diy table @ Got Craft

photo credit: Spool of Thread

Feeing inspired by the handmade goods at Got Craft on Sunday? Want to try making a few things yourself, but don't know where to start? Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge will be hosting a FREE DIY table at Got Craft!

Spool of Thread is a modern twist on making. Opening later this Spring, it is part retail store with a wide selection of unique and hard to find fabrics and part sewing lounge with sewing machines available for pay-by-the-hour rental. In addition to the machines, the workshop area will also have large cutting tables, irons, dress forms and all the other sewing accessories you need to help start your next project! Need some help along the way? Spool of Thread will also be used for sewing workshops and classes with instruction from crafters and sewing experts.

Have more questions? Come check out the DIY area on the stage at Got Craft and meet Lili and Henry, owners of Spool of Thread. They will be on-hand to show you how to make your own pinwheel pin and to answer any questions about their shop. Supplies are provided.

want :: swag goodness

Doors to Got Craft open at 10:00 am, but attendees have been known to begin lining up for one of the coveted swag bags starting as early as 7:00 am!

Yes, it is a Sunday. Yes, that is REALLY early, but look at these goodies! This is only 75% of the items in each of the 30 bags given to the first 30 people through the door on Sunday, May 2nd. It was all I could cram into the light box. There is just too much goodness! Not to mention that each tote bag is also *ahem* handmade by yours truly.



Got Craft?
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
10:00am to 5:00pm
Royal Canadian Legion – 2205 Commercial Drive (at E. 6th Ave)
Admission $2.00 (kids 10 and under are free)

Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair is kicking off the 4th annual Spring show with 55 local, handmade vendors and a DIY table hosted by Spool of Thread to make your own crafts.

For more information and a full list of participating vendors, please visit our website. Thank you to all of our lovely vendors and for our awesome sponsors for making Got Craft, Vancouver's largest indie craft fair! Hope to see you on Sunday!

Also check out the lovely mention over at Vancouver is Awesome today!

things to do :: Got Craft?

illustration by The Beautiful Project

Vancouver’s largest indie craft fair is kicking off the 4th annual Spring show with 55 local, handmade vendors and a DIY table hosted by Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge to make your own crafts.

Got Craft?
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
10:00am to 5:00pm
Royal Canadian Legion – 2205 Commercial Drive (at E. 6th Ave)
Admission $2.00 (kids 10 and under are free)

Did I mention there will be swag bags? The first 30 people through the door will receive a handmade tote bag filled with goodies from all of our vendors! Here are some sneak peeks from hudsonny, Owl + Pussycat, telly designs, kove handmade and Bliss in a teacup.

Also, check out these lovely posts including....
Hold Handmade, heyday design and telly designs feature on Scout Magazine

Girls of Got Craft feature on Handmade Evolution

A round up of Got Craft vendors on Poppytalk

Buy handmade write up on Granville Magazine

For more information and a full list of participating vendors, please visit our website. See you there!

inspire :: A Beautiful Idea

The other day, Amy from Handmade Evolution sent me an email directing me to check out Evie Shaffer’s new project, A Beautiful Idea.

Created to deal with her struggles between her creative urges and using her creativity to make a project, Evie came up with an idea to help motivate artists to open their hearts, share their skills and inspire others to do the same. Can you imagine if all the makers from around the world joined forces to make a difference in the world.? Wouldn’t that be something?

Evie says…



A Beautiful Idea has a clear message and a easy to follow model that is outlined on the website. Basically, artists create a unique product to list in their store. Once the sale is made, the artist donates 100% of the funds to the chosen charity. Every 6 months or once the monetary goal has been met, a new charity or cause will be selected. Currently, there are 35 participating artists including Vancouver’s own Kove Handmade and Field Trip donating their proceeds to the World Vision’s Relief Effort in Haiti (charity of choice until June 2010).

You can bookmark Evie’s website, Facebook and Twitter for up to date donation totals, fundraising goals and participating artists. If you are interested in being a part of A Beautiful Idea, full details can be found here.


One of the many lovelies you will find in Evie's etsy shop available to purchase.

