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- Craftcation 2023
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- Upcoming Shows
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Ever wondered what a Craftcation feels like? 📷

Ever wondered what a Craftcation feels like? 📷 Picture this: Five life-changing days packed with 200+ craft classes, business workshops, social parties & gatherings, and wellness activities (🧘‍♀️yoga and meditation on the beach anyone?) all at the sunny California beach! ☀️✨

If this sounds like your kind of party, discounted early bird registration is now OPEN! 🎉

📣 PSST: We’re not bluffing; we sell out every year. Don’t hit snooze on this!

In search of your people? Look no further! Finding folks who embrace the quirks, cherish creative chaos, and are fueled by the desire to share their craft with the world can be a challenge. But fear not, we’ve made it a breeze. These are the kindred spirits who flock to our Craftcation Conference each year.

Craftcation isn’t just about honing your creative skills; it’s about discovering a community that gets you, celebrates your uniqueness, and pushes you to showcase your creations to the world. 🌈✨

Ready to dive into a sea of inspiration, laughter, and salty air? We can’t wait to welcome you to our community! 🌊🎨

#communityovercompetition #craftcation #venturabeach #smallbizowner #smallcraftbusiness #craftshowprep #arttherapy

NEW Tustin show date! Applications are open! The

NEW Tustin show date! Applications are open!

The moment we have all been waiting for is here!

The reschedule of our Tustin show has been finalized and we will be back in Orange County, December 16th from 11am - 5pm.

Want to know what’s even better?

We will have more spots for vendors! So join us in @oldtowntustin surrounded by historic buildings and great local shops and restaurants.

If you haven’t applied yet, join the vendor waitlist!

If you were a vendor for Tustin be sure to check your email for what to do next, if you already submitted an application or waiting list application, DON’T fill out a new application, just email spaulding@dearhandmadelife.com and let her know what size booth you want. Have questions? Send us a DM and we will help you out!

#tustin #orangecounty #holidaygifts #holidayshopping #shopsmall #craftshow

Join us TODAY in Sebastopol & shop local from 11am

Join us TODAY in Sebastopol & shop local from 11am-5pm! We’ll have 50+ local makers, 🧵🎨 free craft activities, a fine arts show curated by the Sebastopol Centre for the Arts at the same time indoors and more! ☀️🛍️🍂
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀
As always, @thepatchworkshow is free, family + pet friendly. We can’t wait to hang out and support local biz!

The Fall 2023 @thepatchworkshow schedule:
🏖 Long Beach @marinestadium 10.29
☀️ Ventura @downtownventura 11.5
🌉 Oakland @jacklondonsq 11.18
🌳 Redwood City @cityofredwoodcity 11.26
🎨 Sebastopol @sebastopolarts 12.2
🛳 San Pedro @craftedportla 12.10
🌆 Tustin @oldtowntustin 12.16

P.S. Applications are closed BUT you can still apply for our waiting list. DM me waiting list and I’ll send you a link to the waiting list application.

#craftshow #sebastopol #sonomacounty #holidayshopping

More people than not in our community of creatives

More people than not in our community of creatives struggle with anxiety, depression or another mental health disorder. I know this because during our monthly mentorship sessions in The Club (our community for creative small business owners to get guidance and mindset support) someone mentions what they’re going through. It makes me (and the other creatives in the group) feel less alone, seen and welcome.

Yeah, in our meetings we do proactive work on our businesses… we set goals, hold each other accountable, share resources, I do one-on-one mentorship, etc. but the moments where we get vulnerable with each other - when one person says they’re struggling with impostor syndrome and it’s amping up their anxiety or their motivation is down because of depression or their inner critic won’t shut up and it’s triggering something... Those are the moments that bond us and help with the mindset shifts we need to define and move towards whatever our individual idea of success is.

