Check out Robyne Robinson’s interview with our own Amy Rice in Minnesota Monthly!

“Outside the Lines”

Check out Robyne Robinson’s interview with our own Amy Rice in Minnesota Monthly!

Whether or not you’re a vendor in the No Coast Craft-o-rama sale or not, if you’re trying to make a business of your craft, you probably want to think about selling at a craft show. Deciding what shows to apply for and how to get prepared once you’re in can be a daunting task. No Coast Craft-o-rama co-organizer Trish Hoskins demystifies the process in an article she wrote called, “Confessions of a Craft Show Organizer.” It’s an excellent read for anyone who is thinking about getting involved in some craft shows this holiday season.

I attended the Nokomis Urban Craft Fair this weekend. I loved the bags by Tart Designs and I picked up a tie wallet from A Boy Named Coy. Fun! Did you do anything fun this weekend?

The new forum is up and running and ready for you! It’s a great place to post job opportunities, share information about upcoming events and talk about the business of being a crafter. It’s easy to get started, too. Just click Forum from the top navigation menu and register. In just a few clicks you’ll be ready to start connecting with the crafty community!

I just posted some great opportunities for crafters there, including a retail store looking for people and a job opening at Anchor Paper. Take a look! Also, if you are a local crafter, add yourself to the directory so craft lovers can find you!

If you really want to scare yourself, witness the environmental impact of plastic bags on the environment globally. It’s staggering how many we use, and heartening to see that countries all over the world are banning them. We No Coast organizers want to help our shoppers opt out of disposable bags, so we are launching a new product offering this year – the recycled, reusable tote. The new No Coast Craft-o-rama tote is an earth friendly cloth tote made from Ecophab™ – an upcycled fabric made from 100% recycled pop bottles. As an added bonus, the print process is water based and doesn’t create toxic waste. As an even BIGGER bonus, the paper used in the image transferring process is recycled – now THAT’S Earth Friendly!

If you’re a vendor, please encourage your friends and family to bring reusable bags to the event this year. We can make a difference!

Truth be told, Zeichen Press owners Fran and Jen Shea didn’t start a letterpress intending to be the next Hallmark. Sure, Zeichen can be sweet, but when you’d rather be honest, borderline snarky, Zeichen’s notecards are refreshingly blunt. The 30-something sisters-in-law have backgrounds in design—Fran formerly an art director and Jen previously worked as an interior designer—and both had been stay-at-home moms prior to starting the press. The Shea sisters use an antique press to make bold, new statements such as “I’m glad you’re having a baby and I’m not.” If it’s true, why not say what you feel? www.zeichenpress. com