Got Craft? Blog

26.1.11

things to do :: dressew

Dressew is the mother of all craft supply stores. I have never seen anything quite like it in Vancouver, maybe even in the world. Aisles and aisles of fabric, needles, zippers, ribbon, felt... and the list goes on. Plus, it's cheap too! $2 for a ball of wool yarn?

After the busy holiday crafting season, it's time to stock up your supply levels. Dressew is having a 50th anniversay sale and everything in store is 50% off * insert fireworks here *.

Sale starts Tuesday, February 1st and ends Saturday, February 5th, 2011 from 9:00 a.m. to 5:15 p.m. Dressew is located at 337 West Hastings in Vancouver.

I have a flight to catch on February 1st, but fingers crossed, that my bags don't weigh too much and I can catch the beginning of the sale before my boarding time. Now that's called commitment (or crazy?). If you have never been to Dressew, check out this post from wee life. Happy shopping!

25.1.11

check it :: pop up retail

Starting this year, Rize Alliance will be offering local entrepreneurs the opportunity to access central Mount Pleasant retail space free of charge as a part of a community initiative to celebrate and support local business.

Through the Pop-Up Retail initiative, the goal is to meet a variety of local entrepreneurs, while helping to expose the larger Vancouver community to unique products. Application deadlines are February 15th, 2011, so click here for further information to see if you qualify.

24.1.11

check it :: maker faire vancouver

Well, it's official! Mini Maker Faire Vancouver will be taking place Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th, 2011. Check out their website for more information about the people that brought the event to Vancouver, what Maker Faire is all about and calls for volunteers and makers.

21.1.11

indie i do :: wed your way

Missed a few posts this week as I have been busy collecting and making goodies for the Indie I Do wedding show this Saturday. Of course, I figured that this would also be a good time to move all my photos to a new Flickr account and get ready to move overseas... You know * wink * * wink *, where's the fun in doing it the easy way. Ha!

If you haven't already purchased tickets, Indie I Do (a joint production with Blue Olive Photography) is taking place this Saturday at the Heritage Hall between 11 to 5pm. Catering to a diverse crowd, Indie I Do has something for every wedding: be it an off beat theme, same-sex do, or simply a traditional couple looking to add some unique touches to their wedding day.

Showcasing more than 30 local and independent designers, retailers and vendors, we believe that 'Weddings should be Sugar and Spice'!

Check out www.indieido.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

19.1.11

pencil crayons on the other side of the shelf

found on the other side of the shelf

Was checking out the Shelf blog and stumbled across this image. Wouldn't this be a nice, cheery addition to the neighbourhood?

Last time I was in London, Poppytalk told me about a shop named Shelf that I had to go visit. Pretty sure one lost tube ride + one lost bus ride + one small fight, R and I finally found the shop and it was totally worth it. Instant love. Like, pour water on me, because this is one of my new favourite shops!

Well worth the adventure, you can check out Spitalfields Market, then make your way through Brick Lane and onto Cheshire Street where you will see the bright orange store front. Can't wait to make this a regular stop!

17.1.11

inspire :: paper - cut - project

found via whoorange

Loving these paper hairstyles by Nikki Salk and Amy Flurry of paper-cut-project. Their custom made paper art installations are fueled by a love of fashion and an appreciation of the grace and nuance of this (paper) humble material.

See more of their work here.

14.1.11

Renegade Handmade 2011

Renegade Craft Fair announced their 2011 dates and I am so excited to see that they are coming to London, UK! Rob and I were lucky enough to have had the opportunity to visit the San Francisco Renegade in December 2009. You can check out some images from our trip here.

London applications don't open until July 1st, however, if you are interested in signing up for the other shows, visit their website here for more information.

13.1.11

owl + pussycat guest post :: giveaway

Thanks Amanda (aka owl + pussycat) for the guest post!

To celebrate the start of a new year and kick-start my own crafty resolutions, I'm giving away a cute little crayon roll. It holds six little crayons, stubby markers or mini pencils. Made from linen and cotton, it's sturdy and machine washable. Perfect for keeping little or big hands busy on outings.

