Thursday 19 October 2017

Party Time - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017 - Etsy Made Local

The Dorset Team's Christmas Fair is the perfect place to find fabulous handmade items to make your festive parties go with a swing!

We'll have over 60 stallholders at the event so this is just a little taster of what will be on offer:

Prosecco mug by Doodle Dot
Glittery cake topper by Chibi Chi Designs
Felted toadstool decorations by Apulina
Hand painted wooden Party bunting by AMA Designs
Hand inked Festival print by Gennytheprintmaker
Paper wreath by Dorset HodgePodge
Yay! card by Chasing Rainbows
Pompom fairy lights by Studio Pickles

Have fun shopping and enjoy the celebrations too!

More details of the event are on our Facebook page. You can also follow the hashtag #dorsetteam on Twitter and Instagram for updates and sneak peeks.

Thursday 5 October 2017

Festive Tablewares from the Dorset Team Xmas Fair

Make your Christmas table look gorgeous with these beautiful picks from sellers at our Etsy Made Local - Dorset Team Christmas Fair!

We have all sorts of goodies from hand-poured candles to unique fused glass serving bowls, coasters for your festive drinks, lovely vintage cutlery and more...

This selection features:

Hand painted snowman spoons by Wooden Heart Co
Sledging foxes light box by Satis House Five
Fused glass serving dish by Glamora Glass
Ceramic salt and pepper shakers by Happy You And Mee
Santa mug by Jennifer Grace Creates
Red squirrel coasters by Terri Peay
Victorian ivy pattern spoon from Nemeton
Organic beeswax candle from Global Love by Laula

We will have over 60 stallholders at the event so this is just a tiny taster - please do come along on the day and discover many more vintage, handmade and craft supply treasures!

There's lots more information about the fair on our Facebook event page, which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443

Monday 2 October 2017

Sneak preview - Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

If you are looking for a Christmas fair based in Dorset with lots of local makers and sellers to attend this year, look no further!

The Etsy Made Local: Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017 is taking place on Saturday 2nd December and Sunday 3rd December 2017 in Wimborne and is going to be a fantastic event full of beautiful handmade products, vintage items and craft supplies and kits.

More than 65 local makers and sellers will be selling at the fair with products ranging from handmade Christmas cards to home furnishings. The event will give the people of Dorset the chance to discover some of the best of the county's creative community, allowing them to connect with and by directly from local makers and designers.

Here is a sneak preview of some of the items by makers that will be attending the event.

Event details:
Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December 2017
Allendale Centre in Wimborne
10am - 4pm
Free Entry

For further information please click here

Please put the date in your diary for a fantastic, festive day out.

Sunday 1 October 2017

Useful gifts - Etsy Made Local - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

Our 2017 Dorset Etsy Team Christmas fair in Wimborne is now only two months away! This year we are holding the fair over two days on the 2nd and 3rd of December in the Allendale Centre, BH21 1AS. There is free entry to the event and lots of parking nearby.

This Dorset team gift guide is designed to give you an idea of what kind of things you'll be able to buy at the fair. Here are a selection of useful gifts, all designed and made by our talented team. If you see something you particularly want, please get in touch with the shop owner to make sure they will be bringing that item on the day - or you might be able to pre-order it.

Here are the details for the 'Useful gift guide'

Prawn embroidered cushion made by swimmer £32

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/167559435/pink-prawn-hand-embroidered-embroidered

Hand knitted cup sleeve by Snug Creations £7.50

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/229211056/hand-knit-coffee-cozy-coffee-cup-sleeve

Phone case with art by Terripeay £20

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/288797745/animal-phone-case-pug-phone-case-iphone

Winter themed note book by Simply Love Art Studio £2.99

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/494219867/cute-hygge-inspired-notebook-a6-plain

Set of fabric baskets by Sunny Bunny Craft £27

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/535617398/set-of-3-fox-fabric-basket-organiser

Fun glass clock from Glamora Glass £55

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/546482797/fused-glass-clock-yellow-clock-splat

Martini coaster from Gifting moon £4

http//:www.etsy.com/uk/listing/553484099/personalised-dirty-martini-coaster

Ceramic cat face dish from Turquoise Hare £9

http://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/543514084/ceramic-turquoise-cat-face-dish-soap

You can find our full list of stallholders for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair here: http://dorsetteam.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/dorset-team-christmas-fair-2017.html

and can find out more information about the event over on our Facebook page which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443

We hope to see you for a fun festive day out and to meet all our wonderful makers and sellers.

