Dia de los Craftos is going to be at Casbeers!

Our Dia de los Craftos festival on Halloween Night will be moving from El Sol Studios down to Casbeers at 1150 S Alamo. Come down for free face painting, a spooky photo booth, trick or treating, baked yummy goodness at our bake sale, free prizes, handmade Music by The Offbeats, 7 Foot 8 and Blue Means Go! Get a bite to eat and a cold brew and check out what Alamo City Etsy has to offer.

The first 25 shoppers win a free loot bag stuffed to the brim with prizes galore!

Thanks to Barbra and Steve at Casbeers for helping us out at the last minute!

Another Alamo City Treasury

Click here to see some great Autumn finds from the team on Etsy.com

You're Invited...

Handmadenews.org mentioned our upcoming festival! Give us a thumbs up and comment on our article. See you Saturday night!

Zombie Cupcakes

This Tuesday's creation comes from The Sweetest Kitchen. It is a sickly sweet zombie cupcake made out of chocolate pumpkin cake, filled with pumpkin buttercream and topped with chocolate buttercream.
She used Oreo Fudgees for the tombstones, paper liners by Martha Stewart and zombie hands from Bake It Pretty's Halloween Shop. She says, "They’re quite spicy; I can taste a hint of ginger over all the other spices in the cupcake and filling (the filling had the most ginger). And like I said, there’s a bit too much chocolate frosting, which makes a bit too sweet for me. The kids love them though!"

Chocolate Pumpkin Cupcakes
Adapted from Country Living
Makes 12 cupcakes*

Ingredients
1 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup + 3 3/4 cup cocoa powder
1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons buttermilk
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons pumpkin puree
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2.25 ounces unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons dark brown sugar
1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon + 1 3/4 teaspoons granulated sugar
2 large eggs

For Oreo decorations:
7 finely crushed Oreo sandwich cookies
6 Oreo Fudgees sandwich cookies, pulled apart and filling removed
12 zombie hand cupcake toppers from Bake It Pretty

Method
Preheat oven to 350F; line a cupcake tin with paper liners.

Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg in a bowl; set aside.

Combine buttermilk, pumpkin and vanilla in a bowl; set aside.

Beat butter and sugars together in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, until the mixture is smooth and light. Alternately add flour mixture and buttermilk mixture, blending well after each addition.

Divide batter evenly among cupcake liners. Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Cool cupcakes completely, then using the cone method, fill cupcakes with pumpkin buttercream (recipe follows).

Frost each cupcake with chocolate frosting (recipe follows), then dip the frosted tops into the finely crushed Oreos to evenly coat. Stick an Oreo Fudgee “tombstone” into the top of each cupcake, and place a zombie hand in front of it.

*The original recipe yields 36 cupcakes, but I divided the recipe into fourths, which is why the amounts of the ingredients are a little strange!

Pumpkin Buttercream
Adapted from A Year In The Kitchen
Makes enough to fill 12 cupcakes (plus some left over)

Ingredients
1/2 cup + 2 1/2 teaspoons unsalted butter, room temperature
2 tablespoons + 1 1/8 teaspoons pumpkin puree
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon ground ginger
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
8 ounces confectioners’ sugar

Method
With electric mixer, cream butter and pumpkin (mixture will look grainy). Turn mixer to low and add cinnamon, ginger, salt and vanilla. Slowly add 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar at a time until the buttercream is creamy and no longer separating (the mixture will look grainy if there isn’t enough sugar mixed in).

Chocolate Buttercream
Adapted from a post at Cupcakes Take The Cake
Makes enough to frost 12 cupcakes (plus some left over)

Ingredients
1 stick unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
4 cups confectioners’ sugar
1/4 cup milk (plus a few tablespoons to adjust consistency)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method
Beat butter and cocoa until smooth, then add sugar 1 cup at a time, beating until smooth with each addition . Add milk and vanilla and beat for about 3 minutes.

Craft Fair Tips from Handmade Sellers

Celeste Crimi, from Etsy’s CricketsCreations, recently shared her ideas for how to make the most of local craft fairs, while maintaining a conservative budget.

“A fair is generally considered a success if revenue is 10 times greater than expenses. I’ve consistently met that benchmark,” she tells us.

So how does Celeste do it? She shared her seven ingredients that make a “receipe for big sales” with our HandmadeMarketing.org team.

