RagsReborn's 2018 Review

It is currently 11:35am on Tuesday, January 1st, 2019. Happy New Year, y'all! 🎇🎉(that second emoji is supposed to be a "party popper," but it totally looks like a taco or some sort of food to me, LOL) I decided to use the #2018bestnine app yesterday to generate my highest liked pictures of the year. Some good ones came up - endometriosis awareness, the dress I designed and made for American Sewing Guild contest, the Kesha concert, my drastic haircut, I gained Excel certification, endometriosis awareness (again!), Athena with Santa Paws, Crazy Rich Asians, and sadly, only one craft show picture. And even worse, there weren't any pictures of my sewing process or finished products. Well, that just means I need to work harder this year.

Earlier this morning, I tabulated all of my craft show information (items sold per show, expenses, and all that boring accounting stuff). I only participated in sixteen shows--which is still a lot but I think I did over twenty the year before. I spent most of my time (and money) on growing my sewing skill set. I took a sewing class that spanned several weeks and totally immersed myself in American Sewing Guild. Oh, and I also bought a ton of new stuff for my sewing room. So, 2018 wasn't the best year financially for RagsReborn. That being said, I still had a handful of marvelous craft shows. The top one being The Santa Market, closely followed by Wanderlust and Sleigh Bells Market.

I opened my Etsy store in late November of 2014, just in time for the holiday shopping season. I told myself that I would give it three years to decide if being a small business owner would be a viable option for me. My three years are over and I've decided that nope, being a small business owner is absolutely not a good career choice. Dude, I totally suck at sales! While other vendors are chatting up everyone who walks near their booth and making $500+ at craft shows, I'm over here being socially awkward. That used to make me feel so horrible (and jealous). Something happened last summer... a complete switch in mindset. I was still the quiet girl who politely greeted customers and let them browse while I sat in the corner of my booth and read... but I noticed that I was still making sales. I only gabbed with a few customers per show but I was having real conversations with those that did stop and talk. I made friends and gained repeat customers. Most importantly, I stopped comparing myself to other vendors. I finally realized that RagsReborn Gifts is not a job, and I don't want it to be a job or a career. That's too much pressure.  I will never sell $1,000 at a craft show, like the "successful" vendors do. My products will never be picked up to be sold in local boutiques. And that is just fine. All I want is to create in my sewing room and then show off all my awesome talent. RagsReborn is a hobby, a hobby that I am really passionate about. I'm actually proud of myself and I don't need sales to justify that feeling. All that matters is that I bring top notch quality items to each and every show. For 2018, that is exactly what happened. I hope to keep that positive momentum going for 2019. I'm taking a few months off to experiment with new inventory (I will be sewing unicorn shaped stuffed animals...for all of you who keep asking if I have unicorns 🦄) and restocking everything else. I look forward to putting my spring craft show schedule together... I hope to see you soon!

RagsReborn is planning for 2018.

Guess what, guys? Spring craft show season will be here before we know it! Shows usually begin in March and run through the summer. I'm still in the process of researching shows that will be a good fit for RagsReborn; I have a couple on my radar but haven't finalized my spring craft show schedule, yet, but I plan to very soon. And when I do, I will have it posted for you guys. I promise!

For 2018, I plan to aim for quality over quantity. My approach when I first started RagsReborn was to participate in whichever show I could get accepted into...which meant sewing up a storm and travelling to craft shows several times per month. I enjoyed staying busy but I believe that by being a little pickier, I can 1) choose to only participate in reputable & well established shows that I know will have an atmosphere that is best for my inventory and 2) spend more time perfecting & improving the quality of  my products. In my last blog post, I mentioned that one of my goals for the year is to become a better sewist. I just registered for a Sewing II (intermediate) course at a local vocational college. Classes don't begin until March but I am already excited to start! I also plan to attend more American Sewing Guild meetings in the upcoming months. Not only are the women in the Oklahoma chapter extremely friendly & welcoming, they also represent a fountain of knowledge and I love picking their brains to get new ideas & advice.

