Some photos of my new booth at Bazaar Bizarre!

Wow, what a weekend!

We basically had to build up stock for BazBiz in 2-3 weeks and I was stressing out about not having enough to actually put on display! It turned out ok though. I think people were delighted and there was a lot of giggling in my vicinity. I always like to make people giggle. Here’s a quick video montage. I never take enough video or photos at these things!

Bazaar Bizarre San Francisco 09 from Twinkie Chan on Vimeo.

I only got 1 hr of “sleep” on Friday night, and then took 3 hr nap when we got home. Since I was running out of brooches, I decided to make more and then I didn’t go to sleep until 7am again! Oops! So I’m sorry if I sounded completely idiotic to anyone who visited. I was probably running on 4% brain capacity at that point. I would’ve been falling asleep at my booth had it not been COMPLETELY FREEZING!!! AHHH! My fingernails were turning purple!

Hairy put an ad on Craigslist last week for me because we wanted an oven-ish display unit to go with my fridge-ish display unit. At first I was afraid that the unit was going to be way too huge and look weird next to my fridge, but after all the was painted and done, IT LOOKED AWESOME!!! We picked up the oven in Petaluma in the rain on Friday night, and it was totally worth it. I am hoping to store it up in the bedroom and use the shelves for tshirts and the “stove top” for other stuff, too. It’s perfectly awesome. She even put hooks on it, so that’s what the zipper clutches are hanging from.

Zambi came for visits!!!! And she brought me the cutest little necklace and phone dangly of a cartoon-me wearing a pizza scarf. She is so talented. I heart her! Also I met her mom who was super duper supremely nice!

During the craft fair, I made this peppermint candy scarf:

I put it up around 3pm on Sunday and it’s still for sale. It will be part of my big leftovers-Etsy-update which I am trying to have up tomorrow, but I have to shoot pics of everything!

From my experience this weekend, I have two new rules for being an awesome visitor at a craft fair.

1) Do not roll your eyes at price tags, or ask sellers how much something is and then say “WOW” out loud and put the item back (especially when there was also a SIGN that said how much the thing was!). It’s really rude and disrespectful. I respect that you might not like my stuff or might not have the money to buy it, and I don’t take that personally. But you need to respect the time and love that artists put into their items. I am not a sweatshop worker. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but it’s plain un-classy to insult someone to their face!

2) This should be so OBVIOUS but our booths ARE NOT GARBAGE BINS!!! HELLO!??!! Get a clue! Other crafters on Twitter were telling me that they always find trash at their booths, too. Come on, people. That’s just plain ridiculous. You’re grown-ups. And if you’re a kid, well, your grown-ups should have taught you better! ๐Ÿ˜›

I don’t mean to sound negative. I do appreciate the kind people who said hi and who made the effort to come out and see us all. It was rainy and yucky on Saturday, and still, people came to visit. Also the BazaarBizarre peeps gave us all snack baggies, which was way cool. Plus, my neighbor, Emily and her pals at Bird Mafia, were vegan so we got some extra goodies, too!

I wish I had more time to visit all the booths. I did a quick zoom around the place in the last half hour of the fair. I just felt bad to leave Hairy alone in our booth!

I look forward to going to Renegade Craft Fair next Sunday as a shopper :).

30 Comments on “Some photos of my new booth at Bazaar Bizarre!”

  • Rach (hello_nacho)

    says:

    This looks AMAZING!! I’m very excited to see what you have on Etsy soon ๐Ÿ™‚

    I can’t believe some people are so rude. It’s common sense not to be a wanker, but you have clearly shown that alot of folk are lacking in the sense department!!

    Get some well earned rest. You really are a creative star.

    Yay Twinkie!! >_<

    • Thanks, NachoMama!!! ๐Ÿ™‚ xox

  • Shrinkle

    says:

    Aww you met Zambi! She’s so cute. I’m sad I couldn’t make it out. Your new booth setup is rad. In the beginning of your video, I thought you were wearing a Santa hat to paint. I was trying to cook up juicy ways to make fun of you, then I realized it wasn’t a Santa hat. Boo!