Thursday 21 September 2017

Gifts For Children - Etsy Made Local - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

Each year the Dorset Etsy Team holds a Christmas fair in Wimborne, and this year we get double the fun as the fair is on for 2 days instead of 1! It's on the 2nd and 3rd of December in the Allendale Centre, BH21 1AS. There is free entry to the event, though you might need to pay for parking nearby if you are driving there.

This Gift Guide is to give you an idea of what kind of things you'll be able to buy at the event. All these stallholders are signed up to attend, along with lots of other fabulous makers! Here are some gifts especially good for children... the best thing about Christmas is seeing their faces light up when they open the perfect present, so get choosing!

If you see something you particularly want, please get in touch with the shop owner to make sure they will be bringing that item on the day - or you might be able to pre-order it.

Carara Designs - Handmade Children's Teepee / Wigwam:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/243384848/handmade-childrens-teepeewigwam

Chasing Rainbows Co - Deer / Fawn Necklace:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/510084396/bambi-necklace-deer-necklace-fawn

The Stitchery Dorset - Handmade Steampunk Cat Pencil Case:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/538584543/handmade-steampunk-cat-pencil-case-in-a

Peanut & Gremlin - Unicorn Crayons:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/PeanutandGremlin

Rhubarb Hill Crafts - Reindeer Food:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/477766132/magic-reindeer-food-for-christmas-eve

Little Rose Birds - Glitter Hair Bow:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/532787511/babygirls-adult-large-7-glitter-hair-bow

Doodle Dot Dorset - Rainbow Fairy Door:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/201223710/fairy-door-rainbow-fairy-door-hand

Jessalli - Personalised PJ Bag:

https://www.etsy.com/uk/listing/242289479/personalised-pj-bag-pajama-bag-for

We hope to see you at the fair. If you'd like to see the full list of stallholders (over 60!), please click here: http://dorsetteam.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/dorset-team-christmas-fair-2017.html?fref=gc&dti=131229187473381

And here's our event Facebook Page, we'd love to know if you are planning to come along: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443/?fref=gc&dti=131229187473381&hc_location=ufi

We hope you manage to find all those perfect presents this year!

Thursday 14 September 2017

Stocking filler gift guide - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

Our Dorset Team Christmas Fair is fast approaching. This year it is going to be an extra exciting event as we have not one but TWO days of shopping! Each day there will be around 60 stalls of handmade items, craft supplies and vintage goods. Here is a small taster of items by makers who will be selling at the event, all the gifts featured are £10 and under so make really great stocking fillers gifts.

The fair takes place on Saturday 2nd and Sunday 3rd December 2017 in Allendale Centre in Wimborne. Please put the date in your diary, it is going to be a really fantastic day out and a great way to pick up some really unique Christmas gifts whilst supporting local independent makers and sellers.

Bird button brooch made from a mixture of modern and vintage buttons by Frankie and the Buttons - £10.00

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/FrankieAndTheButtons

Everyone loves a Christmas craft project! This Rudolph felting kit comes with everything you need to make your favourite reindeer friend by Hawthorn Handmade - £9.95

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HawthornHandmade

This stunning vintage berry spoon would make a really unique stocking filler and perfect for serving those Christmas sprouts! - Nemeton - £10.00

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/nemeton

Christmas wouldn't be complete without a Christmas robin! This lovely handmade keyring was made from Terri's original illustration - Terri Peay - £4.50

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/TERRIPEAY

This UK coastal wildlife colouring book is perfect for keeping the kids (or you!) entertained. The book features 20 different animals who live along the coasts of the United Kingdom - Sarah Lovell Creations - £4.95

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/SarahLovellCreations

Beautiful mini light box by Satis House Five - £9.58

https://www.etsy.com/shop/SatisHouseFive

This embroidered facecloth is a fun and practical stocking filler by Coralies Crafts Gifts - £4.00

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/CoraliesCraftsGifts

For more information about the event, please see our blog page: http://dorsetteam.blogspot.co.uk/p/etsy-made-local-dorset-team-christmas.html or visit the Facebook event page where you can see more sneak previews: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443

Thursday 7 September 2017

Gifts for Women under £20 - Etsy Made Local - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017

Gifts for women for under £20 from stallholders at the Etsy Made Local - Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017.