I Googled "color trends 2018," and this is what came up on the image search. Do you agree or disagree?

Another goal I mentioned was to cater my product more toward the general public (but I'm stubborn so I'm not completely getting rid of pattern blocking, for better or worse!). That's where I need your help. All last year, I kept hearing potential clients tell me that they're done decorating with pillows. They either no longer use pillows in their home decor or they have already amassed enough pillows and therefore don't need any new ones. So... if you are a popular blogger or community figure, please bring back pillows. Tell all of your fans that pillows are totally rad and everyone needs more pillows! And new pillows! Please and thank you. LOL All joking aside, I really would like some feedback. Can you please tell me what styles, colors, sizes, and patterns of pillows you'd like to decorate with? Also, what animals are popular with children, babies and new parents? I plan to continue to sew pillows & stuffed animals but plan to toss around some other new ideas. So, what are some other sewn items you'd like to see in my booth? My "vendor category" is sewing and home decor so I would like to stay within those boundaries. I made several flags (wall decor) for friends and family as Christmas gifts. Should I start selling those at craft shows? Any comments, whether negative or positive, are appreciated.

I Googled "fabric trends 2018," and this is what came up on the image search. Do you agree or disagree?

With all that said, I have a lot of work to do... but I'm super excited to see where 2018 takes RagsReborn. Thanks for continuing with me on my journey and I hope to see you at a craft show or two!

And here's an adorable picture of Sadie and Athena to keep you going until my next blog post.

RagsReborn Gifts says goodbye to 2017.

Hello, everyone! I hope we all left our troubles of 2017 behind us and are welcoming 2018 with open arms!

I finished my 2017 craft show year several weeks ago but wanted a little more time for reflection so I'm writing this a bit late. Last year was pretty darn good for RagsReborn over all. My #1 highlight was that I finally got into The Santa Market... and had an awesome time!! The show coordinators and volunteers were great, there was busy traffic all day, my sales were amazing and the show lived up to all its hype; all in all, it was my best show!

This show raises so much money for charity and I love being a part of this kindness!

After reviewing all my craft shows from last year, I would say that 2017 was the year of criticism and the year of risk taking. Both were scary challenges but both also helped me grow as a small business owner and a human being. And that's really what challenges are all about; you cry & have sleepless nights, then you work harder & come out the other end much braver ... and then you take that attitude into the next challenge and do it all over again. I think that actually sums up everything about owning a small business.

I am well aware that shoppers and other vendors gossip behind my back, but I've never had anyone openly share their negative comments to my face... until last year. The bulk of the criticism centered around two things - my items look too handmade and it is evident that I am a self-taught sewist. And because of that I 1) should not be charging so much for my product and 2) do not belong at large professional events. To paraphrase, "If you're going to do arts 'n crafts at home with your grandma, go back to small church craft shows and only charge $3/item." First off, I would like to defend myself and say that I am proud of RagsReborn. I personally feel as if the company has come a long way in three short years. But on the other hand, I know that I don't work out of a professional studio and it is pretty evident that I like to blend loud colors & weird patterns so my pillows don't exactly fit into what's "mainstream," and if I want to actually have customers & make money, maybe its time to be a little more hip and in tune with what shoppers prefer. Hearing other vendors' and shoppers' opinions taught me to stand up for myself but also humbled me. I am obviously biased about my products but it wouldn't hurt to work on my people skills and take a few sewing classes, and I plan to do that this year. Being self-taught will only get me so far and I know I still have a long way to go.

