You know what would be cool?

[naomikritzer]

There are no cons in the Twin Cities in November or December, so far as I know. And that's okay, really, it's not like I have time to go to a con this time of year anyway. But it would be really nice to be able to go to a dealer's room at a good-sized con. This is what I want: I want someone to get a hall, and rent tables for a day to all the local artists and dealers who run tables at Convergence, Marscon, and Minicon. So that I can come and do holiday shopping there.

It would be like a Christmas Craft Show. Only for geeks.

(And no, I don't want this enough to organize it myself.)

ETA: Yes, I know that the real problem with this is that all the artists and bookstore owners and so on are also far too busy to pack up shop and spend a day at something like this unless sales would be just AMAZING, and it's not like I could guarantee that even if I had time to organize such an event. Still, a girl can dream.

Comments

[tanaise.livejournal.com]

Perhaps what you really need is for someone to find the websites/etsy stores/whatever online presence for the vendors and collect them all into one easy to find list. I mean, clearly it wouldn't be perfect, as nothing really replaces the poking around. But it might be a sight more likely to happen than an in-person dealer room.

[naomikritzer]

That would also be useful. Etsy is cool but I'm not even sure how I'd find the Etsy stores of people whose names I know, let alone the stores of people whose wares I've admired at cons but whose names I can't remember.

[magentamn.livejournal.com]

There are a number of local craft shows that might interest you. December 13, there is the women's craft show at the midtown YWCA, Dec 5,6, 7th is the Friends for a Non-Violent World holiday show at the Friends Meeting House at 44th and York. I can post times if you want, or you could find them by googling. And Dreamhaven is nearer to us than it used to be.

[naomikritzer]

Dreamhaven is easy enough except for the fact that their open hours rather precisely mirror "bad times for me." (I tried to stop off on a Sunday after taking my grandmother to church and discovered they were closed Sundays. So then I tried to stop off on a Tuesday after driving my younger daughter to preschool -- i.e., when I was free to browse and chat without anyone hanging on my leg and getting audibly bored and frustrated -- and discovered that they're closed in the mornings and don't open any day until noon. I pick her up from preschool at 11:45. And then they close now at 5. I'm not sure I will ever be able to go to Dreamhaven again, despite the convenience of the new location.)

Regular craft shows are nice....but Dealer's Rooms have knowledgeable people selling nifty games, they have itty bitty stuffed dragons, they have jewelry that wasn't made by fabulous artists but mass-produced (and thus is cheap, but cool) (and it's Kiera who would like a piece of jewelry: I am not springing for an Elise necklace for a five-year-old, especially as sparkly Swarovski crystal is a bad idea for anyone who occasionally still sticks stuff into their mouth).

I might go, though. December 13th, huh? I used to really like the one at Powderhorn's park building but that hasn't been held in a few years.

[riverrocks.livejournal.com]

You might find some of what you're looking for at the No Coast Craft-O-Rama (http://nocoastcraft.com/) next weekend (December 5 & 6) at the Midtown Global Market. In past years I've found lovely inexpensive jewelry made from vintage buttons, stuffed animals crafted from felted sweaters, sock monkeys with two heads, little vinyl coin purses and a variety of other items that would be both useful and attractive to young people (and adults), all handmade by the people selling it. I'll be there looking for hand spun and/or hand dyed yarn.

[servant-of-clio.livejournal.com]

Not a help for this year, but perhaps next year you could buy stuff whenever you're at the con and save it for the holiday season?

[naomikritzer]

I know people who shop like that but I am not one of them. (1) I can't find it or have forgotten I ever had it by the time December rolls around. (2) When I buy too far ahead, I overbuy for the girls even worse than I would otherwise. (3) Buying ahead activates Murphy's Law: inevitably I find something even better. (By November, I no longer care about that.) (4) Their interests change. (Seriously, Molly took up Magic: The Gathering in September or October -- I had no idea in July that it was going to be her Favorite Game Ever.) (5) Kiera's birthday is September 18th, Molly's is September 20th, and I bet you know when Ed's is. I do not even try to think about December gifts until the birthdays are over. (Although on occasion I've overbought for a birthday and saved something for later.) (6) If I didn't forget that it was there, I would cave to temptation and whip it out to be the Best Mom Ever some boring afternoon.

[springbok1.livejournal.com]

they have jewelry that wasn't made by fabulous artists but mass-produced (and thus is cheap, but cool)

I think you'd find this sort of thing at Saracura in Dinkytown. They have a booth at most of the local cons, and among there products is lots of mass produced sterling silver stuff (the kind of thing we would have gotten at that one store on State Street, Tropic Jewel I think it was).

[ericcoleman]

I'd drive to Minneapolis for that ...

of course I'm always looking for an excuse to drive to Minneapolis

[skylarker.livejournal.com]

How about an online sale? Most of us have websites. It wouldn't be that hard to put a page of Holiday SF Stuff links together for your browsing pleasure. :) - I'd even check some convention websites, which often include such lists of vendors.

My site is here:
www.dreamspell.net