My Biggest Show Yet Two weeks ago I was in Chicago, at the One of a Kind Show + Sale. This show had been on my art show wish list for a while, and I'm really proud that I accomplished it this year! About 70,000 people shopped this holiday show and over 600 artists exhibited. ApplyingI hadn't felt ready to apply for this large, well-known show until this past spring, when I figured, why not just apply and see if I get in? And, what do you know? I got accepted! Which was thrilling! Even so, I had a hard time deciding whether to go for it or not. It has a very expensive booth fee, and I was still waiting to hear if I received the grant for which I had applied. In the end, my "nothing venture, nothing gained" attitude pushed me to do it. PreparationThere were many times over the past six months when I felt that I wouldn't have enough time to make all the items I wanted to bring with me. And I certainly didn't make everything on my to-do list. (In fact, I spent quite a bit of unplanned time learning to draw and paint with pastels. Whoops!) But, it turns out, knowing I was going to do this show so far in advance gave me plenty of time to prepare. I had more than enough inventory with me. One Week Pre-ShowThe best decision I made was to take an entire week before the show to do prep work. Hesitantly, I set aside the remaining partially-completed purses on my work table. Instead, I spent that final week packing and prepping my products, preparing for my booth set up, and accomplishing tasks for my time away from home. It was wonderful; I arrived feeling calm and stress-free. And I didn't encounter any of those "Oh no, I forgot to do/bring " moments. The Show
Top 3 Things I Will Do Again |
 Our reflection in "The Bean" |  Hanging wall art |
| 2. Create an area with all my information in one place. This worked so well and I'm really glad I did it. A large sign allowed shoppers to easily find out who I am and what I do. Then, if they wished, they could read my bio, as well as pick up a business card to take along with them. |  |
| 3. Have a final day sale. Personally, I do not like sales for handmade products and art. It doesn't make sense to me to have sales, because I try my best to give a quality product at the best price I can, always. And honestly. it can be hard to turn a profit as an artist. Even so, I felt that a final day sale at a 4-day long show made sense. I wanted to reduce my inventory to take home and I wanted to turn last day lookers into buyers. Since it was just a one-day thing, and only for in-person sales, I felt okay about doing it. |  |
Final Thoughts
I wholeheartedly enjoyed the show. Yes, it is expensive. But it's also very well run. The workers at The Mart are enormously helpful. The show staff work hard to ensure the artists have everything they need. It's not too far of a drive, about 6-7 hours from Minneapolis. While I didn't sell near as much as I had hoped, I still signed up for next year. I have confidence this particular show will get better for me as I build upon my first year.
Thank You
Thank you to my wonderful, supportive husband. Thank you to my parents who babysat our three kids and two cats while we were away for 6 days. Thank you to my amazingly friendly booth neighbors. I love meeting other artists!
And last, but not least... Thank you to all the kind and friendly people who visited my booth. I am exceptionally grateful for my wonderful customers, new and returning! Your support allows me to keep doing what I love. Thank you!
See you next year, Chicago!
And last, but not least... Thank you to all the kind and friendly people who visited my booth. I am exceptionally grateful for my wonderful customers, new and returning! Your support allows me to keep doing what I love. Thank you!
See you next year, Chicago!
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| An unexpected year of sharks reinforced the idea that there is no path, you make the path as you go. But, it's also gotten me thinking. Yes, sometimes it's a good idea to ride the wave when it's coming in. But, maybe other times it's wiser to go against the flow. In order to make progress on my art, I may need to be more mindful to stay on task this year. |
I started last year with intentions of spending a whole lot of time exploring my new love: wall art. I got through the winter and the spring creating new works and exploring new ideas. It was thrilling!
I made my first sale of wall art at the American Craft Show in April, where I was also awarded the Award of Excellence in Booth Design. Things were looking good! Then, my handbag line got picked up by the prestigious Walker Art Center's gift shop, as well as the UptownMN shop in the MSP Airport. I was so happy!
