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.

" The Next Big Thing Contest" at Dallas Market Center Accepting Entries

If you have never been to a gift show at a major market center, then you cannot imagine the scope of this.  Over 50,000 buyers from all over the world attend the Dallas Market, looking for the next big thing, the next unique and wonderful product that will take the retail world by storm. This is the big time. 

Dallas Market Center has announced it is accepting entries for its national product search contest -- The Next Big Thing. Three finalists will show their products in front of more than 50,000 attendees during the FINDS Dallas Temp Show to be held June 23-26, 2011 during the Total Home & Gift Market (June 22-28, 2011). The contest is for anyone who has the next new product -- an artist, product designer, entrepreneur, stay-at- home mom, your next door neighbor, or any other creative mind. It offers the opportunity for those with great ideas to make their dreams a reality.

"The Next Big Thing opens the door for innovators to have their new products shown to retail buyers from throughout the country," said Bill Winsor, president and CEO, Dallas Market Center. "Each year our finalists are offered opportunities because of the search and we look forward to seeing even more go on to great success this year."

The contest allows up-and-comers, whether companies or individuals, to show their product in front of domestic and international retail buyers at Dallas Market Center.

The Next Big Thing should be a new and unique product -- the latest gadget, perfect gift, or must-have home good. This is an opportunity to get your product out in the market. The finished product should be distinctive with an outstanding design and concept. 

The finalists will receive airfare and hotel for the FINDS Dallas Temp Show (June 23-26, 2011) to show their product in a complimentary custom exhibit space. Judges from consumer and trade media as well as industry experts will help select the winner based on the finalists' products. In addition, the public will have a chance to vote to show their support for their favorite product/finalist on the Dallas Market Center Facebook fan page -- www.facebook.com/dallasmarketcenter.

The winner will be selected based on a combination of judges' feedback and popular vote.

The Next Big Thing winner will be announced on Saturday, June 25, 2011 and receive a prize package worth more than $10,000 including a $2,500 cash prize, exhibit space at the Dallas Total Home & Gift Market in January 2012, a profile in one of Dallas Market Center's award-winning custom publications, and consultations from leading industry experts regarding branding, public relations, visual merchandising and much more.

For more information, visit www.dallasmarketcenter.com. 

Are you accepting credit cards on your mobile?

One of our Craftstravaganzaa friends turned me on to this new (to me, anyway) service called Square.   It is an app for your iphone, ipod or droid platform phone that allows  you to swipe credit cards for payment anytime - anywhere. 

I've gathered some information from their website and so far, the service looks very cool. No merchant account needed, no contract, no monthly fees - just pay a transaction fee with each transaction.  You don't use it, you do not owe anything.  That's the way I like it! Plus the card reader is FREE! 

Check their website for more info and let  me know what you think of it. 

https://squareup.com/

Is my device supported with Square?

Updated Jan 28, 2011 02:09PM PST

Square is available for a variety of devices on the Apple iOS and Google Android platforms. As new devices are released, we perform stringent and meticulous tests to make sure that each device will be fully compatible with Square and will process payments easily, securely, and accurately.

For a full up-to-date list, check out our getting started page.

Find the Square app on the iTunes App Store or Android Market on the following devices:

Apple iOS

• iPhone, iPhone 3G, iPhone 3GS, iPhone 4
• iPod touch (2nd generation or later)
• iPad

Google Android

• Motorola Droid, Droid X
• HTC Nexus One, Droid Incredible, Evo, Desire, Hero (With Android 2.X)
• Samsung Galaxy S series (including the Captivate, Vibrant, Epic 4G and the Fascinate), Intercept
• LG Ally
• Dell Streak

Keep in mind that while Square may work on an iOS or Android phone or tablet that is not mentioned above, please remember that we cannot provide support for any devices not listed here. We're always looking to expand this list in the future though!

How do I get a card reader?

During the application process, we'll ask you for a mailing address. When we have your free Square card reader ready for you, we'll automatically email you as soon as it has shipped. As soon as it does, all you need to do is plug it into your headphone port, open the Square app, and swipe a card. That's it!

What are the Transaction Fees?

In order for Square to transfer your funds to you, you'll need to enter your bank account information on your Square account settings page. Square will automatically send you your money after a 24 hour period. It can take 2-4 business days, depending on your bank, for the electronic transfer to clear.

Square's card processing fees are simply:

2.75% + 15¢ for swiped transactions

3.5% + 15¢ for keyed-in transactions

That's it! There are no activation, gateway, monthly, early termination, hidden fees or any additional costs to use Square. Every credit or debit card we accept (Visa, Mastercard, Amex and Discover) have the same flat rate. These fees are static and do not change depending on how much the transaction was for. As our fees are taken out of each transaction as they occur, there is no fee schedule. Square also does not require a contract upon signup and since we only charge per transaction, it doesn't cost you anything if you don't use it!