Handmade Alley

Handmade Alley

Is Etsy the first place you look to buy a gift? Are you a quick draw with a glue gun? Have you ever knit a cozy for your iPhone? If you answered yes to any of these questions, then Handmade Alley is, well, right up your alley. On Handmade Alley, show hosts Andrea Lammle and Holly Schroeder bring you the latest news, views, trends and tutorials from the growing indie craft community, as well as special interviews with fellow creatives, to entertain, inform, and inspire you to get your craft on.

Episode 1 – Hierarchy of Spillage

June 1st, 2012

The first official episode of Handmade Alley is here!  In this episode, Andrea and Holly cover craft show ettitquette from both sides of the table – vendors and shoppers.  We cover some basic dos and don’ts, as well as share some horror stories from our years on the craft show circuit.  Give it a listen and share some of your stories with us – you just might win a nifty handmade prize!

Correction: You can email the show at handmadealleypodcast@gmail.com

Play

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 54:13 — 49.9MB)

Show Notes

Hosts:

  • andrea-lammle
  • Holly Schroeder

Topics:

  • redherringjeff

    Great first full podcast! I have decided that at my
    funeral, there will definitely be hot chocolate for all the wee ones…on the
    condition that they drink it near or over the casket. Nothing says rest in piece
    like hot cocoa stains on my best suit :) It gives me the shivers when I see
    people standing over our tables, drink in hand. I think sometimes they forget
    that they’re not at the Wal-Mart, and yes we did make all these things and no we
    don’t have more “in the back”, most people are very supportive and encouraging.

    Most of the work I do as a part of Handmade Family
    is drawings and paintings. In a world of phone cameras and digital sharing, I
    wish more people would ask before they take pictures. I’m sure that they
    probably aren’t looking to steal my art or print huge posters to sell or
    anything, but it’s still polite. Saying “It’s easier to ask forgiveness than to
    ask for permission” tells me that you really don’t care what I think. :(

    We’ve been really lucky with our customers, and
    they’ve been really supportive and excited to see what we’re showing. Those
    great attitudes go a long way towards making it worth getting up at five in the
    morning and sitting in the sun all day. The crafting community here in Saint
    Louis is also just fantastic, but like any community you get out of it what you
    put into it. I always try to be there to lend a hand (or two) if I can. One
    great example of paying it forward is from our first outdoor show this year, the
    opening day of Tower Grove Farmers Market, I didn’t realize that I’d look
    like I’d gone swimming by the time I was done setting up. The awesome Andrea of
    ZenbotBaby (who we actually trade with pretty regularly, because she’s so rad)
    passed on a sweet Zenbot T-shirt.

    Great podcast ladies, and I look forward to the
    next one!

    • Andrea

      Thanks, Jeffrey!

    • Holly Schroeder

      Thanks Jeffrey! 99.9% of people are amazing, really! Vendors and customers. I have met some wonderful people thanks to crafting and many have become what I hope to be life-long friends.

  • Andrea @ Handmade Alley

    Hey everyone! Andrea here!

    In the podcast, I made a mistake and said the wrong email address. If you have stories to share, please send them to handmadealleypodcast@gmail.com

    We can’t wait to hear them!

  • Beqi Clothing

    Oh my god, SO with you on the no smoking/no food/no drink rules! I am actually going to make no smoking signs for my booth for that very reason. Cigarettes + clothing = stinky clothing.

  • Alecis H. (Senora Muertos)

    No real horror stories. Worse I have is a small child picked up one of my paper mache’ sugar skull masks to try it on and left dirty little fingerprints that needed to be painted over. Another important tip for customers and I can’t recall if you covered this, but please police your children. My stuff is fragile and I put up a sign, but still little hands always reach for something they shouldn’t. I have children and I make sure they know that they can see with their eyes not with their hands. Same goes for adults. Unless you are really interested in the piece their is no need to pick it up to inspect it or take it out of the booth to show your friends. Especially when you have been drinking.

    • Holly Schroeder

      I would think this especially tough since all your stuff is brightly colored and that would draw them in even more! Tiny fingers are so adorable, but can do some damage quickly, can’t they? I recall having to turn myself in at a store in the mall when my girl was small because she grabbed a pair of pants with orange Cheeto fingers. *sigh*

  • http://www.facebook.com/bylaurenb Lauren Busiere

    I agree with Jeff on the camera phone tip! EVERY show I do I have people taking photos of my prints. Sometimes they ask first and that’s even weirder- now I’m in the awkward position of telling someone ‘no’ and then having to explain myself. Now the last time someone asked to take a photo, she realized mid-picture-take that she should buy it if she likes it, so that was pretty awesome :)

  • http://www.facebook.com/bylaurenb Lauren Busiere

    also, it’s hard for me to leave the tattoo shop/punk shows behind when I work a craft show. This was a great reminder, I loved the podcast- keep ‘em comin!

    • Holly Schroeder

      Thanks Lauren! You do have beautiful artwork and it would be awkward to have to tell people no pictures, please. I never thought of that! Would a sign be helpful at all?

  • Beqi Clothing

    Finally getting to finish the podcast. Very nice, ladies! Could not agree with you more about the drinks thing. I tend to be proactive and either offer the person holding it (because they hold an open beverage and then bend over to look at something) somewhere to set their drink down that’s not near my merchandise, or I let them know as gently as possible that I’m moving the drink myself once they have set it down. It helps to make it seem like you’re doing them a favor. But drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, are the worst. A++!

    • Holly Schroeder

      I love A’s! :)

  • Beqi Clothing

    Another thing that helps with customers is that if they come in with a lot of bags (this in particular happens at farmer’s markets, offer them a place to set their bags. This leaves their hands free to shop, AND as a bonus they a.) feel taken care of, and b.) have a harder time shoplifting if that’s their intent.

    • Holly Schroeder

      Great tip, Beqi!

  • Lulu W

    I’m new to all this, and you provide some great advice. I can’t wait for future episodes!