Happy New Year

As 2009 comes to a close, we would like to thank everyone for the support we have received throughout the year.

We have made new connections, developed new friendships, and forged new paths.

In 2010 you can expect the Idaho Indie Works team to grow and the creativity to multiply. Keeps your eyes open, expect greatness and you won't be dissappointed.

Re-Use Market

In September, Aimee (Beach Chicken) and I went to the Re-Use Market in Nampa. When we got there, there was a guy with a big camera taking footage. I didn't think too much of it until Aimee told me that it had made it on to the news. Click here to see the clip that was shown on KIVI Channel 6. If you look closely, you will also catch a glimpse of Aimee and my daughter perusing through some stuff.

The Re-Use Market is located in the back of the White Pine Boutique at 115 13th Ave S in downtown Nampa. The market is open only a few hours each month and there are all kinds of fabric swatches, ceramic tiles and paper goods to be re-invented into new items. Check out their website to find out more. (Scroll down to see a picture of Millie digging for treasures.) And don't forget to browse around the boutique too. Several IIW team members have items for sale there. Look for items from Aimee (Beach Chicken), Trish (Bella Grano) and Mary (Mary Makes Art).

Hyde Park Fair 2009

This past weekend was Hyde Park's 30th annual fair. Idaho Indie Works set up a giant booth this year featuring many talented artists. It was three days of busy selling and hanging out together. It was a lot of fun.

We couldn't have pulled this off if it wasn't for everyone working together. There was a real team spirit this weekend. I think we have the best Etsy Street team out there.

Booth Displays

It's one thing to sell your work anonymously on Etsy from the comfort of your own home, but it's a totally different experience to set up a table with your items for the public to see. Not only can it be a little intimidating to have to talk to strangers face to face, but then trying to figure out how to set up your items can be a challenge. I recently decided to revamp my whole set up when it finally dawned on me that just having my items out wasn't enough to sell them. I had no idea what to do so I started surfing the net to find inspiration. I wanted to see what other people were doing. Some of what I saw was brilliant and some, not so much. But that was good. I got to see what NOT to do. Here are a few sites that really helped me out:

• Craft Show Success
• Inspiri Art and Craft
• Flickr
• Google Images

And for all of you jewelry artists out there, here is another site to check out:

• Jewelry Display Ideas

It's OK to get out there and give it a try. If you find that your display isn't working, change it. Sometimes it just takes a little while to get the feel of it. And what you do for an indoor event might not work for an outdoor one. I'm sure that almost everyone doing craft shows and markets today will say that they have all changed there set up at least once. And if you need help, please feel free to ask your fellow IIW team members for help. I have and I'm so grateful for the advice. We all want everyone to succeed because if you don't, then we don't.

If you can recommend any other websites please leave a comment and let us know.

First Thursday....again!

It's official, Idaho Indie Works will be at the Pioneer Tent Building for First Thursday as an on-going event. We hope to become your local handmade shopping destination!

A Few More Members

Here are some more Etsyans who have joined our group. Please welcome:

Chris from naturescosmikdebris

Susan from BeadEDelivery

Rachel from GeekGlam

Aimee from beachchicken

Steve from treasurecast

We look forward to meeting you all soon.

New Members

This past week Idaho Indie Works has welcomed some new members into the fold. Please say hello to:

Sondra from sewsweetfinery

Raquel from precieuxny

Lisa from elmc92

Jenn from tinitreasures

Carrie from L7designs

Julie from mockingbirdclothing

(If there is anyone that I missed, I apologize. Please leave a comment with your name and Etsy shop name and I will get you added.)

Hill's and AIDA

Hill's Gift's (on the corner of Broadway and Beacon) has teamed up with local artists and the Animals in Distress Association to raise money for our local bird and mammal rehab centre. The sale started yesterday and will run through next Saturday, May 9th. This week is Be Kind to Animals Week so the timing couldn't be better. Some of the artist's displaying their items are from our own Idaho Indie Works. There is a wide variety of items from jewelry and handmade soap to dog coats. The owners of Hill's have kindly let artists occupy a large area of the store right next to the post office. Five percent of artists' sales will go directly to Animals in Distress with Hill's Gifts making a matching donation.

So come on down and show your support, even if it's just to say hi to the artist volunteers who are running the area and check out this really fun and unique gift shop.

Shop Local, Shop 1st Thursday!

Idaho Indie Works brings the handmade revolution to First Thursday!

We will be in Old Boise at the Pioneer Tent Building, 6th & Main, Downtown Boise. Come shop with over 20 local artists & crafters.