It’s a three-fold beneficial cycle:
Artists have a way to create work for a greater purpose.
Consumers are given the opportunity to buy a unique product that supports a cause.
Charities are given the proceeds to help their mission.

Check out Amy’s post and Q&A with Evie with herself over at Handmade Evolution.

shop tour :: Plum Project Studio

* ding * * ding * Making a Crafty Shop Stop over at Plum Project Studio in North Vancouver, a fibre arts shop and stitch lounge featuring materials, contemporary patterns, classes and workshops for all skill levels.
 
We asked teacher and owner Janice Agar three questions to tell us a little about what Plum Project Studio is all about.
 
Read more over at Granville Online.

things to do :: Blim + PW

It's that crafty time of the month again. Grab some brunch and head out to these two markets this Sunday!

Blim
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
11:00am to 4:00pm
Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
Admission: by donation

Blim will be presenting a monthly Main Street Community Market this month to take place at Heritage Hall. This months' market will include 48 vendors, 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.

Love Bobbie and I are sharing a table at Blim, so come by and say hi!

********

Portobello West Fashion and Art Market
Sunday, April 25th, 2010
Noon to 6:00pm
Rocky Mountaineer Station - 1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver
Admission: $2.00

Featuring over 100 local artists and designers, it is the perfect place to pick out some new items for Spring! Shop from independent artists and designers for original works of art, clothing and accessories.

hints :: win a YUDU

We announced last week that Got Craft will be giving away a YUDU to one lucky winner at our Spring show on Sunday, May 2nd. You can read the full announcement and contest details here. Remember, contest closes on April 30th, so start uploading!

A few of you have been asking me for hints and we have been staying pretty tight lipped, but thought we would share a few tips...

1) Check out the photos in our flickr group. Just because somebody has uploaded an image, doesn't mean that you can't go to the same street corner and take another photo.

2) Check poster poles in these neighbourhoods - Kitsilano, Commercial Drive, Main Street

3) Does Your Mother Know?, Capers on 4th, Barefoot Contessa on Main St, Bean Around the World on Main St, Plush on Main, Kitsilano Neighbourhood House, Gene, Solly's on 7th Avenue, IGA on 4th Avenue, Black Dog Video, Jitters Caffe, Arbutus Coffee, Our Town, Britannia High School, JJ Bean on Commercial, Commercial Drive Organics.... some places to check ... you know.. just saying

xx double points xx
If you see our poster covered by somebody elses, please remove it and reposition theirs elsewhere. Take a picture before and after.

things to do :: BLIM Sale

photo credit: Blim

Blim is moving to a new home at 115 East Pender starting May 1st, so to get ready for their big move, they are holding a GIANT sale!

Here are the details:

Saturday, April 24th, 2010 from Noon to 6:00 pm
Sunday, April 25th, 2010 from Noon to 4:00 pm
197 East 17th Avenue (old location)

You'll be able to score art supplies, equipment, books, clothes... it's Blim, so you KNOW it will be a good one!

present&correct

photo credit: Neal Whittington via The Design Files

When I first stumbled upon the online shop, Present&Correct, my exact words were "I just want to eat up this store and then spew hearts at everything". Ahhh.. so much fantastic!!


Based in London, UK, Present&Correct and run by graphic designer, Neal Whittington, the store features handmade goods, vintage items and work by designers from all over the world. Here, you'll find vintage style school exercise books, paper bags from all over the world, giant dominoes and so much more. All the items listed is accompanied by a thoughtful description and beautifully taken image that makes you want to place everything into your shopping cart.

Make sure you check back often as the store has a constantly evolving inventory of goods and you can read more about Neal and his shop over at The Design Files!

summit of awesome (pdx)

Founded in 2008 by four crafters / craft fair organizers, Hello Craft is a non-profit trade association dedicated to the advancement of independent crafters and the handmade movement, as well as empowering small business owners and educating the public to the benefits of buying handmade. They actively pursue their mission through various events such as the annual 3-day conference, the Summit of Awesome.