Navy daisy headband by Beauxoxo - £10

https://www.etsy.com/shop/beauxoxo

Personalised makeup bag with gold lettering by Jennifer Grace Creates - £8.50

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/JenniferGraceCreates

Hand-painted unicorn stone in black and white by Little Vagaries - £14

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/littlevagaries

Everyday moisturiser for all skin types by Ginger Stone Skincare - £18

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/GingerStoneSkincare

Floral monogram mug by Doodle Dot Dorset - £7

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/DoodleDotDorset

Owl embroidery kit by Hawthorn Handmade - £14.95

https://www.etsy.com/uk/shop/HawthornHandmade

Mixture of vintage buttons for crafting projects by Nemeton - £3.50

https://www.etsy.com/shop/nemeton

You can find our full list of stallholders for the Dorset Team Christmas Fair here: http://dorsetteam.blogspot.co.uk/2017/05/dorset-team-christmas-fair-2017.html

and can find out more information about the event over on our Facebook page which can be found here: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443

We hope that you might come along for a fun festive day out and support these wonderful local makers and sellers.

Wednesday 30 August 2017

Be An Expert - Forward Thinking - Wholesale For Christmas

Etsy recently published this Seller Handbook guide to Wholesale Christmas Prep: https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/article/wholesale-christmas-preparation/159623538888. Even if you don't sell wholesale yet it's an interesting read to give you ideas for the future!

Could you dip your toe into wholesale this Christmas by asking a local gift shop if they will stock a few of your items? It could be the start of something big! If you want to look into wholesale more you can check out the Indie Retail Academy website for some more advice: https://www.indieretailacademy.com/

Even if you never want to sell wholesale, you can still take some useful tips from the Seller Handbook article to apply to your own shop:

- Change pitching stockists to pitching you mailing list - get you Christmas Gift Ideas emails ready

-Focus on packaging - think about offering gift packaging to your customers during the Christmas season

- Set up order deadlines - have a think now about what you will do if you get busy, and when people need to order by to get their item for Christmas

- Stock up to snag last minute orders - make sure you have enough 'blank' product in to keep making new things as your items sell, whether it's balls of wool or vintage spoons - make sure you have enough to see you through November!

If we get ready now then Christmas will be easy!

Wednesday 23 August 2017

Be An Expert - Forward Thinking - Autumn Trends

We are marching towards the end of summer, and things will be starting to gear up for the Autumn and Winter seasons - Christmas is only 124 days away! Before Christmas we do have lots of other things to look forward to - pulling on our comfy cosy woolly jumpers, kids going back to school, watching fireworks, trick-or-treaters at Halloween, watching movies tucked up inside when it's stormy weather. Is your shop going to be ready for the change in season?

If your shop sells knitted or crochet items your hooks have probably already been flying to get ready for the cooler weather, but make sure you take a minute to check your inventory so you know how much you have to sell. For other shops - how can you aim for the Autumn? If you sell prints or mugs can you use some 'cosy nights in' phrases on them? If you sell jewellery have a think about the colours and shapes people will be wanting to wear. If you sell ceramic pots can you photograph them with pens and pencils in for a back-to-school (or back-to-uni) idea?

If you aren't able to change your actual stock, can you change the way you style it? Create an Autumnal Instagram photo or two, using Autumnal colours with a pine cone or other suitable prop. If you can get these ready now then you'll be able to hit the ground running when the time comes!

If you'd like to see what trends are on the way, then a couple of places to look are here for a brief look at expected fashions: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/fashion/style/autumn-2017-fashion-trends-aw17-styles-women/ or you can look at the SpringAutumnFair Instagram page to see what they are sharing from their upcoming trade show: https://www.instagram.com/springautumnfair/

Have fun getting ready for Autumn (and make sure you start thinking about Christmas too!).

Wednesday 16 August 2017

Be An Expert - Product Promotion - Videos

Using videos to promote your products can really help your items stand out from the crowd.

Here's a recent Etsy Seller Handbook article on How To Market Your Business With Video: https://www.etsy.com/uk/seller-handbook/article/how-to-market-your-business-with-video/137667391868

Videos on YouTube can be great to include lots of detail, and it's easy to share them from there to Facebook (lots of potential customers out there are browsing videos on Facebook!).

