interesting ...

An interesting read ...

Handmade sales fray as more craft their own
In a bid to save cash, customers who used to buy others' work are now sewing, knitting their own creations... read the full article in last week's Globe and Mail.

Since I don't like to post without pictures, I have included a snapshot of the swag going off to the Handmade Nation premier in Portland this weekend! To check out what else is in the bags, visit Kate from Obsessive Consumption's flickr account. Friday and Saturday is sold out, so if you are interested in heading down there, make sure to grab ticket's for Sunday's screening! For more information, please visit the Museum of Contemporary Craft. Hope to see you there.

shop cocoon swag bags

Lili and I headed over to the Shop Cocoon event yesterday for some swag bag fun! I think I was pretty lucky. Most girls there, including Lili's BF, Henry, received too small bras in their swag bags. I, scored a lovely pair of panties that I am wearing right now! :D Is that too much info? lol.

another crafty weekend!

Portobello West has their kick off to the year starting this weekend - Saturday, March 28th and Sunday, March 29th!

Details:

Noon to 6:00 pm
Rocky Mountaineer Station
1755 Cotrell Street
For more information, visit their website here.

Head down to Blim on Sunday, March 29th for some local shopping and tasty eats. Trust me... best food ever at this show!

Sunday, March 29 - 11:00 - 5:00pm - FREE
@ the CAMBRIAN HALL (215 East 17th @ main )

BLIM presents:

Our first community market will be on Sunday, March 29 from 11–5 PM, include 30 vendors, live music, hot food, beverages, and entertainment. Vendors will include food, fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records, and not be limited to crafts, and there will be a focus on nurturing and promoting creative production in our community. We want to appeal to young, old, hip, plain, babies, animals, men, women, everyone.

We are very excited about this event and what it can contribute to Main Street’s artistic vitality, and how it can help support and encourage the local creative community.

this Thursday!

More shopping news!

Spring Forward designer launch event is this Thursday at Shop Cocoon!

Scope out must-haves for Spring and enjoy a one day only SALE on New Arrivals.

Free goodie bag worth over $35 for first 40 customers.

Drinks and nibbles served

Shop Cocoon
3345 Cambie Street @ 17th Avenue
Thursday, March 26th
11:00 am to 9:00 pm
For more information, check out their website.

See you there!

weekend O' crafts

Here we are at the Etsy Spring Fling show yesterday! Lots of pictures over at Smeeta's blog. I think this was at the end of the show, because we look pretty tired.


photo courtesy of Smeeta

Of course, we also had to stop into Buy the Yard this morning to check out more goodies! I bought a bunch of fabric from Nicole at It's Your Life for $5!!! W00t! I also scored some brown thread for $1.50 for the sewing stations at Swap-O-Rama-Rama on April 19th.

Buy the Yard II

Make it a crafty weekend and head on over to Buy the Yard II this Sunday (March 22)!

Calling all designers, crafters, DIY’ers & hobbiests… check out Buy the Yard II for overstock spring cleaning/clearance fabric, notions, supplies, jewellery findings, bits & baubles & vintage.

Sunday March 22, 2009
1275 Venables St (at clark)
11am - 4pm

For vendor or more information contact info[at]wovenagency[dot]com!

For those that still have left over stock... well pack it up and head over to SWAP-O-RAMA-RAMA on Sunday, April 19th!!

state of the union .... crafty style

From Crafty Wonderland ...

You're probably tired of hearing about the economy (or feeling the effects), but we wanted to remind you of the importance of shopping local and supporting small businesses during these times. When you do spend money, think about where it's going and who benefits from it. You may be buying less, but you can buy wisely. Please remember the importance of our local creative community and do what you can to help support all of the amazing artists, craftspeople, and organizations that make Portland Vancouver so fantastic.

A Spring Fling with Etsy

This Saturday will be the crafty kick off of 2009!

Join me and other Got Craft vendors including Smeeta, A Cagey Bee, Two Faced Trinkets, Bueno Style, District Thirty and A Farmers Daughter at the Spring Fling with Etsy event!

Here are the details:
Saturday, March 21st
Cambrian Welsh Hall - 215 E. 17th Avenue
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Admission is $2.00.

See you there!!