On to risk taking... I've been too afraid to sign up for large craft shows ("artisan pop-up shops," as they are often referred to as). I think its because my first craft show ever was the Indie Trunk Show and it was a complete disaster. The booth rent was entirely out of my price range and I looked completely out of place...talk about items looking "too handmade". LOL Those are still things I struggle with but last year, I decided to give large craft shows another chance and joined the Revolve Productions line-up. I participated in four of their events and guess what, I didn't do too poorly! Everyone measures success a little differently and I'm not ready to share my sales figures publicly but I will say that I was able to hold my own at each one of these larger events. Tobi and Revolve Productions is a delight to work with. Each one of their events was heavily advertised and they carefully selected the vendor line-up to ensure a wide variety of products. I am so glad I participated in their Wanderlust and Sleigh Bells Market shows, and look forward to doing so again. I also took another risk by introducing new items into my product line and that was the best decision I ever made. (Thank you to everyone who encouraged me to do so and sorry I didn't listen to your suggestions sooner.) Stuffed animals-especially the baby elephants-were the best sellers of the year. With that in mind, I plan to go into 2018 with new items & ideas, higher quality products and you'll continue to see RagsReborn at smaller community craft shows as well as high-end pop-up shops.

RagsReborn Gifts' October Craft Shows

Hello, all! *insert waving emoji* Can you believe summer is over and fall is in the air?!? Long time no talk (no write? no read? What is the proper syntax when you're not really talking?) I hope 2017 has been treating you well. Things have been great in RagsReborn-land. Its that time of year again... fall craft show season! I have a TON of craft shows coming up; I'm actually booked each weekend from now until Christmas. But let's not get ahead of ourselves; here is a list of the first wave of shows... (I'm marked as "going" on all of these on Facebook; if you'd like some more details, please let me know and I'll be happy to send you an invite.)

Dream Center Craft Bazaar
Saturday September 30, 2017
9am - 4pm
Inner City Church 2212 SW 55th, Oklahoma City, OK 73119

4th Annual Classic Car Show
Sunday October 1, 2017
1pm - 4pm
Doo-Wop Glam Shop 5581 NW Expressway, Warr Acres, OK 73132

OUHSC Staff Senate Fall Craft Fair
(this craft fair is open to the public... the vendors are mostly staff & faculty so that's why they call it that.)
Friday October 6, 2017
10am - 2pm
Robert M. Bird Library Lobby 1105 Stonewall Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73117

Wanderlust Pop-up Shops
Saturday October 21, 2017
10am - 6pm
Wheeler Ferris Wheel 1701 S. Western Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73109

Fall Craft Fair and Open House
Wednesday October 25, 2017
10am - 2pm
St. Ann Retirement Center 7501 W. Britton Rd., Oklahoma City, OK 73132

I couldn't find a picture of this craft show but I'm going to be participating with my friend, Elizabeth. She's the owner of Zee & Zeus Studios and that's Zeus up there! @ZeeandZeusStudios)

Fall Festival Craft & Food Fair
Saturday October 28, 2017
9am - 3pm
Moore First United Methoidust Church's Chrisitan Life Center 201 W. Main St., Oklahoma City, OK 73160

RagsReborn Gifts' origin story

One of my favorite podcasts is NPR's How I Build This. On each episode, Guy Raz interviews the creator/CEO of a successful business. He's interviewed the creator/CEO of Instagram, Southwest Airlines, Kate Spade, Zumba and countless others. Throughout the interview, he asks how the idea for the business was conceived, the high and low points of the journey and whether or not the interviewee believes in luck. Its always an interesting conversation and I've learned a lot. The best part is that at the very end, the show chooses a current entrepreneur to interview. They're always asking for idea submissions so I decided to submit for RagsReborn Gifts.

If I was selected to talk about RagsReborn, my origin story would go a little like this...
       RagsReborn Gifts was conceived in the summer of 2014 following two events. The first was my boyfriend (at the time, now husband) moving into my tiny one bedroom apartment with me. We had too many clothes and not enough closet space. We desperately needed to scale down our wardrobe! We both had articles of clothing that we didn't want to toss out but also weren't wearing much anymore. I had an idea to sew the t-shirts into decorative pillows for our couch. They turned out great and I would get compliments from our guests.
       In the following months, I began having problems with my health. I was diagnosed with severe endometriosis and rendered infertile. Also around that same time, everyone I knew was getting pregnant and gabbing about how wonderful their life has become because they would soon be parents. I felt as if my life was becoming more and more insignificant compared to those of mothers. After a short battle with depression, I decided that I too would give birth... to a creative small business that I was passionate about. That is when RagsReborn was, well, born.
      No, I absolutely do not believe in luck. No famous artist or successful entrepreneur has ever just become that way because a fortune cookie told them they would. I have never been lucky. Everything I have ever accomplished, I've had to work for. And I think that's the way it should be. You get so much more satisfaction knowing that you built this and you grew that. So if there is such a thing as good luck, then I'm glad I don't have it. I would rather pour my blood, sweat and tears into a project I truly believe in to make it happen.

