New website and applications are open!

It's an exciting day over here! We are just launching our new and improved website courtesy of the ever-amazing Lisa Rundall Creative, and we've just opened our 2011 vendor applications! We thought we'd give you a run down of the website changes, and also talk about our 2011 vendor applications.

The new website now has a "main" homepage, and then each market has its own page--Spring Market (May 7), Summer Market (August 6) and Fall Market (October 1). However, you can apply for one, two or all three markets on any vendor application.

In terms of vendor applications, we are having early bird discount prices from today until February 14th. If you apply to any market between now and Feb. 14th, and get accepted into the market (we are juried), your booth price will be $75 for one 10X10 booth ($60 for DHA members) per market. If you apply after February 14th, booth prices will be $100 for one 10X10 booth space ($80 for DHA members) per market.

Please note--you can apply to one, two or all three markets! If you apply to all three, we cannot guarantee that you will be accepted into all three. This is due to the high volume of applications we get, and that we want a great variety of products and vendors at each market. In terms of sharing booths, you may--but both parties must apply. No more than two can share a booth!

Additionally, we want to encourage lots of folks to apply! Are you an artist, crafter or estate sale junkie? Do you dream about selling your wares and having your own business? Maybe you have an Etsy shop, and you've always wanted to do a "live" market. Well, why not give it a go? Check out this page for detailed information on what kinds of vendors we are seeking.

We are so excited about this upcoming market season. Our seasonal markets will each be unique, collaborative, and super fun community events! We will feature kids activities, local food and a few local non profits at each of our markets. Additionally, we are seeking sponsors! Please email horseshoemarket@gmail.com for information on sponsorship opportunities.

Let the fun begin! Go to our website, check things out, and fill out an application! Also, leave a comment below for any feedback or suggestions you may have about our website. See you all soon!

GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY GIVEAWAY

Congratulations on making it to Friday! As promised, we’re here with an ultra fabulous giveaway (above) graciously donated by Kayla Blincow, one of our vendors!

Kayla is a Colorado native currently living in Seattle, WA. She graduated from University of Puget Sound with her B.A. in Fine Arts. She specialized in large-scale sculpture and recently spent a year in Banff, Alberta at the Banff Art Centre. Currently, Kayla’s been venturing into making jewelry through her store thingsviapost. Additionally, super sweet On a Lark in Wash Park (Ohio & Emerson) sells her lovely necklaces!

HS: What do you enjoy about your artwork?

KB: I enjoy just the process of making a physical object. I have never been able to work purely with theoretical concepts without envisioning them in a physical form. I learn the most when I have I get to build or shape something new. It’s just how I make sense out of everything for myself.

HS: What projects are you currently working on aside from jewelry making?

KB: I am learning how to blacksmith right now and I love it. Forging steel has given me an entirely new perspective of the possibilities and properties of steel. All of which filters down into how I will treat various materials in the future.

HS: After college, you spent a year at the Banff Art Centre--what did you do up in Canada?

KB: I went hiking a lot. But seriously, I did go hiking a lot; I was in one of the most beautiful places ever. I was a work/study in the Visual Arts department where I primarily assisted incoming resident artists with their projects as well as studio and facility maintenance. The “study” part of the gig was dedicated to our own practice as developing artists. I spent my time building large outdoor sculptures with wood, branches, linen and steel, while also getting to learn all kinds of stuff such as bronze casting, papermaking, mold making etc. It was a pretty sweet life. (You can read about some of Kayla’s work in Banff in this article.)

HS: What else can we expect to find at your booth at the Horseshoe Craft and Flea Market?

KB: Hopefully I will have more metals mixed in with my jewelry and I am working on some postcards and greeting cards that use the geometrical shapes from the preliminary sketches of my sculptures.

Kayla has graciously donated one of her fantastic necklaces (above), this one entitled tailfeathers, for our first GIVEAWAY. You know, the giveaway we've been talking/blogging/tweeting about all week!

Here are four ways you can enter to win the giveaway:

1. Visit Kayla's etsy shop, thingsviapost, and then leave a comment below with your favorite item.

2. Tweet about this giveaway using the tag @horseshoemarket so that we can track your tweet then come back and leave a comment with a link to your tweet.

3. Fan us on Facebook--then come back here and leave a comment that you've fanned us!

4. Become a follower of the blog and leave a comment that you're a follower.

Alright, four chances and you can be the new owner of this lovely necklace! You'll have until Sunday, August 8th at midnight (mountain time) to enter. We'll use the random number generator to choose the winner on Monday. GOOD LUCK!