workshop descriptions - Craftcation Conference

please note – schedule is subject to change.

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APRONS YOUR WAY - See on schedule

Thursday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

this workshop is all about personalization. come and learn how to make something you wear a one of a kind expression of yourself. you’ll get a blank apron and we’ll show you how to screen print it using freezer paper, hand applique onto it, draw using fabric pens, and image transfer using printer iron ons. you’ll be ready to rock your next indie craft show booth as you keep your order book, pens and cash in your new crafty apron.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

Etsy 1.0 - See on schedule

Thursday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: Danielle Maveal

Have you put off opening an Etsy shop because you don't know where to start? Etsy's Seller Education Lead, Danielle Maveal will get you on a path to opening (and rocking!) a new shop, making your work accessible to millions all over the world. This class will cover creating a shop, photography, pricing, and describing your work for an online audience. Danielle will end by helping you craft an attack plan for launching and promoting your new shop. She encourages you to also bring your questions about selling on Etsy!

WHEN TO SEEK PROFESSIONAL HELP: BUILDING YOUR INDIE BUSINESS - See on schedule

Thursday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: steph calvert

we’re not saying you’re crazy, but there may be times when you want to seek professional help! we’ll look at a case study of an indie business that has grown past their blogspot web presence into a full-fledged website, and talk about when it’s time to think about bringing on some help in different areas of your business. don’t have the cash to hire help? we’ll also talk about inexpensive or free ways to give your biz a facelift!

SCRAPBOOKING FOR NON-SCRAPBOOKERS - See on schedule

Thursday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: amy tan

most of the photos we take these days stay on our devices instead of being printed out and put into albums. amy will show you easy and creative ways using everyday items to help document those wonderful memories. incorporating some products from her scrapbook line, along with other fun bits, you’ll make a couple of pages you’ll treasure.
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 15
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

decoupage yourself - See on schedule

Thursday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: the urban craft center

come and get your mod podge on. using recycled and reclaimed materials, we will show you how to construct your own shrine shape and then cover it with images and ephemera that reflect who you are as an artist.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

moving your business beyond the kitchen table - See on schedule

Thursday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: Lauren Venell

what happens when yourbusiness outgrows your kitchen table? join moderator Lauren venell in this panel discussion with people who’ve taken their business to the next level. explore the learning curve of veteran business owners talking about hiring help,leasing space, outsourcing production, getting an agent or rep and more.

wordpress 1.0 - See on schedule

Thursday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: Sé Reed

WordPress is an effective content management system that is used to run everything from simple blogs to CNN.com. This class provides an introduction to this free and powerful software, including what it is, what it can do, and the basics on how to use it.

Etsy 2.0 - See on schedule

Thursday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: Danielle Maveal

You can grow your Etsy Shop from a few sales a week to full-time online business. Join Etsy's Danielle Maveal and a classroom full of peers for this hands-on workshop – and get started! Danielle will share her tips from coaching and studying Etsy sellers for over five years. Danielle will cover more advanced topics like SEO, standing out in Etsy's search by relevancy, studying your shop stats, merchandising and product line development and pricing for profit. She will also study a few of the shops in the room to see what we can learn from each other. She encourages you to also bring your questions about selling on Etsy!

crafty ladies of the 60's & 70's - See on schedule

Thursday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: cathy callahan

cathy’s recently released book “vintage craft workshop – fresh takes on twenty-four classic projects from the ’60s and ’70s” is all about finding inspiration from vintage crafts. cathy collects vintage craft books and magazines from the 60s and 70s and in them she finds inspiration for her own work. in those books she also found some amazing stories about the women who were making crafts and running their own craft businesses during the 60s + 70s. focusing on the business side of vintage crafts and how a few brave women started craft companies in an industry that was predominantly male, cathy will present a slideshow about these woman so that you too can learn more about them and become inspired too.

making the most of craftcation through social media - See on schedule

Thursday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: radmegan (megan andersen)

Having trouble navigating social media? Want to start your social media adventure on the right foot with something to say? Why not use your experience at Craftcation as the experiment?Megan Andersen, aka RADMEGAN will guide you though the basics of social media using Craftcation as your start. Using the conference as your topic of conversation, Megan will show you how every moment of your stay can be a link to potential followers, current fan support and future sales. Create your voice and let it be heard while documenting your experience to the masses!