However your videos don't have to be long or complicated to help your items stand out. You can try using apps like Hyperlapse (an app that speeds up your video) or Boomerang (this takes bursts of photos and stitches them together) to show glimpses of your work-in-progress or finished products. If you are sharing your finished products then show them in use or just turn them around to show the item from different angles. See more about these 2 apps here: https://blog.hootsuite.com/instagram-apps-boomerang-hyperlapse-layout/

You can use these short videos in your main Instagram (or FB) feeds. You can also use them in Instagram stories. Instagram stories is a collection of videos which you can add to throughout your day - but they disappear after 24 hours. If you are recording the video directly in Instagram make sure you download it before it disappears! Stories are good to use because the accounts you follow with recent stories will appear at the top of your instagram feed, so you are more likely to be spotted by your followers. Here's some info on Stories from the Instagram blog: http://blog.instagram.com/post/148348940287/160802-stories

Another fun idea you could try is to make a product photography turntable like this one: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cFPJqtcWNSU and use it to show your items from all sides!

You don't have to start sharing lots and lots of videos, but the occasional one will help your customers to get a better view of your items and your shop.

Wednesday 9 August 2017

Be An Expert - Product Promotion - Brand Reps

Do you find it hard to take enough great photos of your products so that you can fill up the photo slots on Etsy AND share great images on social media? You might want to think about getting a Brand Representative - Brand Rep for short.

A Brand Rep is someone who you give FREE products to, in exchange for them to take stylish photos of those products for you to use on your Instagram and other social media accounts. There are also Brand Enthusiasts, who will buy products at a discount from you, again to provide you with photos - but obviously an enthusiast would have to be someone really keen on your products, as you are expecting them to part with their money as well as their time. For more information on Reps & Enthusiasts see this post here: http://cuttingforbusiness.com/2015/10/21/what-are-instagram-brand-reps-enthusiasts/

Instagram is the best place to find Brand Reps - create a 'Brand Rep Search' image with some text, making sure to include the Instagram handle for your shop (so people can find you once the image has been shared). Use the #brandrepsearch hashtag and other appropriate hashtags to get found. Ask applicants to share the image to increase your reach. Have a deadline for when to apply (keep the application open for a few weeks at least to give people time to share and apply). You can also find Brand Reps by joining Facebook Groups like 'Let's Rep Together': https://www.facebook.com/groups/letsrep/

Make sure you are clear on what country you are happy to post items to (a lot of Brand Reps are in the US), what you expect from a Brand Rep, and how long the term will be (a good initial term is 3 months). Once you've chosen a Rep or Reps make sure to have an agreement or contract in place setting out time-frames for delivery of items and how long the photos will take, what the photos will be used for, and other points. Here's an example of an artist licensing agreement: https://artlawjournal.com/download-artists-licensing-agreement-free/ or search 'Brand Rep Terms & Conditions' in google to see what terms other brands have set out for their reps. Remember these are all just for guidance, and if you want an in-depth legally-binding contract you should pay for a contract lawyer to draw one up.

Here's some more advice on working with Brand Reps: http://mumswithhustle.com/blog/lucky-7-tips-for-working-with-brand-reps/

Thursday 1 June 2017

Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017 - Stallholders announced

Happy June everyone! With all the beautiful weather that we have been having recently, Christmas couldn't feel further away but preparations and planning is in full swing here at the Dorset Team as we are planning ahead for our annual Dorset Team Christmas Fair.

We are very excited to be able to announce our stallholders for the 2017 event. Thank you so much to everyone who applied to be a stallholder this year. Competition for spaces was particularly fierce this year and we received the highest number of applications ever! A huge congratulations to everyone who was successful in getting a space.

This year we will again have a fantastic selection of local makers and sellers. There will be everything from illustrations by local artists to vintage products and from crafting kits to handmade jewellery.

For more information about the event, including sneak previews from our stallholders, please see our Facebook event page here: https://www.facebook.com/events/380837568923443.

The event will take place on Saturday 2nd December and Sunday 3rd December at the Allendale Centre in Wimborne. Entry to the event is free.

Stallholder List for Dorset Team Christmas Fair 2017
*Please note that this list is subject to change. We will be reviewing more applications in August and running a reserve list for stalls.