Seller Profile: Brand*Eye

Tell us a little bit about yourself.

My name is Brandi Adoff (brandeye is a nickname). I grew up in south central PA, and my Sundays were usually spent going to the Silver Spring Flea Market (RIP). It’s here, and through my Dad’s genetics, that I acquired my love of junk. I have a degree in chemistry and work in pharma, but my REAL passion is sewing, crafting, thrifting and flea marketing.

What will shoppers find in your tent?
Shoppers will find handmade one of a kind quilts incorporating vintage fabrics with a modern edge, handmade pillows, and unique vintage housewares.

Where do you find your inspiration?
Architecture, corn fields, art museums, cities, nature. I find inspiration everywhere I look.

Besides Clover, where is your favorite place to shop for art, antiques, vintage or handmade?
I love Stoudts Antique Mall (as an added bonus Stoudt's is a brewery with great beer), Etsy, and thrift stores of course.

What possession do you most cherish?
A jar of buttons that belonged to my Grandma.

Where can people find you outside of the Clover Market?
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/brandeye
Blog: http://www.brand-eye.blogspot.com

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/wwwbrandeyeetsycom/40772905945

Seller Profile: A Lovely, Little Shop

Tell us a little bit about yourself.
My name is Chelsea Lawler and I’m a 24 year old graduate student living in Philadelphia. I attend school full time while creating jewelry late into the night, which usually consists of using power tools that are way too loud for my neighbors (sorry guys!). I have an obsession with textiles, vintage beads, & small details. I love the spring and autumn, rocks and minerals, reading, cats, sparkly items, meeting new people, thrifting, and laughing.

What will shoppers find in your tent?
Shoppers will find a variety of unique creations! You'll see a lot of modern, simple, and classic pieces using basic gold and silver tones, but you'll also see funky, geometric pieces mixed with more natural pieces. I love to use a lot of rocks and minerals that I loved as a young girl, so they will definitely be making an appearance at my tent/ There will be plenty of earrings, bracelets, and necklaces.

Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in a variety of things. I love staring at fabrics swatches or old texts for pattern/color inspiration. I'm constantly being blown away by other makers, whether it be fellow jewelry designers or illustrators. I may create an entire piece of jewelry from a specific color I saw in an illustration or sometimes, it'll come from the texture of something I found in nature, which also inspires me!

Besides Clover, where is your favorite place to shop for art, antiques, vintage or handmade?
I love to go thrifting and to flea markets for special treasures!

What possession do you most cherish?
I cherish the items that have been painstakingly handcrafted for me and special objects/photographs from my grandparents, many of whom I have never met.

Where can people find you outside of the Clover Market?
Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/shop/chelsea3349

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alovelylittleshop

Twitter: http://twitter.com/#!/alovelyshop

Shops:  My jewelry is carried at Domestica and Hapa Collective.  Fellow Clover seller Kristen Solecki and I are also currently curating a handmade gallery night in Philadelphia for the holiday season as well!

September 18, 2011 Recap

On a Clover Sunday, the day begins before dawn in an a quiet, empty parking lot.  Seller spots are carefully marked off in chalk, cones and barricades are set out, and I savor a last few minutes of calm before our sellers arrive to load in.  This is how the parking lot looked at around 7 am that day:

Soon, the sun had come up and gifted us with a clear blue September sky and just a hint of crisp in the air.  It was a beautiful backdrop and as our sellers carefully unpacked and set up their tents.   There's always a palpable buzz of excitement during this time after so much careful planning and hard work.  Sooner than we know it, it's opening time and the buyers arrive.

In these early hours, we unleashed the lovely Carrie Hill from Carrie Hill Photography to capture some of the amazing items for sale that day.  I could go on and on about the creativity and talent on display, but instead, I'll let her beautiful images speak for themselves.

Please feel free to use these images with credit to Carrie Hill Photography

If this montage has whet your appetite and you'd like to see more, I've also posted some of the photos that I snapped during the day on the Facebook page here.  I'm not a photographer by any stretch of the imagination,  but I think there are some pretty nice ones in the bunch.

Our next fall Market on October 16th looks to be another blockbuster.  We have over 70 individual sellers (10 of whom are participating for the first time), our largest Market to date.  We will be filled to the brim in the Municipal Parking lot AND on Cricket Terrace (which will be closed to all traffic from S. Cricket Terrace east on Cricket all the way to Rittenhouse Place).  

In the coming weeks, I will be getting more Seller Profiles posted, so I hope you'll check back here often  for more fun details about this amazingly talented group.

Hope to see you soon at the Market!