Hill's Craft Show

Yesterday several crafters and I set up our wares at Hill's Valu-Rite for a fun day of selling and camaraderie. This was the first Idaho Indie Works event that I have participated in so I got a chance to meet the people behind the shops. I had heard of most of them through the Google group, but putting a face to a name was a huge bonus for me. And let me say, what a great group of people they are. Not only are they fun to be around, but they are all extremely talented. Just being around all those creative people kept me buzzing all day. We shared stories and brainstormed on new ideas. It was so much fun and I can't wait to get together with everyone again.

Here is a look at some of the creative forces who participated in yesterday's show.

Laurie and Susan from TLG Crafts

Elizabeth from Something More in Clay

Michelle from Dragonfly Stitches

Vila from Warped and Wonderful

Vicki from Backyard Bakery

Kathy from Lazy Kate

Kelli from daisy k design

On the left is Marilyn from Twiglets and Friends and on the right is Julie from Scraps

Claire from Red 4 Short

And this is me, Robyn, from Polka Dot Dreams

I apologize for those of you who I missed, like Megan from Star Motif and Ray from ConefineMenT.

A special thank you goes out to Marcia Hale who organized this for us and to the owners of Hill's Valu-Rite (1221 Broadway, on the corner of Broadway and Beacon next to Albertson's) for allowing us to share their store.

Trend Spotting---Wing-Wing

Spring is in the air in Idaho, and wings are everywhere!

Etsy Buy Handmade IdahoIndieWorks

Finding Inspiration

Have you ever thought about the things that inspire you and where they come from? There are the obvious places like the mass media. I like to see what the new trends are out there and fashion magazines and soap operas will often give me ideas to work with. Sometimes just having that bit of quiet time in the shower will get my mind thinking about things.

But then there are the simplest of things that get my head spinning with new inspiration. I read a book this fall and the author mentioned one piece of jewelry that has now wanting me to create a whole new line based around that one item. And yesterday I went to Joann’s Fabrics to see if there was anything left worth getting before the store closed for good. I was looking through the small selection of leftover ribbon and trim when I saw one spool in particular that caught my eye. There was a rubber band around the ribbon holding it to the spool and the way the ribbon was all crinkled gave me a great idea for a new project. If it hadn’t been for that rubber band, I would have passed the ribbon by without thinking twice.

Have you ever had inspiration hit like that? What kinds of things do you like to do that help get the creative juices flowing? Please post a comment and share your story with us.

Thinking, Thinking, Thinking

I’ve had a lot on my mind lately, thinking about the state of the economy, the new president, job security. It’s a very scary thing when politicians and economists start throwing the “R” word around. Suddenly everyone panics and purse pockets are locked tight.  Someone was quoted in the Idaho Statesman not long ago that 2009 was going to be a “bloodbath” of dying retail shops. What a lot of people don’t realize that it’s not just the US who is suffering – this recession has far reaching effects, touching the entire globe. In speaking with my family and friends all over the world, I can see how it is affecting them as well.  The world is getting smaller and countries are no longer isolated. What hurts us, hurts us all.

People and countries alike are all looking to newly elected President Barak Obama to help fix our woes. But should we really be putting so much faith into one man? Is he going to be able to turn things around now before things get any worse? Personally, I can’t see it happening. He is just a human, after all, with no super hero powers to speak of. Should we put so much faith into an ordinary man with an extraordinary title?

That got me thinking some more. I wanted to know if there was something that I could do. But what could that be? Should I only be interested in looking out for myself and my family? Should I act like there is no recession and keep on doing what I’m doing? Then I thought that maybe I could use my shopping decisions to make a difference. Maybe if I tried harder to buy more handmade items, especially if they are local, I could not only fulfill my needs, but also help out other people in the community in which I live and the handcrafting community in general. It helps put money into the pockets of people like you and me; people like stay-at-home moms and those with natural creative gifts. That makes much more sense than giving it to large, cookie-cutter department stores with their cookie-cutter wares. Not that they don’t have their place in our community, but there is so much more out there.

I know that I’m only one person, but I think that I still can make a small difference, even if it’s only for me and a handful of others.  I can help to influence my children to make wise choices. And maybe those that I have touched will go on to touch others, to spread the word on buying local and handmade.  More and more people are starting to turn to handmade to supplement their incomes. They are looking to the rest of us for support. When the world crumbles down around us, we only have each other. 

January Sale in Progress!

The holidays are behind us and we're starting a fresh new year. To help give our etsy shops a fresh new look we're having a sale! Please visit etsy and enter the search "iiw team" for Idaho Indie Works items. We've included an etsy mini to show you a few of the wonderful items available at a discounted price this month. Happy New Year, and happy shopping!