1. Go Vertical. Celeste suggests playing with the craft fair space you are provided.
   “My scarves get tons of attention because they are displayed on portable, brass-looking coat hanger poles instead of on a folding table. They are visible in all their colorful glory from across the room; talk about “standing” out! My two “poles with hooks,” were purchased for $5 each, one at a garage sale & another at a thrift store,” she said.
2. Separate Colors. “Another trick I use is to separate the zany, colorful designs from the earth tones & neutrals,” Celeste told HandmadeMarketing.org.
   She also suggests handmade sellers make sure to have a rainbow of colors available. “At least two each of purple, blue, pink, red, orange, brown, black/white, green, cream, yellow, etc. Anyone with a favorite color is a shoe-in! I also offer something for each complexion/hair color/age group. Got red hair and green eyes? I have a scarf for that. Got red hair and blue eyes? Got grey, blonde, or dark brown hair? Are you Latina? From India? Of African descent? Are you a teenager? Adult? Seasoned sophisticate? I’ve got a scarf that looks fantastic on you!”

3. Tailor Your Suggestions. Celeste thinks making specific suggestions helps establish relationships with potential buyers. For example, she told HandmadeMarketing.org she may say, “This would look really pretty on you, you’re welcome to try it on” and hold the mirror up for interested shoppers after handing them her handmade scarf. “Bringing a mirror is crucial!” Celeste adds.
   However, a personalized touch may not always be welcome. “I held off if I felt that customers were just browsing and wouldn’t like such a personalized approach,” she says.

4. Demonstrate Value. “I also demonstrate to folks the different ways to wear my scarves, and point out that I always make them extra soft around the neck. Sometimes they like to hear specific tidbits regarding a particular design, such as its title or that the yarn is imported and can’t be found in US stores,” Celeste tells us.
5. Showcase Your Craft. Celeste says if there’s ever a dull moment, she works on a scarf right then and there to draw people into her craft fair area. “I’ve sold scarves right off the needles at craft fairs!” she said.
6. Offer Incentive To Go Big. “Sales are significantly increased by offering a quantity discount,” she said. This means charging less per item if customers buy more than one at once.
7. Look Your Best. Although this tip may seem simple enough, paying attention to your dress and appearance may make the difference between craft fair success and failure.

   “I always wear something really fashionable & eye-catching at the shows,” Celeste says. “I wear make up and put my hair up so as to not obscure the scarf I’m modeling for the day. I have a big, confident smile on my face and make sure that my nails are clean and neat.”

Celeste shared a simple check-list she created to make sure she is prepared for craft fairs:

• Scarves (or your handmade items)
• Mirror
• Table and chair
• Supplies (to craft while at the event)
• Sign up sheet for mailing list or custom orders
• Pens for customers to write checks
• Paper to note who bought what, payment type, and price
• Signs with pricing and prompts
• Change
• Calculator
• Bags
• Cool outfit
• Water and snacks
• Contact cards or business cards
• Coat rack poles for display

Celeste suggests taking a look at a blog post by Amber Dusick about craft vendor booth mistakes. Amber is a self-described “craft fair shopping veteran.” With her 30 years of craft fair attendance, Amber says she has “picked up on a few things that strongly affect whether or not I’ll buy from a seller and whether or not I’ll even step foot in their booth.”

Amber’s tips range from pricing tips and signage ideas to how to communicate with sellers via business cards and being friendly.

“You need to think of your booth as a stand alone product that you are selling,” Amber writes in her blog post. “You are not just selling your products inside, you are selling your booth…it is like a mini store you must get people to enter!”

Like Celeste’s tips? Check out her blog, follow her on Twitter, or have a peek at her Flickr. You can also see a list of her Etsy Team affiliations on her Etsy shop profile.

Not sure how to find a craft fair near you? Etsy seller Renaissance M. Austin walks handmade sellers through the process of finding a local craft fair in this past article.

What do you do to prepare for a craft fair? What tips do you have for making the most of events you attend in your community? What would you add to Celeste’s check-list for craft fair items? Leave a comment and tell us!

Original artile posted on HandmadeNews.org

Alamo City Etsy Member of the Month!

This month our featured member is Rebecca Black of Your Favorite Things. Rebecca joined our team in April and she makes beautiful jewelry with clean symmetry and elegant movement. Her pieces are well made and unique, and her repairs policy simply can't be beat. We interviewed her to find out a little about what makes her tick.

What is your craft?
Jewelry-making, primarily with beads.

Why do you craft?
It's my primary creative outlet and I really love to make things that other people love to wear. There's just something special about having a really great one of a kind piece that you'll never see somewhere else.


What would you be doing otherwise?
I have been rumored to be an avid metal smith, but the "garage studio" hasn't quite worked as planned. My "day job" is personal trainer, and I consider myself lucky to get to do two things I really love to do.


What are your sources of inspiration?
I don't really have a "style" (yet) so I get inspiration from just about everything. Primitive tribal styles, designs and colors, Asian themes, sparkly girly things, the elements, the weather, a particular era - it's all on the palette still. Maybe I'll narrow my focus someday.


