Things Are Starting to Get Real

Things are really starting to fall into place for this year's Craftacular! We are starting to get a ton of inquiries about spots for the craft fair. This year should definitely prove to be the best one of all. If you know of ANYONE who would like to participate in this year's Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair have them contact us at swecraftacular@yahoo.com or send them directly to the website http://www.swepta.com/craft-fair.html. We are accepting applications for artists, crafters, entertainers and direct sales companies. All the money earned from the renting of spaces goes directly to Southwest Elementary School's PTA to be used for all sorts of things that the school desperately needs.
Another way we make money at the craft fair is through a bucket raffle that we hold during the event. Each of the vendors offers a prize to be raffled off. Raffle tickets are $1 each OR, our more popular option, $20 for your age in tickets. It's a lot of fun and we always have some wonderful prizes.
Keep watching this spot. Shortly I will start featuring vendors so that you can see exactly who will be selling there wares this year.

Tell your friends!!!!

Book Harvest

Book Harvest will be joining us at SWE PTA's Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair on Saturday, Nov. 15 from 9 to 2. If you live in the Durham area and are not familiar with Book Harvest you should be. It is a great organization dedicated to getting new and gently used books into the hands of kids from low-income families who may not otherwise have access to books in their own homes. These kids are even given the chance to choose what books they want for themselves. The books aren't chosen for them. This can give a kid a real sense of power and an eagerness to read what they, themselves have picked out.
Book Harvest has a variety of programs available to help disperse the books. They have Book Babies, Books on Break and Community Book Banks. You can find out more about these programs HERE. The thing is, they actually need books to be able to GIVE books. If you have them, feel free to bring your gently used children's books with you to the Craftacular event to donate to Book Harvest. They take books of all reading levels as they give books to kids of all ages.
This is truly a great way to help out the community right here in Durham.
Stop by the Craft Fair and say hello!

Come One Come All!!!!!

Tomorrow is the day we've been waiting for. The Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair will finally be taking place. Here is an over view for the day:

There will be even more due to the fact that we had folks knocking down our doors even after the deadline. Some of those people didn't sign up in time to be included in the program. We are still very grateful for their participation.
Hope to see you there.

Meet the Vendor: Denise Simpson

Everyone will be gussying up for the holidays. This seems the perfect booth to stop at for some wonderful accessories. Please meet Denise Simpson.

1. What is the name of your business?
 Oh So Cute Bows By Denise
2. What will you be sharing at this event?
  I will be sharing handmade hair bows, Christmas hair bows, bottle cap necklaces, reversible  jumpers, unique hair bow holders.
3. How long have you been doing this?
 I started May 2013. 6 months
4. What is your favorite thing about doing what you do?
I love making new hair bows for my customers.
5. What is your favorite book?
I don't have a favorite book. My favorite author is Nicholas Sparks. So I try to read all his books that he had out.
6. How can people get in touch with you?
You can get in touch with by email (dmsimpson@triad.rr.com), facebook (Oh So Cute Bows By Denise) just look me up, phone call (336-337-9068)
7.Is there any piece of trivia about you that people may find interesting or amusing?
 I am a mother of twins. I have a girl and boy who are 4 years old.
8. What did you want to be when you grew up?
 I wanted to be a lawyer when I was a kid.
9. What is your favorite animal?
 I don't have a favorite animal.
10. DO you have any hobbies?
 My hobby is I love to scrapbook.

Bucket Raffle

One of the things I'm excited about that will be happening at the SWE PTA's Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair is the funtastic BUCKET RAFFLE. No, we aren't raffling off an actual bucket. At a bucket raffle you purchase your ticket(s) and place them in buckets in front of the prizes you would like to win. We will draw from each bucket.
The prizes should be a lot of fun. Each of our vendors, of whom we keep getting more of, will be donating an item valued at $15 or more for the raffle. I am also on the look out for any businesses that are willing to donate items for the raffle. One of the items donated were SIX individual FREE lunches from Cafe Carolina in Meadowmont Village. I am starting to scour the town over the next couple of weeks to see what I can come up with. If you know anyone who would like to donate to the cause just let us know.
You can reach me at canavalinsky@gmail.com.
Those who donate will be mentioned in our program for that days event. The hope is that we will have the program completed in time to go home with each of the kids at Southwest sometime during the week prior to the Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair.
This is really shaping up to be a great, family friendly day. You will be able to do some holiday shopping with one of our growing number of vendors, enjoy a delicious lunch from a local food truck, enjoy local entertainment all while helping to support the deserving kids of our community.

We still have a few spots open for entertainers and vendors. Contact me if you are interested in either.

REMINDER: After October 15 booth space will go up by $10. Get your applications in now.

Our Hopes and Dreams reposted

I am reposting this as I think it is easier than rewriting it. ;) I'm feeling lazy.
Please share with your friends.


We have big hopes and dreams for the Southwest Elementary School PTA's Craftacular Craft and Vendor Fair. Some of the things we are planning on are:

Wonderful and Amazing Art from Incredible Artisans

A Food Truck Rodeo

Make and Take Crafts For the Kids

Door Prizes Provided by our Vendors as Well as Community Supporters

 LIVE Entertainment

And, Most Importantly, 

A chance to help out both a local elementary school (That would be Southwest Elementary School in Durham, NC) as well as local small businesses. 