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, June 16th, 2010 to Friday, June 18th, 2010 and join Hello Craft at the 2010 Summit of Awesome in Portland, Oregon. This year's Summit will take place at the McMenamins’ Kennedy School in the Alberta Arts District of Portland.

I am a big fan of Portland and can't wait for three days of seminars, speakers, workshops and overall awesomeness!

Hello Craft is a membership-based trade organization that offers yearly memberships to crafters and makers of all levels. To sign up and for more information, click here.

Check out photos, press and a podcast from last year's Summit of Awesome, click here.

Official registration will be available soon. Today is the last day for early bird tickets, so check out their website for more information! Visit Hello Craft and sign up for their email list to be first in line and to receive all the latest news.

Mighty Ugly

Last week, a few of us crafty peeps were invited to Kim's house for a top secret project. We were told to bring left over crafting materials that we weren't using and snacks were provided, but that was pretty much it. We had no clue what we were in for.

So, when Kim announced her new project earlier in the day - http://www.mightyugly.com - I knew she was up to something. Actually, my exact words were "Is this what we are doing tonight? Are you using us as free labour to create content for your website?". Kidding of course! This was scary in all various matters. Yes, I make stuff. I do it, because I like making. The idea that somebody else likes it and wants to buy it, well that's pretty swell and an added bonus. You know those apple cozies I make? Each one is unique. There is no pattern, because I can't follow patterns. So I crochet in circles until it's big enough to fit an apple. That's my secret folks, so I'm serious, when I say, I can't help you with your crocheting project.

Sitting at the table with everybody in front of all the craft supplies, not only did I have to make something ugly, but I had to make on the spot! Here was my thought process..

Holy cow! How am I going to do this?
I could crochet some balls and attach them together to make a caterpillar.
Wait, that sounds too cute.
Let's sew up this piece of scrap fabric and make a snake.
This sewing job sucks and it looks kind of porno.
Here's a ball of yarn in front of me!
I want to use pipe cleaners.

Here's the end result...


It's been named "Jabba the hut's lady friend" and was voted most ugly! Heh.

This exercise has the flexibility to benefit those that craft with the purpose to create items for sale and for those that lack the manual dextrerity or creativity to make those wow items. The hardcare crafter can become overly focused on perfection, balance and the overall appearance of a project which can all restrict the flow of creativity. Instead of looking at the supplies and picking out the elements that work together, we had to enter a new thought process. Like physical exercise, we ventured out of our comfort zone and were forced to use "new muscles".

You can check out Lady Jabba's tv debut and Kim Werker talking about her Mighty Ugly project over on CBC. If you watch closely, you can also see me laughing in the background :)

photo credit: Courtney Johnston

shop tour :: Regional Assembly of Text

Last July, I brought Faythe Levine, director of Handmade Nation, to check out our next stop on the Crafty Shop tour. The Regional Assembly of Text is filled with the most delightful stationery, chalkboards, fabric letters and buttons, all handmade in the back of the shop. Opened in the fall of 2005, the store is a creative collaboration between Rebecca Dolen and Brandy Fedoruk, both graduates from the Emily Carr Institute of Art and Design.

Read more about one of my favourite shops over at Granville Online.

things to do :: nifty for fifty

Save BIG at the 3rd Annual Nifty for Fifty event coming up on April 17 & 18. What makes this event so special!? Designer goods and rare vintage finds all for $50.00 or less! That's a savings of $50 to 90! What? Nifty for Fifty When? Saturday, April 17th, 2010 - 11:00am to 6:00pm and Sunday, April 18th, 2010 from Noon to 5:00pm Where? 560 Seymour Street, Vancouver Featuring over a dozen local designers including ... Adhesif Clothing Dotted Loop Catalyst Reaction Kulus Designs Dahlia Drive Carny Love cream puff by gg Flaming Angels Clutch Designs Planet Claire see you there!