How long have you lived in San Antonio?
Moved here in June of 2000. Almost a decade long denizen!


What is your favorite place to eat?
Thats a toughie. Dead tie between Chuy's, Green, and Thai Chili.


How did you come up with your business name?
I just wanted something fairly simple, easy to spell and easy to remember. My mom is my best sales rep and I needed something cute that she could just mention to someone without having to write it down. That and it wasn't taken yet.
What are your hobbies?
I'm a voracious reader, I love running, hiking, riding my bike, watching movies, checking out music, but I'm usually up for just about anything.

What do you geek-out over?
I have an insane obsession with language, psychology and brain plasticity. I read just about everything on those subjects I can get my hands on and make other people read them so I have someone to talk to about it. I'm also an evangelistic health nut, so I keep up with all the latest news and science to improve my professional and personal pursuits.


If you could buy any one thing for your crafting what would it be?
An extra 2 hours a day. Better quality tools would be a close second, but my cheapos are serving me well for now.


What is your favorite thing that you have ever made?
My Gypsy Princess bracelet. It doesn't have any especially expensive materials in it but it took a lot of time and love to make. It's a completely unique design that I had to work out over and over in my head, and I'm 100% happy with the product.


Do you have any advice for other crafters?
Make the time to do what you love to do, even if it isn't your primary job. Putting it off suffocates your creative monster and all it wants is to be fed.

Weekend Update

Tomorrow will be a sweet day in SA! Not only can you get more free cupcakes at Kate's Frosting on Main, but HEB is sponsoring Blue Star Contemporary Art Center Family Day!

The parking lot of Blue Star Arts Complex will be transformed into an engaging art extravaganza with artist led projects and booths, live music, complimentary refreshments and educational mini-workshops with collaborating partners. Kids, teens, and adults will get hands on experience through art projects centered around the MOSAIC program and the contemporary art community.


Head by Kate's Frosting at 2518 N. Main for round two of free cupcakes & a raffle. This 2nd Anniversary celebration runs from 10:30am-6:00pm, there will be samples of their new flavors and a raffle.


Down at the Centro Cultural Aztlan Gallery located at 1800 Fredereicksburg Rd. Suite 103 you should check out the 2009 Artist Showcase & Vendor Expo hosted by The Graffiti Foundation. Come down on Saturday from 12:00pm until 5:00pm for an Artist Showcase, Vendor and Artist Activities, and Additional Guest Speakers and Silent Auction.


Tonight get your fancy dress and favorite mask on for the Bling-Bling Fling. The Martinez Street Women's Center is celebrating their 10-year anniversary and 6th year of Bling-Bling Fling. Marie Antoinette meets punk masquerade ball. Complete with art auction, Dj's John Mata & JJ Lopez, Lisa Woolf (fortune teller extraordinaire), food, wine, and beer ! It promises to be an evening full of magic and surprises, mc-ed by Sarah Fisch and Quinn Morgendorffer. This year's ball will be held at ArtPace at 445 N Main Ave. $25 at the door.

Google Analytics

If you don't have Google Analtyics installed in your Etsy shop, listen up! You can track, in amazing detail, the visits to your Etsy store. To get it going head on over to My Etsy and find the Shop Setup on the bottom left. Click on Web Analytics. Then follow the instructions from there.

What is Google Analytics?
Google Analytics is a free tool that shows you how visitors are interacting with your shop. It can help you do things like:

• See which of your items get the most visits.
• Identify where your traffic is coming from.
• Optimize your marketing and outreach activities.
• Find out which keywords on Etsy are sending you visitors.

How do I access my Google Analytics account?
You can enable this feature by going to Your Etsy > Shop Setup > Web Analytics. Or, if you are logged in you can find the link here. After a recent Etsy Virtual Lab, a recap was posted with a useful pdf for Etsy sellers. Visit the Etsy Web Analytics FAQ for Etsy-specific questions.

Resources for learning more:
There's some great material out there about how to use Google Analytics to improve your shop's performance. Here are some good places to get started:

• Google Analytics Blog - Advice and tutorials on how to use web Analytics to improve your business online. Back to basics posts happen every Monday.
• Youtube Channel - Videos showing how to do common types of analysis, such as the video embedded above.
• Help Forum - Get your analytics questions answered.
• Seminars for Success - Comprehensive, in-person training on beginner and experts analytics topics.
• GAIQ - Get certified in Analytics.

To read about the most recent upgrades, head on over to The Storque.

Dia de los Craftos on Halloween Night

Alamo City Etsy is hosting the 1st Dia de los Craftos on October 31st!

Vendors Include: El Sol Studios, B.Link, Geminita, Charlotte's Collection, Your Favorite Things, TomatoPin, Seben Jewelry, Revolution Pottery, Missy M, Lucy von Hot & More!!