open painting studio - See on schedule

Thursday at 4:00pm at the Working Artists Ventura Lofts (WAV)

With: steph calvert

for all levels of artists, from seasoned painters to brand new, never-put-a-brush to paper creatives, open painting studio will teach simple, fun techniques that will have you painting up a storm in no time! follow a step by step simple painting project or make like stevie nicks and go your own way in a relaxed, zero pressure environment.
Materials fee: $4
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

ventura city art trolley tour - See on schedule

Thursday at 4:00pm one of our Fun Times

With: craftcation crew

join us on a trolley tour of ventura’s thriving art scene as explore artist studios, work spaces, co-ops, murals and more.

embroidery basics - See on schedule

Thursday at 5:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: the urban craft center

Dying to personalize your tea towels? Take this crash course in embroidery and leave ready to cover your napkins in monograms and accent your pillows with jazzy stitches. You’ll learn 5-10 basic stitches and leave with an owl image you can turn into a patch or sew into your crazy quilt.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

YOUR NAME - LETTERISTA STYLE! - See on schedule

Thursday at 6:30pm one of our Fun Times

With: Lisa Engelbrecht

Lettering Artist Lisa Engelbrecht will be writing your name out using her totally rebellious lettering styles. Check out cool new calligraphy tools, a little bling and neat new kinds of letters, PLUS a table just for you to try them out! Note: this will be held at the BBQ!

bbq social & opening celebration - See on schedule

Thursday at 6:30pm at the Working Artists Ventura Lofts (WAV)

With: craftcation crew, Lisa Engelbrecht

meet the fellow attendees of craftcation and speakers in this relaxing night out! local bbq dinner under the ocean sky while listening to the voices that lead the movement in diy and independent business. A cheese and wine pairing workshop with chef tracey shepos will take place at the BBQ. craftside, the crafty division of quayside publishers will lead workshop attendees in a hands-on DIY craft project. the project will be fun but simple and quick enough to complete with a cocktail or plate of bbq in hand. Lisa Engelbrecht will be leading a workshop in writing Your Name, LETTERISTA STYLE! (See full workshop description under "fun times")

Cirques du Yoga! - See on schedule

Friday at 7:30am one of our Fun Times
Sunday at 7:30am one of our Fun Times

clear your mind for a day of workshops with an hour long yoga session

ACCOUNTING & BOOKKEEPING FOR THE INDIE BUSINESS - See on schedule

Friday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: ana milosevic, hao nguyen

having your business make financial sense starts with proper bookkeeping. learn the basics and what things mean in the accounting world in this crash course. perfect if quickbooks is a mystery to you or if you want to utilize all it has to offer.

IMPROVISATIONAL BEAD NECKLACE - See on schedule

Friday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: christine haynes

Set your left brain aside and go with the flow of your creative right brain to make one of a kind beaded necklaces. Simple or busy, these always turn out fun and are great for layering. Rediscover the art of quiet crafting. No jewelry making skills needed!
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

MINI BOOK WORKSHOP - See on schedule

Friday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: amy tan

take delight in having a place for all those wonderful keepsakes you collect on various trips. you’ll use an eclectic mixed paper ‘daybook’ from amy tan’s collaboration with ‘american crafts’ to house fun treasures. from business cards to photos to random ephemera, you’ll have fun adhering your bits into the book. amy will share some insight on how the mini album that she hand sewed a couple years ago came to fruition along with the journey to mass production. you’ll use fun products from her line, including stickers, patterned papers, stamps and washi tape.
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 15
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

RETAIL VS. WHOLESALE AND YOUR BEST STRATEGY FOR EXPANSION - See on schedule

Friday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: karyn cantor

should you continue to sell your items to individual customers through craft shows, etsy and other online venues or focus on selling to boutiques, specialty stores, department stores and catalogs – or both? we will discuss pros and cons of both avenues for running a small craft company to help you figure out what route is best for you.

