Last week’s Crafty Ballyhoo marks the beginning of the craft fair season for many of us.

Or maybe you are thinking about starting to sell your handmade goods?

This workshop is geared toward you! Learn what you need to know about local sales tax!

Download  and mail in the above pdf to apply for membership to the Denver Handmade Alliance!

GO CRAFT!

Brett and Susan screenprinted the posters and swag bags yesterday. They are totally fantastic! If you know the perfect place for one of these limited edition posters, let us know! Or better yet- stop by Tomte to pick up a couple to hang. We only have about 40 of these beauties, so we’d like to have them in fabulous locations were lots of people will see them.

And don’t forget to drop off you swag bag donations! Or if you’re not a maker be onethe first to arrive to the Ballyhoo to snag one of these jems. If you aren’t one of the lucky few to get a swag bag, there will be a screenprinting demo where you will have the opportunity to print your own bag (swag bag goodies excluded).

pdf of Ballyhoo handbills 8×11

Feast on all things handmade and local at Crafty Ballyhoo, a market of local handmade vendors, handmade food vendors, and interactive programming. Interactive programming includes a screen printing station; crafting demonstrations; a swap area; and a variety of ‘make and take’ crafting projects. Other activities include a Latte Art Throw Down and a Cake Walk.

Date: Saturday, April 17, 2010
Time: 11:00am – 7:00pm

CDW Headquarters
Flower Garage and Event Center across the street from the Museum of Contemporary Art.
1490 Delgany street
Denver, CO

Denver Handmade Alliance is putting on this event in partnership with Create Denver Week.

In collaboration with Create Denver Week (put on by Denver’s Office of Cultural Affairs), the Denver Handmade Alliance is sponsoring a craft market and day of interactive handmade fun. This is a call for local vendors of fantastic handmade goods.

When: April 17, 2010, 11 am – 7 pm
Where: Events Warehouse and The Flower Garage at 15th and Delgany
Application Deadline: March 12th

You will be notified of your acceptance by March 17th. Payment must be received by March 22nd to secure your space. Your notification letter will provide instructions on how to deliver your payment to us. There are no refunds for cancellations.

The application can be found here: crafty ballyhoo app
Email completed application to events [at] denverhandmade.org. Applications can also be dropped off at Tomte. Modern Craft, 1644 Platte Street.

Introductions-
The Denver handmade Alliance is a group of crafters working to promote handmakers in the Denver area – fostering creativity, supporting buying handmade & shopping locally, and providing resources for small craft based businesses. We formed last fall with a small group of people when the opportunity to put on a craft fair presented its self. We are now looking to formalize the organization and get more people involved.

Create Denver Expo-
The Denver Office of Cultural Affairs is putting on Create Denver Week April 10-17.

We are looking for people to organize an event or events and possibly put together a proposal. The deadline for proposals is coming up fast, so we need to get organized pretty quickly. The proposal deadline is January 29th.

Ideas for programming generated at the meeting:
-A craft fair including maker demos, a ‘make and take away’ table, kid’s craft table, or kid’s shopping booth.
-A video interviewing crafters to be shown at the craft fair or a panel discussion during Create Denver Expo on April 10th.

The craft fair idea mostly needs a group to finalize craft fair programming so a proposal can be written. We’d like to have a meeting early next week to do that.
The video proposal needs a leader to head up the project. If anyone is interested, please let us know. As of now, we haven’t had any formal volunteers. We need someone commented to filming on the short time line before we submit the proposal.

If you’d like to help organized the craft fair, please email Crystal[at]denverhandmade.org with your availability next week.
If you’d like to pursue the creation of the video, please respond to this forum thread: http://denverhandmade.org/discuss/index.php?topic=8.0

Summer Market-
We want to do a large scale outdoor market this summer. If you’d like to help organize, please contact Brett at brett[at]vitalindustries.com.

Non-Profit Status-
We are looking to get set up as a proper organization. If you’d like to help out planning our organization structure contact Crystal. Anyone is welcome, and knowledge of the process is even better. We’re thinking of having a meeting the first week in February, so forward along your availability that week. Also, we are on the look out for possible board members!

Forums-
We now have forums up and running! Please feel free to use these to connect with others in the community. Uses for the forums that people generated at the meeting: sharing skills, sharing business knowledge, setting up equipment / tool shares, sharing craft fair experiences, ect.

Etsy Street Team-
Brett submitted to Etsy the names of those that signed up at the meeting. Etsy is working on developing more resources for teams and we will keep you posted as teams ramp up. If you haven’t signed up, the only requirement we have at the moment is coming to a meeting or event. While there get in contact with Brett and he will take your name down.

Member Links on the website-
If you signed up on the team sheet at the meeting, you will be added to the website. Otherwise, if you aren’t listed let Crystal know. Requirements for a listing on the website are the same as the team at the moment. At some point we may have a more formal member ship (possible dues?). We will deal with that when we get to it.

Calendar-
The website has a calendar with DHA events listed. This is also the place where deadlines and dates for craft fairs can and will be listed.

Blog-
We are encouraging people to contribute to the blog. So, if you have any handmade crafty topic you’d like to write about we’d love to have you. At one point we had thought of having a series interviewing crafty friendly shops in the area (those where you can sell your wares or purchase craft making supplies).
To contribute to the blog: click on Site Admin under Meta in the bottom right side bar. Create a user name and password. Then, email Crystal and she will enable you to write posts. If you need an in-person demo, let us know.

Workshop ideas-
Social media
Etsy
A couple people expressed interest in leading one of these workshops. Please contact Becky at becky[at]denverhandmade.org to work out the details. Also, if you have any other ideas, please let us know.

Misc. ideas/talking points-
Creation of a labs (similar to Etsy labs) where creatives can meet and work on projects.
DHA booths at craft shows (highlands street fair, national events)
Any ideas for planning a social event in February?

One last thing: Vital Studios is not ideal for these gatherings, so if anyone has location idea/leads we’d love to hear them!

Thanks!
The DHA team

The first event is our first meeting of the year!
When: Thursday, January 21st 6:30PM
Where: Vital Studios located in the upper level of The Other Side Arts (TOSA) 1644 Platte Street.

This meeting will also serve as a material swap so please feel free to bring unwanted crafting supplies and materials to trade with fellow crafters.
Please come prepared to discuss the following topics:

• The Denver Handmade Alliance’s participation with the upcoming Create Denver event: Create Denver Week is a week-long program that exemplifies Denver as the Creative Capital of the Rocky Mountain West by providing a platform that:
- showcases Denver’s talented and dynamic creative community, including individuals, associations, organizations and businesses;
- recognizes the contribution that the creative sector makes to Denver’s vibrancy and economic vitality;
- catalyzes the creative community to consider itself a cohesive collective and economic sector; and
- grows the creative sector through educational programming, inspirational dialogue and ideation.

• Moving forward what would you like to see from the DHA.
• Ideas for upcoming programs.
Please note these meetings are open to everyone and we’d love to meet those of you who have not yet attended a meeting.

Denver Handmade Alliance is spreading holiday cheer! Join us for a crafty gift swap on Tuesday December 15th at 7pm. The DHA holiday party is taking place in Vital’s Studio at The Other Side Arts, 1644 Platte St, Denver. Snacks to share potluck style are welcome, but not required.

Have a happy holiday season and look for our next meeting after the New Year!