Promote Wisely

If you have a local craft fair coming up, consider purchasing promotional items. Having a re-usable product to give away at craft fairs or other local artist shows may help with that valuable impression all Etsy sellers are trying to create.

To help you pick items that will get the most bang for your advertising buck, our HandmadeMarketing.org team has some tips:

1. Get In Their Homes. One way to help make an impression is to use promo materials that are useful to the potential buyer. Everyday items will get you the most return on your work. For example, if you are creating business cards for your next craft fair, consider making the business card double as a six-inch ruler. By making promotional items useful, you will see your cost per impression goes down, while also seeing a huge jump on your return on investment. In other words, more people will see your promo item (a ruler) and remember you. On the other hand, if you are using a regular business card as our promo item, your chances of being remembered go down significantly.
2. Remember Your Buyers. Our HandmadeMarketing.org team thinks encouraging repeat customers is a must if you want to succeed on Etsy.com. If your shop is at a craft fair, consider creating on-going purchase coupons. For example, if you see handbags on Etsy.com, consider offering 20% off the first purchase and 10% off each additional purchase. Look at your profit margin and see what you can spare. It may only be $2.00 off they buyer’s first purchase and $1.00 off the second. Whatever you can spare, think about customer loyalty when recruiting new potential buyers. Plus, think of the message you are sending when you offer these kind of “thank yous” to people who haven’t even made a purchase yet!
3. Don’t Go Cheap. Although you may have seen a decrease in your Etsy sales, don’t settle for lots of cheap promotional items. A lot of cheap items do not have the same impact as a few dozen great items! Consider being picky regarding giving out promo items. If someone isn’t interested in your craft, don’t give them an item.

Breestrom can make you promotional lip balms that will be sure to stick around

HandmadeMarketing.org reader Debra from Etsy shop EndOfTheDayCrafting had a great idea for a promo item that was useful. “I purchased inexpensive ink pens printed with my Etsy shop name and web address,” Debra told us. “I include one in most of my orders and a small extra gift. When eating out I always sign the check with my pen and leave it behind!“ Great idea – keep promo items useful and versitle for your shop’s marketing scheme.

Not sure where to start? If you are looking for promo items on Etsy.com, visit HandmadeMarketing.org reader Melissa at MonsterPromos. Support a fellow Etsian and grab some great items for your next show!

This article was posted originally on HandmadeMarketing.org!

Tempting Tuesday - Caramel Apples

This time of year makes me want apples.. Caramel apples!


Ingredients

• 6 apples
  
• Craft sticks
  
• 1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
  
• 2 tablespoons milk

Directions

Remove the stem from each apple and press a craft stick into the top. Butter a baking sheet. Place caramels and milk in a microwave safe bowl and microwave for 2 minutes, stirring once. Allow to cool briefly. Roll each apple quickly in caramel sauce until well coated. Place on prepared sheet to set. They can be rolled in chopped nuts for an added touch of flavor!

Recipe by Paula Deen

Guerrilla Handmade Marketing

As defined on Wikipedia, "The concept of guerrilla marketing was invented as an unconventional system of promotions that relies on time, energy and imagination rather than a big marketing budget. Typically, guerrilla marketing campaigns are unexpected and unconventional; potentially interactive; and consumers are targeted in unexpected places." The end goal of a guerrilla campaign is to invent a captivating, interesting and extraordinary concept to create publicity on its own. The term was coined by Jay Conrad Levinson in his book Guerrilla Marketing.

This concept is an important thing for handmade artisans to ponder, as the whole idea is big impact on a minuscule budget. Here are a whole list of ideas that crafters can use on a low budget for a targeted audience and big impact.

• Business Cards – Having cards printed is very important. Of course you have some for handing out to people that you meet. Instead of leaving them on bulletin boards (awash in the sea of other business cards) make a library or book store and open each and every book pertaining to your craft and place a business card inside. Leave your cards in magazines at the doctors office. drop them in the fishbowl at restaurants.
  
• Money Stamping – Have a custom stamp made and stamp sometihng intriguing (a riddle, sometihng funny, a little picture) along with your website address on it.
• Post It Notes – Another use for your new stamp.. Sticky notes grab attention wherever they may be because people know what kinds of information are on them. Put these on the door to the craft store, leave them in DIY books in the library, cars in parking lots and above mail boxes in apartment buildings.
• Bumper Stickers – These are great because they can go anywhere. Bathroom stalls, street poles, etc. The possibilities are endless.
• Window decals – You can get a custom printed car decal from any of the great vinyl artists on Etsy with your logo/website and possibly a slogan.It looks clean and professional and is great for red lights.
• Partnerships – Do you make soap? Try partnering with a clay artist and trade some soap for their photos for a soap dish or two for yours. Do you refurbish vintage picture frames? Try partnering with a artist who has prints to trade for a few frames. A partnership of this nature benefits both crafters and is a great way to showcase your items in with a beautiful display. Also a great way of giving your business targeted marketing to a whole different client base.
• Borrow a wall/building - Buy a slide projector and find someone to let you use the side of their business/wall. You can develop pictures of a few of your best items and add your website information to the bottom to project. Most people will stop to look.