RagsReborn's Spring Craft Show Schedule, pt.2 (April)

Here it is, guys, the April craft show line up everyone has been waiting for!! I am beyond excited that RagsReborn will be participating in each of these craft shows. I promise you that each and every one of these shows will be a good one. Guaranteed. (Three out of four of these are repeat shows that I have done before so I'm allowed to say stuff like promise and guarantee. LOL)
       Since my spring craft show season turned out so poorly in 2016, I decided to act a little smarter for spring 2017. Instead of signing up for any show I could find, I decided that I would only sell at repeat shows that had good traffic & sales previously and/or shows that came recommended by fellow vendors. Its the creme de la creme this year!

Friday April 14th, 2017 - Quarter Mania
5:30pm - 8:30pm (auction starts at 6:30pm)
Mustang Town Center, Grand Ballroom 1201 N. Mustang Rd., Mustang, OK 73064
https://www.facebook.com/events/436857180039275/
       I am starting off with my absolute favorite charity event. If you haven't attended a Quarter Mania event, I highly encourage it. It is so much fun! All you do is buy a paddle and then pay quarters to bid on the auction items. The vendors always go all out and donate some amazing stuff! All the vendors there are super friendly and the entire night is filled with energy & excitement. All of the money from paddles and vendor booth rent is going to be donated to Friends of the Mustang Animal Shelter and Mustang Parks & Recreation. That's right... one event aiding two charities. Doesn't get any better than that!

Saturday April 15th, 2017- Wanderlust Pop Up Shops
10am - 6pm
Wheeler Ferris Wheel 1701 S. Western Ave., Oklahoma City, OK 73019
https://www.facebook.com/events/1714056515572283/
       Wanderlust is my big (MAJOR!) show for the year. If you can only make it out to one show on my agenda, I would definitely choose this one. It is going to be a very large event with a huge variety of talented vendors. It'll be outdoors at the newly installed Oklahoma Ferris wheel. Yes, you read that correctly... outdoors... as in my first outdoor festival! Huge shout out to my friends Paul Bowman (Pens and Things by Paul) and Melida Bowman (Mama Dragon Studio) for letting me borrow a tent. Without them, I would not be participating in this show.
       This is a first time show (because the Ferris wheel wasn't here before) but it is being put on by a company that runs many other large and successful reoccurring craft shows. I am oh so very excited about being a part of this show. And, I have a surprise announcement... at this show only, I will be selling tote & messenger bags! I've been working diligently on these and spoiler alert...they are flippin' adorable!

Saturday April 22nd, 2017- 8th Annual Spring Craft Show
9am - 3pm
Western Oaks Christian Church 8100 NW 23rd., Oklahoma City, OK 73127

Saturday April 29th, 2017- The Handmade Show
9am - 4pm
The Crown Center 13300 S. Western Ave., Moore, OK 73170

https://www.facebook.com/events/1556590987702686/

I participated in the shows at Western Oaks Christian Church and The Crown Center last year. This will actually be my fourth time at The Handmade Show! The vendors and event organizers are like one big family. Although they are smaller shows, they are certainly worth visiting; if not for the vendors, then for the amazing lunch cooked by the church ladies and friendly atmosphere of the show. I will be in my same booth space as previous years, so when you come visit, you'll know where to find me! One last thing to mention, out of all the shows that I have participated in, these are two of my three favorite church shows to do. (The third one is only a Fall show, which makes me sad. Jan, if you're reading this, Triumph Family Worship needs a spring show, too!)
     

