May 2010
Hi FNO Member!
We hope you are busy booking your summer shows! This month, artist and crafter Sarah Terry gives some great advice on how to proceed when you're NOT accepted to a show you were interested in attending.

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What to do When You're NOT Accepted to a Craft Fair
by Sarah Terry

"We regret to inform you that..."

All crafters hate reading these words in the top of an email from a craft fair they've been dying to get into. It really sucks, especially when you are trying to plan a craft fair schedule or you know it's a cool event and just really want to be part of it! What usually follows that regrettable sentence is a polite decline of your application, and some encouraging words that make you want to barf. Since it's that time of year where acceptance/decline emails are going out for some of the spring shows (in fact, I've already received a few non- acceptances for spring myself!), I thought I would share some of my thoughts on what to do when you get declined from a craft show.

What to do:
It's natural to feel hurt when you first get the news. I think it just comes with the territory of owning a business where you design and make everything. (I mean, it has to be easier when there isn't so much of yourself invested in it, right??) Give yourself a little time to fume, but after that, try not to take it personally. My gut reaction when I find out that I haven't been accepted is to go into my studio and just work on something- anything. I like to get away from email, twitter, facebook, marketing, people, everything, and just do what I love- creating. I actually do some of my best work during these times. Read more

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