DIY @ MOV round two

Congratulations to the Museum of Vancouver for another successful DIY night! Got Craft was invited to hold a mini craft fair at all three events - DIY @ MOV, Handmade Nation, DIY @ MOV 2 - and we are so thankful for being a part of the team! It seemed like the first event had a bigger turnout, but you had to keep in mind that DIY@MOV 2 was held on a sunny and dry Friday night instead of a Thursday night in the middle of January. That being said, there was still a fantastic turn out and the quality of the interaction between attendees and solicitors was top notch. Not only did they have amazing workshops hosted by Collage Collage, Urban Source and Fibre Manipulator; Birkleland Wool was on-site with laps looms, wet needle felting and some amazing displays. Started in 1939, Birkeland Wool is a crafty institution here in Vancouver, so next time you are on Main and E. 20th Avenue, you should definitely go check them out. Thank you to everybody at the Museum of Vancouver for organizing, to all of our Got Craft vendors that came out and set up displays and to all the crafty attendees for supporting this fantastic event! You can read and check out the images from the first DIY @ MOV here.

contest :: win a YUDU

Enter the Got Craft Spring 2010 Contest!

The next Got Craft is coming up on Sunday, May 2nd, 2010. Mark your calendars! Posters are starting to pop up all over the City, so we thought we would celebrate by holding a contest.

To enter, take a picture of a Got Craft Spring 2010 poster that you find at local shops, coffee houses or poster drums in Vancouver. Once you have your images, upload them to the Got Craft Spring 2010 contest flickr group and win yourself a brand new YUDU screen printer by Provocraft worth over $300.00. The more you upload, the more chances you have to win!

Flickr Group: Got Craft Spring 2010 Contest

please make sure to read all the rules before entering ...

one
Contest open to Got Craft Spring 2010 posters only and to residents of the Lower Mainland. (Must be available to pick up the prize at the Spring Got Craft show on May 2nd, 2010)

two
Pictures must include the entire poster and if possible, the poster drum pole / board / wall that the poster is attached to and some background that shows where it was located. No close ups on just the poster. See example.

three
When uploading, include where the poster was found - i.e. store name, intersection, etc. Entries not properly named will not count. See example.

four
Each qualified image uploaded to the flickr group = one entry to win

five
Contest closes April 30th, 2010. A winner will be announced on May 1st, 2010. The winner of the contest must be available to pick up their prize at Got Craft on May 2nd, 2010.

************

If you have any questions, please contact us by email at info (at) gotcraft (dot) com or leave a comment below. Good luck!

Flight Path Designs - feature #35

Name: Naomi Joy Yamamoto
Website links: FLIGHT PATH DESIGNS

What do you make?
Handcrafted graphic leather goods

How did you get started?
Totally by fluke. I didn't intend on getting into this! Seriously, I went to art school in Calgary where I did a Bachelor of Fine Arts. At the time I was doing installation based artworks, exploring social stigmas of identity. When I finished school I ended up sharing a studio with my friend Kari Woo who at the time was just beginning to go big into doing her silver jewelery line full time. I had a studio, was out of school and needed to figure out what to do with myself. One day, totally by chance I ended up buying a piece of leather and felt so inspired by the material. Kari was super supportive and influential in getting me involved in the handmade movement. I started first making handbags and branched out into belts and buckles-which are the bread and butter of my business three years later.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I really like any material that is organic and malleable-leather, felt, fabrics.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
Hardest would be time management for me. I get easily distracted and can be easily swayed from doing what should be a priority. Favorite is having the time and space to come up with new designs. I love that part of this job. I find that its important for me to be constantly re-inventing my work to keep things fresh and interesting.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Poppytalk: been following this blog for a long time and Jan always provides great inspiration from the world of art,design and food.
Etsy: I spend hours cruising etsy. There is so much diversity and amazing talent on there and I also love that etsy has provided a forum for the handmade object to meet cool in a global marketplace.
Font Shop: the utopia of fonts-super great resource and place of inspiration.
Cool Hunting: fashion, design, art and technology-some of my favorite things!
Decor 8: inspiring interior design ideas



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Listen to your intuition, always do your research, take care of your body and soul, form a community of like minded individuals and keep inspired however you can.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
If I had to choose, I would say I approach my work as an artist, but I consider myself a designer foremost. Design is the big passion and source for my work.

