– King Street Maker’s Market Holiday Pop-Up | Thur. 11/29 – Sun. 12/2, 11am – 7pm | Seattle (*My new ceramic ornaments will be on display and for sale! I will not be present however.)
I’m still waiting to hear back from a couple of shows I applied for… I’ll keep you posted as I hear back from them🤞
If you’re not in the Seattle area and feeling sad you won’t be able to shop from me in-person…😭 I’m sad, too!! Well, at least you can shop all of my adorable gifts on my new and improved online shop now.
NOTE: You always get free US shipping for orders of $35 or more (before tax)! No coupon code needed.
If you’re in the area, I hope to see your beautiful face at one of the holiday shows 😘
xo
p.s. You can always check my updated holiday schedule on my new website here!
If you’ve been wanting to sign up for it, now is your chance. I have a limited seat available and I’m 99% sure this is the last one I’ll teach this year.
It’s gonna be on Sunday, October 28 from 10:30am to 3:30pm at IGIMO Redmond.
Such a magical place Orcas is… If you haven’t been there, I highly recommend you make a trip up there! It’s not that far from Seattle (about 2.5 hrs one way, including the ferry ride) but feels so far away from everything.
Plants and nature have been a big part of my creative inspiration.
Especially flowers, I can’t get enough of them!
I’m often daydreaming of converting our veggie gardens into flower gardens (don’t tell Dave!!)
So it is no wonder why I created 2018 calendars full of flowers and uplifting messages.
First of all, if you live in/hear Seattle, go visit this cute coffee shop this month and enjoy the artwork in person!
Plus, their coffee is amazing.
These canvas prints turned out SO nice.
The colors are so crisp and vibrant. And the canvas texture is oh so yummy.
It’s scratch and smudge resistant, so you don’t have to be super precious around it, which may be a plus if you have little ones around 😉
It’s got a metal piece on the back for easy hanging, too.
Since many of you live far away, I wanted to invite you to the show virtually and make them available for purchase online, too!
You can now enjoy the gallery and shop your favorite canvas art here ✨
(** Please note that since I only have one of each prints, the artwork you purchase won’t be available to ship until the show is over at the end of July.)
Oh, and if you live in the US, shipping is FREE! Isn’t it exciting?
I hope you get to check out my work in person if you’re in the area, or online if you don’t live nearby 😊
Enjoy!
xo
p.s. in case you missed the link, you can shop my new canvas prints here.
Earlier this year, I set my goal to do more in-person fairs and markets.
Be careful what you wish for…because it could totally come true!
By the time this post goes out, I’ll have done 15 shows so far this year.
It may not be a big number for someone else, but around the same time last year, I’d only done 4 shows. FOUR. Whoa.
I’m super grateful that Seattle area offers so many opportunities for independent makers to sell their wares in the community.
I used to dread the craft fairs because it’s SO MUCH work.
I’d have to pack everything up, carry heavy boxes down to the car, fit everything in our tiny Honda Civic, drive, set up (often by myself), take down, carry them back up to the car etc. etc.
Well, it’s still work but as I do more of these events, I’m able to streamline the process a bit more, so it doesn’t take as much time and effort.
And as I do more fairs, I get better at it.
My booth looks a lot better now, and I’m more comfortable selling in person.
(Hint: as soon as I realized the most important thing you do at fairs was to connect with the customers, selling became easier.)
It may be weird to hear an introvert say this, but I come home more energized after a market✨
Sure, I don’t think I can do it every day, and I do need introvert recharge time afterwards.
BUT! Since my love language is words of affirmation, hearing my customers say nice things about my work all day long has such positive effects on my mental health!
And because I’m an introvert and a home body, I tend to stay home a lot if I don’t have a (compelling) reason to go out.
Summer outdoor events get me out more, be more physically active, and that’s giving me more energy, too.
(The other day, my hair stylist commented I’d gotten tanner. Tanner than when I went to Hawaii 😂)
And don’t forget the cute dogs at these events… I love it when people bring their adorable pups to the fairs 🐶💕
😍
So now I crave doing craft fairs and markets. It’s kind of addictive.
If you live in the Seattle area, do come by and say hi at one of these events this summer 👋
(*Please note that dates for above two markets are somewhat tentative (for me) – I’ll be there unless it rains or I’m too pooped 💩 Check my Instagram for updates the day of.)
– Tin Umbrella Coffee | My art will be on display and available for purchase during the month of July!
I’ve been on my mini sabbatical this week but wanted to share that my “Vintage Chicken Garden Seattle Greeting Card” design was featured in the latest issue of UPPERCASE magazine! Hooray!
UPPERCASE is an internationally distributed publication for art, design, and creativity, and I was so excited when Janine contacted me to say my work was picked!
When I was working on this artwork for the open call, I was thinking of all the things I love about Seattle.
There are so many great things about the city: nature, food, people, and gorgeous weather in summer (although I don’t really mind the rain, either ;))
When I close my eyes and go to my happy place, this is where I go – beautiful gardens with lots of flowers, vegetables, and chickens!