And then came mid-summer. Unexpectedly, the year turned into (cue the Jaws theme music: dun dunnnnnn, dun dun dunnnnnnn... ) The Year of the Shark.
I made my first sale of wall art at the American Craft Show in April, where I was also awarded the Award of Excellence in Booth Design. Things were looking good! Then, my handbag line got picked up by the prestigious Walker Art Center's gift shop, as well as the UptownMN shop in the MSP Airport. I was so happy!
And then came mid-summer. Unexpectedly, the year turned into (cue the Jaws theme music: dun dunnnnnn, dun dun dunnnnnnn... ) The Year of the Shark.
The Year of the Shark
| At the end of July, with a single day's warning, Etsy chose to feature my 'Out to Sea' Shark Bite Pouch on their front page. This launched a tidal wave of orders! Only a few weeks into the feature, I was booked with 12 weeks worth of work! At that point, I removed all Shark Bite pouches from my Etsy shop to stem the tide of incoming orders. |  Etsy's front page July 25 - August 31, 2017 |
Of course I was beyond thrilled with the orders, the feature, and the attention. However, after weeks and weeks of shark-making, I started to feel disappointed that I didn't have time to work on new pieces of textile art -- or anything else, such as handbags, bug purses, or even blog posts (note my long absence from blogging last year).
As Autumn rolled around, I was ready to stop making sharks and get back to my explorations of art.
As Autumn rolled around, I was ready to stop making sharks and get back to my explorations of art.
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But, the Year of the Shark didn't stop there.
My favorite retailer, Uncommon Goods, was looking to get in on the shark action! After a smattering of small orders, they suddenly placed an order for 120 sharks (!) in November. I almost told them, "No thanks, I've had enough of sharks for the year." But, I challenged myself to take the order and completed 120 sharks in just three weeks.
My favorite retailer, Uncommon Goods, was looking to get in on the shark action! After a smattering of small orders, they suddenly placed an order for 120 sharks (!) in November. I almost told them, "No thanks, I've had enough of sharks for the year." But, I challenged myself to take the order and completed 120 sharks in just three weeks.
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Now that was an epic finale to the unexpected Year of the Shark!
Conclusions
How many sharks did I actually make last year, you ask? I've crunched the numbers and it turns out that I made approximately 440 Shark Bite and Baby Shark Bite pouches last year.
That comes out to about 5 months worth of working on sharks full-time!
What got me through such an intensive amount of time creating sharks? Well, it was helpful to have a vacation to look forward to!
That comes out to about 5 months worth of working on sharks full-time!
What got me through such an intensive amount of time creating sharks? Well, it was helpful to have a vacation to look forward to!
| I ended the year with a much needed break: a family dream-vacation in Maui, Hawaii. Although, I didn't see any sharks, I did see: humpback whales, eels, an octopus, sea turtles, manta rays, and loads of fish and coral! I went scuba diving, surfing, snorkeling, whale watching, and spent plenty of time swimming in the sea and exploring the island. It was wonderful. |  |
Now I'm back in my studio, thinking about the year ahead. I plan to make some changes. I'm ready to make this year The Year of Exploring Textile Art. And so that it doesn't get away from me again, I'll have to do things a little bit differently.
I think sharks will need to take a back burner if I want to make progress on my art.
First, however, I have an order of 30 sharks to complete...
Happy New Year!
Tiny and oh-so-cute! Guppy and goldfish pouches are a must have. And now there are five new colors in the shop.
Let me introduce you to all the adorable "pet fish" currently available. They are hungry! And they are excited to go home with you!
Let me introduce you to all the adorable "pet fish" currently available. They are hungry! And they are excited to go home with you!
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You know, I really don't do all that many craft shows, but my absolute favorite part of selling in person is that I get to watch people's faces. Why? Because they almost always break out in a smile at first seeing my work! And my guppy and goldfish pouches repeatedly get the most smiles!
It makes me so happy to know that I'm not alone in thinking that these fish are simply too adorable not to love!
