Success!

The Bloomington Handmade Market was a complete success!

With our handy counting clicker, which we borrowed from Mia's son, our final customer count was 1,002 people (not including children)! We received wonderful responses from both vendors and patrons. Many of our vendors made record sales, and most everyone who came took away some wonderful handmade goods!

We are planning to hold the next BHM in early May. If you'd like to be added to the mailing list, please send us an email at BloomingtonHandmadeMarket at Gmail.com

Thanks to all of the amazing vendors, our wonderful local sponsors, and everyone who came to support the handmade movement!

BHM is THIS WEEKEND!

We are so happy to finally say that the Bloomington Handmade Market will be held THIS Saturday! It will run from 10am-4pm and there will be 40 different vendors selling a wide array of wonderful handmade goods. This is going to be a great place to pick up unique gifts! There will not be an ATM on site, though there are at least 2 within a block or two. Some vendors will be accepting credit cards, but not all of them, so please bring lots of cash and your checkbook!

The event will be held in the auditorium of the Waldron Arts Center, located at 122 S. Walnut, which is on the corner of 4th and Walnut in downtown Bloomington. Free parking is available either on the street or at the parking garage located just across from the venue. If you are coming from out of town, you will see signs pointing you in the right direction.

Can't wait to see you there!

We got our first press!

We had a little interview with the Indiana Daily Student. You can read it here or below!

Market to feature homemade crafts
By Rick Bellovin | IDS
POSTED AT 10:25 PM ON Oct. 21, 2009

In an age where every type of material good imaginable is mass-produced, one local marketplace is seeking to be different.

Bloomington Handmade Market organizers describe it as Bloomington’s independent market for area artists to sell unique handmade crafts and goods.

What distinguishes these goods from their counterparts at any department store is the process by which they are made.

The do-it-yourself goods are handmade in homes or with small production processes, so there is no need for them to be sent away for mass-production.

Three local artists, Mia Beach, Nicole Wolfersberger and Sally Harless started the market in June 2008.

The artists were originally inspired by the crafts on display at the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange and wanted to bring the same types of homemade crafts, paintings and prints to the Bloomington area.

“There are many fairs in and around Bloomington that are geared toward more established and traditional artists,” Harless said. “We wanted to show the community just a small part of the nationwide contemporary craft movement.”

Since then, the Market has received attention and support from local do-it-yourself artists and craftsmen, along with various sponsors.

On Nov. 21, Bloomington Handmade Market will have its first show at the John Waldron Arts Center.

Artists had to apply for a limited number of spots in the show, and between 35 and 40 artists were picked to display their crafts.

Wolfersberger put out the call to artists in September and said she was surprised to see the exceeding number of people that applied.

“People really came out of the woodworks,” she said. “All the applications look great.”
The co-organizers said they have seen mostly local applicants but hope to see more from outside the state.

They plan to organize the shows twice a year – once around the holidays and once during the summer.

“It is a perfect place to not only buy unique, high-quality holiday gifts, but also to support local artists and the handmade movement,” Harless said.

Harless also said shoppers should expect a wide array of products.

“Our vendors make everything from upcycled, hand-bound journals, illustrated animal greeting cards, punk rock stained glass, sewn iPod sleeves, wooden jewelry, knitted hats and scarves, homemade bath products, silk screened shirts and ties, plush animals to hand-drawn coffee mugs,” Harless said.

There are also other outlets available for these types of crafts.

The Handmade Market in Chicago is a similar type of marketplace for do-it-yourself goods, and ETSY.com is a Web site where people can buy and sell handmade goods.
As for the Nov. 21 show, Wolfersberger said she’s excited.

“There is so much great stuff,” she said. “We are particularly excited about the new clothing items.”

The Bloomington Handmade Market is only one month away! The vendor list has finally been nailed down, and you can see a list of the artists and their links to the left. More updates soon!

Thank you to all of the amazing artists who applied for the Bloomington Handmade Market! We are reviewing applications and will post the vendor list soon!

It's the last day to get your applications in! We'll be accepting them until midnight tonight!

Somehow, our event has been advertised in the Herald Times, without any of us organizers contacting them. Some of the info is wrong, and people are apparently bringing applications to the Waldron. Neither the Waldron nor the Bloomington Area Arts Council are in charge of the event. It is being put on by 3 local artists, and we are only renting the Waldron Auditorium for the event. If you would like to apply, please EMAIL the applications to us at bloomingtonhandmademarket AT gmail DOT com. There are only 2 days left!