For details and to enter, visit my blog - owl + pussycat. I'll be randomly choosing a winner on January 14th, 2011.

Good luck!


12.1.11

etsy web apps


For those that sell and / or buy from Etsy, there's an excellent article over on Design*Sponge by Ashley Jennings, an Etsy seller at Paisley Ann Design. She offers some valuable advice for using Etsy web apps to better organize and optimize your Etsy account. Check out her top 10 picks here.

11.1.11

inspire :: clémentine henrion

found via meet me at mikes

At first glance, they look like a collection of helium balloons. Upon closer inspection, they are actually made from fabric and then stuffed. Speechless right? These amazing pieces are made by Clémentine Henrion. Go check out more of her work here.

10.1.11

Hand & Shadow - feature #45

Name: Georgie Russell / Hand & Shadow
Website linksHand & Shadow | Etsy | Blog Facebook

What do you make?
Screen-printed t-shirts and scarves

What or who inspires you?
I can find inspiration anywhere, but it is much harder when I’m looking. I read a good deal, fiction and non-fiction, look online, spend time with other makers of things… I try to be open to seeing things in the world. I also spend a good deal of time letting my mind wander until an idea forms itself.

How did you get started?
I went to Emily Carr and worked with printmaking. After school I worked as a screen-printer, which taught me some useful skills and showed me the way I didn’t want to do things. I was part of the Seamrippers Craft collective which was very influential for me. I was able to have a hand in the set up of the screen-printing area and taught some workshops. It was also a concentration of so many skills and personalities that it was impossible to walk away unchanged. I left the collective to begin screen-printing for myself, it just seemed the best fit for me at the time. It’s been hard at times, but I think that shows in the work I make.


What are your favourite materials to work with?
Discharge ink. It’s a bleach based ink and I love the variation of results that I can get. It prints clear, which can be tricky, and can be unpredictable, but I think I’ve reached a point of working with it where I can make its changeability work in my favour. I print almost exclusively on cotton, as the ink only works on natural fibres. I have been experimenting with wool and silk as well, but nothing concrete so far.

What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
I have trouble keeping focused. I work a full time job and there often isn’t time to go to the studio. It can also be hard to create new designs while constantly playing catch-up with the old designs. But I love the small successes, and that magical sensation when an idea starts to solidify in my thoughts and the moment when I finish a print and it is exactly how I pictured it in my mind.


List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Where the lovely things are and TeenAngster: Mallory and Allison seem to have endless channels from which to find inspiration. Both have impeccable taste in aesthetics, I have found wonderful things on their blogs and I’m always amazed by the sheer volume of information that they must have to read and sort and then post.

Braided Stream: this is sort of naughty, because I write this blog. But it means that I get to research everything so even though it takes away from time that I should be spending in the studio, it forces me to get out there and be inspired and keep looking at things. Many of the subjects I write on are also ideas that inform my visual work. Plus this little adventure is new so I am very much in the honeymoon stages of blogging.

Taste Spotting: I love food. This website is the ultimate for looking at beautiful and inspiring edibles and as a reference point for making them.

Wikipedia: I’m an obsessive collector of information. I also like to be right, and I often turn to wikipedia to gloat in my rightness. But it is the most amazing source of information, and while I understand that it is not always correct, it is a wonderful reference point for ideas. Sometimes I follow a topic through as many links as possible and see what sort of obscure topic I can end up on.


Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Celebrate small victories. Except for the very lucky and very few of us, it will be a long hard uphill climb. And it is an amazing journey, but every mention on someone’s blog, every delighted repeat customer and every bit of positive feedback helps. It’s hard work and one has to stay motivated somehow. So hold on to those good moments, hopefully the victories get bigger.


Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Both and neither. I consider myself a crafter, but not entirely as I still associate craft with a specific aesthetic that I’m not sure I belong to. I consider myself an artist, but I have an art practice outside the clothing that I make. So sort a midway point between both, and perhaps something else entirely.