(photo images courtesy of Naomi Joy Yamamoto / Flight Path Designs)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Plantscapes - feature #34
Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

things to do :: Rhizome free store

photo credit: skirtmuseum

... really... it's FREE! The concept for the Rhizome free store is that we always have a need or a want. We just move it around a bit, redistribute, and share.

Themes change on a monthly basis. Today, Sunday, April 11th, 2010, the theme is kitchen stuff: favourite recipes, cookbooks and kitchen gadgets. At the Free store, some people bring things, other people take things, some people do both. It's not a swap or a trade. You can take away as much as you want, even if you didn't bring anything. Share things you love with other people. Get what you need.

********

Here are the details:

Sunday, April 11th, 2010
5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Rhizome Cafe - 317 East Broadway, Vancouver (near Main Street)

contest :: Crafty Superstar

Approximately 3 years ago, Grace Dobush, the author of Crafty Superstar, contacted me to talk about Got Craft and our experiences with both craft vendors and running a craft show. Fast forward to late last year when I started seeing tweets pop up about Crafty Superstar, I knew I had to track down my very own copy. I happened to be at a Borders in San Francisco when I came across a copy and when I saw Got Craft listed in the appendix as a major North American indie craft show along with only two other Canadian craft shows, I was almost squealing down the aisles.

Crafty Superstar is a fun read and great resource for any craft looking to take their crafts to the next level. It includes lots of handy notes including how to approaching media, participating in craft shows, maintaining a personal life, setting up shop and a slew of helpful worksheet templates at the back. Grace also includes her interviews with Faythe Levine from Handmade Nation, Cinnamon Cooper of Poise CC and Vancouver’s own, Lauren Bacon of The Boss of You, who share their advice and experiences.

As a crafter myself, one of the hardest things that I do is pricing my items. Crafty Superstar covers many points on this topic that you need to consider including:
• Customer perspectives
• Expenses
• Time
• Wholesale price (usually 50% of your retail price, so you need to consider this when pricing or you will be in the red)

As a craft show producer, I found myself agreeing along with statements made in this book by Kristen Rask, PR and Marketing Coordinator for Urban Craft Uprising, and her experiences with running their show. The chapter titled “Get Noticed”, gave some insight as to how other shows in the crafting community market themselves as well as tips on ways to successfully contact media outlets and bloggers.

For those new in the crafting community and for those that have a few sales under their belt, I suggest you pick up a copy of Crafty Superstar and share your experiences with others from around the world.

********************

So you want to be a craft superstar? (sung to the tune of Rock Superstar by Cypress Hill)

Enter to win your own copy of Crafty Superstar by Grace Dobush by leaving a comment below telling us what you make and a crafty business tip! A winner will be chosen by random on April 15th. Please make sure to leave an email address that we can contact you at.

blog love :: the stylish tot

photo credit: Escargot

In a little over two months, I am going to be an Auntie for the first time! Well, I am currently an honourary Auntie, but soon, I will be a bonefide one! Robert's sister is due early June. She currently resides in the British Virgin Islands and will be flying to Vancouver in May for baby preparations. This will be the first grandchild for Robert's parents, so don't worry, this little kidlet will be spoiled! It seems like all of our friends are going to have babies in the next few months which leads me to baby gifts!

Good thing I came across The Stylish Tot, a Vancouver based online resource focusing on young fashionistas. The Stylish Tot was started by Gracci (who is super nice!), to help people choose stylish clothing to highlight the personality and style of their little ones. Check out her website for inspiration, trends and fashion news such as the launch of Stella McCartney for GapKids.

Do you make children's clothing or accessories? Do you want to be highlighted and featured on The Stylish Tot? Contact Gracci at info (at) thestylishtot (dot) com.

Plantscapes - feature #34

Name: Thyrza Segal from Plantscapes
Website links: Plantscapes, Thyrza.ca

What do you make?
I make pop art terrariums, succulent planters and tillandsia sculptures from thrift store glassware and ceramics. The planters include hand made sculptures to make the terrariums into miniature alien pastoral scenes. I call them "organic dioramas".

