My name is Jacqueline Hunter and I’m the Show Manager for the Made by Hand Show. I'm a wife, a mommy-to-be (due November 2012) and have a passion for the arts. I started out as a handmade artist with my passion in paper goods (handmade cards and paper crafts). I have participated in over 50 craft shows (as a vendor).
A few years ago, I began to be disappointed with some of the local craft shows in my area so we decided that it time to put my years of experience as a vendor to good use. In May of 2011 “Made by Hand” was launched. At Made by Hand our goal is to promote, showcase and support Canadian artisans.
As a vendor have you ever been to a show and been disappointed? For us, it is just as important that our vendors participating in the show have as good as an experience as the customers do. My biggest pet-peeve from other shows is how poorly many of the shows were advertised and how often once I paid my booth fee, that I never heard from the organizers again.
To make sure that our vendors did not have these same complaints, we strive to deliver solid advertising and ensure constant communication to our vendors.
On November 5th, 2011 we hosted the first Made by Hand Show. It was a huge success, we showcased over 150 quality handmade vendors, and welcomed over 1750 customers. We launched a spring show the following April and had a similar visitor interest and an even stronger vendor response.
What's next?
Our Fall Made by Hand Show is scheduled for October 27, 2012 which will mark our 3rd showcase. We have already grown and expanded our show to accommodate 190 handmade exhibitors. We hope to see you there.