    What the hell IS that garbage someone left on your booth? It looks like a dead fetus with its head wrapped in tin foil.

    • Zambi really is the super cutest. And so nice. You’d die.

      I’m actually wearing a head bandanna thingie that Hairy and his friend made to take pics for their radio show. I was hoping for the Karate Kid look! That’s tons of fodder for jokes!!!!!

      The fetus is a piece of freaking GUM. EW!!

      • zambicandy

        says:

        aww you guys are so sweet ;__; I think I look awful in that pic haha!!!

  • Abby

    says:

    I love seeing your stuff. It’s always so cute. I love your new displays.

    I love the Karate Kid part in the begining. So funny.

    I’m the daughter of a crafter, so I’ve worked more craft shows than I can keep count of. I totally understand the rudness of people. I got more of the random people eavesdropping on conversations my mom and I would have while people were shopping. Then they would make rude comments that I had to be nice back to them about so they would buy my mom’s stuff. After they left though, we totally talked about them…fun times. I’m glad the show gave you all snack bags, I wish we had done awesome shows like that…well we had free coffee, hot chocolate and donuts a few times, so it wasn’t all bad I suppose.

  • Marie

    says:

    See, this is why I couldn’t do this for a living–too thin-skinned! I’m sorry some people are such a-holes. ๐Ÿ™

    You are an amazin’ crochetin’ rockstar and my crafty inspiration, for sure!

    Wishing you tons o’ sleep…

  • piper....

    says:

    beauuuuutiful display, it completely stood out from the rest. somebody was just jealous of your booth so they left you their unborn child

  • Akasha

    says:

    OMG I LOVE YOUR BOOTH!!! What a cool idea!!!
    Was the fair worthwhile? Or was it just good for promotion?

  • vivianna

    says:

    ๐Ÿ™ I am sad that I could not come to this–I was home sick with the flu!

  • Shelbi

    says:

    I was there! Your stuff looks super cute in person. And I loved your display. I really wanted a shirt, but it’s hard to get my big boobs into AA shirts. ๐Ÿ™ They were adorable though. And so was everything else. ^-^

  • Cindy

    says:

    Your display was so cute!! Being part of a craft fair looks like it’s a lot of hard work but very rewarding in the end! I would love to be part of something like that some day. I can’t believe that it’s “normal” to find garbage left on your displays. That seems outrageous to me. After working retail I know people can be horribly rude but I guess I hold the crafty community to higher standards than your average person clothes shopping at a retail store. People can be such jerks. I hope there were much more sweeties than jerkies though. I can’t wait to see what was left over on Etsy! I might have to buy myself a Christmas present :3

  • omfg your booth looked freakin amazing! I would have went apeshit if I was there to see it. ๐Ÿ˜€

  • pinklamb

    says:

    That was very rude of the people to comment on your prices. I think your prices are reasonable because you figure in the cost of yarn, accessories for the item (ie buttons, beads, etc), and the time allotted to get done, it will cost! People who do not craft just dont take the time to think how much you put into the item. Plus you got to make some commission off of your item to buy more yarn and accessories to make more!! ๐Ÿ™‚

  • zambicandy

    says:

    I want to smack that person who left trash on your stuff ๐Ÿ™ Its not that hard to use a trash can!!!

    Also I hear tons of stories from people who go to conventions about people saying “this is so expensive” or people offering commissions and going “your prices are too high!” People lack tact :[

    ALSO IT WAS SUPER GREAT meeting you!!! ๐Ÿ˜€ I hope I wasn’t too awkward or anything! I’m always nervous meeting people and I was really pressed for time because my mom wanted to leave before it got dark! I’m so sad!! I didn’t know there was a room behind the other room that had silk screening and sewing machines! My mom told me afterward and I was all 8( !!

    Sorry for the essay haha!!! xoxoxo

  • Alexa

    says:

    Your ‘oven’ looks AMAZING!

  • emily

    says:

    I am so glad I got to meet you and I hope you make it by to visit me at Renegade next weekend!

