Denver Handmade Alliance

Looking for Something Fun this Memorial Day Weekend?

Ivy — Wed, 22 May 2013 16:01:47 +0000

Come support the launch of the Denver Fashion Truck! Denver Fashion Truck offers a variety of goods that include local made fashion, small works of art, vintage and modern gifts.

Fashion trucks are and emerging industry first starting in Boston. Denver Fashion Truck is helping to pioneer this industry in Colorado!

Markets and Fairs Workshop This Wednesday!

Erin — Wed, 22 May 2013 01:56:28 +0000

This workshop is a unique opportunity to get advice from very knowledgeable and successful handmade vendors. A rare chance to inquire into the market application process and learn how to be successful once you’ve been accepted!

Don’t miss this great opportunity!

Click here to RSVP on Facebook

New to selling at markets and fairs?
Ever wonder why you weren’t accepted to a market?
Thinking about starting to sell at out of state fairs?
Looking to increase profits?

There will be small groups lead by accomplished vendors and a question and answer panel with Kim from Sweet William Market and Dani from the Denver Handmade Homemade Market, along with jurors from other markets as well!

Tomorrow nights workshop is a unique opportunity to get advice from very knowledgeable vendors. A rare chance to inquire into the market application process and learn how to be successful once you’ve been accepted!

The workshop is free to all Denver Handmade Alliance members.

Not a member?
Not a problem!
Join the D.H.A. at the workshop for just $10.

Call for Vendors!!

Ivy — Wed, 15 May 2013 17:26:34 +0000

CALL FOR VENDORS!

Ivy — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:49:31 +0000

WHAT:

The “Better Block” project is a community revitalization effort that temporarily demonstrates how to improve
a public space with pedestrian and public infrastructure mixed with art, culture, pop-up businesses and street
life. For one day, the project will install pedestrian improvements, create seating areas, provide landscaping and
street furniture, incorporate art into the public space, provide live music, and more. Better Block aims to create
quick, inexpensive, high-impact changes that lead to permanent solutions for areas in Denver.

Building on the 2012 success of Better Block Jefferson Park, WalkDenver along with community partners is
working on the 2013 Demonstration. The target area for this project is 24th Street between California and
Welton Streets and Sonny Lawson Park in the historic African American community of Five Points in Denver.
While designated as a Pedestrian Corridor in the North East Downtown Area Plan, 24th Street and adjacent
historical Sonny Lawson Park have been neglected and present conditions are substandard and unsafe. Better
Block project will aim at low-cost improvements to the quality of the built environment that will result in an
inviting and vibrant public space essential to the social and economic health of the community. Many of the
improvements introduced during the event will become permanent amenities in the park.

The event program includes life music, ballet performance, gardening demonstrations, story time, walking tours,
bike rides, food trucks, tennis, yoga, dance walking, youth marketplace and much more!

To view the video of 2012 Better Block go to:

WHO: WalkDenver along with Denver Arts and Venues, Volunteers of America Colorado Chapter, Kentwood
Properties, Additional Postage Required and community partners.

WHEN: May 11th, 2013 (10AM – 5PM)

WHERE: 24th Street between California and Welton Streets and Sonny Lawson Park in the historic Five Points in
Denver.

WEB – http://betterblockfivepoints.com/

SPRING HORSESHOE MARKET

Ivy — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:42:10 +0000

Spring Horseshoe Market

Saturday, May 11th, 9 am-4 pm

4345 W. 46th Ave, in the parking lot behind Olinger Moore Chapel, Free admission.

An outdoor market featuring over 115 Colorado artists, crafters and vintage collectors–food trucks, interactive crafting and more! Rain, snow or shine.

For more information go to http://www.horseshoemarket.com

Call for Vendors!

Ivy — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 21:35:06 +0000

5 DAYS LEFT!

Calling all local, handmade artisans - Firefly Handmade Summer Market applications are open just 5 more days, through April 29! We’re fluttering with anticipation of fresh, new, cool, handmade artisan products to add to our markets. It’s a great way to celebrate Summer and introduce your goods to our 4,000+ shoppers!

And remember, save the weekend of June 29 & 30, 10am-5pm, to meet your Firefly friends at the former Sutherland’s Lumberyard, 3390 Valmont, Boulder, CO. We’ll be all abuzz as we celebrate Summer in Firefly style!

Apply through April 29!

Don’t Miss Out on the Summer Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market!

Ivy — Fri, 19 Apr 2013 17:32:06 +0000

The application deadline for the Summer Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market is Monday, April 22nd!

Don’t let this Market pass you by! Horseshoe has been voted “Best Flea Market” in Denver for 3 years in a row!

Monday Member Spotlight: Meghan Throckmorton of Rakun

AmyKalinchuk — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 12:00:05 +0000

Please describe your craft business. What was your impulse for starting it?

My dad started his own business when he was 16, and my mom is an artist so crafty entrepreneurship is in my blood. My sister and I used to beg my dad to drive us to the city market at 4 am so we could get a good spot to sell friendship bracelets and flower pens. I’ve flirted with various craft businesses all my life, but I didn’t start thinking about pursuing anything in earnest until about 8 years ago when I started a little handmade jewelry business. I was living in California, and, in addition to selling in my own online store and on Etsy, I worked hard to get my work into local shops, too. Some of the retail experiences were awesome, but it sometimes it was really frustrating.

