field trip :: crafty fox pop up market

I read somewhere that weekends are good for the soul and this was just about the perfect two days that one could ask for. Fantastic weather... handmade goods.. met EtsyUK... had drinks and good food with friends... explored new boroughs of London... bare legs and flip flops... just perfect.

The first 50 people through the door received a free tote bag from EtsyUK, so early Saturday morning, we headed off to Brixton to check out the Crafty Pop Up Market at the Dogstar, pub by night, handmade pop up event by day! Sound the trumpets, because we have found our people. An amazing selection of handmade goods plus plenty of DIY workshops and tasty treats over three fabulous levels of crafty goodness. 

 

As I mentioned, we were there early for the bags, so it was still pretty quiet. Up on the third floor, the Etsy lounge was set up for people to enjoy some cocktails and learn how to cross stitch. Parul Arora, a London based designer and photographer who creates the most amazing limited edition ceramics was also on hand upstairs to talk about product photography.

Second floor was filled with more handmade goods such as Sweet View. I couldn't choose which image I liked best! Can't wait until we get the official "ok" that we are able to put stuff on the walls. * sigh * Why yes, we have been living here for almost 3 months now! * hint hint *

Back down to the first floor, this place was hopping! You can view more blog posts about the event (and probably better pics!) by these lovely bloggers urban75 | Take Courage | Katherine Hannaford.

YVR :: things to do :: i heart + make it

photo credit: tiddlywinker

I Heart Crafts Bazaar returns this Saturday at the Artbank Gallery on Powell Street in Vancouver. After a brief hiatus, the ladies (and gents!) are back with crafts, music and tasty treats. As a past vendor and loyal attendee, this is an amazing event with a huge community following and an amazing new venue (bank turned art gallery).

event: I Heart Crafts Bazaar
date: Saturday, April 16th and Sunday, April 17th, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
location: Artbank Gallery - 1897 Powell Street, Vancouver
cost: $2.00 

For more details, check out their facebook event here.

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The self proclaimed "the mullet of craft fairs" - craft fair in the front and party in the back, Make it features over 90 artists, crafters and designers showcasing a wide selection of goods. Make it fuses handmade shopping, a licensed bar, music spun by DJ Brodevious and a silent auction to benefit the Union Gospel Mission into a 3 day craft extravaganza. 

event: Make it!

date: Friday, April 15th to Sunday, April 17th, 2011

time: Friday - 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., Saturday - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sunday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

location: Croatian Cultural Center - 3250 Commercial Drive, Vancouver

cost: $5.00 (kids 12 and under are free)

For more information and a discount voucher, visit their website here or facebook event here.

Etsy's Got Craft?

I have a confession. I don’t always buy organic. I’m not a vegetarian. And yes, I have even set foot in the dreaded big box store that Shall Not Be Named (hint: it starts with a “W”).

I’ve been working on this guest blog post introducing Got Craft’s newest sponsor, the fabulous handmade marketplace, Etsy, for days now and I think the guilt of not living 100% by Etsy’s credo of “buy, sell, live handmade” is getting to me.

Etsy, for the uninitiated, is an online marketplace devoted to helping people make a living by making things. Etsy was launched in 2005 and since then has grown to over 7 million registered users with more than $300 million in annual sales. While there have been plenty of internet success stories (and failures), what sets Etsy apart is their commitment to community, advocating the handmade lifestyle.

“The main tenet of this lifestyle is choosing handmade over mass-produced objects whenever possible. We feel that this creates a more sustainable, environmentally and socially responsible alternative to the current economy.” ~ Adam Brown, Etsy Marketing & Press Team

As if that weren’t awesome enough, they also promote community by connecting artists & crafters from all over the world. I started my own Etsy shop in 2008 and it literally changed my life. I’m continually learning new tricks & techniques, meeting new friends and have been able to sell my work to buyers all over the world (um, Estonia? Hope you’re enjoying the prints!).

When you buy something from a seller on Etsy or from a local market like Got Craft, there will forever be a story attached to that item. Just looking around my house right now, I see the bicycle earrings that I bought from fused glass artist Groovy Glass Girl. When I wear them, I’m reminded of Poppy and that makes me smile.