We will definitely keep you posted as we start to see this thing come together.

 

If YOU or ANYONE you know is able to help with any of these categories OR if you would like to volunteer your time PLEASE CLICK HERE for more information and all the proper forms.

Thanks so much. Hope you will be a part of this wonderful fundraiser. Don't forget that SHOPPERS are also an important part of making this work.

These Kids Need Your Help

School has started back up. Parents everywhere are sending up an exclamation of joy. If you are like me you are rejoicing in the fact that the bickering has been cut WAAAAY back. If you are also like me you are pleased to be seeing those parents you have begun to rely on for school gossip, to commiserate with over your kids trying times and to whom you brag when your kiddos have done something awesome.

Southwest Elementary School has a wonderful network of parents who really care about, not only their own kids but also the kids that they have gotten to know. It is a great school. The parents are eager to see their kids and MY kids excel. That's why we are calling on YOU for support.

Although spaces are filling up for the upcoming Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair we would love to have you get involved. We are still looking for the following people:

Direct Sales Businesses

Artists

Crafters

Volunteers

Food Truck Owners

Any Small Business Owner who wants to set up a booth

People to advertise in the program for the event

Talented people to entertain throughout the day

Folks who would like to donate items for our raffle

People willing to advertise the event

and of course

People to COME AND SHOP!

This is going to be an amazing and community centered event and we would love you to be involved. The PTA will be using money earned from the event to help the school update its technological resources. Let me ask you:

Have you EVER seen a group MORE in need of technological advances?

For more info click HERE.

The Excitement is Mounting

I am getting so excited about the upcoming Southwest Elementary PTA's Craftacular Craft and Vendor Fair. We are starting to get inquiries. Several people have informed me that they have downloaded the forms and are filling them out. We have received our first official application.
The goal is to create a community event that not only helps our school but also brings our community together by helping local business owners of all kinds get their names out there as well as make some extra bucks.
If you would like to help in ANY way please let me know. The more the merrier!

Where Will the Money Go?

Some may be asking 'What does Southwest Elementary School plan on doing with the money they earn from this Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair'? (I know the conversations in my own head are always well thought out complete sentences. ;) )
One of the most important issues on our plate right now is technology. I know, what do those whipper snappers need with technology? In this day and age, in order to keep competitive, kids need to know how to use computers and all that they have to offer from a very early age.  This goes beyond making their names scroll diagonally across the screen with simple 'go to' commands. Last year my 2nd grader made a tri-fold flyer all about sound waves.
He did all the research online. He cut and paste what he needed. He created the layout for the flyer. It was quite amazing. I was proud of my kid. I know a lot of adults who wouldn't even know where to begin.
The thing with technology is that it changes all the time. The school needs more resources in order to keep current. Each grade has their own needs. These needs range from more desk top PCs to individual laptops for each student to use. As with most things, these requests require funds. You can help us out by:

 Renting booth space at the event

Telling your friends and family about

SWE PTA's Craftacular Craft & Vendor Fair

Coming to the event and purchasing from our vendors

Coming to the event and buying raffle tickets

If you have any questions please feel free to contact me. Thanks for reading!

 

In Response to Your Questions...

I have been receiving emails from people asking to clarify WHO can have booths at our fair. Firstly artists in ANY media are welcome. It's a great opportunity to show our kids just what can be done with a creative mind and a great chance for the artist to share their talents and make some money.
Bakers and chefs are also invited to come and sell their yummy goodness or their services. Please just make sure you have all the proper licensing and such to do this. The responsibility is yours for that.
Next we'd also love to have people who run a business from their home. This can be something that is all you OR it can be something like Avon, Pampered Chef or Silpada. We will, however, limit those vendors to ONE from each company and that is on a first come first serve basis.
This is a family friendly event so we do ask that all displays be family-friendly displays.
This is a great opportunity for you to support your community.
Come one, come all.

If you have any other questions please feel free to email me at: canavalinsky@gmail.com

You Too Can Help

The Craftacular Craft and Vendor Fair is looking for people to sell their goods at the big event BUT we are also looking for generous folks to help us out in other ways as well.
One of the things we will be doing at our fair is holding raffle drawings throughout the day. We will be asking those who have a booth to donate an item to be used as a door prize. We will also be turning to community members and asking them for donations of items for the raffle, time or even goods and services that could help out with the event. In return we will gladly advertise your business in the events program. You will also have the undying gratitude of those of us working towards creating this amazing Craftacular Craft and Vendor Fair.
Some of the things we could use to help with event are:

*T-shirts for volunteers to set us apart from the rest of the hordes

*Signs announcing the event

*Color Flyers and possibly the event programs

*Donations of water bottles and other beverages for the hard working vendors AND volunteers

As the time gets closer we will also be selling advertising space in the program. If you are willing and able to help in any way please let us know. We would sure appreciate it. Thanks!