Setting Up Shop At Warm Springs, GA

WARM SPRINGS, GA

Left side of the street...

Right side of the street. My cards are in the shop that's circled "Southern Magnolias"

If you have never been to Warm Springs and you live in Georgia, you have to visit! There is a lot of history there and they always have a lot of festivities going on around the Holidays. Warm Springs was the adopted  hometown of President Franklin Roosevelt. They also have a quaint little shopping center for you to visit. There is a restaurant called "The Bulloch House". A restaurant that used to be fresh home cooked meals buffet style in a beautiful house that's over 100 years old, has now been taken over by new owners and all their food seems to come from a can nowadays. That's the only negative I have about Warm Springs. I would recommend visiting the shops beside it, but go to one of the places to eat in the town where all the shopping is.

Anyway, Anya, myself, my mother, sister-in-law and her baby all went to Warm Springs to visit. I have always thought to put some things for sale in one of their shops, but seemed like I was always moving around to where I couldn't commit. Also, I have a fear of committing and not selling anything. So we visit and we go into this shop "Southern Magnolias". This store has always been my favorite filled with booths from local artists, crafters and collectors. So I ask her how much a section is. She mentioned renting a shelving unit for $25.00/month. What a great deal! So I got her number and was planning on renting next year. Well, my mother-in-law threw me a curve ball and rented me a booth. So this past weekend I had a love affaire with my cards and envelopes. It took me days just to get an inventory of about 50 packs and that's even after I cut them down from 10 cards to 5 per pack!

My plan is to rent through the holiday season and see how I like it. They have a few events happening that brings a lot of traffic into the town:

 Saturday, November 5 - 10 am - 3 pm Fala Day in Warm Springs -  Merchants in downtown Warm Springs will host Fala Day. 

 Friday, Saturday, November 18, 19  10 am - 10pm & Sunday Nov. 20 - 12 noon - 6 pm 28th Annual Candlelight Tour Festival in Warm Springs Village! Experience Christmas the Warm Springs way!  Start your holiday season here in Warm Springs!  Entertainment, candlelit streets, refreshments and more!  Shops open til 10 PM on Friday and Saturday, Nov. 18 and 19.  (Regular hours observed Sunday thru Thursday).  Tradition will continue with our "After Candlelight" festivities when shops will remain open late each weekend until Christmas.

Friday, November 18 - Candlelight Tour Run - 1 Mile - 9:30 pm, 5K - 10:00 pm.  Chamber of Commerce in Downtown Warm Springs.  The course is a fun, rolling, race through the holiday-season lighted downtown Warm Springs.  Both races begin and end at the Chamber of Commerce building at 91 Broad Street. 
   

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December

Shop Warm Springs!   Shops have extended WEEKEND hours this holiday season (beginning Nov. 25) - each Friday and Saturday night until Christmas,  shop with us til 9:00 pm.  (Regular hours observed Sunday through Thursday). Share your holiday season with us in Warm Springs!  Our town is beautifully decorated with thousands of tiny sparkling  lights, green garland and red bows!  Streets and walkways are lined with candles.  From the moment you step out of your car you'll feel the excitement of Christmas!  Hear the clip-clop of the horses?  That's our horse drawn carriage giving rides to shoppers. 

Hear the music?  Sounds of Christmas drift throughout town.  Smell the wonderful aroma?  Enjoy refreshments served by many of the local shops. Visiting Warm Springs will surely put you in the holiday mood!   Front door parking and warm friendly faces to greet you and fantastic prices that can't be beat!  We're open every day year 'round!  Shop weekdays and Sundays til 6:00 pm AND, beginning Thanksgiving weekend (Nov 25) until Christmas, shop til 9 pm on Friday and Saturday.  Candlelight tradition began back in 1983 during a major renovation of Warm Springs when one shop owner rolled a piano onto the sidewalk.  Customers were invited to share in the playing and singing of traditional Christmas carols.  As night time approached, the sidewalks were lit with candles and the music continued for hours!  Today, we continue that candlelight tradition. During this Christmas season - shops have extended their weekend hours.  Each Friday and Saturday night until Christmas we'll be open til 9:00 pm.  (Regular hours observed Sunday through Thursday).