My creativity has helped me get through some dark times. When my anxiety is out of control, I know I can turn to journaling to get some relief. It’s not like it makes it all go away but it helps. It’s part of my toolbox of coping skills. The other thing that’s a huge part of how I’m able to run my business with at times crippling anxiety and OCD is community.

It’s knowing I’m not alone. It’s having people to support and be supported by. It’s being in a community where you are seen just as you are and welcome others in that way.

If you’re looking for your people... Craftcation is where I (and many others) found a community that made me feel understood. 🎨💖 Join us next April for five beach days in California where you’ll:

🤗 Feel embraced by hundreds of strangers.
👩🏿‍🎨 Connect with art makers & supporters, authenticity seekers, and growth mindset badasses.
🎨 Choose from 200+ craft & business workshops, wellness activities, and social gatherings.

👋 I can’t wait to welcome you into our band of creative weirdos!

🎟️ Discounted early bird registration closes soon!
Wondering if Craftcation is right for you? 📩 DM me!

Hey holiday shoppers, Here is what you have been s

Hey holiday shoppers, Here is what you have been searching for...

Say good by to the mall and mainstream retailers and hello to a vibrant day in San Pedro, where local magic awaits!

Discover the joy of community over competition at our @thePatchworkShow with over 100 vendors at @Craftedportla. Support these artisans, find unique gifts and feel good about shopping local.

Plus... delicious food trucks and local brews from @brouwerijwest will keep you fueled up when you get creative with free craft activities in select booths.

See you on 12/10, 11am - 5pm at Crafted at the Port of LA in San Pedro!

AND HERE'S THE BEST PART!
Admission is free for everyone! So gather your loved ones, including the furry friends, for a day of fun, creativity and community.

For more event details follow @thepatchworkshow and sign up for our emails.

🏖 Long Beach @marinestadium 10.29
☀️ Ventura @downtownventura 11.5
🌉 Oakland @jacklondonsq 11.18
🌳 Redwood City @cityofredwoodcity 11.26
🎨 Sebastopol @sebastopolarts 12.2
🛳 San Pedro @craftedportla 12.10
🌆 Tustin @oldtowntustin 12.16

#patchworkshow #craftshow #makersmarket #holidayshopping #holidayshoppingmadeeasy

@twogenerationsart
@goldenbaycreative
@mermaid_moxie
@thecraftartshop
@glassellcandleco
@roschbakehaus
@wendysaurus_tufts
@ahrongkimart
@mcgee_pottery
@otebt
@cahteh
@ilovekittees
@flowerchildhair
@thetravelingstones
@tcbjewelryshop
@mngotty
@creaciones.pequenitas
@yaisnaturals
@laurenmakesitwork
@ineverdraw

When I was in high school I worked at a vintage st

When I was in high school I worked at a vintage store. It was my dream to work there. When some dreams come true, you see all the cracks in your fantasy but in this case it’s was pretty darn near perfect.

I dressed the mannequins (pretty sure that’s where my short stint as a Hollywood costumer 10 years later came from). I reorganized the store any way I wanted (finally a place for my OCD to shine). Window/store displays were 100% mine (my childhood obsession with dioramas came in handy). I got a discount and first pick of everything that came in.

My bosses were an “old” (to me at 16 year old although they were probably only in their 20s or 30s) couple of punk rockers with bleached hair and tattoos that looked like they were done with a blunt needle and ink from a ballpoint pen.

I was a Catholic school girl who wore plaid skirts and white button up shirts from 9-3 Monday-Friday but after school and on the weekend, I dressed like I’d just come out of a time machine from the 1950s and smoked cigarettes as I rung people up while Iggy Pop blared from the boombox on the shelf behind the counter.

It was a magical time when I look back with my rose-colored glasses. There were moments of magic but also feeling scared being in the store at night alone, wondering if my bosses thought I was doing a good job and spending hours cleaning (spraying Windex and rubbing spots with a paper towel) garbage bags full of clothes my bosses dropped off from their hauls at the by-the-pound wholesalers.
[con’t in comments 👇👇👇]

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