My desk has a stack of greeting cards handmade by Sandy of Firefly Notes:

My pencils, pens and erasers are stored in a Kukubee pouch:

My fridge is decorated with bottlecap magnets from Raven’s Rest:

I look at those things and think about the person behind them, lovingly creating them. There’s something different about knowing who the person *is* who made that particular trinket with their own two hands.

Apparently “legally” I’m not allowed to tell you that shopping at Etsy will make you a better person, but I will say that it feels really good to support the people in my community and to support creativity in general.

I may not be 100% there yet, but I am striving to live handmade. And thoroughly enjoying the journey!

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aCageyBee.com is the internet stomping grounds of painter kgb (or Kris G. Brownlee, if you're not into the whole brevity thing).

An artist, crafter and all around Maker of Stuff, I finally realized that spending my life doing something I don't love is a lot crazier than following my dreams. I hope you'll join me for the journey! 

LHR :: day trip :: selvedges + designer makers market

It's no secret that there are tons to do in London and this weekend especially was jam packed. With the warm weather and sunshine (I've been told not to get used to this since it isn't normal), it was a great day to be out and about. Our first stop was in Archway for the Selvedges Spring Fair. 

Goodies in the store... you can visit their store in Archway or online to buy pretty handmade goods, haberdashery and craft books.

  

The Selvedge Spring Fair at St. Augustine's Church was one of the prettiest shows I have ever been to. Each vendor showcased an amazing selection of handmade goods like the adorable kitten tote I picked up from Charlotte Farmer * mew *.

I always have mixed feelings about taking pictures of people's displays. I really wished I did though. I have never been to a craft fair where every single table had fantastic displays. Wow. I was a bit intimated. Hope mine will look just as good when I start selling locally again!

Feeling all jazzed up and inspired from the Selvedge Spring Fair, we hopped back on the tube and headed to the Designers Makers Market in Bethnal Green. 

We were stopped enroute to the event by a lady and her daughter who was looking for the market. We have found our people (and we look like locals)!

The Designers Makers Market takes place every Saturday until the end of September and it is free to attend. There was a different feel (not in a bad way) to this market then the Selvedge Spring Fair... more community like... maybe even first time sellers... displays were not as polished... less attendees so more vendor chit chat... 

We didn't get a chance to grab lunch and Rob couldn't say no to cake, so we had two iced vietnamese coffees and shared a victorian sponge cake by the little chill cafe.

LHR :: things to do :: selvedge + makers market

(image found on @Craftzine.com by Selvedge)

I love Selvedge magazine and came across their event posting a few weeks ago over on decor8. After some snooping, I just realized that they have a brick and mortar store right here in London! Needless to say I know what my Saturday plans will be! First stop will be the Selvedge Spring Fair! With Amy Butler as one of the show sponsors, you know this will be a good one. Featuring 30 handmade designers and makers exhibiting a selection of lovely treats!

event: Selvedge Spring Fair

date: Saturday, April 2nd, 2011

time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: St. Augustine's Church Hall on the corner of Langdon Park Road and Hornsey Lane Gardens, N6 5QG.

cost: £2.50

For more information and directions by car and public transport, please visit their website. 

Sometimes I think I should have just moved to Bethnal Green since I seem to be there every weekend and this Saturday will be no different. My second stop of the day will be at the Designers Makers Market. This Saturday kicks off their weekly market showcasing 50+ designers and makers working with various mediums including ceramics, paper goods and textiles. 

event: Designers Makers Market

date: Every Saturday from April 2nd to September 24th, 2011

time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

location: The Triangle, Warburton Road, London E8 3RG

cost: free

For more information and travel details, please visit their website here.

things to do :: fabric + crafts

** vancouver, bc edition **

Mono is a succession of capsule series and projects which attempt to explore the spaces between art, craft, design and fashion. The work stands for more than just a cycle of endless products and seasons, it is a stand against the complacency within the fashion ideal. Designed in Vancouver by Heather Martin, each item is handcrafted locally and this Friday, they are opening their doors for a fabric sale - $3 to $15/meter!

event: fabric sale
date: Friday, March 18th, 2011
time: 3 p.m. to 8 p.m.
location: 207-339 Railway Street (at Gore Street), Vancouver

For more details, visit their facebook event page here.

