Ardmore's Clover Market comes to Philly this weekend

We are all about DIY crafts and cool vintage finds these days (hello Pinterest!), so this upcoming event is the perfect addition to our weekend agendas.

Ardmore's most popular outdoor market, Clover Market, will hold an indoor event at the 23rd Street Armory this Sunday. With more than 50 vendors on site, food trucks, and informative workshops – on embroidery, how to create vintage style signs, and a floral arrangement demo – the event, officially dubbed the "Winter Market," should be worth checking out for interested buyers and creative types. Especially since founder Janet Long has been organizing Clover Market since Spring 2010. "It's a terrific community," Long says of her project, which just finished its third year in downtown Ardmore.

"I was thinking about [the Winter Market] last spring and the planning accelerated into the early fall," she told us Friday. The one-woman show says she's expecting a few thousand people to filter through the Armory's doors Sunday. Visitors, however, should expect an array of interesting and high-quality product offerings: Each vendor filled out an application and was selected with much consideration. Long explains how it's not only an opportunity for hand crafters to sell their products, but also for vendors to establish relationships with potential long-term customers. "We've seen that really blossom at the Market," she explains.

Since open air markets can very easily be overwhelming with its vast range of offerings, Long shares some pointers with Philly.com readers:

"If you see something that's one of a kind, don't sit on it," she shares. "If you love it and it really speaks to you go for it." The odds of a unique set of earrings or a gorgeous upholstered chair being sold within a lap around the venue are high, simply given the sheer number of people expected to attend. "The items [the vendors] are bringing are carefully considered, but sill maintained at an affordable price point."

She also beseeches interested shoppers to forge relationships and speak directly with the vendors. "The market gives you a chance to know the person behind the product – meet the artist, the dealer, collector, or the person who is really dedicated to their craft," says Long. "It's an opportunity to really inquirer about a piece," she continues. This would lead the consumer to potentially return back to this particular vendor for similar future purchases.

"This is the real deal. Meet the maker!"

Doors open at 9 a.m. for VIP ticket holders, who also receive a free scented candle with their purchase (typically valued at $20). General admission tickets are accepted at 10 a.m.