I ended up buying several things at the Indie Mart at Thee Parkside on Sunday. Buy local, buy handmade -- it's the best possible way to shop.
After I got some money from the ATM and a beer from the bar, I headed outside to where the alley was blocked off and most of the designers had set up their booths. The the first person I ran into was Jen from Nooworks. She had a slew of her stylish t-shirts, dresses and accessories with her. Her t-shirts come in great colors and bold designs, and they're so soft and comfortable that you can take them home already feeling like you've being wearing them for years.
From Velvet Surrender I bought one of those feathery, Kenley-esque, of-the-moment doo-dads that I will somehow have to figure out how to wear. Those ladies of VS were very nice and were selling their creations for way too cheap, so get a bargain while you can.
I'd been looking for an everyday necklace and Ofina made exactly what I had in mind, so I picked up two very simple and pretty necklaces at a great price. Then while I was sitting and catching up with my friend Sheryl whose jewelry line is called Rock Candy, I saw someone try on this bracelet and then put it back because it was too small for her wrist. So, of course the only thing I could do was buy it myself, because who else could she sell such a small bracelet to?
I believe in buying from local and DIY designers because it's a good thing to do, to support people who are pursuing their creativity. But there are a lot of upsides as the customer. You can hear the story behind the design or the business, you get to wear something unique, and when you do buy directly from the designer you often get a heavy discount. When you buy one of these creations from a retail store, designers usually only take home around 50% of the purchase price because the store has to make money, too. But when you purchase directly from the artist, they often price their stuff somewhere between retail and wholesale prices, so you get a nice discount and they actually make a little more cash in hand.
So when you buy stuff at your local craft fair or sample sale, everybody wins!