So there you have it. The next couple of weeks will be very busy for RagsReborn and I hope to see everyone out and about supporting not only myself, but all the other amazing local talent that is the Oklahoma crafters and small business scene. 

RagsReborn's first craft show of 2017!

Hey, everyone! (^_^) I know that I just posted last week saying that I'd cut back to one blog post per month and here I am again a week later. But it's important and won't take long... I have two quick things to share:

1. My first show of 2017 will be the Indoor Flea Market at Sugar Creek Casino in Hinton, OK. Please go to the casino's website for more details. I am super pumped to get back into doing crafts shows! I have been sewing new pillows all month in anticipation for this show. I have some really neat stuff and would love it if you came out to help me start off my year on the right foot. If you can't make it to the flea market, all of my items are posted on my Etsy shop (link here www.etsy.com/shop/RagsRebornGifts) Please favorite my shop so you can see all my updates.

2. I am starting a rewards program! I ordered my custom r|r. stamp and it came in just in time. The deal is this: you will get one (1) stamp on the back of my business card for every item purchased and when you get six (6) stamps, you can redeem for one free item. Most companies don't reward you until you purchase from them ten times but I figured that would be too much. I know my pillows, totes and custom orders are pretty darn awesome but not everyone buys ten. Feeling in a generous mood, I settled on only six stamps! Since this is a new program I'm starting for the year, I might forget. So when you stop by to shop at my booth, don't forget to remind me to give you a business card and stamp.

Oh and those up there are all of the pillows I'll have for sale at the flea market this weekend. Look at all the new pillows thrown in there! And, you'll probably recognize some pillows that have been moved into the $8 clearance trunk. I sewed so many new pillows that I had to reduce the price of some of my older ones just to make room on my table displays. Anyway, that's it for now. I hope to see everyone this weekend and if not, we'll chat again in February!

Erica's blog in 2017.

NYE selfie madness with my family.

Have you realized that I've been posting one blog per week since the middle of 2014? That is A LOT of blog posts. And the funny thing is that I don't even find my life particularly interesting. LOL I'm restructuring how I'm going to do things for 2017. Instead of weekly blogs, I'm planning on cutting back to only writing monthly. I've noticed that my most popular reads are regarding travel, craft shows (tips, experience and advice) and major life events. Unfortunately, those types of things don't occur in my life each week --although how awesome would it be to take a vacation each week? Anyway, I have big plans for 2017 in each of those areas so one substantial blog post each month seems to be the best direction for me to take this.

Thanks, Michelle, for my awesome calendar!

For January's blog post, I want to fill you in on RagsReborn. This year will be a year of changes and risk taking.
       The first change is that I plan to travel further out of Oklahoma City for craft shows. I've been tipped off to several shows that are just outside of my travel radius that are must do's for handmade vendors. I've been avoiding them because my #1 rule thus far was that I wouldn't do a show that I have to drive out more than half an hour for. Although I value my time and mileage, gas, etc. on my car, I believe my half-hour-rule is holding me back.
       The second change is that I am going to participate in outdoor shows! This was another one of my tried & true rules... but I did an outdoor car show last year that turned out to be great (one of my best shows of the year, actually).  The weather cooperated, no birds pooped on my pillows and I didn't pass out from heat exhaustion= SUCCESS. All I really need to jump into spring & summer outdoor festivals is a tent. Luckily, one of my vendor friends has a spare tent that he & his wife are letting me borrow. All I need to do now is apply at the same shows they are and request to be the booth next to theirs. If I end up enjoying outdoor shows, I can start budgeting and clear out some closet space to store a pop up tent of my own.
       By breaking these two rules, I'll be able to take RagsReborn to more venues and explore markets that I've been missing out on.

Thanks, Christopher, for my awesome paper weight! 

For my Christmas gift, Wes gave me a high tech digital camera and his friends collected the funds for me to purchase professional lighting. Now I am able to take sharper, more skillful, pictures of my products. This will greatly aid in my Etsy shop and social media updates. The wonderful thing about my friends and family is that they all know how passionate I am about my small business. All of my Christmas & birthday money was given to me with the directive to better RagsReborn. I plan to use my funds to design and print my own fabric. I also have a rewards program (think of those little punch cards where you buy 6 of these and get the 7th item free) in the works.