I kept thinking about what I would do differently or similarly if I had a store. The more I thought about it, the more I really wanted to open this store in my imagination: somewhere supportive where new designers could give retail a try and everyone could find a selling model that fit their business plan. That plan stayed in the back of my mind until I moved to Denver 5 years ago. When my husband and I started looking to buy a home, we searched for a live/work so I could have the convenience of living close to the shop. (The perfect plan for me since I HATE driving!) Owning the shop property would also help keep costs down so I could have that flexible business model I dreamed of.

We found the perfect little spot in the Art District on Santa Fe. Well, it took a lot of imagination to see that perfection and then even more sweat, but we’re getting there. The shop is in a little 113 year old house at the front of the property, and we live 20 steps behind the store in another little house, just across our courtyard garden. It’s great to live and work in this little oasis right in middle of the city. My husband is a landscape designer, and he has worked wonders turning our little pile of dirt into a lush world of berries, fruit trees, flowering native plants, and a wall of tomatoes that towers over our fence!

Right now, there are 51 Denver designers in the shop, and I carry a colorful mix of women’s and kids’ clothes and accessories. I make a lot of the store collection myself, too. Lately, I’ve been making a lot of clothing and embroidered jewelry. I’ve also been into hand carving stamps and stamping everything from shoes to shirts to note cards! I’m researching shoe construction, too, and I’m excited to get going on some plans for simple satin flats that would be cute with holiday dresses.

I also just published an eguide on selling in stores, and I’m working on some more crafty business guides! I noticed a need for various business services in the community, so I’m offering lots of help in things like graphic design, web design, branding, marketing, etc. I like to trade these services or offer them at a really affordable rate to take some of the pressure off indie business owners.

I spend a lot of time marketing and promoting and doing what I can to help other crafty business folk, so I don’t get to craft as much as I would like. I have a great time no matter what I’m doing, though, because I’m doing what I love. Oh, and I’m also the voice behind the DHA newsletters–I’m the new VP!

What do you consider to be the most important personality trait of an entrepreneur?

Before I opened the shop, I would have said confidence. When you have a dream, that first step seems almost impossible. Now, I definitely see that patience and flexibility are critical if you want to stay in business. Oh, and remember to have fun! Even when I’m doing tough tasks like paying sales tax, I remind myself how awesome it is to be doing exactly what I dreamed about and I can’t help smiling.

What piece of advice do you wish you had, when starting your business?

I got a lot of great advice from a lot of people, especially my dad and my ever patient husband, Jammer. The two key points to getting started for me were to just go for it, even if it isn’t perfect yet, and keep costs low. The advice I still need to hear every day is to be patient and keep networking and trying new things. For other business help, click here!

Who in Denver do you admire? Who is your crafty hero?

The list of people I admire in Denver could fill several blog posts! The creative community here is so vibrant, and there are tons of people getting out there and doing what they love. Since I’m a bit of a community organizer type, I really admire folks who are brilliant organizers like Samuel Schimek, Brandi Shigley, and Becky Wareing Steele. They’ve really been great mentors for me. My crafty hero is my youngest sister, Natale. She just opened a similar shop and open screen print studio in Kansas City. I admire her for being so bold and leading the craft movement in a town that doesn’t yet offer indie crafters a lot of options. She’s 8 years younger than me, but really brave, tough, and wise.

What’s the best show you did last year?

I don’t do a lot of shows since I have the shop, but I’ve done a couple of fun popups in my vintage camper. Firefly Gypsy Farm Market went really well. I also did an event at Emily Griffith Technical College that was surprisingly successful. I love getting into those last minute events that introduce my work to a completely new market. Plus, they had great food and a multicultural musical parade that was super fun.

Where can we find you online?

Awards:

2012 Westword Best Santa Fe Drive Boutique

2012 Denver A List 3rd place best women’s boutique

My organization, DIBS, also got 2012 Westword Best Gathering of Indie Clans. I formed this group in November 2011 because I was always trying to point shoppers to other boutiques carrying local design like Fast Geek Boutique and Fashion Denver up the street. I often drew little maps which led me to the idea of printing maps of the boutiques carrying local design. I ended up forming Denver Independent Boutiques, or DIBS, with 10 other shops right around the kick off to the holiday season. We help support and promote each other, and we have events together like boutique crawls and little markets. Now, there are 14 official members, and several more shops working on getting info to me.

Call for Vendors: Sweet William Market 2013

admin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 15:03:03 +0000

We’re always adding to the Sweet William family. If you’d like to pitch your tent this season, applications are considered all season, beginning in February.

Apply here.

Call for Vendors: Spring Horseshoe Market

admin — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 14:56:32 +0000

Wishing you all a healthy, happy and peaceful New Year! 2012 was an incredible year for us and we are so excited to head into 2013, bringing you more amazing markets filled with Denver and Colorado’s best artists, hand-makers and vintage collectors! We are truly grateful for your support and for making the Horseshoe what it is!

If you’re interested in becoming a vendor, please note that online applications will open for the Spring Market on February 1st. Thanks for your patience!

Many fantastic sponsorship and marketing opportunities exist with the Horseshoe. Please email Doug@HorseshoeMarket.com to find out how you can be involved.

The Horseshoe Craft & Flea Market is a seasonal, open-air market in Denver’s Berkeley neighborhood featuring over 100 art, craft, design and vintage vendors at each market. Markets run from 9 am-4 pm and are located at 46th & Tennyson in the parking lot behind Olinger Moore Howard Chapel (4345 W. 46th Ave).