Tag: sponsor

Sponsor Love: Alison Rose
Sponsors

Sponsor Love: Alison Rose

Megan GreenLeave a comment

Get to know the makers, businesses and faces who are helping us create Midwest Craft Con! Today we meet Alison Rose, screenprinting legends who have been making stuff Columbus for over a decade. Nick and Alison Nocera, a wife and husband team, whom have clothed Columbus for over a decade in shirts with cats and Ohio mixtapes. You can meet at the conference within our trade show, where they will be bringing their live printing cart (making special Midwest Craft Con tees!) and selling a collection of wallets, new enamel pins and koozies.

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Megan: How long have you been in the creative scene? How did you get your start?

Alison Rose: We started Alison Rose in our tiny apartment back in 2003. At college we were making T-shirts and clothing for family and friends, and it was something that we’ve always wanted to explore more.

Megan: What services do you provide to your community?

Alison Rose: Aside from our own line of goods, we offer high quality custom printing and design services. We pride ourselves on hand printing (no robots here) monitoring and inspecting every shirt to ensure top quality.

Megan: What are you most proud of when it comes to your business?

Alison Rose: We are most proud of the blood, sweat and tears that go into our small business. We are very hands-on when it comes to any project we are involved in. We take pride in knowing that we built this from the ground up, from a idea to now our full time jobs.

Megan: What is one big mistake you’d suggest others avoid when entering the handmade arena?

Alison Rose: Pick your focus, and put the time into that focus. Don’t let your business rely on a trend. Trends change, so center around a classic idea and adapt to trends as they come and go.

Megan: Any big goals for the new year?

Alison Rose: We’d like to expand our line and hope to reach out to more shops around the world.

Megan: What are you most looking forward to at Midwest Craft Con?

Alison Rose: Seeing and meeting some new faces! There is always more to learn no matter how long you’ve been in the game!

Extra special thanks to Nick for designing our logo and branding for Midwest Craft Con! Meet Nick and Alison and so many other makers at Midwest Craft Con in February! 

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The Smithery cofounders Sponsor Love: The Smithery
Sponsors

Sponsor Love: The Smithery

Megan GreenLeave a comment

Get to know the makers, businesses and faces who are helping us create Midwest Craft Con! Today we meet The Smithery, the brainchild of two talented jewelry makers and longtime friends who have curated the finest selection of handmade jewelry from around the world. Jen Townsend and Anne Holman have combined shopping, artist studio space and DIY workshops into an adorable storefront in Grandview Heights — which you can visit on our bus tour!

Make sure to find Jen and Anne during our trade show, where they will be selling a selection of jewelry representing many of the artists in the store and will have information about their classes. They will also be speaking on a panel about developing good relationships with retail shops.

The Smithery cofounders

Megan: How long have you been in the creative scene?

Jen and Anne: We have been actively selling our jewelry for a combined total of over 22 years. Together, we founded The Smithery early 2014 and opened our doors October 2014. We have both always been making things our entire lives and found our individual passion for metal while studying other media in art school.

Megan: What services do you provide to your community?

Jen and Anne: The Smithery encompasses a number of facets. We provide project-based workshops on a weekly basis to the public, as well as host private events for groups of individuals seeking a hands on activity. Our Make Your Own Wedding Band workshop is a unique offering we provide to couples seeking one-of-a-kind rings. We provide custom jewelry services making commissioned work for individuals. We also have built a selling venue to support independent artists as well as bringing a well-curated collection of fine craft to the Columbus area.

Megan: What are you most proud of when it comes to your business?

Jen and Anne: We are most proud of our commitment to build something we dreamt about, from the ground up, with integrity and respect to independent artists.

Megan: What is one big mistake you’d suggest others avoid when entering the handmade arena?

Jen and Anne: Not be afraid or hesitant to put yourself out there. It will never be the “right time.” And trust your gut when you are doing business with other people. If you feel hesitant, there is usually a good reason.

Megan: Any big goals for the new year?

Jen and Anne: Staying positive. Working more on The Smithery’s in-house collaborative jewelry line, wedding jewelry, as well as our individual work.