It makes me so happy to know that I'm not alone in thinking that these fish are simply too adorable not to love!
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I do my best to spread joy and happiness with my work. I'm so excited that these cute and colorful fish pouches bring joy to children and adults alike!
I hope you'll take one home with you!
I hope you'll take one home with you!
As always, my items are lovingly handmade with care, and quantities are limited.
Which fish brought a smile to your face today? I'd love to hear from you! You can connect with me on social media, through email, or add a comment below.
Every summer, for a single week, my sharks get to shine! They love the spotlight, so it's perfect that they have their own week. And, here it is again; this is the week!
Here's what's going on this week:
- Name the Shark contest! Going on now on my Facebook page. You could win a $15 gift certificate to my shop!
- Free U.S. Shipping on all Shark Bite pouches! Through July 4th, 2016. Use coupon code SHARKWEEK.
- Four new Shark Bite cases are available in the shop this week!
- An exclusive Shark Week deal will be going out in my newsletter this week! You can get my latest newsletter by signing up here!
- Five years of sharks! I've been making Shark Bite pouches for the past five years. Read my back-story and find out how I got the idea to create a shark-shaped bag in the first place!
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Have a happy Shark Week! Keep swimming! ;)
Celebrate sharks and art with a...
 Do you know someone who loves sharks? Do they also love to color? My new shark-themed set will make the perfect gift! |
- The Shark + Art Gift Set includes a MinneBites Shark Bite pencil case.
- It comes with a 32-page "Sharks of the World" coloring book.
- It includes your choice of a Speech Bubble zipper pull charm (choose: "Hello", "Feed Me", "Chomp", or "Nom Nom")
- And best of all, the included set of 24 assorted colored pencils coordinates perfectly with the shark!
This set has all the essentials necessary for your favorite shark enthusiast to get right to coloring all the sharks of the world.
This set makes a great birthday gift, a fun back-to-school surprise,
or the perfect gift to celebrate Shark Week!
or the perfect gift to celebrate Shark Week!
Shark Week 2016 starts June 26th!
Are you ready?
Are you ready?
Timing is Everything
This is one of my favorite quotes. It's the perfect reminder for someone who wants to do it all.
Like me!
I'm a busy mom of three young kids. I'm running my own creative business. I'm trying to do new work at the same time as maintaining my original business. It's a lot.
I have to remind myself that timing is everything. Yes, I can do it all ...but not all at the same time.
Like me!
I'm a busy mom of three young kids. I'm running my own creative business. I'm trying to do new work at the same time as maintaining my original business. It's a lot.
I have to remind myself that timing is everything. Yes, I can do it all ...but not all at the same time.
For the past two months I've set aside making sharks and bugs and whales, and all my other MinneBites products, to focus on my new work. I've been exploring new ideas and creating handbags and accessories in a more sophisticated style for an upcoming show.
It's been amazing and refreshing -- and incredibly difficult.
For one, I've had to say "no" to more people. I've had to turn away customers and custom requests. I have to do this to be sure I have enough time to create the new work. But, it's hard to say no. As a single-person business, it's easy to second guess myself. Especially when I'm spending money on my business, but currently not bringing much in!
It's been amazing and refreshing -- and incredibly difficult.
For one, I've had to say "no" to more people. I've had to turn away customers and custom requests. I have to do this to be sure I have enough time to create the new work. But, it's hard to say no. As a single-person business, it's easy to second guess myself. Especially when I'm spending money on my business, but currently not bringing much in!
For two, it means my MinneBites shop on Etsy and my shop on my own website are getting empty. I've had to take out all of the items I usually have as "made to order". As items sell out, I can't add them back in. The virtual shelves are getting empty! It's a bit hard to watch. I have to take a deep breath and remind myself of my goals for the year.
On the other hand, I have to be sure the relationships I cultivated throughout the years remain intact. For instance, this week I'm working on an order of sharks for UncommonGoods. They are a wonderful account, and I need to be sure I maintain that. But, I had to take a week off of creating new work.