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Chapel Arts presents the Sunday Bazaar Community Market the first Sunday of every month and they are currently accepting vendor applications! This is an un-juried market for vendors from all over the city to sell their unique creations. You can download an application here and check out their facebook page for full details. 

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Bloom is taking place this Sunday, March 20th, 2011 from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Fort Langley Community Hall. In their words, "Shop Bloom in Fort Langley for unique, handmade goods by more than 40 independent artists, crafters and designers from around the Lower Mainland and beyond." For more information and a full list of vendors, visit their website here.

broken pencil magazine

That's us in the latest issue of Broken Pencil magazine! Thanks to Jenny for coming out to the holiday show and interviewing Robert and I about Got Craft? and the growing DIY community in Vancouver. Click on the images to enlarge. Happy reading!

meet our jury

photo credit bugsandfishes by lupin

Thank you to everybody that applied to the Got Craft Spring show. We are busy going through the last few applications and tallying up our results. In the meantime, thought it would be nice for everybody to "meet" our jury members...

Kim Werker is a writer, editor, blogger, speaker and author of crochet books. She writes the DiYVR column at VancouverIsAwesome.com and she runs the Mighty Ugly project, encouraging exploration of even the scary underworld of creativity. Find her onlien at KimWerker.com; find her around town crocheting or knitting or reading or learning how to sew or helping to plan Maker Faire Vancouver; find her for conversation on Twitter at @kpwerker.

Mélanie Kimmett is a Vancouver based freelance designer + illustrator, specializing in conceptual identity + brand design, and illustration. After working several years in Toronto with CHUM Television (MuchMusic, FashionTelevision, Bravo!, CityTV, etc), Mélanie moved to Vancouver when she was offered a designer role at the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympic games. She is currently taking part in a personal creative challenge called the 'Poster Project', creating one new original poster artwork everyday for 365 days.


Miranda Lievers is a Vancouver based photographer, entrepreneur, and creative small business advocate. Her company Blue Olive Photography has earned the title of Best Wedding Photographers in Vancouver for the past 2 years (Georgia Straight Readers Choice) and has been named one of the most inspiring photographers in Canada. Outside of running her busy studio, Miranda can usually be found throwing parties to connect like-minded people; speaking, hosting, and giving workshops on topics that she is passionate about; or diving into new artistic and crafty pursuits.

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.

swag bag winner + toque craft fair

Congratulations to Crislynne for winning two free passes to Got Craft and a swag bag full of goodies!  Thanks so much to everybody that entered. See you this Sunday!


Crislynne said...

I'm excited to see Kove Handmade at the fair, their knitted and crocheted items look so cozy and stylish!

Event: Got Craft?

Date / Time: Sunday, December 5th, 2010 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Royal Canadian Legion - 2205 Commercial Drive @ East 6th Avenue 

Toque starts today at the Western Front, so don't forget to stop by and visit some Got Craft vendors including Wendy Oaksman, The Beautiful Project, Divesin and our friends Collage Collage, Arsenal Pulp Press, Thistle Town Studio and A Farmers Daughter.

Event: Toque

Date / Time: Friday, December 3rd from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. and Saturday, December 4th from 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Western Front - 303 East 8th Avenue, Vancouver

Click here for the facebook event page for more information.

check out :: got craft handmade market

When we first started Got Craft in May 2006, we never thought that it would grow into the amazing handmade community that it has become. If you have never been to Got Craft, check out our time lapse from the Spring 2010 show and mark your calendars for the holiday show on Sunday, December 5th! For those of you that have been to the show, thank you for the support and maybe you can spot yourselves in one of the frames.

Big thanks to Blue Olive Photography for helping us put this together and trusting us with your equipment!

got craft :: swag!

Yes, swag bags are a dime a dozen, but not these bags. No, siree. As Kove Handmade mentioned, swag is a BIG deal at Got Craft. Like be at the venue at 6:00am before the tables and vendors arrive to set up kind of big deal. So, when the doors open 4 hours later and you are one of the lucky first 45 through the door, you understand why these are so coveted. I mean, just take a look at some of the goodies that are in each bag and, I use the word 'some' as swag items are still coming in! See here and here for past Got Craft swag bags.