Another first for RagsReborn is that I will be partnering with another local small business owner to participate in larger (read: more expensive booth rent) shows. Rachelle is a former client of mine and co-owner of Loot & XP Board Game Cafe in Norman, OK. I sewed a couple of pillows for her cafe's grand opening. She is looking to branch out and called upon me for advice. For us to both participate in large scale shows, we will split booth rent and portion out our booth into two smaller shops. I plan to meet with her soon to discuss these new ambitions.

My very first craft show flyer/advertising for Indie Trunk show in 2015. My how time has flown by!

With all that said, I have already begun tinkering with my 2017 spring craft show schedule. So far, I might have one show in January and two or three in March & April. I will be donating items to Street Cats' My Furry Valentine charity gala in February (although I will not be in attendance at this event). So the ball is rolling. And I have a lot to do. I want to thank everyone for their continued support and hope to see you out at a show this year!

RagsReborn's 2016 overall craft show year

Let's start with my BEST show of the year... Christmas at the Lodge!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! Are we all ready for 2017? I hope everyone had a safe and happy New Year's Eve. I did a little celebrating but I mostly did a lot of math. Exhilarating, I know. LOL My last craft show of the year was a few weeks ago but I've been putting off crunching the numbers for 2016. Mainly for two reasons; I hate math (accounting has got to be my least favorite part of being a small business owner) and I was about 95% sure this year sucked.

Set up at St. Ann's retirement home for the home bound residents to do their Christmas shopping.

Well, I was pleasantly surprised. Although I had a handful of shows that were absolutely terrible (aka I didn't sell a single thing), my year overall wasn't as bad as I thought it would turn out to be. I'm still not where I want to be-- so I won't be quitting my day job anytime soon-- but RagsReborn is trucking along quite steadily. And that makes it all worthwhile for me!

Set up at the main library at OU Health Science Center campus with my friend and fellow vendor, Nancy. Her granddaughter calls me "the pillow lady" and we share snacks.  

This past year was the first time that I did a full calendar year of craft shows. In 2016, I participated in 29 craft shows (a significant jump from the 6 shows I participated in throughout 2015). That averages out to almost one show every other weekend. Whoa. Also, I connected with 10 people throughout the year to make custom orders. Needless to say, I am 100% completely immersed in RagsReborn and my little passion project is no longer just a hobby. I would say that I work as much at crafting as I do at my full-time paying job. And I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE it. It took a while but, at age 32, I have finally found my calling in life.

Happy selfie with my two favorite children.

So what's my takeaway from the year?  Let's see... this was sort of hard for me but I came up with two things...
       NUMERO UNO- When I first started out the year, I was NOT prepared for the slow Spring & Summer craft show seasons. When things didn't turn out the way I wanted, I blamed the universe. (This is something that I've struggled with my entire life.) It took me a few shows to get over playing the victim. I thought I was putting in 100% effort but I wasn't. My hard work amounted to about 75% but for the other 25%, I was looking for other avenues to blame. I was being lazy and pessimistic.
       Right before the Fall craft show season, I decided that I was going to change my attitude. My husband is always telling me to be optimistic and think positive; after a while, I decided to take his advice.

• I started smiling through each one of my shows, regardless of how awful the show was moving along. 
• Instead of focusing on why I wasn't selling at certain shows, I started taking notes on what works. I started noticing what people were buying and which venues had the best crowd turn out. I basically moved away from zoning in on negativity to zoning in on positives. 
• I started talking to other vendors and noting traits that I admired in them and then applying those traits to my own business approach. 
• I started listening to podcasts about small businesses and reading blogs written by successful businessmen & women. 
• I started branching out and sewing more than just t-shirt pillows. I experimented with different types of fabric and techniques. 
• I started marketing more aggressively and moved out of my comfort zone. I was conquering fears one show at a time and it worked!  