pie making - See on schedule

Friday at 9:30am in the Ventura Museum Kitchen

With: evan kleiman

No need to be afraid. Making Pie Dough is actually a lot easier than you think once you have a few tips to point you in the right direction. And who better to get us on the road to the Perfect Imperfection of a beautiful crust than Evan Kleiman. Join Evan Kleiman in this hands-on Pie Dough Workshop. Techniques, ingredient discussion and other tasty tips covered along with take-home dough, recipe and snacks. Hand Pies anyone?
Materials fee: $5
Class Capacity: 10
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

textile surface design - See on schedule

Friday at 10:00am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: Morgan Culture

Can’t find exactly the fabric you were looking for at the store? Want something a little less pattern-y and a little more... well... you? This workshop is part hands-on, part instruction. We’ll talk about how to do prints at home (on paper and fabric), fabric painting and dyeing techniques, and even how to add your own mark or color to that pesky synthetic satin. Oh, and we’ll divulge the secret of an original technique, fabric lazing, invented by Morgan Culture!
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

How to be crafty with your email - See on schedule

Friday at 10:30am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: amy ellis

amy ellis from mailchimp answers all your burning questions about email marketing in this workshop. amy will advise attendees on how to tailor their newsletters to reflect the artful aesthetic of what they are promoting. no more boring newsletters or spending way too long at the computer-streamline your email marketing so you can get busy doing what you love - making stuff!

how to start a crafty business - See on schedule

Friday at 10:30am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: nicole vasbinder

Do you make cute handbags? How about funky jewelry? Do people constantly tell you that you should sell the things you make? Have you always wanted to start your own business but didn't know how? This fun and informative class will teach you the basics on starting your own crafty business. It's so easy to sell your handmade items online these days if you have an Etsy shop. In this class, you'll learn just how easy it is to set up your own storefront. We'll go over how to take eye catching photographs, write catchy descriptions, use the search tags and more.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 8
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

start-up stories - See on schedule

Friday at 10:30am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: rena tom (h), christine haynes , karyn cantor, melanie & dana harvey

Three entrepreneurs with very differentcreative endeavors talk candidly about their experiences in the startupphase of their business. Hear from designers, artists, and business owners in apanel discussion moderated by Rena Tom, creative business strategist and founderof San Francisco design store Rare Device. We'll talk about funding, marketing,selling wholesale and business growth while staying true to your mission.

cooking - See on schedule

Friday at 12:00pm in the Ventura Museum Kitchen

With: aida mollenkamp, evan kleiman

Aida Mollenkamp, host of FoodCrafters and Ask Aida, will lead a special cooking class geared for novices and those who want to feed the soul and nourish the body for a busy work week.
Materials fee: $5
Class Capacity: 10
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

ASSEMBLING A TECHNOLOGY TOOLKIT - See on schedule

Friday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: rena tom

rena tom, a creative business strategist, shares tips for making the most of technology to streamline your business practices and save time and money. she’ll share her technology workflow as well as great inexpensive or free applications to help with your website, mailing list, project management, inventory and accounting, and more.

Pricing for Products and Services - See on schedule

Friday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: Lauren Venell

Pricing your own work is one of the trickiest parts of running any creative business, because you are placing a concrete value on very subjective qualities, like talent, taste, and experience. In this workshop we’ll help you navigate those tricky waters. We’ll discuss topics that apply to both product-based and service-based businesses, such as contracts, licenses, product diversity and how to avoid the dangerous pitfalls of underpricing, work-for-exposure and "spec" work.

THE BOTTOM LINE: PROFIT & LOSS - See on schedule

Friday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: ana milosevic, hao nguyen

what does it mean to actually make a profit from your business? learn how to evaluate whether your business or an event your business does is worth the money you are spending. workshop defines net and gross income, general expenses, financial summaries, personal vs. business expenses, and broad picture analysis.