Starting in December, we've bumped up the number of bags from 30 to 45. That's 15 additional bags! Thanks to efreeme.com for providing us with the reusable totes. For those that miss out on the swag bags, not to fret, we have 50 additional totes (sans swag) to give away at the door. Not an early bird? We have you covered as well. Five local blogs including Vancouver is Awesome, Got Craft (below), Vancity Buzz and Granville Online (<- enter here / contest ends Dec 1) are giving out free passes to Got Craft as well as swag bags, so keep your eyes open for the announcements!

Get a good nights sleep and a bag full of swag by leaving a comment below telling us which vendor you are most excited to check out at the show. One lucky winner will be chosen randomly. Contest ends Thursday, December 2nd at noon (PST). Winner will receive two free passes plus one Got Craft swag bag to be picked up at the event. Please leave your contact information in your comment.

things to do :: crafts + vintage

Event: The Best Vintage Sale EVER!

Date: Wednesday, November 17th to December 24th, 2010

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Location: Adhesif Clothing - 2202 Main Street, Vancouver

Adhesif Clothing is hosting a vintage clearance madness sale with items starting as low as $5.00. They promise some amazing deals featuring Adhesif Clothing and all the other designers sold at the store. Worth checking out!

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Event: Britannia Christmas Craft Fair

Date / Time: Friday, November 19th – 3:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Saturday, November 20th – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and Sunday, November 21st, 2010 – 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Britannia Secondary School, Gyms A & B - 1001 Cotton Drive, Vancouver

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Don't forget to check out Make it Vancouver. See here for full details!

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Event: Fab Fair

Date: Saturday, November 20th and Sunday, November 21st, 2010

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Location: Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver

got craft :: guest post by Kim Werker

photo credit: sara +h

A few weeks ago, Andrea and Robert asked me if I'd help them test out the new jury system they'll be using to select Got Craft vendors after they move to London next year. Since they receive more than three times the number of applications as they have slots, I can now totally appreciate the difficulty they face in choosing which vendors are accepted.

The day of the jury test, the four of us test-jury members sat in front of a big screen attached to a Powerpoint slideshow of the applications. We first saw the applicant's description of their wares, then we saw up to three photos they had submitted (they were limited to submitting three). We tried out a couple of different jurying approaches, and discussed our often similar and sometimes very different opinions.

I was struck by a few things I hadn't really thought about since I left Interweave Crochet and reviewed design submissions four times a year. So here are my thoughts about craft-fair applications after my one day being on a test jury:

• Photographs are everything. I was surprised that a few applicants didn't include photos at all. How were we to decide if they'd be a good fit for the show?
• Photos should be appropriate to an application. A few applicants included very fashiony or artsy photos that were lovely as photos but that didn't really show off the products very well. A few photos left us all confused about what the product actually was. Unless you're applying to sell your photos at the show, please take care to include good photos of your work, and even include one of a craft-fair table you've designed in the past.

(Sidebar: Photos of your process are irrelevant, since you'll only be selling your finished products.)

• Even though you're not being chosen to be a writer, please please please spellcheck your application. It takes two seconds and it really does affect the first impression you make.
• Please please please then take an additional three minutes and proofread your writing. Spellcheck isn't fail-proof. If you're uncomfortable doing this, ask a friend to do it.
• Know the show you're applying to. Got Craft, for example, has a very distinct atmosphere and type of vendor. If your crafts are, say, more upmarket or traditional, they'll probably fit better at a different show. And that's okay. There are a ton of craft fairs in Vancouver. Each one is different.

