Chickens on the road

One of 2 new logos for Crowing Hens Bindery.

This past month has been a busy one at Crowing Hens Bindery. I’ve gone through all of the legal channels to get bona fide and CHB is now an officially recognized small business in the state of Tennessee! I’ve also applied for a number of local vending opportunities and festivals for this year, three of which landed in the month of June.

The first was the Porter Flea Modern Handmade Market, a 2-day biannual Nashville makers’ market tradition already in its fifth year. Porter Flea was started so that entrepreneurs and artists could reach out to their local communities, sell their goods and services, and forge relationships between maker and consumer.

Business cards, booksmarks, and books- all in preparation for the Porter Flea Summer Market.

Porter Flea was my first vending opportunity since I’ve set up shop in Nashville and there was a lot of preparation to be done. I needed a logo, signage, business cards, and ephemera. I needed tables, a booth setup, and shelving. I purchased my first iPad and iPhone to take credit card sales, and began updating my website, and counting inventory.

A stack of new springback journals drying underweight, waiting for their decorative papers.

But of course, you also need product to sell and I was determined to be fully stocked. I brought letterpress prints and new greeting cards. I sold this year’s Daybook collection and journals large and small, ruled and blank. I even hired a buddy of mine to help finish up a few hundred books several weeks prior to Porter Flea.

Scribes, Links, and Clutches, 3 journal and notebook designs in progress.

This year’s Porter Flea experience was a wonderful opportunity to sell goods, meet like-minded local business owners, and to celebrate the creativity, ingenuity, and support that our unique Nashville community has to offer.

First time designing a booth setup. Many books to touch and hold!

The popularity of Porter Flea continues to grow exponentially and this year was no exception. The foot traffic this year exceeded 6,000 attendees on Saturday alone. I can only imagine how large this year’s winter market crowd will compare during the holiday season.

Be sure to find us at future local markets and the holiday Porter Flea! I may or may not be donning my world-famous chicken hat/bun warmer.

Look for Crowing Hens Bindery at other upcoming events, such as “Handmade and Bound” hosted by Watkins College of Art and Design on October 2-3, and “Made in Nashville” at Centennial Park on Saturday, September 12. You can also find my work at the Shimai Gallery of Contemporary Craft by the Loveless Café. I will also apply for the holiday Porter Flea, so be sure to keep us in mind as you shop for you and your loved ones this holiday season!