  • Zannid

    says:

    Awesome display there. Also, that peppermint scarf is gorgeous. I pretty well love anything peppermint, but that is very pretty.

    How much are you selling it for, and will you be making more? We’re moving to another state soon so not sure if I can buy one at the moment.

  • Daisyrose

    says:

    Everything looks sooo sweet and your new display is just adorable! I came across this brilliant idea the other day… http://suttongrace.blogspot.com/2009/06/repurposed-entertainment-center.html?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed:%20blogspot/HUFI%20%28Higher%20Up%20and%20Further%20In%29&utm_content=Google%20Reader

    Keep up the good work and don’t let peoples comments hurt your feelings….some people are just having hard times right now and can’t easily afford the delish items they see.

    HAVE A SWEET HOLIDAY!

  • cristy

    says:

    Eep! Your items are just way too cute. I totally agree with you on the craft fair visitor rule! These things aren’t mass produced and it’s a lot of hard work and time put into it by the artist. It makes it all the more unique!

  • cristy

    says:

    i wish there were craft fairs in texas.. D: other than the ones at high schools sponsored by their athletic clubs..

  • Jules Chan

    says:

    Looks like you did really well despite the rude people and the rubbish thrown around.
    Theres always the ones who will be off putting but dont let them get you down, you know you will rise above the shitheads anyway.
    Have a lovely Christmas, did you say the Renegrade fair is on again?

  • Sandy

    says:

    I adore your art and I assume working for a craft fair is really hard work – you did a marvellous job, your booth looks like wonderland! Fantastic.
    I think in the US things are a little better than here though – round here people want personalized items (I scrapbook and make guestbooks and greeting cards, design my own art journal kits and embellishments) but aren’t willing to pay the price for this. I am not charging tons of money, I have also done projects where in the end I did not even get enough for the materials used. But I came across people telling me that a personalized guest book or card was too expensive and then went into the next shop and paid the same or more money. Sometimes I think they don’t have problems giving the money to a shop but they feel that they’ll make YOU rich when they give the money to you. So maybe it’s because as an individual artist you are not anonymous like a shop?
    I went to a shop shared by 5 artists last weekend and the people were buying stuff like mad there. I personally found it a little overpriced (it must be the posh neighbourhood), but that did not matter. If the same people were selling their items for the same price at the market I think they won’t have sold so much.

    Anyway I hope you make millions with your art and can buy a beautiful pink castle – as long as you show us pictures of it regularly ๐Ÿ™‚

    Sandy

  • Erica B.

    says:

    Wow, your booth looks so cute! You did a really great job of creating it. I can’t believe people would leave trash on it, but people can amaze you with the things they do.

  • Pickles

    says:

    My son has been selling his goods since he was four, and people will manhandle, try to barter with junk, say things like “I could get this at Walmart” or “This costs too much.” As his mom I want to start kicking shins, but in the end, I usually say thank you because now I know who to avoid… idiots!

  • Theresa

    says:

    The oven is perfectly adorable! The booth looks great- it is too bad some people don’t know basic stuff like where to put their garbage…

  • Maggi

    says:

    Wow, your display looks just like candy! That stove is the perfect addition to the fridge. Sorry some people were jerks, that makes no sense to me why they feel the need to act like that. Dumb butts…

  • Danielle

    says:

    Oh jeeze! when I found your blog i had to skip back and see if you posted anything about BB. I am completely turned off to shows at the moment and I didn’t even go Sunday, I actually did well on Saturday too it was just one the most cold and crap experiences i’ve had…blah ๐Ÿ™‚

    • I don’t historically like shows myself, but I’m so curious about this, that, or the other, that I randomly ended up doing 3 this year!!!!

      • Danielle

        says:

        the only other “big” show i’d done was BB at maker faire09 and the vibe was so different, the level of respect from people was really great. Your booth was SO CUTE and you have such quality work i just cant imagine someone leaving trash….*shakes fist* anywho i’ve been kicking myself for not buying your cupcake hat ever since ๐Ÿ™

        aaaaaand happy new year!

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