(photo images courtesy of Hand & Shadow)

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

Check out our past features...
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Divesin - feature #36
Flight Path Designs - feature #35
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

8.1.11

hey crafters :: vancouver gift show

image from oh, hello friend: you are loved

Hey makers! The Vancouver Gift Expo is coming up on February 27th and February 28th, 2011 at the PNE Forum Building - 2901 East Hastings Street in Vancouver. Here's your chance to see some of Canada's top wholesalers displaying their 2011 Spring and Summer lines.

The show is only open to the trade and is free to all qualified retail buyers. Obviously you won't be able to buy anything unless you want to purchase in wholesale numbers. However, it would be a great opportunity for those makers interested in exhibiting.

If you are interested in attending as a handmade vendor, just register online as a buyer for an admittance badge and let them know that you are a prospective exhibitor. There is no cost and if you register before January 25th, your badges will be mailed to you.

Check out their website here for full details.

6.1.11

inspire :: artistic boarding

found via pattern pulp

Father and son pro skateboarders, Steve and Alex Olson are shaking things up in the art on wheels scene. As a prominent figure in the L.A. and San Francisco Punk Rock scene, Steve Olson's Post Modern works combine narratives on capitalism, pop culture, social decay and modern banality.

The artwork explores power and the way economic and social forces exert that power by shaping the identities of individuals and culture.

Read more about Alex Olson here or check out some more images from their opening here.

5.1.11

things to do :: yarn bombing

photo credit: olivia ruth photography

Join Leanne Prain and Mandy Moore, co-authors of the book Yarn Bombing: The Art of Crochet and Knit Graffiti, as they invite knitters and crocheters to help cover the historic Joy Kogawa cherry tree in hundreds of knitted blossoms.

Joy Kogawa is a Canadian author (born 1935) and the Joy Kogawa house is a cultural and historic reminder of the expropriation of property that all Canadians of Japanese decent experienced after the bombing of Pearl Harbour. In 2006, the house was purchased by The Land Conservancy of BC and established as a place where writers could live and work. While in residence, writers would work to enrich the literary community around them and foster an appreciation for Canadian writing.

Here's some information from the press release:
Knitters and crocheters are invited to drop by and make pink cherry blossoms to help cover this historic tree, whose story is told in Joy Kogawa's Naomi's Tree, a picture book about friendship. Crafters of all levels are welcome to attend these FREE events.

Join one of these two community knit-ins at the Historic Joy Kogawa House, 1450 64th Avenue between 2:00 pm to 3:30pm on:

  • Sunday, January 23rd, 2011
  • Saturday, February 5th, 2011
Or help to stitch all the cherry blossoms into place at Historic Joy Kogawa House between 2:00 pm to 3:30pm on:
  • Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Leanne and Mandy will entertain stitchers with daring tales of yarn bombing feats from around the world, books will be avaialble for sale and signing, and refreshments will be served. Yarn and needles will be provided; however, donations of pink yarn are appreciated!

Can't make it to the event? Mail in your knitted or crocheted cherry blossoms to be added to the tree, as follows:
Historic Joy Kogawa House
1450 W. 64th Avenue
Vancouver BC   V6P 2N4

Or drop your blossoms in the covered bin you'll find down the steps from the sidewalk in front of the house at 1450 West 64th Avenue. Submissions will be accepted until March 1, 2011. All cherry blossoms should be made out of pink yarn.

4.1.11

want :: iphone / ipod wallpapers


If you haven't been following Mélanie's 365 day poster project, then you are really missing out. Starting last August, she has been designing a poster a day featuring her daily life and inspirations. You can check out her blog here and follow along for yourself.

Already a fan? Then you will be excited to know that she just launched her poster designs into iPhone / iPod touch wallpapers for you to download. There are 40 unique designs to choose from with new ones updated on a daily basis. Pick out your favourites here and start prettying up your gadgets!

2.1.11

happy new year!

image via present correct

It's January 1, 2011. Happy new year!

Did you survive the festivities from new year's eve?

Rob and I spent a quiet night home. After the 'drink-too-much' parties of my 20's, I'm happy to bring on the take out, movies and pajamas!

What are our plans for the new year? Here's to new beginnings and even bigger adventures!
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