What or who inspires you?
I was originally inspired by the sophisticated work of agricultural artist Paula Hayes, but have not been able to refrain from adding a big dollop of kitsch to my work.

Local artist Rebecca Chaperon's show " Catholic School Girls Rule " so charmed me that I have been making little tentacled alien girls ever since I saw it.



How did you get started?
The majority of my career has been spent as a costume builder and designer for theatre and tv. I decided at one point though that I needed to explore building my own creations and those creations did not necessarily include sewing. I had been constructing lamps and chandeliers using recovered lamp parts found at junk stores when I got distracted with making terrariums.... I kept seeing these great vintage coffee decanters on my frequent thrift store outings. I picked one up just because it was cool and then later decided to try making a terrarium inside of it.

I am not a horticulturalist so it took some experimenting and a lot of research to get healthy results. I have gotten to a comfortable place with my plant skills but I also assure customers that if a plant does not survive it's new environment that I am happy to replant for them. When I finished my first batch of terrariums I was searching dollar stores and hobby shops to find the perfect figurines to populate the terrariums but everything seemed to be in the wrong scale in relation to the plants. I had some polymer clay kicking around and decided to make my own alien themed flora and fauna to create miniature scenes. This turned out to be the most fun part for me- it is like I am illustrating a scene from a play I have written in my head



What are your favourite materials to work with?
Polymer clay is great because I don't have to paint it, it doesn't dry up when I leave it out and it's easy to transport and work with on the road. I also dearly love the industrial grade glow in the dark powder I ordered on the internet. I mix it with clear acrylic medium and paint tiny rocks with it to make cool alien ground cover gravel. I use so many different things that sometimes I believe the most time consuming thing about making terrariums is the scavenger hunt you have to go through to amass all your materials.

What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
I hate doing the product photography- especially when it comes to the terrariums. The reflections in the glass are a nightmare to eliminate. Each container is different so almost every terrarium requires a different lighting setup. blech.

The best part is making the little creatures and flowers that I put in the planters. I do that in front of the TV and it is very therapeutic. It is like doodling in 3D. I have been doing it obsessively now for over a year and have not gotten tired of it.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Lately I got tired of the sites I was going to and decided to use my Google Reader instead of going to the same old places.. As a result I have found a ton of great sites that I was previously unaware of. The following list is just today's top 5 but tomorrow may be a different story.

Trend Hunter: seems to have a lot of interesting posts for the curious and design oriented mind.

Russell Brown: I have been poring over this website in order to learn about my new Photoshop CS4.

Boing Boing.net: is a long standing fave and just keeps getting better. It is a blog run by a number of people with interests in different areas so there is always something for the nerds and the artists and the nerdartists (like me).

Crib Candy: great for inspiration.

Instructables: brilliant for obvious reasons.



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Making terrariums is so much fun that I can't stop doing it but the problem is that my market is too small because my product is unshippable- the guys on Dragon's Den would eat me alive! It is a popular item at local craft sales though and I sure would welcome other terrarium makers. It is so much fun that I think everyone should try doing it.That being said, I am pretty sure it is not really a viable career choice- I don't have a huge profit margin. I do mostly make back the money I spend on materials and enough to allow me to feel free to experiment with different materials though so I am ok with that. People do tell me that I should charge more but I am not sure the market would support it- customers balk at spending big dollars on things they see as perishable.



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I remember some art student saying once that they define art as something which provokes strong emotion in people. My favourite thing in the whole world is when I am at a craft sale and I see people smile or laugh at the little scenes in the bottles. Does that make it art? I prefer to think of myself as an artist but a lot of crafters are artists . I don't think of myself as a "serious"artist but I do put a lot of thought into making unique pieces that are aesthetically appealing from a design point of view and that also spark imagination. I try to hold back from naming pieces or creatures so that the viewer can more freely project their own story into the pieces.

(photo images courtesy of Thyrza Segal)

If you are interested in being featured, please send us an email at info(at)gotcraft(dot)com.

