Skip to content
Camera Pinterest Phone-alt Envelope
Search
  • HOME
  • ABOUT NICOLE
  • CLUB
  • CAMP
  • EVENTS
  • PODCAST
  • HOME
  • ABOUT NICOLE
  • CLUB
  • CAMP
  • EVENTS
  • PODCAST
ten tips for craft fair booth design
Business Tips

ten tips for craft fair booth design

ByGuest Contributor September 5, 2013June 9, 2017

*Editor’s note: We’re so happy to have this guest post by Janie of Janie XY on Dear Handmade Life today. She is one of the queens of booth display and we were overjoyed when she asked us if she could…

Read More ten tips for craft fair booth designContinue

how to build a chicken coop + raise backyard chickens
DIY Projects

how to build a chicken coop + raise backyard chickens

ByNicole Stevenson August 14, 2013July 11, 2014

how to raise and care for backyard chickens Last week I found a mouse in my purse. I like to claim that I’m a little bit country and a little bit rock n roll but honestly, I’m mostly just rock…

Read More how to build a chicken coop + raise backyard chickensContinue

patchwork show santa ana spring 2013
Adventures

patchwork show santa ana spring 2013

ByNicole Stevenson May 29, 2013July 11, 2014

in 2007 i had my heart broken. it was bad. the kind of heartache that makes sleeping almost impossible because your brain races through every moment of the failed relationship trying to figure out what went wrong. it was the…