And so... timing is everything!
I've become pretty good at creating a schedule. I've also become really good at adjusting - and readjusting - my schedule. Days off of school, sick kids, sick babysitter, sick sewing machine. These things happen.
We have to make priorities -- and then we have to be ready to constantly readjust.
And so... timing is everything!
I've become pretty good at creating a schedule. I've also become really good at adjusting - and readjusting - my schedule. Days off of school, sick kids, sick babysitter, sick sewing machine. These things happen.
We have to make priorities -- and then we have to be ready to constantly readjust.
New work, new booth...
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Here's what my MinneBites display looked like this past December at the No Coast Craft-o-Rama. It's fun and cute and I love it, but it's not quite what is expected for a show like the American Craft Council Show.
What I need this year is an actual BOOTH. Walls, lights, signage, display -- everything!
There is so much that goes into these big capital-A Art show booths, as I'm learning. I can't believe how much time I've already spent researching booth options. It makes me nervous that I'm not spending enough time making the items that will actually go into the booth! But, without a booth I will have no way to display my new work. It must be done.
What I need this year is an actual BOOTH. Walls, lights, signage, display -- everything!
There is so much that goes into these big capital-A Art show booths, as I'm learning. I can't believe how much time I've already spent researching booth options. It makes me nervous that I'm not spending enough time making the items that will actually go into the booth! But, without a booth I will have no way to display my new work. It must be done.
My Booth Design Requirements
- easy to assemble and disassemble on my own
- needs to fit in my car
- display my work in the best way possible
- needs to be cost effective
- must be flexible, so I can use it at different sorts of shows in the future
 An initial sketch of what my booth might look like and a list of all the components. |
Decisions, decisions...
So, do I spend loads of time scouring the internet and local fixture stores to find the best deals for used display options? Or do I drop some money and just get new? It's tempting to buy new and be done with it and focus on the creating of my work. But, how much money do I want to sink into a booth? There is already the booth fee to attend the show in the first place. And part of the equation must also include the question: what if I decide I don't like doing this kind of show after all? I don't want to waste money on a display I'll never use again!
Ahh, so this is a journey, isn't it? Putting myself out there, trying something new; it can be a balancing act! Of course, for all the difficult decisions I need to make for my business, I wouldn't trade it for anything! I really do enjoy being a working artist. I'm even enjoying designing this booth ... though I wouldn't mind having a little more time. April's never seemed so close to January before!
Anniversary plans...
I've been thinking about how I should celebrate MinneBites' 5 year anniversary at the end of this month. It's a big milestone and I shouldn't let it slip by unnoticed (though it'd be easy to do with my current schedule!).
I think I've come up with a great plan! It includes the most popular item I've ever had -- my "Rainbow Leopard" Shark Bite pencil case.
I think I've come up with a great plan! It includes the most popular item I've ever had -- my "Rainbow Leopard" Shark Bite pencil case.
I've been holding onto TWO more of these popular guys, waiting for the right time to do something fun with them. I think now is the time!
Let's celebrate with a giveaway - and more!
I've decided that one of the Rainbow Leopard Shark Bite pencil cases will be given away along with a $25 MinneBites gift card to a lucky fan! Yay!
Giveaway is now closed
And the other will be sold and 100% of the proceeds will be donated to OCEANA to help conserve and protect the world's sharks and oceans for our children's future!
SOLD
MinneBites' 5-year anniversary is January 29, 2016!
I'm looking forward to popping open a bottle of bubbly and taking a moment to look back on all that I've done for the past 5 years! I'm so glad you're here to celebrate with me!
MinneBites' 5-year anniversary is January 29, 2016!
I'm looking forward to popping open a bottle of bubbly and taking a moment to look back on all that I've done for the past 5 years! I'm so glad you're here to celebrate with me!
Mary Pow
I am an artist and designer based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. My specialties are textiles and pastels.
I also enjoy reflecting on the human condition.
In my blog, I write about my musings and my art.
Find my bio here.
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