myself longing to expand my sales into the world wide web. There were attempts to make sales through this blog; however, I think I could be represented better elsewhere. That's where Etsy comes in. I love the website and I love a lot of the stores it holds.

When I set up a store on Etsy, I'll make a notice of it on this site. I'll offer many things from beeswax, paraffin, and palm wax candles, a variety of products from the bottle cap collection, and an assortment of other products handmade by yours truly, Auntie B. I'll even offer cute little cross-stitch note cards.

Stay tuned. I'll keep you updated on my progress.

In Preparation...

Here she is, the grande dame of Valentine's Day. This little lady comes from the bottle cap collection at Auntie B's Wax. Yes, it's true, the entire thing is no larger than a bottle cap, and is, in fact, made from a real bottle cap. I've been having so much fun making bottle cap items, and the response has been wonderful.

The Queen of Hearts comes as a magnet or a lapel pin. But how can she be complete without her King? He, too, comes as a magnet or a lapel pin.

If you'd like more information on the bottle cap collection, you can send an e-mail to me at auntiebswax4u@yahoo.com. I'd be happy to send a catalog and order form. Be sure to include your full name and mailing address.

Who's Got The Button?

Now that the holiday gift-buying season has passed, I have a chance to catch my breath and take a small hiatus from pouring wax and producing other products for sale. But the creative mind needs to keep active. I'm continuously thinking of new ways to create candles as well as to promote them. But while Auntie B's Wax has an emphasis on hand-poured candles, I also like to putter with other creative tasks. Playing hands-on with a new project not only makes a lovely project in and of itself, it also keeps the creative juices flowing.

With a plethora of fabric scraps, I decided to try my hand at covered buttons. This is such a fun little project, easy and quick. Button covers and covering instruments are readily found at fabric stores or anywhere sewing notions are sold. All you need is some tiny little fabric scraps and you can create fun buttons like these:



These things are so cute! I can't wait to make more. I'm thinking of ideas of how I can use these buttons, or turn them into something into something other than a button.

One idea is to snip off the shank of the button and glue a tack onto the back, making the cutest push-pin you can imagine. Another to glue a button magnet onto the back for a homey-looking refrigerator magnet. They can become embellishments on candles, candle holders, and mirrors. Leave the shanks on to embellish pillows or table cloth edges.

Because button covers come in many different sizes, the possiblities are plentiful. I love how ideas spring from the simple act of playing with a new project.