FREE Tai Chi in the Park this Saturday - Athens, GA

Athens Regional's Mind Body Institute is offering a FREE Tai Chi in the Park this Saturday, April 2 from 9:30-10:30 am.

The park is located on Talmadge Drive just below the Medical Services Building. Spend a lovely spring Saturday morning outside practicing Tai Chi and improve balance, concentration, energy and relaxation.

This is open to both beginners and those with experience. No registration is needed.


 For more information, email mbiprograms@armc.org or call 706-475-7329. 

Craftstravaganzaa Fliers are online now.

I've posted PDF fliers  on the FORMS page of our Craftstravaganzaa website.   Please help us get the word out about our event - download and print a few and stick'em up everywhere you can.


I'll be making buttons, badges and banners available on the website this week, look for 'em and help us get the word out about Craftstravaganzaa. 

NYIGF Accepting Applications for Juried Divisions

I got this from one of the newsletters I subscribe to at work.  This market is a fantastic opportunity for the serious artisan/designer.  

 Designers, artists and manufacturers are invited to submit applications for juried, design-focused divisions at the summer 2011 New York International Gift Fair(NYIGF), running August 13-18. Applications are available online at www.nyigf.com/apply. 

The juried divisions include Accent on Design; A+: The Young Designers' Platform at Accent on Design; Handmade Designer Maker and Handmade Global Design.

New for 2011 is the addition of two NYIGF-funded Carol Sedestrom Ross "Maker-to-Market" Scholarships, which will be awarded to two Handmade applicants to support their wholesale market participation. Every Handmade applicant will automatically be considered for the scholarship, which is funded by NYIGF. The annual scholarships include one free exhibit space in Handmade Designer Maker and Handmade Global Design, in addition to a five-night hotel stay in New York City during market week, round-trip transportation, tradeshow marketing support and market-readiness consultation from industry experts. The scholarship is named in honor of the late Carol Sedestrom Ross, GLM's former director of craft marketing.

Accent on Design showcases the latest and most innovative designs spanning all product categories. The Selection Committee's criteria for acceptance includes:

•Original, creative and authentic product design
•New and innovative use of materials
•Products that address and solve problems
•Consistent and continuous new product creations
•A focus on contemporary design as perceived by the jury
•Functionality
Handmade is a unique and upscale juried forum that features international and domestic artisans, designers and manufacturers of only the finest handcrafted merchandise. The Selection Committee's criteria for acceptance includes:

•Unique and original work when reviewing contemporary craft
•Authentic design when reviewing traditional and ethnic craft
•Products that are marketable in the framework of the NYIGF®
•Products that are appropriate for the Handmade section

There's a whole page of good tips on applying for the juried division.  The page also describes what you'll have to submit to apply, and the link to the application is on this page.

Application for New York International Gift Fair

Discover the Power of Color! Free Valspar Paint Giveaway!

Wow, just found this  great Valspar paint promo.  They are giving away free samples of their paint, plus a roller, paint tray, chart of complimentary colors plus a nice little sample jar of paint.  Hundreds of colors to choose from and totally free!  I filled out the online form, chose  my color and within 3-4 days my package came in the mail. And a bonus - a $5 dollar off coupon for paint!

http://www.valsparpaint.com/en/index.html

Pantone Spring/Summer Color Live Webinar

 Live Webinar

Join us on March 15 as we cross the bridge to Spring/Summer 2012 

 

As color is often the catalyst to spark the sale, retailers and manufacturers today should not overlook the strategic use of color in their product selections and must be mindful of creating visual excitement and freshness in order to keep consumers engaged. Critical to making that happen is understanding the product colors consumers will be looking for and then getting these products to market as fast and efficiently as possible. 

On Friday, March 11 at 12 noon EST, Pantone will hold a live webinar to reveal the color trends for Summer 2012. This is a one-hour online event at no charge. 

Log on to hear Laurie Pressman, Vice-President of Fashion, Home + Interiors, guide you through the multitude of surprising and innovative color palettes and combinations for 2012 that you need to know. 

With production increasingly taking place in geographies remote from the site of product design, Brooks Tippett will explain the importance of using a technically sound system so you can easily and efficiently turn these new emerging trends into a colorful reality and get your products to market faster. 

Illustrated with the latest in color information from Pantone, the industry's foremost authority on all things color.

Click here to register.