Ps. A big xo to Melanie from A Farmers Daughter for putting this show together!

saturday

Look at what I picked up at the post office today! Sweeetttt!!!

Thanks to Mary and her team at Sublime Stitching for their swag bag contributions!

Birth Fest

If you happen to be expecting or have friends that are expecting, you may want to make a trip over to Birth Fest this Saturday, March 14th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at the Britannia Community Centre, Gym D.

It is a FREE community festival featuring local resources, services, crafts, music and activities for the whole family. So even if you are not baby crazed, you can still go and enjoy some crafts and music!

little red caboose will be there as well as little bird designs. Make sure to stop in and say hi!

shaw tv

The Vancouver Craft Mafia was invited to be a part of a Shaw TV segment featuring 4 different craft projects:

1) Something around the house
2) Something green
3) Something for kids
4) Something using power tools

You are going to have to watch the episode to see what was made! I forgot my camera, but here is a quick iphone photo of Erin from Shaw TV and Wendy representing the Mafia!

Air date: April 3rd
Air time: 3pm, 6pm and 10pm ... and repeating all weekend!

we are pleased to announce ...

... the line up for May's Got Craft? event ... (and our #100 post!)

With 80 applications received and almost half the available table spaces, this years' selection process was definitely one of the toughest one we have had to do. Not only did we have to turn away some really wonderful vendors, we ran out of room for some past participants. Don't worry though ... The monthly show will begin in June.

For more information, please visit the Got Craft website. New site coming April 1st!

In the meantime, enjoy!

2 Faced Trinkets
3 Geniuses
a Cagey Bee
A Farmers Daughter
Affera Cosmetics
Beauty Secrets of Japan
Billy Would Designs
Bittersweet Friends
Bliss in a teacup
Bueno Style
blue skies and daisies
Civil Disobedience
District Thirty
Felt Curios
Fibre Manipulator
Five is for Riches
GroovyGlassGirl
Haiiku
Him Creations
Irit Sorokin Designs
It's Your Life
Jennifer Conway
Just Potters - Just Work
little red caboose
Lucky Rooster
Maked Crafts
MALENKOST
My LoLo
Mz. TackMaster
Olive
Open to Chance Designs
Owl + Pussycat
pomo mama design
poodlebreath
Radjuli Custom Designs
Rouged Lips
roxypop
Sam Made
Sassy Contessa
Smeeta
Starling 7
Tanis Alexis
telly designs
The Beautiful Project
The Mustache Press
Thug Fairy Designs
tinywarbler designs
Track & Field Designs
Uncle Phil Greeting Cards
Urban Harmonie Handbags
Vancouver Craft Mafia

one more day

One more day to get those applications in for the next Got Craft show! This May's show is going to be super fun with Sublime Stitching donating 30 embroidery kits to the swag bags and Craft Stylish Magazine handing out 45 tote bags! W00t!


30 handmade swag bags... check!


Homemade cheese bread... check!


Huge binder of applications to go through... check!

* squeal *

We literally signed the contract and confirmed the flight before the first email came in asking...

"Is it true?"
Andrea: "What? How do you know already?"

Yes, it is true. Lotus Events and Got Craft? is proud to present the Vancouver premier of Handmade Nation.

insert (squeal / screaming / excited noise) here. Woot!

Faythe Levine will be live and in person on July 9th to introduce the film and do a Q & A session after the screening. Want to attend? Stay tuned for more details!

What is Handmade Nation?
Handmade Nation documents a movement of artists, crafters and designers that recognize a marriage between historical techniques, punk and DIY (do it yourself) ethos while being influenced by traditional handiwork, modern aesthetics, politics, feminism and art. Fueled by the common thread of creating, Handmade Nation explores a burgeoning art community that is based on creativity, determination and networking.

In 2006, first time director Faythe Levine traveled to 15 cities, interviewing 80 individuals. Levine captured the virtually tight-knit community that exists through websites, blogs and online stores and connects to the greater public through independent boutiques, galleries and craft fairs.
(taken from http://handmadenationmovie.com)

For more information about Faythe and Handmade Nation, visit her blog here.

monthly show

Yippee!

illustration by the wonderful Jeannette from the Beautiful Project.