You will soon be receiving your annual mailing from ANCA's craft marketing program. It's scheduled to go out this Friday, Oct. 7. Included are three applications and one workshop listing: Buyer's Day is blue; Art, Crafts and Foods is harvest gold, the Group Booth application is green and the workshop sheet is white. The Group Booth application is the only one without information on the back as well as front.

Look through the 20 workshops scheduled throughout the region from now to late spring for your (studio and gift shop owners) continuing education.

This year's Rustic Nature Buyer Days is the 20th annual. We will be recognizing some of the craftspeople and retailers of the region at the show. You will be requested to submit nominations and vote later in the year.

Are you doing or do you know someone doing/making things of interest to retailers nationwide? I'm trying to come up with some news to include in the press release going out to the major retailer trade magazines about the 20th annual. korths@northnet.org or call me at 518.891.1632 if you have any ideas.

Art, Crafts and Foods will feature studios and gift shops along (or near) the Scenic Byways this year. This will be a great opportunity to niche market the Scenic Byways.

The Group Booth application features a booth in 4 shows; WNY in Rochester in Feb. and 3 Al Bass shows in Maine, New Jersey and in Saratoga Springs.

Now on to other news:
I went to the Adirondack Juried Show opening at the Lake Placid Center of the Arts last Friday. It is great to see the many three dimensional pieces. Congratulations to the following artisans for being selected for the show; Russel B. Bailey for his wrought iron Stinging Whipwort, Tim Breyette Jr. for his lovely Eastern Keepsake Box on Table (exquisite clean lines and mix of woods), Ken Gadway's for his turned burled vase Adirondack Amphora, Michele Gannon for her oil painting Stream Dreams with its frame of glossy river stones, Al Johnson's Eclipse, Paris Smith's sculpture of man on sled drawn by dogs going through woods Whoa! and Jennifer VanBenschoten's beautiful heavy antique looking necklace of beaded work and turquoise stones.

Here are links to some short articles posted in 2005 on retailer preparation for the Christmas Season:
-Retail Holiday Preparation with Melody Vargas (good holiday season preparation basics list)
http://retailindustry.about.com/od/storeoperations/a/holiday_prep_p.htm
-Make Winter a Winning Selling Season by Kane Communications and Gale Group (this also includes a list)
http://www.findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0LMC/is_6_44/ai_nl5340473
-Dreaming of a Blue Christmas by Parija Bhatnagar, CNN/Money staff writer - Are retailers passing raising fuel costs to consumers?
http://money.cnn.com/2005/08/18/news/economy/gasprices_christmas
-Retail Holiday Help 2005 The Seasonal Process by Monster.com staff. Retailer planning and ordering for seasonal product.
http://hourlyandskilled.monster.com/retail/featuredreports/holidayhelp/process
These articles were found using the keywords "retailer prepares Christmas Season" at Google to be used as materials to be presented at the attendees of the Artisan And Retailer Roundtable in Saranac Lake on Oct. 4. Roundtable partner is Comlinks/WEBC.