2015 Holiday Market and Pop-up Shop Guide

The holidays are here!

Not that there's any reason to panic. I mean, there are weeks left before Christmas. Although, my niece's birthday is on December 15th, and my nephew's is on the 20th. My brother's birthday is right before Christmas on the 23rd. I have a holiday party to attend, so I need a hostess gift, and gifts for clients...

Yikes!

Those two weeks in the middle of December leading up to Christmas are always the marathon in our families. I stopped writing everything that's happening in those two weeks because it has to be taken in shifts, mentally.

It compounds so fast, it can spiral out of control before you know it! If there's one thing I recommend at this time of year, it's LISTS. Gifts, holiday cards, and important ship dates are three great lists to compile for the holiday season. Check off each gift as you buy it, and scratch it off when it's been given. If you send a lot of cards, get names and addresses compiled into an Excel document and print the addresses onto labels with your printer, and order return address labels from online resources such as Zazzle. For your important ship dates, USPS has a great resource on their website, which is a good way to ballpark when to purchase or order the gifts that need to be shipped. 

Click here to go to the USPS web page with this and other helpful information about shipping and holiday hours.

People are making more efforts to support small makers and locally-owned businesses. Luckily, Nashville is abound with people making great products, and there are markets throughout the holiday season that will satisfy everyone on your list. 

Where to shop

Holiday markets are everywhere, and these four are a great place to start:

Gift Horse Pop-up Shop (Opens November 28 at 10am)
Jessica Maloan of Pine Street Makery has put together a great roster of items from makers of all sorts. The list of brands and products represented is well-rounded, and there is sure to be something for everyone.
Look for Hello Soap (best lip balm on the market) and Corbé Company ceramics.
Located in the Sawtooth Print Shop at 604 Gallatin Ave, Suite 215, 37206

This little dish by Corbé is perfect for salt or as a jewelry bowl.

All natural and so flavorful, Hello Soap lip balms are second to none when it comes to moisturizing and flavor.

Studio Be Holiday Artist Market (December 4th 12-9p & 5th 9a-4p and 11th 12-9p & 12th 9a-4p)
Local artist Cindy Wunsch is putting on a two-weekend market featuring all kinds of different artists and makers. Each weekend will be different, and both will be a great opportunity to purchase a wide variety of goods.
Look for jewelry designer Beth Lawrence of Freshie & Zero representing her brand the second weekend.
Located upstairs at 4908-B Charlotte Ave, 37209

A selection of my own collection of Freshie & Zero earrings

WeHo Market and Art Crawl (December 5th 10a-6p, Art Crawl 6-9p & December 6th 12-5pm)
Clothes, coffee, gourmet dog treats and more: the WeHo Market is going to be a great place to meet some makers.
Look for Blackjack Wax & Co. Hand-poured candles from Georgia make a great hostess gift or stocking stuffer.
Located in the Track One Building, 1211 4th Ave S, 37210

Porter Flea (December 5th 10a-6p)
Celebrating it's tenth show, Porter Flea has relocated to a bigger space to accommodate even more makers (over 140!). Not into rubbing elbows with the hordes? Purchase tickets for their preview party on the evening of December 4th.
Look for Elizabeth Foster's booth of fine art. She has everything from cards to original art, and her imagery is gorgeous and well-executed, but not overly-serious.
Located at Silver Point Studios, 10 Quality Way

The detailed and jovial works of Elizabeth Foster are definitely worth checking out at Porter Flea

There are dozens of other pop-up shops that will be happening over the holiday season. Even when the season gets overwhelming, I hope each of you can take the time to meet some craftspeople and discover a new brand (or several!) that keeps your interest and inspires your loyalty for years to come.

Cheers to the start of a wonderful Holiday Season!