There will be more tips to come in this series of low rent promotional ideas. Take these and run with them.

National Chocolate Cupcake Day

Happy Chocolate Cupcake Day! Today is the day to go have a dark decadent delicious treat and celebrate the awesomeness and history of this sweet confection. While no one is quite certain where cupcakes came from, it is known that they made an appearance in the United States sometime in the 19th Century. Cupcakes have become increasingly popular with the Texas "Cupcake Amendment", Cupcake Art, Cupcakeries, Pop Culture.. Little Debbie is even giving away a million of their chocolate cupcakes!

Crazy for Chocolate by Charlotte's Collection

If you're looking for great cupcakes made from scratch locally, check out Sweet Lizzy's Cupcakes. She donated some chocolate cupcakes and carrot cupcakes to our Haute Pink Bazaar that were simply to die for. She will be selling her yummy cakes at our Holiday Handmade Market on December 12th.

Taco Land Tribute to hit NPR

When you think of San Antonio, you might be inclined to "Remember the Alamo." But there's a lesser-known city landmark — a cinderblock building that's vacant now, silenced by a violent crime — that was once the loudly beating heart of San Antonio's underground music scene.

Long before the Dead Milkmen wrote a song about it, Taco Land was just an after-work beer joint. Shift workers from the Pearl Brewery and folks from the neighborhood were shooting pool and drinking cheap, cold beer.

But around 1980, a young cowpunk band called the Hickoids played what many believe was the first underground punk show at Taco Land.

Listen to the whole piece on Weekend Edition Sunday or read the transcript here.

Weekend Update

Head down to Pedicab Bar to see a free show tonight put on by DJ Chorizo Funk, I Ching Gatos, and The Sons of Sancho! 415 Cevallos, right behind La Tuna and right across the railroad tracks from Blue Star.



Mangos with Chili is North America's only annual queer & trans people of color performance tour. Come check their San Antonio stop on Splendor and Grit: The Stunning South Tour, where seven queer people of color artists working in spoken word, drag, burlesque, dance and performance will thrill you with their high-intensity stories of queer and trans of color survival, love, desire and resistance. Catch this show tomorrow night, Saturday, October 17 at 8pm. Its all taking place at the Esperanza Peace & Justice Center, 922 San Pedro. $5 to $8 sliding scale. Call 210.228.0201 for more info.The 2nd Annual Bite Fest is happening tomorrow, too! October 17th at Calle Ocho, 416 8th St. This event will benefit the San Antonio Food Bank. Live music by That Damned Band, The Sandworms, The Skeletons, Mariachis Del Infierno and the Saturday Nite Shockers... Solo Burlesque and Group Performers, 999 Eyes Freak Show, Vendors, Magicians, Comedians, Fashion Show by Jupiter Moon 3 Corsets, Drag Show, Fire Twirlers by Spit Fire, Clowns, House DJ, Belly Dancers, Suicide Girls and Masuimi Max!!! Advanced tickets are available for $20. Bring 5 or more cans of food/non-perishables and get your ticket for $15. The day of the show will be $25, unless you bring 5 or more canned goods/non-perishables you get $5 off. The show is 18 and up only.

DIY Bubble Mailer Tutorial

Save money and the environment by making your own bubble mailers! These can be made in any size or shape.



For supplies you will need:
- Decorative paper that is medium to heavy weight (scrapbook paper, wrapping paper, etc)
- Bubble wrap (the standard kind, not the stuff with the giant bubbles)
- White glue, or a heavy-duty glue stick. You can also use permanent scrapbook adhesive tape.
- Clear tape
-Scissors or paper cutter
-Ruler
-Spray adhesive (optional)