It’s not about the touristy places for me but the people’s backyard gardens and community gardens, where we can get our hands dirty and nurture plants that nurture us in return.
My initial concept sketch
Since the assignment was to create an art for vintage-inspired souvenir postcard, I created a Pinterest board for Japanese vintage postcards for inspiration.
I’m not conscious of it most of the time, but my art is often influenced by Japanese designs (duh!)
They’re so simple and beautiful ❤
I sometimes get insecure that my art is much too simple, but rather than fighting it to make it look like someone else’s art, I decided that’s my strength and embrace it!
After looking at pretty designs I pinned (many of them block printed art), I was inspired to create my piece by block printing.
But I quickly realized I was running out of time 😀 so I went with a very simple line drawing, which I then colored digitally for a flat, crisp look reminiscent of block printed art.
My Vintage Chicken Garden Seattle artwork is now available on Etsy! You can get your greeting card here and the 8×10 giclee art print here.
I also suggest you subscribe to UPPERCASE magazine here or find it at your local book store if you haven’t gotten one already.
I love to support small independent businesses, and the magazine is always full of inspiring art and stories ❤
If you’re level 3, you can still teach level 1 and 2. It’s actually better that I’m not a master block printing artist because I can understand better the struggles beginners might have.
In the spirit of sharing what I know, I wanted to tell you some of the lessons and tips I’ve learned about putting on an awesome workshop!
1. Develop a positive relationship with the venue owner and respect the facility.
I got introduced to Sally, the owner of IGIMO Art Station by a friend of mine late last year. IGIMO is an art studio in my neighborhood, and they offer lots of fun art classes for kids and adults.
When I pitched the idea of teaching the block printing workshop at her studio, Sally was super open and supportive. She made me feel welcome and so generously offered me to use her space in whatever way I needed.
In order for me to continue our positive working relationship, I try to keep an open and consistent communication with her and make sure we’re treating her studio space with respect.
2. Tell everyone you’re offering a workshop. Repeatedly. Everywhere.
I swear, marketing is all I do nowadays.
Because, you know, even if you make really awesome art or offer super fun workshop, it won’t matter if people don’t know about it!
I started promoting my workshop early on (about 2 months before?) on my social media, email list, and posting flyers in the neighborhood. And I did that multiple times.
By the way, I had a great return on investment with boosting my event on Facebook. I spent about $50 to boost my event post for like 6 weeks (roughly $1 a day) and got at least 3 sign-ups via FB (that’s $375 revenue). I’ll probably try that again!
3. Try to answer as many questions as possible up front by providing FAQ on your website.
When I posted the information about my workshop on my website, I just had a basic information, like dates, time, location, a brief description, and cost.
So when a very first student signed up, I sent her a welcome email and asked her if she had any questions. She did have a couple of really good questions I wasn’t thinking about, and I was able to incorporate them into the Frequently Asked Questions list I was working on.
Having some sort of FAQ is going to be super helpful because many students will have the same questions, and it saves you and them time if you can point them to the list instead of replying to their questions individually.
My FAQ includes informations like the day’s schedule, what to do about lunch, what to bring, what to wear, where to park, size of the class, and my cancellation policy.
I keep adding more questions/answers to the list as I go. You can take a look at my FAQ here if you’re interested in learning what I included in there!
4. Send welcome messages and reminders.
I just embedded simple PayPal button on my website (here is the instructions on how to do it. It’s pretty easy) for registration and ask them to enter their name and email. No bells and whistles there.
When I receive the notification for their payment, I send them a welcome message confirming the receipt of the payment, date/time of the workshop, and attach the FAQ in case they haven’t seen it.
Like I said earlier, I have a cancellation policy that’s included in the FAQ and want to make sure my students are aware of that in advance.
This is also a good time to see if they have any other questions my FAQ is not answering.
If I worked on any new block printing project or found cool resources between their registration and the class, I would share the information with the students on the list to get them excited.
I typically send them a reminder email a couple of times – once about a week before and then just a couple of days before the workshop date. Again, I’ll confirm the date/time and attach the link to my FAQ.
I know we all get busy and don’t read every email we receive (or read the email throughly), so I like to remind folks more than once.
I also include my cell phone number in the last reminder so they can contact me directly on the day of if needed.
When I’m setting up for the class in the morning, I’m not checking my email (and I never have my email notification on) so the cell phone is easier for any last minute communication.
5. Provide visual examples and inspirations before and during the workshop.
When you’re working on an art or craft project, it’s always helpful to have reference materials and inspirations handy.
If you’re new to the craft, the blank canvas can seem very overwhelming and your student might not know where to start.
So I’ve created a block printing design inspiration board on Pinterest (you can view it here) and share it with my students when they sign up.
I pinned variety of styles and designs, from intricate florals to simple geometric shapes, so the students who are not super comfortable drawing know that they can still make beautiful designs without any drawing skills 🙂
I also bring my favorite block printing book, Making an Impression by Geninne Zlatkis (it’s the most beautiful craft book I’ve seen!!) and some of my carved blocks to the class for reference.
