Every Friday, I will be listing 5 of my favorite products and/or brands that I use and discussing their pros and cons in a series called Fav Five Friday. Let me know if you have tried the products before and what your personal experience has been with them. This Friday, I decided to talk about 5 items that I use for my art vendor booth.
When I decided to start attending pop-up events, I looked for ideas on how to display my art. Art prints can take up a lot of space, and not everyone will take the time to look through a catalog or comb through a bin to see what art prints there are. I wanted my art to be visible to people walking by to catch their eye and bring them into my booth. I needed something easily portable and inexpensive, so I decided to go with these stackable cubes. They have been great so far. I set them up so that they are my display shelves and a board to clip my demo art prints. If I am in a booth that is open in the back and the front, I clip my art to the back of the cubes as well to increase visibility. They are sturdy, even on windy days, and I haven't had them fall apart yet (knock on wood). They were a bit tricky to set up at first, but the more shows I do, the quicker I am able to assemble and disassemble them. I do recommend buying more of the corner attachments just in case you lose some along the way.
PROS:
Portable Shelving
Display art prints easily
Sturdy
Modular to fit your needs
CONS:
Can be tricky at first to assemble
My Jackery Portable Power Station is one of my favorite purchases. Not every event provides electricity, so I wanted a portable power option that I can plug my lights into for shows that go past sunset. It is also great to charge my portable fan during hotter months, as well as my phone and iPad during the show. It has 2 AC outlets that deliver 300W power as well as USB ports and a DC carport. Between events, we use it daily to charge items in our living room as needed. Jackery has different models with different power options. If you are looking for a portable power station, I highly recommend taking a look at their catalog and seeing what is the best fit for your needs.
PROS:
It can recharge itself and up to 6 devices at the same time
Works with the Jackery Solar Panel - so you can be completely off-grid
Features 2* AC outlet, 1* PD 60W USB-C port (input/output supported) , 1* fast charge 3.0 port, 1*USB-A port and 1* DC car port
Armed with a 293Wh lithium-ion battery pack, the Explorer 300 features 2 Pure Sine Wave AC outlets that deliver stable and safe 300W power.
Only weighs 7.1lbs
It takes only 2 hours to recharge 80% battery of the power station through the wall outlet and 60W PD USB-C port simultaneously.
CONS:
None
Summer shows can be brutal. Especially in 90-degree Fahrenheit heat. My portable fan has been a godsend on those blistery summer days. I love this little fan because it has a hook that I can hook on the back of my cube display and not have to worry about it getting in the way. It also has a light in the middle, but I haven't had to use it since I have my own string-up lights. It has a 180-degree rotating head and can retain its charge for a good amount of time. You can even charge your mobile device with its power bank. It has 3 power speeds as well as 3 light brightness settings for the light. It is quiet but powerful and it has made such a difference to me at my summer shows. Did I mention that it comes with a remote control?
PROS:
Built-in 7800mAh high-quality rechargeable battery, which can work continuously for 6-25 hours (based on wind speed), and the service life is up to 150,000 hours
3 levels of wind speed and 3 levels of LED brightness.
It has a remote control
USB-A interface to charge devices
Sturdy, lightweight, and portable
CONS:
None
These LED string lights are stylish and lightweight. They are shatterproof, waterproof, and won't overpower any power system because they are low wattage. They are perfect for pop-up events since you don't have to worry about them breaking during transit or causing a power outage. For a 10x10 pop-up tent, you will need to order 2 sets if you want to cover your whole booth. At first, I only ordered one set and just had the front of my booth lit, and it did provide enough light, but I like the ambiance that is created when you have the full booth lit up. Each strand contains 10 1W 1W S14 LED bulbs and you can connect up to 34 sets. Their bistro style is perfect for a popup event, backyard decorating, or wedding.
PROS:
30,000 hours long lifespan
Energy saving compared to traditional bulbs
Connect up to 34 strands
Easy to use
Weatherproof and Shatterproof
Affordable
CONS:
None
I got my MacSports wagon at Costco, but a version of it is on Amazon as well. This wagon is the extended version, so it is bigger than the usual wagons that you might see at the beach or at pop-up events. Most events will let you drive up to your spot to unload and then go park, but sometimes you don't have that option and have to shuttle all your things back and forth to your vehicle. This one wagon has come in handy as it can hold all my products, and materials, plus one table and folding chair (as long as I stack it nicely) so that I am able to make fewer trips to my car for set up/tear down. Yes, I am the type of person that tries her best to only have to make one trip. The wagon is sturdy and it has nice big wheels that easily trek through different terrain. It folds easily for transportation and storage, and it has side pockets for extra storage. My only complaint is that the handle has lost the ability to lock into place when it is extended, so it will easily fall down while pushing the cart when it is full. It slowly falls down as opposed to immediately falling down, so it's not a deal breaker, but I would prefer that it had a button to lock it into place, instead of a switch.
PROS:
Spacious room for carrying large loads
Easy to fold and unfold
Portable
Sturdy
Able to navigate rough terrain easily
Strong steel frame
300lb weight capacity
CONS:
Handle lock gives out if the load is heavy
If you purchase from the Amazon links, I will receive a small compensation.
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