1. Take a piece of decorative paper and cut it to be 11 x 9 inches.
   Then, fold it following the graph below. (This is for an evelope that is 5x7, for a bigger envelope just double the width and add an inch for the "flap" on the side, and allow .5 in on the bottom and 1.5 in on the top for flaps also)
2. Cut off the pieces marked in the diagram Your paper will look like this: Leave on the table right side down for the following steps.
3. Cut two pieces of bubble wrap that are approximately 4.5 x 6.5 inches (slightly larger is better than too small)
   and glue, bubble side down (so the smooth part faces towards you), to the wrong side of the paper inside the two 5x7 inch pieces. (The part without the pattern) Leave about .25 inches on each side.
   I glued mine with spray adhesive, but white glue will work ok for this. Be patient and let the glue dry if you use white glue. AND spread white glue thinly so the paper doesn't get wrinkles and warp where the glue made it too soggy.
4. Once the glue is dry, use clear tape (packaging tape or scotch tape work fine) to tape down the top edge of the bubble wrap as marked in the diagram. This keeps it from peeling up when you fill the envelope.
5. Put glue on the bottom two flaps of the paper and fold the envelope together. Press the bottom flaps together firmly and allow to dry. These will be secure if you used good glue, but if you are worried you can tape this seam. Your envelope will be connected on the bottom, but open with a 1 inch flap on the right side, and a 1.5 inch flap on the top like this:
6. Put glue on the side flap, and fold over, securing it to the back of the envelope. For additional security, tape the flap as well. (This one likes to peel up otherwise!)

Now your envelope is done! Fill it and either glue or tape the top flap shut. If you have a solid color, dark colors, or busy pattern, you will want to affix white mailing labels on the front to write you addresses on it. Happy mailing!

Original tutorial by www.ragnazidnar.etsy.com can be found at Craftster.org

Spooky San Antonio Delights

Here is a Treasury featuring Alamo City Etsy members and local artisans! Go check it out.

Free Cupcakes!

No, really! Kate's Frosting on Main is having their second anniversary on Tuesday, October 20th! They'll be be introducing several new flavors for you to try and all merchandise will be 20% off that day only. There will also be a raffle to win gift certificates. So, really its free cupcakes with the possibility of winning more free cupcakes! You can't lose!!



I've been by and their cupcakes are pretty good. I tried the Ruby Slipper and couldn't finish it due to how rich and decadent it was. My only complaint is that there isn't a few cupcakes at room temperature to be eaten right away. Eating refrigerated cupcakes takes a little of the joy out of it, as the frosting is not soft and the bottom of the cake tends to be soggy due to condensation. I still ended up fulfilled beyond belief after eating a Ruby Slipper, which was just so pretty with the chocolate and sugared cherry on top. Kate, the owner, is just the nicest lady. I left my bag there and couldn't find it anywhere and I thought that surely I had lost it. A few days later Kate left me a message saying that she had found a bag and called me when she found my Alamo City Etsy cards in the pocket. All of my things were safe and sound, and I was tempted to try another cupcake upon picking it up, but I'll save that for later this month when I pick up a dozen of her Jessica Rabbits.

You can come check out all of this sweet (some are sugar free) goodness at Kate's Frosting located at 2518 N. Main. They have another location called The Cupcake Cabin located at 1020 Townsend.

Temptation Tuesday

Blood Red Hot Chocolate

* 5 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 5 ounces bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
* 4 cups whole milk
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 2 teaspoons red gel-paste food coloring

Bring milk and sugar to a simmer in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring until sugar dissolves, about 7 minutes. Pour over chocolate, and let stand. When chocolate begins to melt, stir until combined. Whisk in food coloring. Serve immediately with marshmallow bones.

Marshmallow Bones

* 3/4 cup cold water
* 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
* 1/2 ounce unflavored gelatin (1 tablespoon)
* 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
* 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons light corn syrup
* Confectioners' sugar, for dusting


1. Line 2 baking sheets with waxed paper. Combine 1/2 cup cold water and the vanilla in a mixing bowl. Sprinkle gelatin over top, and let stand until softened, about 5 minutes.

2. Bring granulated sugar, corn syrup, and remaining 1/4 cup cold water to a boil in a small saucepan. Cook, washing down sides of saucepan with a wet pastry brush, until mixture registers 234 degrees to 240 degrees on a candy thermometer. Remove from heat.

3. Whisk gelatin mixture with a mixer on high speed for 30 seconds. With the machine running, carefully pour hot sugar mixture down the side of bowl in a slow, steady stream. Whisk mixture until very fluffy and almost stiff, 8 to 10 minutes. Transfer to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch round tip.
4. To form the bones: In a continuous motion, pipe a small figure 8, then a straight 5-inch line, then another small figure 8. Repeat. Let bones stand, uncovered, for 10 to 12 hours in a cool, dry place.

5. Generously sift confectioners' sugar over bones, turning to coat. Shake off excess. (The marshmallow bones will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 weeks.)


These spooky recipes were from Martha Stewart Living, October 2008.

Marketing Monday - Craft Marketplaces – The Ins and Outs

Have you ever considered becoming involved in a craft fair or other local show, but aren’t sure of the ins and outs?

Renaissance Austin of Raghouse International, found on both Etsy and MySpace, shared informative and insider tips with HandmadeMarketing.org.

