by steelgoatmarket | Jan 26, 2024 | Steel Goat Market, Support Penn Hills Local, Vendor Spotlight
Exciting News: Steel Goat Marketplace Teams Up with Psquared Scents to Bring a Refillery Station to Penn Hills!
We’re thrilled to announce a game-changing collaboration between Steel Goat Marketplace and Psquared Scents, bringing an innovative Refillery Station right here to Penn Hills. This partnership represents a bold step towards sustainability, convenience, and elevating your shopping experience.
For those unfamiliar with Steel Goat Marketplace, imagine a vibrant hub buzzing with over 100 crafters, artisans, specialty vendors, and more. From handcrafted jewelry to eco-friendly CBD products, our marketplace is a treasure trove of unique finds and local wonders. And now, with the addition of Psquared Scents, the olfactory journey is about to get even more enchanting.
Psquared Scents is not your average fragrance company. Committed to quality and authenticity, they specialize in small batches of handcrafted soaps, candles, and incense, using only the finest fragrance oils and essential oils. Their ethos revolves around simplicity, eschewing unnecessary additives like UV protectors, modifiers, & artificial colors. With Psquared Scents, what you see is what you smell – pure, clean, and utterly delightful.
But that’s not all. Together, we’re introducing a revolutionary concept to Penn Hills: the Refillery Station. What exactly is a refillery, you ask? Picture a retail haven where you can refill your own containers with household and personal care products, again and again. From dish soap to shampoo, from laundry detergent to dog shampoos, our Refillery Station will offers an array of products in bulk, minus the plastic waste.
Why refill? It’s simple – refilling reduces waste, particularly plastic waste, which is plaguing our planet at an alarming rate. With only 9% of plastic being recycled, it’s high time we rethink our consumption habits. By opting for refills, you’re not just making a purchase; you’re making a statement for sustainability. It’s a small yet significant step towards a “reduce, reuse, REFILL” mindset, one that benefits both the environment and future generations.
Join us as we embark on this eco-conscious journey, one refill at a time. Together, we can make a difference, one fragrant step closer to a greener, cleaner world. Visit Steel Goat Marketplace and Psquared Scents today and experience the magic of sustainability in action. Let’s refill, reimagine, and revolutionize the way we shop.
by steelgoatmarket | Jan 25, 2024 | Vendor Spotlight
Get to know Dapper Fox with us!
What inspired you to start creating/selling your craft?
I would see wreaths look so artificial, I wanted to make them look realistic, flow like nature.
Describe your creative process. How do you get into the ‘zone’ when working on your craft?
I start by choosing flowers & foliage that would actually be growing at the time I am making the wreath or swag
Do you have a favorite or most meaningful piece that you’ve created? What’s the story behind it?
My favorites are the ones that a customer asked me to make. They tell me what they want, the feeling they want and I let the piece start to grow as I put it together
Who or what influences your work the most?
The time of the season, what is actually happening outside, what is starting to bloom& grow.
Share an interesting or funny story related to your craft or selling experiences.
I had a customer want a Halloween Cemetery Vase for his mother, because Halloween was her favorite season. I had never made a Cemetery piece for Halloween before. We talked about it and I had a idea. When he came to pick it up at my workshop, he was dressed as Freddy Krueger and it wasn’t Halloween yet, I looked up & there he was at my workshop window waving.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a vendor for Steel Goat Marketplace?
Seeing my customer either find something in my booth, that has sentimental value, sparkles a memory or it incisions just what they were searching for or had asked for. This is especially so in pieces for a loved one
How do you stay inspired and motivated, especially during challenging times?
Nature is always amazing, even in the darkest & coldest of a winter season, you can find something that moves you.
Are there any new techniques or materials you’re excited to explore in your craft?
I have found that I like to look for old discarded items, whether it be a floral that is old & faded, a figurine that needs work or a plush decoration that was discarded, you can take it and give it new life, new purposes
If your craft could talk, what do you think it would say about you?
Thank you for giving me life
Outside of your craft, what are your other passions or hobbies?
I have been in the garden nursery field, including being a Penn State Master Gardener for over 26 years, so I continue to love gardening and teaching people how to garden
If your craft had a superpower, what would it be and why?
Making ideas & thoughts come to life
What’s the weirdest request or custom order you’ve ever received?
I would say the Halloween Cemetery Bouquet
Share a memorable moment with a customer that made you smile or laugh.
Every time I make something for a customer for a remembrance for a cemetery. The look on their face when they pick it up, that it reminds them of theat loved one and it would make their loved one happy
“I love doing special orders for customers and becoming friends because of the connection” – Deb Fox of Dapper Fox
by steelgoatmarket | Oct 23, 2023 | Vendor Spotlight
When I stepped foot into the Steel Goat Marketplace a year and a half ago, I had no intention on signing up to be a vendor right away. I was going to take a look, have a chat with Darcy, and evaluate my options over time. Before I stepped back out, I had my space picked out and was pumped! I could tell immediately this was going to be good, but I didn’t realize that so many of the people involved would become family.
The Steel Goat is more than shopping, more than selling. It’s a collaboration of people who care, who pour their hearts and their energies into what they do. It’s meeting with like-minded people, and learning new things. It’s knowing if you have a question you can count on someone to find the answer.
I’ve grown so much in the 18 months since that day, and I’m so very grateful for my Steel Goat family. If you haven’t had the chance to swing by, I encourage you to check it out!
Erina
The Quirky Photographer
Vendor #106
by steelgoatmarket | Oct 19, 2023 | Vendor Spotlight
So, what is it like being a vendor at Steel Goat Marketplace? Being a vendor a SGM, is not about making money, although extra cash for supplies is always welcome. It is about having someone appreciate something that you created and appreciate it enough that they are willing to spend money on it and take your creation into their home or give it as a gift. Being a vendor at the Steel Goat, is being wrapped in an environment where other people share your passion for creating and they understand the euphoric high you experience when your creation is finished and you can stand back and say “I did this”. Being a vendor is being proud to accept the title of artisan and it is being secure enough in your own talents that you can take joy in the talents of others.
Being a creative is more than a hobby, it is an important part of my life. It is in my soul and helps to keep me sane in a world which often is anything but sane. Being creative allows me the ability to make someone laugh or smile. This is a wonderful feeling. I could tell you that I have always been an artsy sort of person. I could tell you I love the feel of the texture of a piece of fabric and that I have way too much of it. I could tell you that I get joy from seeing a flat, plain piece of muslin become a doll with their own personality.
I could tell you many things about my creative journey, but I won’t bore you here any further. I will invite you to visit the Steel Goat Marketplace. You will not be disappointed. You may find me covering the upstairs register and if you do, please stop to chat. If you are a creative too, we can swap stories. If you are not, maybe I can convert you!
– written by Susan, of Blue House Charming Country Crafts. Vendor #13 a valuable employee of Steel Goat Marketplace, and an even more valuable friend.
