Thursday, September 3, 2015

Why do we collect things?

Do you have any collections? Have you had this collection since you were a child or have you just recently started collecting? Why have you chosen this specific item for collecting? Is it the historical importance, or the money value, or the emotional connection, is it a purely visual attraction to the collection? Collections are fascinating to me!

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There are many reasons that people have come up with over time to why people collecting things. I haven't done any studies myself to say that this is the best reasoning but I would like to think that people collect things because it makes them happy. Even if you think your collection is for money purposes, how does it make you feel when you acquire a piece that fits your collection and you know it's worth money! That's right, you guessed it!

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The top ten things that people tend to collect are: Coins, Movies, CDS, Video Games, Stamps, Books, Dolls, Cards, Key-chains, and Rocks. Now that I think about, I have a collection of books. I have a TON of books and most of them I have read and will never read again but I keep moving them from place to place with me because I can't let them go. They make me happy. I am attached to them and the meaning they hold. Most of them I know where I was in my life when I was reading it. So I suppose this unintentional collection of books is from emotional connection.

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I am however decided on a new collection that will be intentional! TEA CUPS. I love tea cups and I always have. Why do I love them? Well, I am glad you asked! The first reason I love tea cups is because I am very connected with the story and Disney movie of Alice in Wonderland. Tea cups remind me and make me think about wonderland and looking at beautiful tea cups really set my imagination into power mode! Also I actually love drinking tea. My gramcrackers and I drink tea every time we are together and so the collection could actually be functional which I like. I don't know if I could collect something that I wouldn't do anything with like rocks.

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I have mentioned to my boyfriend a few times now that I want to start collecting tea cups and he has recently told me that he wants to start a collection as well! He wants to collect music records. He also wants his collection to be functional. He imagines his collection being displayed in a part of the house where company can actually sit around and listen to the records when they are over. I am definitely supporting this collection!

Let me hear what your collections are and what it is about them you love! Do you think your collection brings you more happiness? Leave a comment below and let me know your thoughts!

Until Tomorrow - Dream Away

Samantha Menzo

Cloud Nine Studios

Etsy Featured Item of the Day:

She's Whiskey in a Tea Cup Jack Daniels summertime american apparel tri blend graphic tee Women's Racerback Tank Top by - EllieSueTees

Song of the Day:

Alice | Pogo

Color of the Day:

Farrow and Ball

Monday, July 20, 2015

Thinking about participating in an art fair?

It's an early night for me tonight as I lay in bed rest for some sleep. I want to make sure I'm really rested to wake up tomorrow and be fully ready for my day ahead, so today might be a shorter blog since I'm feeling the sandman already trying to wisk me away.

I have an opportunity at the end of next month to participate in an outdoor art fair that is very DIY friendly, in fact it's encouraged. I have never been apart of an art fair and am apprehensive and motivated at the same time.

Being apart of an art fair can be very rewarding if you have a great booth with great products in a great location; so long as it doesn't rain out or have poor attendance. I have always felt that the type of art I produce would sell really well at a fair.

Any artist thinking about doing a fair needs to take in account that you have to take off work all weekend. So you want to try and make at least as much as you would at your normal job to make it worth it. Also there is normally a booth fee to just be there as an artist and sell work. So if you think your inventory of work can sell more than the time you might take off and to pay off your booth fee then you are off to a great start!

Another thing to think about is the networking opportunities that an art fair provides. So maybe you don't make quite enough to break even for the weekend like you thought. The contacts you made with the other artists or people walking in the fair, might pay off triple that in the long run! That alone makes a strong agreement to why it's always a great idea to do an art fair if possible.

I have been to many art fairs and some I've had some money in my pocket I was willing to spend and other times I have had little to nothing, but I've always seemed to walk away with at least one item. When setting up inventory for an art fair I think it is extremely important to make sure you have a wide variety of different priced items. If you bring all large and high priced pieces you may bomb because the people walking around only have $20 in their pocket and they want to spend it but can take on your pieces because you only brought your best and most expensive work. So think variety in size and price.

My current inventory is a decent size and when I get home after this week if I decide to go in on this fair I will really start turning out some work to make sure I have a sizable stock. Anyone have some pointers they can give me that I haven't already covered? Is anyone thinking about doing their first art fair too but don't know where to start?

                                        Until tomorrow - Dream Away
                                                 Samantha Menzo
                                               Cloud Nine Studios