Gone To The Show

We're out of The Parlour this week but you can catch live updates from our début market at Make It! Vancouver on Google+, Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram... or see for yourself at the PNE Forum ~ you'll find us in Booth 147 =)

The Home Stretch

How was your week? Seems Old Man Winter has visited a few of our friends & family recently... hope everyone is keeping warm...

Well, we're in the home stretch ~ 6 more sleeps until Make It! Vancouver opens!! It's gone from counting the number of designs finished to counting down the number of colors left to complete. We still have a couple more projects to finish up for the show inventory ~ about a day's worth on stitch markers, one more shawl and some crocheted earrings. After that, it's all about prepping the packaging and doing a dry run of display set up... All in all, even with the nerve jitters & tiny worries, things are coming together nicely!

Shawls & Afghans ~ The "Dark Victorian" is started and needs one more day of stitching. The Tunisian baby pink afghan is about a quarter of the way completed and I'll be bringing that one to the show as one of my "Artisan At Work" projects. Everything else is freshly-laundered and ready for tagging.

The 2013 'Simply Elegant' Ornament Collection ~ Starching & blocking is caught up... counting down the colors left to hook up on the last design and those, too, will hit the pins & starch. The silk ribbon hanging loops are all cut to length, waiting to be attached.

A few more Beaded Stitch Markers & Hook Reminders to make... 

I have also been busy crocheting delicate thread-work earrings in a variety of colors and motifs. The earrings created in the studio are made with the last of the thread from the ornaments, so the selection will be varied. There will be an updated catalogue {beginning 09Dec13} on our Facebook page of what is currently available. Pictured below are Violet Diamonds ~ they measure 5cm {2"} long and sell for $25/pair.

Booth Display ~ Our new studio assistant, Ms. Betsy Mannequin, is ready to strut her stuff with the shawls. She will be doing a dress rehearsal this weekend. The technical end of the display is ready for testing as well. A couple of price lists to print and frame... With set up 6 days away, the weekend will be dedicated to the merchandising planogram. 

Packaging ~ As minimal as possible although still required to keep those treasures safe while  transporting and storing. Bags and boxes are purchased and ready for custom decorating. Methinks this is will be a job delegated to SD while I do up the product care cards ;-)

I will take a deep breath when I begin to feel overwhelmed and remember that I do have 30 years of customer service skills and over 10 years of retail sales experience under my belt... this is a walk in the park... memories of my assistant manager days, working Moonlight Madness & holiday sales in the only mall in Small Border-Town City!!

Back to the preps... come by the show if you're in Vancouver, check out the fabulous one-stop shopping opportunity ~ you're sure to find something for everyone on your holiday list... 

We'll have some live updates from the show next week ~ follow our posts on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and Google+... take care... we'll see you next time...

...here, In The Parlour =)

*Photos by SD Jackson, PixAppeal Photography

The Preps Continue

Booth Banner

How was your week? So hard to believe November is upon us! That means Make It! Vancouver is less than a month away... 18 more sleeps until we hit the PNE Forum to set up in Booth #147. 

PNE Forum Floor Plan for Make It! Vancouver Nov2013

I know I'm organized, with lists for my lists, but the nerves are starting to creep in... I'm remembering to breath in *and* out, slooowwwly ~ it's under control... I think... Here's a quick update on what we've crossed off those lists thus far:
Inventory {still working every day to reach the quota I set for the 4 day event}

• Shawls and Afghans ~ the higher price point items. I created a few of each as these are available year-round, crocheted upon request. A shawl, "Dark Victorian" ~lacy pineapple motifs in black~ and an afghan, as yet unnamed ~in a Tunisian stitch pattern with baby-soft pink and contrasting hot pink, orange & green~ are in the works.
• The 2013 'Simply Elegant' Ornament Collection ~ Sold in varying sets of 3, this limited edition collection will only be available at the show Nov. 28 - Dec. 1 and by special order until January 31, 2014 {New designs are already on the pattern design board for the 2014 holiday season}. I still need to do some blocking & starching on these. They also need their silk ribbon hanging loops before they are packaged in a decorative storage box to gently keep them safe for many years to come.
• Beaded Stitch Markers & Hook Reminders ~ Made special for crocheters {due to my own frustration at the lack of choices in available crochet markers}. These feature various sizes of removable clasps for fine, medium or chunky yarns. I also created a set of 2 markers to mark the 'right side/wrong side' of projects. A fantastic stocking stuffer gift for the yarnie on your list.