The crafty food business of your dreams (1 on 1 consultations) - See on schedule

Friday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Barbara Room
Friday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Barbara Room

With: Connie Choe-Harikul

Whether you’ve just been toying around with the idea of starting your own handcrafted food company or are already selling your goods (but want to sharpen your game plan), you could probably benefit from a consultation with an indiependent food business owner. These 15-minute, one-on-one sessions are a great opportunity to bounce your marketing ideas around, ask specific questions about the specialty food business, and focus on your needs and goals. Come away with clear action items to get you moving in the right direction.

crash course sewing - See on schedule

Friday at 1:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: nicole vasbinder

Want to learn to sew? Did you get a new machine as a gift? This quick class will teach you everything you need to get started! Use our machines or bring your own. You will learn how to thread the machine, load the bobbin, adjust tension, change needles, and troubleshoot. You will sew straight lines, turns and backstitch. Also, you will learn about sewing techniques like seam allowances and how to adjust the settings on the machine. After this class you will be set for any of our project based classes. No Supplies needed! Note: If bringing your own machine, please bring the manual, all power cords, pedals, etc.
Materials fee: $3
Class Capacity: 8
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

Do's & Dont's of Booth Presentation: displays & merchandising - See on schedule

Friday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

Come discuss the do's & dont's of booth presentation. We will be discussing the benefits of a quality well planned booth setup for your indie business! Topics being discussed will be: What to bring, What to leave at home, Whether to accept credit cards or not, Planning your booth space, displays and is my booth aesthetically pleasing?

JAM MAKING FROM THE MARKET - See on schedule

Friday at 2:30pm in the Ventura Museum Kitchen

With: delilah snell

learn the essentials of jam making with ingredients bought at the downtown ventura farmers’ market. master food preserver delilah snell will lead this hands-on workshop on making and processing a peak-of-season jam capturing the region in a delicious jar for you to take home and enjoy months later.
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 10
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

WORKING YOUR PRESS: DIY PR - See on schedule

Friday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: gustavo arellano

the fundamentals of pr for a start-up business take creativity, understanding how the media works and a little smart elbow grease. learn how to court media and blogging attention from an actual journalist who has seen it all- oc weekly managing editor, author, lecturer and professor gustavo arellano. this intensive workshop covers the basics: press releases that don’t bore journalists, media relations, creating media lists and translating what you do to people who see things everyday.

wordpress 2.0 - See on schedule

Friday at 2:30pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: Sé Reed

Geared toward those who already use or have some familiarity with WordPress, topics include: using WordPress as a content management system, maintaining your WordPress software, plugins, widgets, and maximizing your WordPress site via SEO, social media and more.

Apple Cozy Workshop - See on schedule

Friday at 3:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: Professor Pincushion

Join the Professor Pincushion team and learn how to make a fun apple cozy while learning basic sewing skills. While crafting, visitors learned about other great sewing videos offered at Professor Pincushion’s online tutorial website.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 15
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

10 COMMON BLOG PHOTOGRAPHY PROBLEMS & HOW TO FIX THEM - See on schedule

Friday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: radmegan (megan andersen)

great artful photos are the number one draw to a blog. learn photography basics about design, composition and lighting to make your images professional and artful.

HARD COVER PAMPHLET BOOKBINDING - See on schedule

Friday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: the urban craft center

the next step up in creating an easy and useful journal. using the pamphlet method and a variety of pretty craft papers and a little bit of duct tape, we’ll make a simple hard cover journal.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

SELLING YOUR WORK IN STORES - See on schedule

Friday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: rena tom

do you have a loyal following on etsy and at craft shows but you want to see your work on the shelves of your favorite store? rena, a former store owner and buyer, helps you get ready to approach a store and how to make it easy for a store to buy from you. she’ll cover what goes into your line sheet and catalog, how to compile a list of retailers to target, and what to say to them to get them interested in your work. she’ll also talk about where and how indie retailers like to find new products for their shop.

Social Marketing for Crafters - See on schedule

Friday at 4:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: Jennifer Priest

Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google, Instagram, Pinterest…. Think you don’t have the time, resources, or knowledge for your business to have a presence in social media? Think again! We’ll discuss which social media outlets fit your business, how to schedule content, what kind of content works, and ways to be up-to-date on social media techniques without having to become an expert yourself or be someone who you aren't.