Check out our past features...

Olive - feature #33
Uncle Phil / Flipside - feature #32
Kim Werker - feature #31
Haiiku - feature #30
Smidgebox Designs - feature #29
heyday design - feature #28
Smeeta - feature #27
ACageyBee - feature #26
Maked - feature #25
Firefly Notes - feature #24
Florence Ann - feature #23
Him Creations - feature #22
Jenny Hart - feature #21
district thirty - feature #20
tinywarbler designs - feature #19
telly designs - feature #18
Cabin + Cub - feature #17
Rachel Hobson - feature #16
Green Couch Designs - feature #15
Tanis Alexis - feature #14
Sweetie Pie Press - feature #13
Fibre Manipulator - feature #12
Sam Made - feature #11
All Things Paper - feature #10
Owl + Pussycat - feature #9
Bliss in a teacup - feature #8
It's Your Life - feature #7
Faythe Levine - feature #6
Coco Cake Cupcakes - feature #5
pomomama design - feature #4
GroovyGlassGirl - feature #3
Bueno Style - feature #2
The Beautiful Project - feature #1

tutorial :: DIY lip balm

I am a lip balm fanatic. So after a little research and an ingredient tracking mission, I started making my own. Two simple steps and you have lip balm to last you for at least a year! Check out the full tutorial over at Granville Online here.

hula hoop it up!

That's right! Hula hoop it up, because the Got Craft Spring show is quickly approaching!

Check out our beautiful Got Craft postcards by Jeannette from the Beautiful Project! We are so lucky that we have her on board the Got Craft team to help us create such wonderful print material.

If you haven't already made it to our facebook event page, make sure to check it out here OR join our facebook fan page to keep up to date on events, tutorials, featured artists and all things crafty!



Got Craft?
Sunday, May 2nd, 2010
10:00am to 5:00pm
Royal Canadian Legion - 2205 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

Admission: $2.00 (kids 10 and under are free)

Featuring over 50 local and handmade vendors plus crafty demostrations by Yudu and a DIY table hosted by Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge where you can make your own crafts!

** sorry, no wheelchair access **

conference of creative entrepreneurs

The Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs is a three day conference taking place this Summer in Seattle, WA where creative professionals will gather to be educated by the leaders of the creative professional community including Faythe Levine, Garth Johnson, Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood and Jenny Hart. It is a great opportunity to network with like minded professionals, share goals and find collaborators in the creative community.

Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs
Friday, August 13th, 2010 to Sunday, August 15th, 2010
Century Ballroom and Richard Hugo House in Seattle, WA
early bird tickets are now on sale here

Who can attend the CCE?
Anyone who considers themselves a creative professional! We define creative professionals as people who generate all or part of their income through creative commerce. They own their own business or work for a small business or are looking to start a creative/small business. This can include, but is not restricted to craftspeople, fine artists, designers, writers and service agents who work in the creative industries.

Why should I attend the CCE?
CCE attendees will hear speakers and see demonstrations from educators who are renowned within the creative small business community. CCE is also an amazing opportunity to network and build friendships with other small business creative professionals. We hope CCE will be a fun event too, as we have several social events planned throughout the weekend!

Any Vancouverites up for a road trip!?

(some wording taken from the CCE website)

DIY @ MOV 2

Back by popular demand, the Museum of Vancouver is hosting round two of DIY @ MOV, a night of social crafting. Mark your calendars! Here are the details:

date: Friday, April 9th, 2010
time: 7:00pm
where: Museum of Vancouver - 1100 Chestnut Street
cost: $15.00, members free (<- highly suggest being a member, very reasonably priced and well worth it!)

Join us for round two with workshops by Birkeland Bros (spinning, needle felting), Collage Collage (painting), Urban Source (paper collage) and Fibre Manipulator (jewelry making). Once again, the event will feature a mini Got Craft market including Sassy Contessa, Sam Made, Divesin Design and Roxypop.

An event for craft newbies and seasoned creators. There will also be music, a bar and goodie bags! Stay tuned for the treats we are whipping!