Megan: What are you most looking forward to at Midwest Craft Con?

Jen and Anne: Getting to spend some time with other creative people and welcoming you to Columbus!

Meet Jen and Anne and so many other makers at Midwest Craft Con in February! 

Sponsor Love: Esther Hall
Sponsors

Sponsor Love: Esther Hall

Megan GreenLeave a comment

Get to know the makers, businesses and faces who are helping us create Midwest Craft Con! Today we meet Esther Hall, a Columbus-based shop owner, fiber enthusiast and all around crafty gal. She’s the mastermind behind Yarn It and Haberdashery, which is a stop on our crafty bus tour of Columbus!

Megan: How long have you been in the creative scene? How did you get your start?

Esther: I’ve been actively involved in the craft scene since 2005 when I did my first craft show with Craftin’ Outlaws and Tiny Canary. I’ve been doing crafty things since I was 8, when my mom first taught me to knit and crochet clothes for my Barbie dolls. I have been making things and involved primarily in fashion since then. I attended the School of the Art Institute of Chicago with a focus in fashion and sculpture, and after college I found myself going back to knitting and making things, and I needed an outlet to sell them, so I joined the Columbus Crafty Cotillion and started applying to craft shows, and here I am years letter assisting in running craft shows and owning my own yarn store.

Megan: What services do you provide to your community?

Esther: I consult with festivals and other craft groups on how to set up and run shows or do calls for vendors. And my store provides classes for knitting, crochet, spinning, needle felting and weaving.

Megan: What are you most proud of when it comes to your business?

Esther: The community and positive influence we have brought through our store. There are a lot of old-school yarn shops that can be hard for a new knitter to break into and get to know, and we like to think of ourselves as the open arms and educator store where no one feels left out, no matter what their skill level.

Megan: What is one big mistake you’d suggest others avoid when entering the handmade arena?

Esther: Being a one-trick pony, just because it is popular one year does not mean it will be the next year. Also NEVER talk down about your craft or items —you are your own worst judge, and no one wants to buy from a vendor who is negative on their own wares.

Megan: Any big goals for the new year?

Esther: Expanding to more specialty yarns and branching out online to increase our social media presence.

Megan: What are you most looking forward to at Midwest Craft Con?

Esther: We will have unique yarns that can be used not just for knitting and crochet but to show off the colors and versatility of yarn that can be used in crafts, such as Loopy Mango, Noro and Ewe Ewe. And just interacting with like-minded crafters and small business owners and discussing our struggles and victories.

Meet Esther and so many other makers at Midwest Craft Con in February! 

Sponsor Love: AmyD
Sponsors

Sponsor Love: AmyD

Megan GreenLeave a comment

Get to know the makers, businesses and faces who are helping us create Midwest Craft Con! Today we meet Amy Dalrymple, a Columbus craft icon for over a decade. Her likable persona draws you into her AmyD booth and into your heart. Amy, who will be on a walkabout in Australia during the conference, has generously donated a ticket so that one lucky creative can attend in her stead.

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Megan: How long have you been in the creative scene? How did you get your start?

Amy: I’ve been crafting for a job for around 10 years. In the early ’90s, I had a small-press bookstore called Joe Books. I’ve always enjoyed making things and having a business. My grandma was a church bazaar crafter and was always making things and so was my mom. My brothers are both creative. One is a great artist, and the other taught me how to crochet when I was little.

Megan: What services do you provide to your community?

Amy: I donate coffee sleeves to Planned Parenthood for them to put into gift baskets for their donors. I try to do this for various groups I support. My goal is to make people laugh, or at least smile.

Megan: What are you most proud of when it comes to your business?

Amy: In my business, I am especially proud of the things I’ve created that didn’t exist before. The Beer Pocket Apron comes to mind. I very proud of the merit badges/award ribbons, as they were a response to a politician’s ignorance (Todd Akin’s “legitimate rape” comment turned into the “Legitimate Slut” award ribbon) that blossomed to a perfect addition to my product mix. The culture is so different now. It’s not uncommon for someone to start a business based on someone else’s idea they saw on Pinterest. Not saying it’s wrong, it’s just very different and it makes it a different sort of business. Perhaps the latter is more successful as a money-maker? I’ve been thinking a lot about this lately.