Some of my beloved blocks ❤
6. Break down your process into small steps and document them.
Although I’m still relatively new at block printing, I’ve had many practices so far and no longer have to think about the steps when I block print.
So when I was working on a block printing project for Valentine’s earlier this year, I paused every so often and documented every step. I actually got a blog post out of it, so that was even more awesome 🙂 (You can read it here. )
While I was working on it, I tried to put myself in the shoes of someone who’s not familiar with the tools or processes at all. I also read a bunch of how-to articles on block printing to learn what processes others followed and tried to see if I was missing anything.
Having a documented step-by-step process also helps ensure that your students are getting a consistent instruction.
I also take notes while teaching the workshop on where students get stuck or have a hard time understanding my instructions so I can improve my teaching for the future workshops.
7. Have all the supplies ready and make sure they work!
When I was planning for the workshop, I wrote down every single item we were going to need for the workshop and researched where I could get them at a cheaper price.
I set a goal to at least order everything a month before the workshop date. That way, if something goes wrong or the shipment gets delayed, ideally I’d still have time to fix the issue… 😀
AND, when you get your supplies, make sure to open the package and see if they actually work. I learned the lesson the hard way with the linocut tools I ordered.
They came on time, and I assumed they were all fine. But the day before the workshop, I decided to take the tools out of their individual box and assemble them just to make sure it came with all the parts necessary.
And I found out 3 out of 8 tools had defects and didn’t work!
It ended up working out OK because I’d ordered extra (another important point!) and at that time, I had 5 students signed up for the workshop. But I certainly didn’t enjoy that “oh sh*t” feeling the night before my first workshop 😀
8. Provide resources and handouts.
I wanted my students to get as much value out of the workshop as possible since they’re paying to spend a day to learn something.
So I put together a packet for each of them to take home. It includes materials list, where to get exactly the same tools and materials we’ve used in the class, overview of the steps, tips, and other block printing resources.
After they learn the basics in my workshop, I want them to go home with confidence and continue exploring the craft on their own.
With the well-organized handouts and resources, my hope is that they will!
9. Walk around and check in with each student during the workshop.
This workshop is pretty hands-on, and students spend majority of their time working on their own project.
Some students are more vocal about their needs than others, and it’s easy for me to know what they need and help them.
I also try to check in with other, quieter students just as often – not because I don’t think they’re doing a bad job, but sometimes people are shy about asking for help, or they might otherwise don’t catch potential problem areas before it’s too late.
For this purpose, and since I’m still learning, I keep the class size pretty small (max. 6 students). I like the intimate environment a small class creates and believe it provides a better learning experience for my students as well.
10. Ask for feedback and testimonials. And don’t forget to take photos!
At the end of the workshop, I hand out a short feedback form. I ask a few simple questions, like what they enjoyed the most, what could be better, and if they’d recommend the workshop to their friends and family.
I also ask if I could use their feedback in my marketing materials, and most of them would say yes.
When the students enjoy the workshop and are excited about what they’ve just created, they are much more likely to give you a great testimonial. And including the question in the feedback form makes it more convenient for both of you!
Your students can also give you great ideas about what other workshops or services you could be offering. For example, a couple of students in the last workshop asked if I’d be offering any “second stage” block printing class or an open studio. And maybe private group sessions for adult birthday party! How fun!
I also try to take photos during the class (with their permission, of course) so I could use them for marketing/promotional purposes. It’s so fun to share the amazing work they do with the world 🙂
11. Send them thank you message.
Finally, a day or two after the workshop, I send a quick email thanking them for their participation and share the photos I took during the class.
I let them know they can contact me if they have any questions in their future block printing practice.
If they indicated on the sign-in sheet that they’re interested in joining my email list, I subscribe them so they can stay informed about my future offerings and updates.
I indeed learn so much by teaching!
And I LOVE it 🙂
I feel so lucky to be given this opportunity and am looking forward to teaching more in the future!
p.s. If you’re in Seattle area, you can join one of my workshops this summer 🙂 Check out the class schedule here.
I’m very excited to let you know that the registration for my (very first!) Introduction to Block Printing on Fabric class is OPEN! You can go to this link to sign up!
In this hands-on one-day workshop, you’ll learn the basics of making your own design, carving your block, and printing them on a fabric.
Early bird rate ($105) is available until February 15, and then it’s going to be $125. Materials and tools will be provided. I’m keeping the class size small, so sign up early! No drawing or printing experience necessary 🙂 It’s gonna be a blast, guys!!!
If you’re in the Seattle area and want to find a new creative activity to get into (and just a warning, block printing is highly addictive!), join me on April 3 or May 1 at IGIMO Art Station (4739 Rainier Ave S, Seattle, WA 98118)!
It’s not about the touristy places for me but the people’s backyard gardens and community gardens, where we can get our hands dirty and nurture plants that nurture us in return.
Honeyberry Diary 