HAPPY HOUR SOCIAL & TRADE MIXER - See on schedule

Friday at 6:30pm one of our Fun Times

With: craftcation crew

the crowne plaza happy hour is the perfect time to trade a creative item with fellow attendees. meet other crafters and exchange goods while socializing and understanding what other small business people do-don’t forget to bring one item to trade!

the art of cheese and wine pairing - See on schedule

Friday at 6:30pm in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: tracey shepos-cenami

join us at happy hour for an intimate workshop in wine and cheese pairing. chef tracey shepos-cenami demystifies creating a comprehensive and interesting cheese plate as well as choosing wines that complement and enhance the cheeses. taste local small batch cheeses and wines from our sponsor cambria winery as tracey helps you discover the palette you didn't know you had or enhances the one you do.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 25
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

DeepStretchNine - See on schedule

Saturday at 7:30am one of our Fun Times

Wake up and Create Space in your body! This dynamic stretch session focuses on opening your shoulders, neck and hips, aligning and relieving your back body. Explore simple poses more deeply by staying actively engaged in this unique moving meditation! There's a present in every moment!

Itty Bitty Bigness, Branding YOU! - See on schedule

Saturday at 9:00am in the City Hall Chambers

With: Alison Marik Zeno

Just because you are a small business doesn't mean you can't pack a punch. Your logo, packaging, web-presence, and physical display all tell a story... the tale of you and your product. Learn how clarity, consistency, and character can set you apart from the crowd.

LEGALLY AND FINANCIALLY TAKING YOUR BUSINESS TO THE NEXT LEVEL - See on schedule

Saturday at 9:00am in the City Hall Community Room

With: ana milosevic, hao nguyen

have you started your business and are having a growth spurt? are you considering expanding your business, adding more clients, partnering or any other big change? this workshop is designed to cover the basics to prepare you for the big changes with success and confidence. items covered include proper legal documents required for your legal entity and proper legal structuring.

NEEDLEFELTING 101 - See on schedule

Saturday at 9:00am in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: the urban craft center

learn the basics for needlefelting in this quick and easy beginner project. cute and satisfying, you’ll walk away with a tiny toadstool and the skills to make whatever you want with this technique.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

PIECING TOGETHER A CRAFTY BUSINESS - See on schedule

Saturday at 9:00am in the City Hall Atrium

With: cathy callahan

cathy thought it might be fun to do a craft show. upon being accepted into the show she learned that she needed some sort of web presence. a hastily thrown together etsy shop seemed to do the trick. 2 websites (one that actually worked) and a blog soon followed. from there a few really great opportunities came her way but there were also a few bumps in the road. cathy will relate her experiences in running and maintaining a crafty business.

THE 3 HOUR SKIRT - See on schedule

Saturday at 9:00am in the City Hall Catalina Room

With: christine haynes

Working without a pattern, you'll learn how to whip up your very own skirt, from raw materials to finished skirt, in a mere 3 hours! This project uses basic straight stitching and zigzag stitching, perfect for seamstresses of all levels.
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 12
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

10 YEARS OF DIY - See on schedule

Saturday at 10:30am in the City Hall Chambers

With: jenny hart

jenny hart will talk about her career as a successful artist, author and the founder of sublime stitching. from the pre-etsy days of starting her own online business, to seeing her artwork in embroidery become a part of the smithsonian american art museum, hart will share the back story of how her career began and where it is today.

Breaking into the Art Exhibition World - See on schedule

Saturday at 10:30am in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: Morgan Culture

Doesyour work lie somewhere between art and craft? Maybe you’ve been toointimidated to approach the art world, or maybe you’re continuallyrejected from shows with exorbitant entry fees. We’ll discuss ways tomake your application package and, more importantly, your WORK appealto galleries and museums. Included are strategies for choosing whichshows to submit to and show in, as well as considerations for distanceshows and tours.

SEO + Analytics - See on schedule

Saturday at 10:30am in the City Hall Community Room

With: Sé Reed

A crash-course in Search Engine Optimization, aka SEO: what it is, why it's important and how to use it to promote your business' website. Plus, using web analytics, learn about your customers and how they interact with your website.

the joys of fermentation - See on schedule

Saturday at 10:30am in the City Hall Atrium

With: ernest miller

fermentation is one of the oldest forms of food preservation and is used throughout the globe. learn how to make traditional sauerkraut in this hands-on workshop that also covers the global recipes that incorporate fermentation principles. This workshop includes lunch.
Materials fee: $3
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