Two of my new found friends: children's book author, Carly Cartmill & Sweet Sparrows owner, Jenifer Walker.

       NUMERO DOS- I found my tribe (squad, sisterhood, whatever you want to call it). This is HUGE for me. I don't have a lot of friends and I never prescribed to a clique. By doing craft shows, I started seeing some of the same vendors over and over again and I discovered where I fit in. I was able to distinguish which ones were genuinely friendly and which ones were the "mean girls". I attentively listened to all the advice I could get. Then I had to separate which was good advice and which wasn't the best for me.  I gravitated toward strong & successful business owners and solidified friendships.
       I no longer feel so much like the young rookie in the craft show world. I am still naive and not as experienced as I could be but I have reached a point where I can be picky. I no longer believe everything I hear (because a lot of what people will tell you is BS. Hahaha!) Next year, I will not be participating in every show that I come across. I can do more research and find the shows worth doing and turn down the ones that aren't a good fit. I finally figured out what "a good fit" is for my product. That is another huge accomplishment. I feel like, going forward, when I am struggling, I know who I can text or which vendors' group I can turn to for advice online.

• There are a handful of peers that I will listen to and apply any & all advice to my business model. 
• There are certain vendors that I will participate in the same shows they're doing and request for my booth to be next to theirs because I know their company will be welcomed throughout the day. 
• There are a few show organizers that I will sign up for whatever show they put on because I know it will be a good experience. 

And that ends 2016. I struggled, I learned and I overcame. RagsReborn is here to stay!! I have some big plans for 2017 and I already have a few spring craft shows in mind. More on that to come next week...

RegsReborn's last three shows of 2016...

Guys, I only have three more shows this year!! Can you believe it??... My first full year of craft shows is coming to an end. If you haven't made it out to a show yet, this will be your last chance until next spring.

Please come out to support local artists, vendors and small businesses this holiday season. You'll find something for everyone on your gifts list, I promise. I'm almost done with my Christmas shopping and that's only because I've bought things here and there from shows that I've attended. We, the dreamers of the crafting community, all work so hard to put on a successful craft show. Please, please, please come out and say hello!

November was a great start to my holiday craft show season. I had five shows; two were spectacular (Holiday Handmade Show at The Crown Center and Christmas Bazaar at Central Presbyterian Church), one was so-so (Earlywine Park YMCA Craft & Vendor Fair) and only one was awful (Sip & Shop at Quirk and Beans Coffee Bar). Now I have three more in December, which are;

The Christmas at the Lodge craft show will have a silent auction. Here is my donation item- two holiday pillows in a festive gift box.

CHRISTMAS AT THE LODGE at The Mustang Masonic Lodge
406 E State Highway 152, Mustang, Oklahoma 73064
Saturday December 3rd, 9am - 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/1009144722468437/

WILDCAT WONDERLAND COMMUNITY DAY at Northwood Elementary
14100 Northwood Drive, Piedmont, Oklahoma 73078
Saturday December 10th, 10am - 3pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/1197578246989165/

LAST MINUTE FRIENDS & FAMILY SHOPPING OPEN HOUSE at St. Luke's Asbury
1320 SW 38th, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73119
Saturday December 17th, 10am - 4pm
https://www.facebook.com/events/1836238559991388/

I am also taking custom orders throughout this holiday season (and all year round, actually). Custom order pillows are a unique and personalized Christmas gift idea, by the way.

Matching father & son pillows for my friend, Paul, and his little one, Luke. Made from three of Paul's old shirts.

Also, if you see something you like but can't make it to one of my craft shows, please let me know and I will schedule a time for pick up. I prefer that everyone come out to a show but I understand that we are all busy during this time of year. To reach me, please feel free to message me through Facebook (www.facebook.com/RagsReborngifts), Instagram (@ragsreborngifts), Etsy (www.etsy.com/shop/RagsRebornGifts) or email (ragsreborngifts@gmail.com). Much thanks and love to all who've visited me at a show, bought a pillow and supported my endeavors!!