“There are a few things you have to remember first,” she writes. “If you are looking to sell at marketplaces, you are a business, you don’t just make crafts and give them away for fun. You also don’t just want to sell for fun.”

Second, Renaissance says packaging and set up is everything. “Get an E-Z Up that works well for you and that is reasonabley priced,” she suggests. “I purchased mine from Loews in Los Angeles and it is great.”

“I would say always physically buy a tent,” Renaissance suggests. “I made the mistake of buying my first canopy online and it was not the greatest quality at all! It actually came to me broken. There were shattered pieces of plastic that I took photos of and emailed to them. They took forever to rectify the situation. I paid way too much for it and found out that I was buying through a third party anyway. The customer service was terrible. I learned my lesson in that ordeal.”

Next, she suggests than a handmade seller would want to visualize the marketplace space.

As a fabulous tip, Renaissance suggests turning to Google Images for ideas. “Using Google Images of wedding, event, or backyard decorations allow you to get color and design ideas for your space,” she suggests. Our HandmadeMarketing.org team loved this idea!

She advises to plan the entire setting down to the details. “If you have tables, what fabric would you like to use to cover your tables?” Renaissance says since a lot of vending happens on in the spring and summer seasons, handmade sellers should consider bright, rustic, or earthy colors.

The idea behind a marketplace is that sellers are creating an “outside the shop” experience for your potential client. “Bring theme into play for your space,” Renaissance recommends. “Would you like to bring a lightweight artificial plant for added greenery?”

“It’s like a mobile boutique,” Renaissance told HandmadeMarketing.org. What type of boutique do you want a potential customer visit? “If you have garment racks for clothing, think about a nice inexpensive rug to center your space. That way customers can come off the hard concrete path onto a nice decorative rug.” Asking these types of questions before the event will help you arrive prepared.

“Once you’ve nailed how you want your space to look, think of this,” Renaissance said. “WIND!”

Renaissance said many people are not prepared for the wind, or even the cold, that sneaks up on cool spring and summer nights. “It all depends on where you are located in the layout of the marketplace. Bring masking tape just in case you need to hold things down from the bottom. Consider tying bows with your table cloth at each end of the table to keep them from flapping up if a wind current comes.”

She suggests bringing along bricks or sandbags to the event. “I use the gray bricks that have an opening where I slide each leg of my canopy into it,” Renaissance told HandmadeMarketing.org. “This will keep your canopy from flying away if the wind really starts to blow. The sand bags are good for garment racks so they don’t tip over. So overall be prepared for mother nature.”

Below are some other miscellaneous tips from Renaissance for your next craft fair or local marketplace event:

1. Bring Friends Along. “Always bring 2 or 3 people with you! Major brands and chains know that a crowd is very important!” Renaissance tells us. “Keep in mind that some potential customers are shy or less confident. They will not just step into your booth even though they may like what they see. If they don’t see anyone there, or you are sitting in a chair smiling, often times they do not come in,” she said.
Renaissance says that when potential customers see a crowd, and the seller is already talking to a few customers and showing them a items, she’s found that they come right in.
“Having people with you allows you to chat and be breezy and it is also support and comfort,” she said. “Train the people you bring to be sales reps just in case your booth gets a little busy. It’s just like in a retail shop. I’ve had people walk away because I was trying to serve everyone myself and drew attention away from one person to the next. That’s when I realized I needed to have a few people be sales reps for the busy moments.”
2. Give Buyers Time. “Let them look around for a minute before going to them,” she said. “You can tell the ones that have questions and are too shy to ask. Then, there are those potential buyers that will just ask.” Giving a buyer time will allow them the space they need to make a decision they are comfortable with.
3. Create a Workspace. Renaissance had a great idea for making your booth stand out. “If you can, create at your booth!” she suggested. “Often times it keeps you focused and busy, and not nervous. For me, because I was only 22 when I first started vending, I realized very early on that I had to crochet at my booth. It helped people actually believe I made everything I was selling!”
Renaissance said this actually turned out to be one of her greatest marketing tools! “I know for a fact that many of my sales were a result of people really seeing me do it right in from of their eyes. They love watching the creative process.”

Thank you for the great advice and tips Renaissance!

Unsure of how to get involved with a local craft show or handmade event? Renaissance shares tips for how to connect with other local artists and venues.

Original article from HandmadeMarketing.org

Today's Handmade Market

Today Geminita and The Bad Cat will be set up at Bubblehead Tea, at 1035 S Presa, from noon till around seven o'clock or so. Here are a few pieces from their collections...




Check out the menu for Bubblehead Tea here.

Alamo City Weekend Update

This weekend in San Antonio...