Mozzarella in Under an Hour - See on schedule

Saturday at 12:00pm in the City Hall Atrium

With: Heather Westenhofer

Discover how quick and inexpensive it is to make soft cheese at home! In this workshop, you will learn the general principles of cheesemaking and how to apply them to a quick mozzarella that is delicious and costs only the price of a gallon of milk, with minimal equipment required. The class includes a recipe to take home and sampling of the mozzarella.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 30
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

Wardrobe Development for Women Creatives - See on schedule

Saturday at 12:00pm in the City Hall Community Room

With: Nicole Longstreath

A professional image doesn't have to mean dressing like a lawyer! Learn how to craft your best wardrobe that expresses your unique personality and communicates your creative cred. Hear my secrets to building an inexpensive, but good-quality wardrobe and my no-fail tips for making it work every day.

mini-book make n take - See on schedule

Saturday at 12:00pm in the City Hall Anacapa Room

With: Jeannine Stein

grab your lunch from the atrium and bring it along to this mini-book make n take. the whole project will only take about 15 minutes so you'll have plenty of time eat and relax too. just drop in anytime between 12:00 and 12:45. jeannine will lead you as you make a mini-book with four pockets that can hold business cards, receipts, or anything else you need to organize. No bookbinding experience is necessary and all materials are included.

FINANCIAL BASICS FOR INDIE BUSINESS START-UPS - See on schedule

Saturday at 1:00pm in the City Hall Community Room

With: ana milosevic, hao nguyen

starting a business is more than just making great things, it is covering your a$$ from a legal, financial, etc. perspective so you can keep making great things for years to come! understand what you need to get started on the right foot. workshop covers basic concepts such as entity financials, business and personal segregation, business entities, operations, basic taxes and certificate necessities and the role of trade.

Is Your Social Media Strategy Really a Strategy? - See on schedule

Saturday at 1:00pm in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: Matt Winn

Social media has taken the world by storm. As millions of users spend endless hours on sites like Facebook and Twitter, your craft business has a newfound (and essentially free) opportunity to build a community to spread the word. But how can you leverage social media to advance your presence? Join social media expert, Matt Winn from Volusion, as he explains key ways to build a solid social media strategy that is sure to deliver. You’ll learn how to create a killer foundation that will weave its way throughout the social web – you don’t want to miss it!

REVERSE APPLIQUE WORKSHOP - See on schedule

Saturday at 1:00pm in the City Hall Catalina Room

With: amy tan

even if you’ve never sewn before, you’ll learn the right (and pretty easy) way to hand-stitch using a reverse applique technique. amy’s shirts have been sold all over the world and have been coveted by numerous celebrities. now you can learn how to do it while enjoying the process. just bring in either a tee shirt, tote bag, or anything you want to customize, and amy will walk you through the steps to create a delightful piece. we will have different fun and inspiring fabrics and thread colors on hand as well as templates that she’s been using on her shirts since 2002.
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 12
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

crafting a light box to take professional photos at home - See on schedule

Saturday at 1:00pm in the City Hall Atrium

With: radmegan (megan andersen)

enable yourself to take professional well-lit photos of what you make by learning how to build your own diy lightbox on a shoestring budget in this hands-on workshop. you’ll eliminate shadows and dark spots with your new magazine worthy photos.
Materials fee: $5
Class Capacity: 15
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

how to start a food craft business - See on schedule

Saturday at 1:00pm in the City Hall Chambers

With: aida mollenkamp, delilah snell, ernest miller, evan kleiman

The small-batch food business is gaining incredible momentum across the country. BUT selling food items is a slightly different ball-game than the traditional craft item. Learn from this eclectic panel of food crafters, writers and supporters on what it takes to actually start a food business. Through their stories, understand trends in the food world, how to market your idea and if your yummy creation is something that has a chance in the competitive (and sometimes expensive) area of food business.

BUILDING YOUR WHOLESALE CRAFT BUSINESS - See on schedule

Saturday at 2:30pm in the City Hall Atrium

With: karyn cantor

you have decided to put focus on being a wholesale company (or you are already there). this class will be a more in depth look at running a company. we will cover goals, legal steps, pricing, employees,websites, marketing, reps and trade shows.

