Etsy artisans to showcase talents at vendors market
The way people shop for their loved ones during the holiday season is always evolving as do the opportunities for people to earn an income.
Niagara Etsy Artisans is a network of people across the region, 86 per cent of them women, who sell a wide variety of handmade items through their online store on Etsy.com, one of many ecommerce websites that serve as a convenient channel to buy and sell unique gifts, art and more.
In Niagara, there are 355 brands involved in the Etsy community and many of them are operated by people on a full-time basis, according to team captain Karrie Bannerman, who has been the lead for vendors in the region for the past three years, helping spread the word about their talents and getting them booked at various shows and events.
She says supporting homegrown businesses from all 12 municipalities in Niagara is incredibly important.
“I look at it as a conscious decision to invest in Niagara and our economy,” she says.
Many of the artisans who are part of the local team conduct their business from their home offices or dining room tables, something that’s important to people today as they try to balance work, raise children and cope with anything else life might throw at them.
“It’s a win-win when we invest in a locally-made economy.”
According to Bannerman, there are almost 32 million active worldwide users on Etsy and 30 per cent of them operate their stores as a full-time occupation.
Bannerman’s business, Vixen & Reynard, makes bath, beauty and home products.
She will be one of about 20 vendors at a show in Ridgeway on Saturday afternoon at the Sanctuary Centre for the Arts.
This will be the biggest event the Niagara Etsy group has held in the southern tier of the region, she says.
“I’m really hoping to connect and reach out to that part of the community.”
Ridgeway resident Christine Savage will present her business Pine Creek Hollow and a large selection of genuine gemstone bracelets.
She’s been a part of the local Etsy network for about three years and she says it has been very helpful.
“There’s a lot of camaraderie — it’s really great,” says Savage, who will also be joined by her daughter Sarah, a first-time vendor at an Etsy event who will be promoting Cozy Threads and her collection of handmade slouch hats and tuques.
Saturday’s show in Ridgeway runs noon to 6 p.m. For more information, visit www.niagaraetsyartisans.com.