Beaded Crochet Stitch Markers. Sold in sets of 4.

 

Hook Reminders. Sold individually or as sets for fine, medium or large hooks.

Hang Tag with attached Business Card. For larger items.

Booth Display ~ a few things to add but pretty much ready for the mock up here in The Studio.     
Hang Tags ~ good to go. 
Business Cards ~ check.     
Tool Box ~ stocked.
Signage ~

• Banner ~ check.
• 'Square' Table Card & Stickers ~ we will be accepting Visa & MasterCard at the show, as well as cash ~ all in the 'office box' with the card reader.
• Price Lists ~ for the smaller items ~ need to do.
• Product Care Cards ~ also need to do.

That's about it for this week... time to turn out the lamp In The Parlour & return to The Studio for a few more hours this evening. 

Remember to mark the show times on your calendar if you'll be in the beautiful city of Vancouver for the end of the month ~ take in the show, see some gorgeous scenery, experience some delectable cuisines and do some fantastic shopping ~ a great way to spend a weekend!!

Until next time... safe journeys... keep well... see you again, soon =)

*Photos by SD Jackson, PixAppeal Photography

and ccthompson

Make It! Vancouver Preps

As the holiday craft market season preps shift into O-Ver-Drive for the next few weeks, the blog posts will be short & sweet... We're soooo excited for Carla's Victorian Heirlooms to be a vendor at one of Western Canada's hottest handmade markets ~November 28 to December 1~ Check out the fabulous list of exhibitors lined up for your fantastic shopping experience this season at the biggest Make It! Vancouver show ever!

Coupon

There are 3 ways to get a special admission discount:

1. Order your early bird discount tix here. 
2. Print the flyer above & show it at the door.
3. Save paper & show the coupon on your phone. 

There's also a chance to win the Grand Prize Giveaway package full of artisan-donated goodies... a silent auction with 100% of the proceeds going to the Union Gospel Mission... food trucks on site with dee-lish fare... and a beer garden {Cheers!}

Yikes! Only 27 more sleeps ~ back to the crochet hooks & bizi-ness...


Keep warm. Safe journeys... for more updates on our progress & some photos, join us next week...

...here, In The Parlour =)

Ornament Treasures

Wow! Hard to believe October is over in less than 10 days!! Where did it go?? It's very true that time flies when you're having fun... Most of my free time, along with allotted hours in the day & night, have been spent on preparations for the upcoming Make It! Vancouver craft show {head over to the page for details & discount coupons for admission} The crochet hooks have been twisting up a storm, creating new treasures since June when I learned I was accepted by the show's jury. It's very exciting to be moving from being "Front Door Meeter/Greeter-Hand Stamp Lady" to being a vendor with my own booth...  and Yes! I'm nervous, too, as this is my first big-city show!!

A holiday season craft show... I love handmade ornaments & decorations ~ combined with my tendency to think outside the box a majority of the time... hmmm... the results? The 2013 Limited-Edition Ornament Collection by Carla's Victorian Heirloom's ~ 4 different motifs; 13 different colors ~ each one individually handcrafted with heirloom quality, a treasure to pass to your future generations along with cherished memories... warm, happy thoughts lovingly wrapped into each stitch ~ the motif-style of these creations are suitable for displaying all year... a wonderful gift to mark a special occasion...

Here's a photo of some finished ornaments:

 Set of 3/$30 {Available at vendor booth beginning 28November13}

And here's what's "on the block":

Out of pins & out of starch... batch #2

This is the big one of the secret projects I've been working on the last few months and teasing you with {I'll show another one of the 3 in a couple of weeks}...

Simple Victorian elegance ~ a treasure sure to become a cherished heirloom for future generations...

Have an awesome week... see you next time... 

... here, In The Parlour =)

*photos by ccthompson