DON’T BE A RIP-OFF ARTIST: INSPIRATION, COPYRIGHT & PROTECTING YOUR IDEAS - See on schedule

Saturday at 2:30pm in the City Hall Chambers

With: jenny hart, nicole stevenson, steph calvert

we’ve all seen highly-publicized news stories about large corporations ripping off indie artists and crafters, but did you know this runs rampant in the indie crafting world, too? in this workshop we’ll go over basic copyright information, the importance of protecting your work, and how this applies to your indie biz. we’ll also discuss inspiration versus good ol’ fashioned stealing, and how to tell the difference.

How To Clean and Oil Your Machine - See on schedule

Saturday at 2:30pm in the City Hall Catalina Room

With: nicole vasbinder

Cleaning and maintaining your sewing machine is the best way to prevent sewing problems and extend the life of your machine. I have seen many “broken” machines that are simply dirty with grime packed into the gears and once they are cleaned and oiled they sew beautifully! You can pay a sewing machine technician to do this for you or you can learn to do it yourself. You know that you need to maintain your car through oil changes and tune-ups and you should give the same care to your biggest sewing investment. No supplies needed!
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 12
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

Marketing on a Budget - See on schedule

Saturday at 2:30pm in the City Hall Community Room

With: Lauren Venell

Marketing is what allowsyou to get and keep loyal customers, but no one wants to spend hours a day onblogs, social media and cold calls. In this workshop you’ll learn how to market effectively using the leastamount of time and money to achieve the best results. We'll cover simple techniques you can use to get morepress or improve your Google ranking, as well as ways to tighten your brand andhelp you stand out from the crowd. Bring an example of your work or your branding (like a business card) toshare with the group.

Raising chickens and homesteading 101 - See on schedule

Saturday at 2:30pm in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: Justine Abbitt

Wouldyou like to start implementing some ideas of modern homesteading intoyour everyday life? Anyone with a small patch of land can practicemodern homesteading ! Learn about some homesteading basics such asraising your own chickens and small livestock, having a year roundgarden, canning, decorating and making clothes with thrifted andreclaimed items, and even homeschooling from Justine Abbitt, mom andblogger who moved to an old ranch house on an orange ranch from LosAngeles with her family. Learnbasic chicken care with and how to use chickens in the garden .Chickens are the mascot of the urban homesteading movement and providenot only their eggs, but also are great composters, and a local foodsource.

CRAFTING A LIGHT BOX TO TAKE PROFESSIONAL PHOTOS AT HOME - See on schedule

Saturday at 4:00pm in the City Hall Atrium

With: radmegan (megan andersen)

GARMENT CONSTRUCTION BOOTCAMP - See on schedule

Saturday at 4:00pm in the City Hall Catalina Room

With: christine haynes

Learn all the keys to construction! We'll learn how to read patterns, all about the construction of fabric, the ins and outs of the sewing machine, how to sew darts properly, inserting invisible zippers, hand sewing hems, making a button hole and more!
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 12
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

GETTING YOUR CRAFTY IDEAS PUBLISHED - See on schedule

Saturday at 4:00pm in the City Hall Chambers

With: cathy callahan

cathy callahan’s first craft book “vintage craft workshop” was published in 2011. cathy will relate her experiences in getting her ideas published and will give you tips and pointers about the process of preparing a book proposal, choosing to use an agent or not, working with publishers, and promoting your book once it is released.

Handbound Recycled Journal - See on schedule

Saturday at 4:00pm in the City Hall Santa Cruz Room

With: Jeannine Stein

Make a beautiful and useful book from scratch using recycled materials. Starting with vintage record albums for covers we’ll make a sturdy journal with a sewn binding that uses two easy sewing techniques. We’ll create pocket pages perfect for storing notes, recipes or photos, and add in other fun bits of ephemera such as pages from vintage sewing pattern books, ledgers and dictionaries. No bookbinding experience is necessary and all materials will be provided. You'll leave class with a completed journal that's waiting for your creativity.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

those who can do teach: how to teach your craft - See on schedule

Saturday at 4:00pm in the City Hall Community Room

With: nicole vasbinder

As the craft revolution evolves, more and more sewing and craft studios are popping up and they need instructors. Learn how to take your passion and teach other people your valuable skills. We'll discuss how to find venues where you can teach, how to develop a class and what your need to bring and what makes a successful class. If you are a crafter who sells your product, teaching can be a supplemental income source during the slower shopping months.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 15
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

