05/28/2025
i have been patiently waiting for this announcement ever since talking to cheryl months ago about it & can finally share her first official post! -- you have seen her working the events at r shea - including my markets there. she is always out & about in the comminity. you've seen her helping out at prfm akron, & i hired her to help me with my may alt st mkt! 🩵🖤
i loved vended the annual holiday crafty mart when it was ran by her!
she is a source of knowledge & inspiration, and was a major help to me when i took over crafty sirens [ now alt st market! ]
we 100% need this in our maker & small business community & cannot wait to see what is yet to come!
Hi everyone! It’s me, Cheryl Hopkins.
You may remember me from my time with Crafty Mart. If you don’t remember, that’s okay–I can catch you up in a sentence or two. I managed the handmade markets in and around Akron for several years. I was also the voice behind the social media channels. I stepped down from the position at the end of 2022, but my passion for all things crafty and handmade remained. In 2025, I still have so much fun attending and volunteering at local vendor markets. I love to visit area scenes where art is made, taught and sold. I especially enjoy supporting local creative small businesses and connecting shoppers to as many of them as I possibly can. I have dreamed about how and where I could spread my passion to a larger platform….and this wonderful opportunity arose.
ArtsNow and Northside Marketplace have entrusted me with this reactivating this page! I am deeply humbled and truly excited to do my best to serve this wonderful, supportive, and deeply loyal community of creatives, creative businesses and handmade shoppers/supporters.
I’m not exactly sure how this is gonna go just yet. A few sleepless nights have left me to wonder if people still use social media in the same way? Are you all still here? Does the community still need and want this kind of support? Will the algorithms keep us apart? All I know is that I am ready to roll up my sleeves and get to work.
I’ve seen your posts. I knew you wanted a name change. A re-brand. A renewed commitment to uplift and support our valued and beloved creative community. I want this too. I want a social media space where folks can have conversations about their wants, needs and desires. I want a space where we can all engage and feel comfortable doing so. A spot where we can find craft classes to attend, places to vend, places to shop, new businesses to support, spots around town where we can donate gently used craft supplies. All of those good things and maybe more! My hope is that this page evolves in the coming days and months so we can get as much out of it as is possible, good vibes included.
So welcome to Crafty Signal: Broadcasting from the 330. Making creative connections, sharing events and spotlighting handmade finds.
Thanks for having me, and I look forward to talking more in a bit,
Cheryl
Moon Candle handmade by Ronna Russell/Scrap Art Crone
Handmade Paper Flower handmade by Love, Anji - Paper Florist