Read More patchwork show santa ana spring 2013Continue

Page navigation

Previous PagePrevious 1 … 3 4 5
Camera Pinterest Phone-alt Envelope

get started

  • MEET NICOLE
  • Podcast
  • MEDIA
  • CAMP
  • CLUB
  • IN-PERSON EVENTS

BLOG posts

  • THE CREATIVE LIFE
  • CRAFT & DIY
  • BUSINESS
  • TRAVEL
  • FOOD & DRINK

instagram

HOLY S&T!* I just did the math, and this year mark HOLY S&T!* I just did the math, and this year marks 18 YEARS of @thepatchworkshow! 🎉🎉🎉 Back when we started, we were the only modern craft fair in Orange County. Now, you can find a market (or a few) happening almost every weekend. And while the landscape has changed, our mission hasn’t: shop small, shop creative, and always choose community over competition. Patchwork Show has never been just a place to shop—it’s a place where creative dreams take root, where friendships are forged over handmade goods, and where small businesses find their people. Every market, every vendor, every customer adds to this community, and we couldn’t have made it to year 18 without you. ✨ Spring applications are OPEN – if you’re a maker, this is your sign to join us! 🛍️ Now more than ever, shop local, shop small, shop creative. Your support doesn’t just buy a product—it keeps artists creating, families thriving, and communities growing. Tag your favorite Patchwork Show vendor below! ⬇️ Spring 2025 Patchwork Show Locations: 🏖 Long Beach 5.18 @marinestadium 🏙Tustin 5.25 @oldtowntustin 🏞Chino Hills 5.31 @theshoppesatchinohills 🌉Oakland 6.14 @jacklondonsq ☀️Ventura 6.22 @downtownventura #Craftshow #openairmarket #popupmarket #popupshops #artfair #shopsmall #shoplocal #socalevents #norcalevents
We spend so much time looking for guidance outside We spend so much time looking for guidance outside ourselves—Googling, asking for advice, waiting for someone wiser to hand us the kit answers. But what if the best mentor you could ever have is actually you? @tarasophiamohr calls this your Inner Mentor—the future you who’s already living the life you dream of. They know what matters. They’ve walked through the doubt, taken the risks, and found the rhythm that works for them. And the best part? They’re always available, no scheduling required, no hourly rate. So what if, instead of second-guessing or staying stuck, you checked in with Future You AKA Your Inner Mentor? Ask her what they know, what they’d do next, how they handle the hard stuff? Try it: Close your eyes. Picture yourself five, ten years from now—calm, confident, doing the thing. What advice does your Inner Mentor have for you today? Drop a 📝 if you’re ready to start listening to your Future You. BTW: If you haven’t read Tara’s book Playing Big - do it! You can also listen to me interview her on my podcast. #innermentor #meetingwithfutureyou #futureyou #craftersofinstagram #makersofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #innerwisdom
Being creative means living in a house that’s 95 Being creative means living in a house that’s 95% studio, being weird (and lovable anyway), and crying freely at art, life, or nothing at all. It’s about midnight genius ideas you probably won’t remember and wishing impostor syndrome could be transferred to people who actually deserve it. Luckily, there’s @CraftcationConference —a place where creative weirdos find community, inspiration, and practical tools to grow their art, business, and selves. Come hang with your people at Craftcation. 💛 🎟 Ready to grab your ticket? Comment TICKET and I’ll send you a direct link. Still thinking? Comment CRAFTY, and I’ll help you take a tour of all things Craftcation. 🧡 #crafty #craft #maker #makersofinstagram #craftersofinstagram #creative #creativewords
Now what? If you relate, you’ve found your peop Now what? If you relate, you’ve found your people. This is where we try to relax—despite the racing thoughts and never-ending to-do lists. Where we embrace the chaos, chase our creative whims, and accept that “resting” often looks like sketching ideas on a napkin by the pool. Where inspiration strikes at the most inconvenient times, half-finished projects are a love language, and you’re surrounded by people who get it. So, welcome. Whether you’re actually relaxing or just pretending to while mentally redesigning your entire business—you belong here. And this? This is Craftcation—the place where you can learn new skills, build your business, find your people, and actually (maybe) relax. It’s the best of all worlds, wrapped up in one magical, creativity-fueled weekend. 📅 Craftcation 2025 📍 Ventura, CA 🎟 Ready to grab your ticket? Comment TICKET and I’ll send you a direct link. Still thinking? Comment CRAFTY, and I’ll help you take a tour of all things Craftcation. 🧡
Raise your hand if you still haven’t found your Raise your hand if you still haven’t found your “niche” or the idea of committing to one craft for the rest of your life (or even the rest of the month) makes you break out in hives. 🙋‍♀️ Guess what? You don’t have to. Consider this your official permission slip to be a multi-passionate. You don’t need a perfectly curated, hyper-specific niche to make a living with your art—or even to be an artist. If you make things, anything… congratulations, you’re an artist. Now go forth and make all the things. 🎨✂️🔥 And if you’re looking for a community who gets it—the kind of people who won’t pressure you to “just pick one thing already” but will actually cheer you on as you experiment and evolve—we’re here. 💛 The Club is where creative business owners get support, accountability, and education about making a living doing what they love. 🎯 CAMP is our six-week online mindful goal-getting bootcamp for creatives who need a nudge (or a friendly kick in the pants) to turn ideas into action. 🎨 Craftcation is our five-day, all-in creativity and business conference where you can learn everything from screen printing to social media strategy—because why limit yourself to just one skill? So if you’ve ever felt like you don’t quite fit into a tidy little creative box, welcome. You’ve found your people. ❤️
I’ve second-guessed myself before almost every b I’ve second-guessed myself before almost every big decision I’ve ever made—because self-doubt never fully goes away. But I’ve learned how to move through it. Every “leap” I’ve taken in my creativity, business, or life has come with a big dose of fear and uncertainty. 💡 I almost ran back to my car on my first blind date with my husband. 💡 When I planned the first Craftcation, I had a literal backup plan to flee to Canada if it all fell apart. 💡 I booked a solo art show where I promised to display 100 paintings—and days before, I panicked and tried to cancel. But here’s the thing—I did them anyway. And every single one of those moments, no matter how scary, shaped the life I have today. 🚀 Self-doubt doesn’t mean you’re on the wrong path. It just means you’re stepping outside your comfort zone—and that’s where the real growth happens. The fear never fully disappears, but I’ve learned that taking action is the only way forward. You don’t need to feel 100% ready—you just need to take the next small step. So tell me: What’s something you almost backed out of but did anyway? Drop it in the comments—I’d love to hear your story. 💛 #smallbusinesssupport #craftersofinstagram #makersofinstagram #smallbusinessowner #makersgonnamake #craftvacation #craftcommunity pm

© DEAR HANDMADE LIFE 2025. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. THIS SITE USES AFFILIATE LINKS. WE DISCLOSE ALL SPONSORED POSTS BY NAMING THE SPONSOR IN THE POST.

Scroll to top

from our studio... to yours

Get our mostly monthly emails featuring event updates, secret deals, pep talks and inspiration to make every day awesome.