West Elm: Meet the Maker Event

I have a feeling that improving at promotion and marketing will be on my 2014 list of resolutions.  Saturday was a unique experience.  I was one of 12 vendors displaying our wares at the new West Elm store in Oak Brook.  I'm so impressed that a retail location would welcome and support handmade goods into their space.  Not only that, I heard from another vendor that they dropped a line of goods that had stolen its designs from an artist's listing on Etsy.  Crazy weird partnership that worked somehow.  I made a few sales, several connections, and was able to school a couple of kids in embroidery.  A huge shout out to cousin Nicole who ran a coffee errand for me so that I could be awake for the second half of the show.  My display, shown in pictures below, was integrated into the kitchen section of the store.  Several shoppers remarked at how well my products blended into the rest of the West Elm collection.   I hope that they host another even like this, and if they do, I promise to send out emails with all the details!  You won't want to miss it.

PS One of the artists/vendors there was Penelope's ceramics teacher who is also a member at OPAL.  Her work is amazing and life changing.  Here is her website: http://www.ginaleerobbins.com