Alamo City Etsy will be at Bubblehead Tea having a good time this Saturday at the Second Saturday Handmade Market on October 10th! Geminita and The Bad Cat will be vending from Noon to Seven. Our Monthly Meeting will take place during the Market at 2pm, so sellers interested in vending at Alamo City Etsy evens should come and fill out an application.

El Sol Studios will be having a Destash Sale at 9am on October 10th at 936 S Alamo St while the King William Garage Sale is happening in the neighborhood around it.


Classes by Carrie Avery of Paper Wings Productions will be available this weekend at Stamp Antonio! Call 210-342-6217 for more information.

• Day of the Dead Shrine - Saturday, October 10 at 10:30am - $30
  Come and join us in creating a shrine from an Altoid tin. Choose a close family member, favorite artist, poet, or even musician to pay homage to while creating a wonderful display piece for your home.
• Exquisite Corpse Book - Saturday, October 10 at 3:00pm - $30
  Sounds morbid, but loads of fun. Think of an old fashioned flip book, where when you turn the pages for different heads, torsos, and legs. We will create the first few pages in class, the rest of the book will be completed at home with the help of a template.
• Totally Tim Tags - Sunday, October 11 at 3:30pm - $12
  Do you have a lot of Tim Holtz products and aren't sure what to do with them? Or forget which product can be used with what tool and paper? Or maybe you would like some new ideas on using the products you already own? Well join Jennie and Carrie in making some awesome tags using various techniques on each tag.

Chalk it Up is taking place on October 10th. Held annually in the fall, Chalk It Up is a free, family-friendly event celebrating our city’s creative spirit. San Antonio’s premier artists turn the sidewalks of Houston Street into works of art. The community is invited to help complete a super-sized street mural, and a variety of art-filled activities are offered in the Kidzone—a space where imaginations soar. Alamo City Etsy friend and Keep San Antonio Lame creator Aaron Hans Forland will be there chalking it up!



SMART Fair 3 is a all day free event for San Antonio community. free art workshops for children, music, performance, art exhibitions and food are ready to serve you. Head down to the South Flores Arts District to check out this free event.



"Una Noche de La Gloria: Contemporary Art in the Cultural Zone" takes place on October 10, 2009 in San Antonio, Texas from 6pm to Midnight in the Historic Avenida Guadalupe Cultural Arts District. Poetry, Fashion, Contemporary Music, Fine Art, Film, Auto Arte, Installation/Projection Pieces, Performance Art and Architecture comprise La Gloria's unique exposition. All events occur simultaneously in the same geographic area. Free admission!


Part of La Gloria is Pop Yo Trunk! I have to shout out to friends Aaron "stncl.07" Moreno, Aaron Hans Forland, Annele Spector and Albert Alvarez!

Temptation Tuesday

A new weekly feature on our blog will be a recipe that is so fabulous, delicious and innovative that we just had to share. Our first selection are these adorable Pumpkin Pie Bites created by Bakerella. They're easy to eat one handed while working on your latest craft project and so cute that you'll be inspired to create sweet little autumn things yourself!

Pumpkin Pie Bites

2 refrigerated ready-to roll pie crusts

8 oz. cream cheese, room temperature
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup canned pumpkin
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
Pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter

Optional
1/2 cup chocolate morsels
vegetable oil
re-sealable plastic bags

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Use cookie cutter to cut 12 pumpkin shapes from each pie crust. You will need to roll the dough thinner than it comes out of the box.

Press dough shapes into a 24 cup mini muffin tray. (Make 12 at a time, alternating cups to make sure pie crusts don’t overlap each other.)

Apply egg whites from one egg to the top edges of each pie.

Mix cream cheese, sugar, canned pumpkin, remaining 2 eggs, vanilla and pumpkin pie spice together until thoroughly combined.

Spoon mixture into each pumpkin-shaped pie crust.

Bake for 12-15 minutes.

Remove pies to cool and repeat with second pie crust. Place the muffin tray in the freezer to cool it quickly for re-use.

Makes 24 pies. Keep refrigerated.

To decorate, melt chocolate in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave on medium. Heat in 30 second intervals, stirring in between until melted. Add a little vegetable oil to make the chocolate more fluid. Transfer to a re-sealable plastic bag and cut the corner off. Drizzle or draw faces on pies.

Note: The cutter I used was 3 3/4 inches wide, but if you don’t have one, don’t worry. Just use a round cutter around that size or slightly smaller to cut circle shapes out of the dough. Then make stems with the scraps. Press each stem over the edge and down the side of the dough before filling.

Pumpkin pie spice is a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and allspice.

She explains about her inspiration in making these and there are great step by step pictures. She advides that if you can't wait for Thanksgiving to go ahead and pipe some little jack o'lantern faces on them, and I think that is a brilliant idea.

Read more delightfully tasty treats to satisfy any sweet tooth on her blog at http://www.bakerella.com/