Bloom Market 2012!!

Bloom Market 2012 from Keri Walker on Vimeo.

MAKE ART - BUY ART - GIVE ART

its that time when i get all jittery from excitement (and a little bit of nervousness) because the market starts tomorrow! all these months of planning lead up to this moment!  it kinda feels like my wedding day. sorta. :) i'm really so excited for you all to meet our vendors and see everything that they have been hard at work creating for YOU! i really appreciate their talent and know you will too. as an artist, its really hard to put yourself out there for the "world" to see. you feel vulnerable in a way. you want people to like what you've created (knowing there are those who won't, who have different tastes or style, which is fine).  mostly i feel that artists deserve respect with whatever they have made. even if you feel like you could've made it yourself (but would you? and do you have the time to!?). my hope is that everyone will show respect to these vendors (and buy their stuff, of course!).

its hard to make a living at crafting. some have done it...and done it well (hello Etsy!).  i see great value in something that is handmade. its beautiful because it came from someone's passion and heart. there is a story behind handmade things. i love that beauty.

so as my (artist) friend Tim Mills said on facebook last night, "MAKE ART - BUY ART - GIVE ART". that pretty much sums it up!

see you all this weekend!!! directions are over there on the right ------->>>

vendor highlight #24

This is it! Our last vendor to introduce. Robyn is returning this year with Blessed By Two. She is our only out-of-town vendor coming all the way from Nashville! (But she's a Georgia girl at heart!!).  Robyn has some sort of crafty superpower. Seriously. It's a gift. This year she will be selling crayon wallets, coffee coozies, fabric covered notebooks, burlap tote bags, key fobs, and more! She is a mom to two kids so she is always thinking about great gift ideas for children and teachers! Just take a look:

I think many kids and teachers (or friends or neighbors or cousins etc) would be happy receiving something from Blessed By Two for Christmas. Give Robyn a "welcome back to Georgia" greeting!

Can't wait to see y'all this Friday or Saturday!! yipee yippee!

vendor highlight #23

We are almost to the end of our list! New this year we have Dawn from Yellow Reformation joining Bloom Market. Their modern flair to jewelry and accessories are just...well...FUN!! I can tell these girls are full of ideas and creativity!  They will be selling a variety of things like jewelry, Christmas decor, Christmas gift tags/cards, hand towels, napkin rings, luminaries & coasters. Here's a little bit about them (taken from their etsy bio):

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Dreams start with an encounter. Ours started in a church building. Don't laugh. It could happen to you, too! Two girls, very different, and yet so similar at heart, collided. For me, [Dawn], Amanda brought to life something that had lain dormant in me for many a year. Her expression of creativity snapped me into the next. I started making "stuff", and have been doing that for four-ish years now.

I, [Amanda], had dabbled in a myriad of design work, and ultimately dreamed of owning my own shop, but there was a puzzle piece missing..it was Dawn. 
So...the one realized that she loved creating, and was actually good at it... and the other, who had been intoxicated by the arts and its spell, but knew there was more, together became Yellow Reformation. 

Their style is so cool and hip, am I right!? Please come by and check out their work at the Yellow Reformation booth.  THIS WEEKEND!! yay!  Friday 5-9pm Saturday 10am-4pm.

vendor highlights # 21 & 22

It's an exciting week! Bloom Market opening night is this FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 9th! 5pm-9pm. Or come and shop SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 10th! 10am-4pm.

I have 2 more vendors to show you today. A couple more young faces who are joining us. I love seeing younger people develop their talents and have the confidence to put themselves out there.  I value their love to create and their ambitiousness to be entrepreneurs.

Rachel from The Pea and Me was a vendor last year at Bloom Market and I'm thrilled that she is joining us again. She is a very busy college student who got to do an internship at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta last summer! Here's what she has to say:

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The goal of The Pea and Me is to handcraft meaningful, yet functional paper products: to create small somethings that remind people that they have souls. I’m a paper girl. I get swept up in the look, the feel, the smell, the sound of it. It is my truest medium, and I feel like I’m always tearing, snipping, folding or doodling on it. I like things to look a little unfinished, to leave room for some thought.  My work is often a “thank you” made with a face in mind. I am inspired by the small moments that I share with people: walks, lunches, car rides and good conversation. I want to make things that keep me giggling each time I look at them, or strike a chord that reminds me of how I felt when I was making it.

Rachel is a true artist with deep passion (as you can tell from her bio). Her journals and bookmarks were popular with kids last year! She will also customize them with names.  Please come support this sweet college student!! :)

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And next we have our 2nd youngest vendor at the age of 14. Ethan is stepping into a new world of being a businessman selling his paracord bracelets! He actually has had a hard time keeping his inventory up because the kids at his school keep buying them!  If you haven't seen these bracelets around yet, then you will! They are quite the rage with all the kids! (and adults too!) :)  Ethan will be selling bracelets of all different sizes and colors. And will even be able to take custom orders. Here's a look at a few:

I'm super proud of Ethan and what he's trying to accomplish...all while being a busy 8th grader.  Please come by and meet him...and, of course, support Monjure Designs!!

vendor highlights #19 & 20

Just a few days away from our opening night of great shopping at Bloom Market!! I have two vendors to show you today.