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The original beer pocket apron.

Megan: What is one big mistake you made that you’d suggest others avoid when entering the handmade arena?

Amy: When I got into Whole Foods, I thought shit was going to smooth out and be great. After working with seven stores at once, it nearly sank my business. Don’t put all of your eggs into one basket! Try to have an idea of some sort of who you are and what your product is. Decide how much money you want to make and how much you can afford to lose. Work with the tools you currently have. It makes me so sad to miss out on Midwest Craft Con! I know there will be tons of valuable information and friend-making!

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Crafty Merit Badge by AmyD

One lucky creative will receive a three-day pass to Midwest Craft Con, courtesy of AmyD. Submit your scholarship application by January 15!

Sponsor Love: The Hoop and Needle
Sponsors

Sponsor Love: The Hoop and Needle

Megan GreenLeave a comment

Get to know the makers, businesses and faces who are helping us create Midwest Craft Con! Today we meet Sarah Fisher, shop owner of The Hoop and Needle in Cincinnati and online force behind Purple Hippo Stitches. The Hoop and Needle first opened in 2014 to provide downtown Cincinnati as a place to explore cross-stitch and embroidery, and it moved to Northside last year. Sarah will be bringing her store to the Midwest Craft Con trade show!

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The coolest embroidery wall on display at The Hoop and Needle.

Megan: How long have you been in the creative scene? How did you get your start?

Sarah: I’ve been cross-stitching since I was 10 years old. When I moved to Indiana for grad school, I started making my own patterns. Stitching was very relaxing compared to grad school. When I lost my main student job in 2010, I started selling some stitches on Etsy and participated in the Bloomington Handmade Market for the first time. I spent the next few years traveling around the Midwest doing as many indie shows as I could and kept outgrowing my studio space in the house. A year and a half ago, I decided to open a small storefront selling cross-stitch and embroidery supplies. After only a year, we packed up and moved into a huge new storefront with plenty of room to expand.

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Megan: What services do you provide to your community?

Sarah: In our bigger space, we are able to hold classes and are teaching the next generation to stitch. Every month, a group of about 15 stitchers meet at our storefront for Sip ‘N Stitch, which is exactly what it sounds like: stitching and alcoholic beverages! We also want to show people that there’s plenty of great projects out there that aren’t just cutesy teddy bears and angels. There are tons of modern patterns available and we also stock of adult-oriented stitches!

Megan: What are you most proud of when it comes to your business?

Sarah: Sometimes, you just have to take a huge risk, and moving into our new storefront has really paid off. I’m proud that I took the plunge, because our other location just wasn’t working out. It took a lot of work getting this place usable. It was an old bank that hadn’t been updated since the ’70s. But our landlord let us customize the entire interior and let us paint a mural on the front of the building. Now, this place really feels like it’s all mine.

Megan: What is one big mistake you would suggest others avoid when entering the handmade arena?

Sarah: Don’t put all your time and effort into an Etsy shop. The market is oversaturated, and I’ve seen many small businesses (including my own) take big hits to sales after major policy changes. Just make sure you have a back-up plan. Also, product design and packaging is really key. Watch your customers and see how they respond. I’ve gone through at least three major product redesigns that wouldn’t have happened if I knew what I know now. For example, an artist that I carry in my store recently redesigned all of her packaging and her sales in my store have easily doubled.

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Download kits like this from The Hoop and Needle.

Megan: Any big goals for the new year?

Sarah: This year is all about building on the foundations of last year and getting the store to turn a profit. (Nope, we aren’t there yet! Moving was expensive!) I also want to get back into cross-stitch design and make a few new kits and patterns.

Megan: What are you most looking forward to at Midwest Craft Con?

Sarah: I practically live in my store at this point, so I can’t wait for a weekend away with other crafty people and sharing our experiences.

Sarah will be joining us for all three days at the conference along with her perpetual unpaid intern and husband, Tim. Be nice to him — he can teach you how to embroider or cross-stitch!