80s DANCE PARTY CELEBRATION - See on schedule

Saturday at 6:30pm one of our Fun Times

With: craftcation crew

have a cocktail on us at our 80's music dance party. this early evening event is a prefect beginning to start your evening in downtown ventura!

closing ceremony: mentoring roundtable - See on schedule

Sunday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A
Sunday at 9:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: craftcation crew

After a weekend of learning, gather your notes and thoughts for this special mentor session where you will have some personal time with the presenters from the conference. In 3, 15-minute roundtables, speakers will be available for intimate groups focusing on specific needs that you have and covering topics that have not been covered during the conference but might need some special attention. This is the perfect way to combine all that you have experienced during the conference and get that one-on-one time with the movers of the industry-DO NOT MISS THIS!

Ecommerce Bootcamp: Sell Online in 60 Minutes or Less - See on schedule

Sunday at 11:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: Matt Winn

Feel the burn of building your very own online store. In less than 60 minutes, you’ll learn how to launch your online business the right way, from picking the perfect website solution to designing and marketing your store to the masses. After this session with drill sergeant and ecommerce expert, Matt Winn, you’ll walk away with a sound strategy and unbeatable tips to turn your crafts into a crafty online sales machine.

How Very Pinteresting! - See on schedule

Sunday at 11:00am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: steph calvert

No one needs one more social media website obsession... or do they? The image-bookmarking site Pinterest is poised to revolutionize the way you create! Join Steph Calvert as she shows how to get the most out of Pinterest, including how to get started, incorporate it into your own creative processes, and how to use Pinterest to boost traffic on your website.

LETTING GO FOR NEW POSSIBILITIES - See on schedule

Sunday at 11:00am in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: delilah snell, Mique Provost, nicole stevenson, paige wery

some people are meant to run their own business, some people should partner up with others. either way it requires being self aware and lots of self acceptance. join us for a discussion on the personal career paths of industry professionals who’ve partnered up, formed non-profits, worked for others and gone it alone as we explore how to embrace new business paths and recognize and let go of what isn’t working.

Understanding Your Business Website - See on schedule

Sunday at 11:00am in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: Sé Reed

A primer in the basic building blocks of a small business website. Topics include naming your domain, the elements of a website, vocabulary and technical terms, basic website design and structure, web site strategy, and more.

DOING BUSINESS IN VENTURA TOUR - See on schedule

Sunday at 12:00pm one of our Fun Times

With: craftcation crew

the city of ventura offers so many resources for artists, crafters and creatives to take advantage of. hope on the trolley and get a peek at the opportunities and possibilities of ventura has.

EMBROIDERY 101 WITH JENNY HART - See on schedule

Sunday at 12:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room B

With: jenny hart

for those who’ve never held a needle and thread or want to learn some alternative tips and tricks of stitching! jenny hart will lead a workshop unlike any other on embroidery. feel free to bring projects you are working on for advice and if you want your book signed by jenny, bring that too! hart will have Sublime Stitching goods from her site available for sale!
Materials fee: $7
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

How to Craft a Blog that Pops! - See on schedule

Sunday at 12:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Rosa Room

With: aida mollenkamp

From writing a compelling bio and curating blog posts to forming partnerships and working with manufacturers, learn the details of everything you ever wanted to know about creating a successful blog!

felt flowers - See on schedule

Sunday at 12:00pm in the Crowne Plaza San Miguel Room A

With: the urban craft center

stop in and learn how to use our cuttlebug. you’ll choose your favorite color in felt, cut out your flower shapes, then layer them and sew on a button. add a pin and wear it out with pride.
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 30
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.

recycled sweater cuffs - See on schedule

Sunday at 12:00pm in the Crowne Plaza Santa Cruz Room

With: the urban craft center

ruined your favorite sweater? no problem. drop in and make yourself a stylish accessory using materials you normally ball up and throw away. we’ll show you how to cut up that favorite sweater you just ruined and sew the edges and add a closure and wear it out with pride. you’ll be throwing your sweaters in the laundry on purpose!
Materials fee: $0
Class Capacity: 20
Please click here for details & to sign up for this class before March 10, 2012.