On January 23rd, members of SERRV’s Product Development team joined me for an impromptu road-trip to Chicago, IL to attend Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show. Maria Wood, Kerry Evans, and myself made the trip from Madison to Chicago early in the morning to avoid traffic and imminent weather conditions. We arrived at the Merchandise Mart just in time to catch the fun.
Beckman’s Handcrafted Gift Show is a gathering of wholesale suppliers and retail buyers looking to connect and discover the next big handcrafted gift idea. The show features an entire floor of handcrafted temporary showcases and several floors of permanent showrooms. There is no shortage of things to drool over, uh… I mean, look at here. They have everything from flower pots to ice cream scoops and the most jewelry and accessories I’ve ever seen in one place! I love to attend this market because they feature a section that is strictly for fair trade merchants. It is always fun to connect with fair trade friends, talk about the industry, and see Spring’s trends up close and personal.
Here are a few photos from our adventure…
Maria Wood is loving light!
Beautifully crafted bags help get our creative wheels turning!
Maria Wood & Kerry Evans find fun with these patterns
Trend Watch: Mixing blues and prints
Inspiration around every corner...
Maria W. with her newest friend!
