Giveaway #4-Famous Bohemians Tea Towel

Kathy was the winner of my Famous Bohemians tea towel! This week I'm giving away one of my Famous Bohemians tea towels. Just click on this link to enter and good luck!          http://bit.ly/1wtETXx

                                                                          

Giveaway #2: Famous Bohemians postcard book

The winner of the black crow ornament was Robbie! Thanks so much for your entries. This week's giveaway is a Famous Bohemians postcard book. The book contains bios and 6 tear-off postcards of Frida Kahlo, Toulouse-Lautrec, Mata Hari, Josephine Baker, and Giacomo Puccini. The winner will be chose at random next Wed Oct. 29! Here's the giveaway link:  http://bit.ly/1wtETXx

Happy Birthday Mata Hari Sale

Post by Tammy Smith Design.

Instagram Giveaway!

I had so much fun today carrying the IG baton for onewomanshop.com and to celebrate, I'm doing a TAG giveaway! Just head over to my IG page and tag a friend and you BOTH may win one of my Famous Bohemians postcard books. Hurry-the contest ends tomorrow at 12 noon!
http://instagram.com/p/q24CI8Jb2l/?modal=true

Famous Bohemians series: Frida Kahlo

When I decided to create my new line of products, I first thought about people and places that inspire me and I knew I wanted to pay homage to some of the artists throughout history whom I admired. Looking back at the long line of artists, performers, and writers I realized the people I admired most possessed qualities that I wish I had more of: personal courage, tenacity, willingness to stand out in a crowd, and a desire to challenge the status quo. I've lived a pretty conventional (and some might say boring and safe) life, so sometimes I wish I could call on these qualities like a superhero calls on their superpowers--(wouldn't that be great?) The first person I thought of and decided to feature was Frida Kahlo. Below are some of my products that feature Frida, either in a group or on her own. In my perf-out postcard booklet, I actually have a short bio of each artist-Frida included. Her life deserves a much longer bio, but for purposes of the postcard format I kept it short and simple. Here's the super-short synopsis of her life:
Frida Kahlo (1907-1954) Mexican self-portrait artist who survived both polio and an almost fatal bus crash, going on to become one of the most admired female artists in history. She had a well documented and troubled relationship with Diego Rivera and although eventually married, they kept separate but adjoining homes and studios.
Click on the link here to visit the product page on my website.

I started by making Frida's portrait in wire as that's the way I "sketch"

This is the complete line including (clockwise from top left) perpetual calendar, tote bag, embossed greeting card, postcard booklet, pillow kit, tea towel, stitchable poster kit

NSS Show Recap and Photos

Well I'm back and (somewhat) rested now from my debut NSS show. The whole experience was fun, educational, and memorable! I read a lot of blog posts from other NSS exhibitors before the show and it really, REALLY helped me prepare for this first show. When I think about what I can share that might be different or helpful to others, this is what I came up with:

1. PR/Media Kits: Have plenty of those both in your booth and in the press room at the show. I placed about 20 in the press room but am really glad I had 10 more in my booth because I ended up giving every one of those away to press who visited my booth.
2. Booth help: First off, my good friend Paula Joerling (http://www.paulajoerling.com) was kind enough to offer to help me hang my booth and I really did need that help--we "procured" an extension ladder and it was great to have someone to hold it steady, as well as another opinion on what should go where. I had a printout of my booth layout but things did change a bit after seeing the actual booth-for instance, I hung my lettering too high but couldn't really change that after it was burnished down. Then during the show, I had my awesome friend Michael Letzig (who is a wonderful painter in his own right) to help me with anyone who had questions or wanted to place an order. He was a fantastic help and it was also great to have someone to watch your booth when you needed to take a break or eat.
3. Catalogs: I've read this elsewhere but it bears repeating--I didn't need nearly as many catalogs as I had ordered. I ordered 500 but probably gave out somewhere around 175 or so.
4. Shipping: In the past, I've used FedEx or UPS and have had varying hassles with paying extra trade show fees, having my boxes thrown away, wondering whether the trucks would be there and get my stuff before leaving, etc. etc. This time I used GES shipping through the show and it was so much simpler. They picked up from my house and will deliver back to my door also plus it was just quicker and easier at the show itself. I filled out my bill of lading and that was that. As far as cost goes, I don't think there was much of a difference between the two after everything was figured in.
5. Booth walls: I bought the art wall booth package. I figured the cost of shipping large walls was probably going to be higher than the booth package cost, and then I'd still have to assemble them once they got to the show. I've done other trade shows in the past where I've shipped and assembled my walls and the cost was not that different, plus when you're not traveling with anyone who will help you assemble, this just seemed easier overall. The one thing I wish I had done was paint the walls. They were pretty scratched and marred and could have used a coat of paint.

That's all I can think of for now but if you have any questions, please let me know. Here's some photos from the show:

Yay! My boxes were waiting when I got to my booth

The first things I put up were the adhesive lettering and my back wall, including my wire sculptures. 

 I used a laser level that we taped on the wall (to avoid making a hole in the wall) to hang all my stitchable posters and other product. Here's where I wished I had put the lettering down about 6" lower.

Here's one of my finished product groupings: the Famous Buildings group.

Here's the Stitchable States poster kits with state postcards below. 

Here's the finished back wall with my pillow kits displayed on chairs and IKEA table. (The colors were not THIS vivid-just a bad photo!)

the Famous Bridges product grouping:notepads, tea towels, stitchable posters, postcards, and embossed poster

the Famous Bohemians grouping

and lastly, the Famous Babes grouping, including the perpetual Babes and Bohemians calendar

Website Launch and Giveaway!

To celebrate the fact that my new website is officially OPEN for business, I'm giving away one of my silkscreened tote bags! Stay tuned for more giveaways to follow in the coming weeks.a Rafflecopter giveaway

Thanks to: the stationery place

Many many thanks to Lyndsey at the stationery place for featuring some of my work on her awesome blog today! If you've never been to her site, click on the link here to go check it out! She chronicles all things stationery and paper craft related and is also a co-founder of SEATTLE BLOGGERS UNITE, an informal monthly meet up group.
Each of these cards shown below is embossed with a raised gloss varnish in strategic spots to add a fun tactile quality.

Famous Buildings postcard set of 10

Famous Bridges postcard set of 10

Famous Babes card set of 8

Famous Bohemians card set of 8