First, we have Natalie from Sugar & Spice returning with her beautiful crocheted handiwork. Sugar & Spice is now made up of Natalie Hardy, crochet; Stacy Pagomenakis, crochet; Chip Hardy, chainmaille jewlery. They love to create custom items that you will enjoy for gifts or for yourself! This year they will be selling hats, scarfs, afghans, flower clips, trivets, shawls, market bags, ponchos and MORE!  Here's a peek at what you'll see at their booth:

I mean seriously. How cute is that little flower pot?! (and the baby too, of course!). I'm so happy Sugar & Spice will be joining Bloom Market again and am happy that you get to shop for these beautiful handmade crocheted pieces!

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Next I want to introduce you to Carol of Baskets 'n Beads. This will be Carol's first time at Bloom Market! Here's a little bit about her:

Baskets ‘n Beads" is a fairly new venture with a past history. I wove baskets as a hobby over 25 years ago, but life took over and that hobby did not reappear until retirement and this past year…and now I’m hooked again.  Jewelry-making started as earrings I made for gifts, and ornaments I made for our own tree and took off from there.  Watch bands, bracelets and necklaces came next.    It’s amazing what can happen when ‘work’ no longer gets in the way of creating fun and useful things.  I so admire all you who find the time and energy to craft and are still raising families. Come take a look at my new venture at Bloom Market.  I’ll have fall, Christmas and classic theme pieces to select from.  PS, I have some items kids might enjoy, too.

Aren't those owl earrings and bracelet cute!? Come by and meet Carol...and be nice to her or I'll hurt you (she's my mother-in-law!). :)   

Happy Shopping this coming weekend!!

vendor highlight #18

Happy Saturday everyone!! Just one week away from Bloom Market! yay!

Today I'm happy to introduce my friend Jill, who also happens to be my main helper friend with this market!! (couldn't do it without her!) She is returning this year with her booth "To Market To Market". Jill is another one of those crafty types that can make just about anything she puts her mind to. This year, she will be selling some purses, button book marks (very popular!!), cabochon hair pins, and pretty burlap table runners. Here's a little peek at some of these items:

Super fun, huh? Those button bookmarks are always a hit and go fast! Jill will also be selling her mother-in-law's adorable bags (she lives far away and not able to come).  Here's a little bit about Mary :

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 Grammy to 13 precious grandchildren -- I love to sew, paint and create. My purses/bags (IYQ and IYQ) are reversible & washable (although, I think hand wash or gentle wash would be best). The name IYQ comes from our special needs nephew/cousin who tells you he likes you and how he feels about you with "I wyke you".

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 So that's a lot of good stuff all in one booth!! There will only be a few of the table runners...so get there early to get yours! And I have a feeling those bags will be a hit too!

vendor highlight #17

The Refugee Sewing Society is our next vendor. I love what this ministry is doing and am excited that you all will get the chance to support these women and their families all by doing some shopping! Here's a little background on the Refugee Sewing Society:

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We are in our fifth year as a ministry to refugee women in Clarkston, where the U.S. government has resettled thousands of refugees since 1990.  Since it started in a single small room in November 2008, the RSS has been a place of hope and healing for refugee women who fled genocide and ethnic cleansing in places such as Bhutan, Somalia, Sudan, Congo and Iraq. Today, approximately 40 women meet every week in our 11-room space in Clarkston International Bible Church.  They sew, do beadwork, knit, crochet and weave. The items they produce are then offered for sale, with 70 percent of the proceeds going to the woman who made the product. This enables the ladies to earn a paycheck that helps support their families.  Besides an income, the RSS provides these women – many of whom have witnessed and suffered atrocities – an atmosphere for healing, a place to express creativity and a means for building self-esteem. The ladies – who include Hindus, Muslims and Buddhists – also are given the opportunity to learn about the Christian faith.

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I love that first picture of the women showing off what they have made. The smiles on their faces show a sense of pride and gratitude at the same time. They are given the opportunity to help support their families through the Refugee Sewing Society. I would love for you to stop by their booth and learn more about these women and what RSS is doing in the community. And of course, buy some of their beautiful items for sale!

vendor highlight #16

It's November! Which means Bloom Market is VERY SOON!! Which also means Thanksgiving and Christmas are VERY SOON!! And our next vendor will be returning this year with her items that will make your holidays happier!  Jeri from Expressionaries is one of those people that can make just about anything! And everything she makes is so creative and well-made. She will be selling her pretty expressive topiaries, chalk mats, flower pens, chalk labels, Thanksgiving/Christmas banners, and hand-painted chairs. Check out some of her work here:

Those topiaries and banners were definitely a hit last year! So don't miss out!! Visit Jeri's booth next weekend, Nov 9 & 10!