Unique Los Angeles has just partnered with LA Weekly, which means it's going to have GREAT exposure. Plus, they have sponsors of PBR, ETSY, LACM!

And it's a 2 1/2 day event! With a special VIP friday preview night...

Nichole and I have already signed up for our booths

go here to apply:
http://uniquelosangeles.com/application.html

here are the vendor faqs

The Basics
Your products cannot be made with purchased patterns, molds or kits. You must live in North America, and you must be the designer, creator and/or producer of your products. You must be able to move-in and set-up on Friday December 12 and sell for the entire show, 11am-7pm December 13th & 14th.

Deadline
The application deadline is midnight November 2nd 2008.

Special Collections and Student Criteria
If you opt to be included in one of the "special collection" areas, your products must actually fit into the theme (i.e Green Room products must be eco-friendly). If accepted, Rising Stars (students) must provide documentation that they are a student in a fine arts/design program at an accredited college in California. There are 10 Rising Star spots available.

Group Applications
Up to 2 vendors can share a booth, but only one application is needed. If you are accepted, the second vendor will get instructions for emailing his/her logo, bio description and 3 photos.

Stores, Art Galleries and Small Businesses
UNIQUE LOS ANGELES does consider LA-area merchants (and in fact features an area called "Indie Lane" as a special collection at the event), but they must sell and support independent and local products.

Application and Vendor Payment
Your total payment (vendor payment + $10 non-refundable application fee) must be completed during the application process, through PayPal. Depending on what size booth you choose (and if you are a student), your application payment will be:
$230 (Rising Star, student 10X10 booth + $10 fee)
$330 (10X10 booth + $10 fee)
$530 (10X20 booth + $10 fee)

What You Get
The event is held in a weather-proof indoors environment. Each booth includes the solid wall structure, 1 table, 2 chairs, and a wastebasket. Your booth will be either 10X10 or 10X20, and features professional overhead spot lighting. You will get an Online Profile, a listing in the event guide, and more (please see the vendor packet PDF online).

Acceptance
Vendor applications will be reviewed by a jury during the first week of November. All applicants will be notified regarding the status of their application by November 7th 2008. If you are accepted, you will receive a vendor packet with detailed information, including the option to rent shelves/brackets, advertise, hire a PR rep and more.

We're moving our newsletter to our yahoo group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/losangelescraftmafia/

you need to sign up there in order to continue to receive our weekly newsletter about vendor opportunities around town.

Thanks!

Upcoming events:

----MEETING!!! Tuesday, January 22nd is our craft
mafia meeting! If you're interested in becoming a
member or just want to meet some new people, come on
out! The more the merrier! The info:
Tuesday Jan 22nd 7pm
Saints and Sinners Bar
10899 Venice Boulevard
West Los Angeles, CA 90034
http://www.saintsandsinnerslounge.net/

We'll be sitting in the back room. Come for some
camaraderie and delicious drinks!

The craft for the night: Mafiosa Bath Bombs!

---- There is vendor availability for the indie craft
show:


I Made It! Market


Feb 9th from 12-4pm at

Billy's Coffee Shop (formerly Inmo Gallery)

114 west 5th street (and main street)

Los Angeles CA 90013



It's $1 per square foot that you need,
please provide your own set up (table, chairs,
blankets, whatever you use)


If you're interested, please send an email to
losangelescraftmafia@yahoo.com with a description or a
link to what you sell.

---- There's a new flea market starting up, for more
info visit http://southparkfleamarket.com

***and if you have anything you would like announced
please email us so we can put it in our newsletter…
ESPECIALLY craft fair submission information***


FEATURE:

Friday Night TV Party: Caramel Marshmallows
2 cups sugar
1/2 cup corn syrup
1/2 cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons butter
1 condensed milk
1 bag large marshmallows
powdered sugar
wax paper
chopped nuts (optional)


-Cook the ingredients, except the vanilla, to 246
degrees F. If you don't have a candy thermometer,
test it by dropping the caramel into cold water. If
it becomes firm, then it is ready (also called the
firm ball test). Don't take it off the fire too
early, but also be careful you don't wait too long and
burn the caramel. Keep an eye on it because I have
burnt plenty of caramel.

-while you're waiting for your caramel to cook, cut
your wax paper into squares (about 5 inches wide).
The caramel is going to stick to the paper, but you
can try coating the paper with the powdered sugar.

-Remove from the fire, add the vanilla

-Now's the fun part! Take a fork, stick a
marshmallow, then dip it into the caramel. Add as
much or as little caramel as you want. It's also
delicious to roll it into some chopped nuts (this will
help to keep it from sticking to the wax paper)

-Drop your caramel marshmallow onto the center of one
of your wax paper pieces. Let it cool for about an
hour before you completely wrap it in the paper. The
easiest way to close the paper is to roll it and then
twist the sides closed (like the way a hard candy is
packaged). This should hold all on it's own.


I like to make these as gifts, they are really
delicious. I also use the caramel recipe to make
caramel apples, yum!

When I decided that I wanted to expand my little comic website into an actual craft business, I was faced with all sorts of scary, legal questions. After a whole bunch of research and aggravation, I managed to figure out what I needed. I am in no way a legal authority and I would recommend that you see an accountant. But if you are poor, like me, here are some helpful ways of getting started:

Another disclaimer: this is all information specific to Los Angeles County (even Culver City has different rules) so make sure that you know your local laws.

The first thing that I needed was a seller's permit. It's free and relatively easy. Click here for the forms: http://www.boe.ca.gov/info/reg.htm
I can't stress enough that you should NOT mail in the form. Go to the office and have someone take a look at it. Even my application had some little mistakes that, had I mailed it in, would have taken WEEKS to fix. I added multiple locations to the list that I knew I would be selling at regularly so they gave me a Consolidated Seller's Permit. Even with that, if I am going to sell at a temporary space, I need to print out the form 530-B and fill in the location information. Once a year when I send in my sales tax, I'll also send in the form 530-B. When you are selling at your booth, you need to have the forms with you.

I also wanted to file a DBA (Doing Business As). The woman who filed my Seller's Permit told me that I needed one because it would protect my business name (I wish I had a penguin friend). Also, if I want to get a business credit card, bank account, etc, I'll need this. The process looked like it was going to be a pain (you fill in the form, publish a notice in a local circulation paper for 4 weeks, then send in the affidavit) so I used LegalZoom.com. It was about $120 to do that and it is currently still being processed.

Lastly, and the most overlooked, is the Los Angeles Business Tax License. You get it through the Office of Finance (http://www.lacity.org/finance/finD.htm) click on the "Business Tax Registration Certificate (BTRC) Application" You NEED to do this before you start any sort of business activity otherwise you'll get hit with all sorts of penalties (like I did). My day job is as a contractor/1099 in video production which I started in March of 2005 and I didn't know that I needed to get a Business License. When I filed for it in November of 07, it cost me $200 in penalties. At the same time, I filed one for my craft business and since it was filed before any business practices, it cost me $0. So I implore you to get this taken care of.

It's all pretty dense, but if you follow those links it'll get you a good start. You can email me (morgan(at)iwishihadapenguinfriend.com) with questions but I can only answer out of my own experience.

send us a comment or message with your email address and we'll subscribe you to our weekly newsletter.

have you seen our website yet? los angeles craft mafia!

I (morgan: www.iwishihadapenguinfriend.com) will be at this event this saturday from 10-4. It'll be 8 different vendors selling their crafts. I've heard a little rumor that there might be free wine, oh yes... So stop on by it's at 3908 San Lorenzo River Rd. Ontario, CA Creekside East. I'll even have my craft mafia shirt on! wowee!