One of a Kind Show, Chicago

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.
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Applying

​I 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. 
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Preparation

There 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.
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One Week Pre-Show

The 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.
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The Show

Hello, booth #5117!

Setting up

All ready for the show

Guppy and Goldfish Pouches

Minne Pouches

View Shoulder Bags

A handy 'key' on the wall allowed everyone to see the four types of Cross Body Purses I have at a quick glance.

Windowpane Coin Pouches

My textile art piece "Reflection: Sometimes They Get Along" was displayed in the show's Fine Art Gallery. (It was this photo that made me notice the panels were out of order. Yes, we fixed it before the show opened!)

Top 3 Things I Will Do Again
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1. Bring my husband along!
It was so much fun to have a travel partner. Also, he's such an incredibly helpful guy. Not only that, but having an assistant meant I could take a break for lunch (actually sitting down for a meal outside of your booth is priceless!) and walk around the show to meet other artists and shop.

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.
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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!

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