Holy smokes, there are a lot of things to consider when choosing vendors for a craft fair! Got Craft has only 48 spots, and they received over 180 applications. And Andrea and Robert can't simply accept all the vendors they love – they have to make sure there's a good balance between types of wares (to avoid, say, too much jewelry or baby things) and price points. That means that sometimes very awesome vendors aren't accepted. That's some very tough decision-making. I'm glad they're shifting to a jury system, if only because I love them both and want them to maintain their sanity!

got craft :: holiday vendors announced

The holiday event on December 5th, 2010 marks our eighth show and fourth year running Got Craft. With our move overseas in February 2011, we decided to take a good look at the entire event and streamline it the best we can. Got Craft will continue to run in Vancouver with the help of a few key individiuals in the handmade community and with us returning to Vancouver for shows in May and December. One of the changes that we will be implementing in the new year is a juried process. This year, we received an incredible 190 applications for essentially 48 table spots. That's almost a 4 to 1 ratio. As organizers, we make sure that we offer a varied selection of items and a good balance of new vs. returning vendors to each show to keep attendees interested. Nobody wants to go to the same year after year. Unfortunately, as organizers, we also get the job of sending out the wait list emails to some amazing artists including some that had supported us back in 2004 when we first started out.

To prepare for the jury process, we gathered up 3 people that were not necessarily involved in Got Craft, but were active in the handmade and design community of Vancouver to do a practice run. We talked, we reviewed, we snacked, we hummed and hawed, we provided feedback on what worked and what didn't. We did this for a good 8 hours, before I headed home to review the remaining applications and then to review again the ones that we went through during the day. There was a lot of back and forth, but we are pleased to finally announce the vendors participating in our holiday event! You can check out all of the images and their descriptions here.

Check back soon for a guest post by one of our jury members discussing their experience!

Thanks to Crafty Bastards for guiding us through our first jury process and answering all of my many questions!

things to do :: canzine west giveaway

Who says Toronto has all the fun? Last spotted on the West Coast in 2006, Canzine West, Zine Fair and Festival of Alternative Culture, makes its triumphant return to Vancouver on Saturday, October 16 at W2 Storyeum

Got Craft will be hosting a mini market as part of Canzine West featuring Bliss in a Teacup, Firefly Notes, It's Your Life Handmade, Sam Made, a Cagey Bee, pomo mama designs, Irit Sorokin Designs, Thistle Town Studio, Sam Bradd Designs, Love Bobbie, Civil Disobedience, Open to Chance Designs, Locomotive Clothing Co. and Hand + Shadow!

Interested in attending? We have a pair of tickets to giveaway! All you need to do is send us an email to info(at)gotcraft(dot)com with your full name and phone number. Contest closes Thursday, October 14th, 2010 at Noon (PST).

Canzine West is a Zine Fair and Festival of Alternative Culture, with a focus on indie publishing. Guests can peruse zines, magazines, books, art, crafts, and can listen to readings, watch poetry collide with improv comedy, view art exhibits and installations, create art with Collage Collage, buy handmade goods at the Got Craft mini market, watch indie film shorts, pick through vintage treasures, and more.

Here are the details:

When:
Saturday, October 16th, 2010 from 1:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where:
W2 Storyeum, 151 West Cordova Street, Vancouver

Cost:
$5.00 includes a copy of Broken Pencil

For more information, visit Canzine West

buy handmade :: Nora Aoyagi

Nora Aoyagi is a California (Berkeley to be exact!) based artist and illustrator. She draws inspiration from common folklore and fairy tales, Japanese wood block prints and children's book illustrations to draw, print and paint her work. I spent much of our trip to Renegade last December oohing and ahhing over her work. If it wasn't for the fact that we are paring down for our big move to the UK next year, our walls would be plastered with many of her prints such as this and this.


I must not forget this one to. You know how much I love my silhouettes!

Thanks to poppytalk and guest contributor Eva Jorgensen of Sycamore Street Press for reminding me about her wonderful work on your Renegade Spring 2011 post.

things to do :: fab fair

Fab Fair is a jewellery and fashion accessories from 50 local designers. Concieved 7 years ago as a response to a craft fair the organizer was helping jury where 50 jewellery designers vied for 5 spots in a Christmas craft fair. An annual cash scholarship will also be awarded to a jewellery student at VCC's Jewellery Art and Design program. The winner will have an opportunity to show their work at the Winter event.

Date:
Saturday, June 5th and Sunday, June 6th, 2010

Time:
11:00 am to 5:00 pm

Location:
Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver

Admission:
$2.00

Make sure to visit past Got Craft vendors such as: GroovyGlassGirl, pomomama design, TOODLEBUNNY and Thug Fairy Designs

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.