Come and experience the warmth of Warm Springs...

Warm town...Warm people...™ Warm Springs, Georgia!

(http://www.warmspringsga.com/calendarofevents.htm)

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Anya enjoying the fountain at one of the cool local shops.

 I loved this picture of her.

Usually Anya likes being around Noa, I guess not today, lol!

That was our trip and how my crazy weekend started! How was your weekend?

Sample Z BOX - Zibbet

HOLA! Well I felt the need to blog about the sample Z BOX!  What is a Z BOX you ask??  Well first you need to know what Zibbet is.  Zibbet is a an online store of artists and crafters. I have a shop there and you can visit it here.  Z BOX is a wonderful box you can purchase here that is stuffed full of wonderful goodies from various Zibbet shop owners! They are always changing things up so there are different samples all of the time. I sent in 20 of my cards with envelopes with them and my fancy new business cards I got from "MOO".

  Go check it out if you haven't already! You will not be dissapointed!

Arts and Craft Show Ideas and Sexy Aprons, what?????

OK, so here it goes again.  My whole post just got deleted. Don't you hate it when that happens?  So I have some ideas for my arts and crafts show I'm doing next year.  I believe your booth display is just as important as the items you're selling.  You want to get people in your booth and keep them there.  So I'm going to use the colors pink and black again or Tiffany blue and black so it's not too girly.  Also I was shocked that I didn't see any artist doing their craft in the booth when I went to a show here in town.  So I'm going to bring my easel, canvas, paints and brushes. Hopefully this will bring people in my booth and get them more interested in buying my art.  I will definately be selling prints no question.  Also, I am trying to think of a completely different way to display my work than the norm.  Also, I ran accross this shop on Etsy called Dot's Diner.  She sells the cutest retro 50's style aprons.  Normal art aprons are bulky plastic things or just plain ugly.  So I'm going to save up and get one of these sexy little numbers! I'll probably wear capris under them with a tank top. I don't want to offend anyone at the show. lol!  I know you're thinking "Wont you get paint all over it?  I'll probably get a little bit of paint, but overall I'm a pretty clean painter so I'm not too worried about it.  Also, I think it gives it a little bit of character.  Below I have listed some of her items that I adore. Go visit her shop at http://www.etsy.com/shop/dotsdiner .

Do you have any crative ideas to display art in an arts and crafts show?  I would love to know!

A Work IN Progress + Arts and Crafts Shows

Ok, so I started this painting before I left for GA over the weekend.  I got pretty far when I got back. Especially after the Casey Anthony trial ended, which BTW I'm pissed about the outcome.  Anywho, This piece is close to being done. I've got a nouveau border to paint around her and some butterflies along with touching her up.  The border is going to be incorperated along with her and what she is sitting on.  Confused?  You will see when I'm done!

So my previous post was "To craft show or not to craft show", or something of that matter.  Over the weekend my husband and I were talking in the car and this came up.  I told him how I would like to do it but it was going to be more money than I will probably make, but I like doing them and it's good for publicity.  Well, he then made a good point. He said "I don't care if you make any money off of it. You like to do it, right? You enjoy it? I don't make any money off of fishing, but I spend money on it because I like doing it". So that's that....I'm going to do it next year!  I'm going to try and kick it up to high gear and get a lot of paintings done.  I plan on entering the Lazy Daez show here in NC. They have to accept you first so *fingers crossed*. 

Here is my newest "work in progress".......

To Craft Show or Not to Craft Show?

I know I think I'm late for any craft shows this year anyway.  I have done 3 craft shows in the past but I only sold crafty things. Crafty things such as; guitar pick earrings, heating pads, kid's ice packs....that sort of thing.  Well I have come to the relization that I don't really enjoy making those things, they just sell a lot faster than original artwork.  Now that I'm full on doing my artwork and getting into making prints, I'm wondering if I want to throw down the money to make prints to do an arts & crafts show.  Am I going to dig myself a money pit?  When you see artwork, it's always displayed in a wonderful professional way.  Well, I would want to jazz it up a little bit.  make it more funky and exciting for people. 

Has anyone done an arts and craft show with their artwork and prints? How well did you do?  How was your setup?