barefoot contessa window displays

Sometimes random ideas pop into my head and I say "Hey, Robert! What are your thoughts on ...?" and his response is usually one of "those" looks. So when I decided that we should contact a local retailer to host a handmade window display showcasing Got Craft? goodies, I had to contact my friend Barefoot Contessa to pitch her the idea. Thank goodness that she loved it! With me in London and numerous emails and phone calls back and forth, I am happy to announce that I am beyond smitten of how they turned out! Aren't they gorgeous? Love! Love! Love!

Thank you to Eva and the team at Barefoot Contessa, Kris for listening to all my demands :), Miranda for the vinyl lettering x 2 and to the Got Craft? vendors that participated in the window displays. Photo credits go to Kris Brownlee and Jennifer Conway. If you are in the Vancouver area, please pop on by to Barefoot Contessa and check out the goodies in person at 3715 Main Street or at their second location at 1928 Commercial Drive. 

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!

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

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! 

YVR :: things to do :: waldorf school + nifty for fifty

photo credit: Ella Pedersen

One of our past Got Craft vendors, little red caboose, is organizing a spring market at her son's school. A perfect place to stop in and fill your childrens, or those young at heart, Easter baskets with handmade items created by the parents, faculty and alumni of the Vancouver Waldorf School. For those of you venturing from afar, make a day of it and enjoy North Vancouver, Lynn Canyon, Capilano Suspension Bridge and Maplewood Farm. For more information, please visit their events calender here.

event: The Vancouver Waldorf School Spring Craft Market
date: Sunday, April 3, 2011
time: 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m.
location: 2725 St. Christophers Road, North Vancouver (in Lynn Valley)

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

Over 20 Vancouver designers will be gathering under one roof to sell everything from dresses to shirts, shoes and accessories, all for $50 or less! Organizer Melissa from adhesif clothing promises that there will be a plethora of "one of a kind" treasures as well as vintage clothing and accessories. Make sure to check out past and present Got Craft vendors Billy Would Designs, BuenoStyle, Flightpath Designs, Poodlebreath, TOODLEBUNNY and Raven's Rest Studio.


event: 4th Annual Nifty for Fifty
date: Sunday, April 3, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
location: Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
For more information, visit the adhesif clothing blog here.

got craft ♥'s etsy

Got Craft? is tickled pink to announce Etsy as one of our sponsors! We first had the chance to meet the Etsy team when they were in Vancouver almost two years ago and are pleased to say that Got Craft is the first craft fair in Canada to have their support. Talk about a long courtship! 

What is Etsy? In their words...

Our mission is to enable people to make a living making things, and to reconnect makers with buyers. 

Our vision is to build a new economy and present a better choice:

Buy, Sell, and Live Handmade

artist images from left to right: top - banoo, the beautiful project, sam made; middle - a cagey bee, little bird designs; bottom - kukubee, cabin + cub, buenostyle

Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47

Name: Cutesypoo Toys
Website links: Cutesypoo Toys | Blog

What do you make?
My husband and I make cartoons for a living and formed this company out of our love of toys. I just wanted to recreate the kind of toys that inspire kids, instead of the toys you just get from the toy store that are made in china, why not make one of a kind of toys that kids really fall in love with? Plus we always wanted to make our cartoons come to life and animating them is ok..but when a kid can hold and touch and hug a toy...then that is really something!! Most of the toys we make are custom printed with ecofriendly inks such as the cone gnomes, but recently we are making embroidered toys with our new embroidery machine such as our cutesypoo pillows and plush kitties. Of course, we always try to make out toys ultra cute!!

What or who inspires you?
Kawaii culture like Hello Kitty, I worked on the Pucca tv show and that was an influence, japanese zakka style magazines, friends, flickr..food! I think of food when i make toys ..like the colours i will ask myself ...does it look yummy enough to eat??



How did you get started?
I have been to japan twice and after i got back from the first trip there i started to try to sew my own toy bunny from a japanese felt book and when i did i was hooked! Funny thing is I tried hard not to create my own stuff because i am so creative at work I wanted to do a "mindless thing " while i relaxed in front of the tv at night ..but eventually I couldn't help myself when i started to draw something in my sketchbook i just HAD to make it!! The first thing i made was a plush coconut bun and i still have it.

What are your favourite materials to work with?
Cotton canvas, vintage scraps of fabric because it looks good and fleece and minky because it is easy to sew.

What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
Easy! My favourite is drawing up the ideas and also the satifaction of a completed project and my hardest is the whole part between that!!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them

My Daily 5 ( Crafting and non crafting in no particular order )

Flickr: Endless inspiration and wonderful comments help me stay in touch with the DIY community.

The Clothes Horse: I love fashion so much and she has the best style and things to say in general a really nice blog to follow.

Patchwork Pottery: A very talented friend i met through Flickr! She lives really close by as well so we like to craft and have tea when we can!

Must have cute: The lastest dose of Kawaii and cute.

My Paper Crane: She is the queen of plush food..nuff said!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I know everyone says this but it's true! Stay true to what you are and what you want to create but also be realistic with your products and see what sells and do research by doing craft shows to see what people think of your stuff. In other words..don't just ask family and friends...



Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Artist...
I went through art training my whole life, this is probably a phase ...who knows? i could easily drop it all tomorrow and make comics ;D

(photo images courtesy of Cutesypoo Toys)

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

Check out our past features...
Locomotive Clothing - feature #46
Hand & Shadow - feature #45
Kove Handmade - feature #44
Sam Bradd - feature #43
Katrinshine - feature #42
Penelope Brown - feature #41
Laura Bucci Handmade - feature #40
Track and Field Designs - feature #39
Irit Sorokin Designs - feature #38
Clockwork Fantastica - feature #37
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

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!

got craft :: spring 2011 vendors!

photo credit: coco cake cupcake

It's that time of year again! The Got Craft Spring show is coming up on Sunday, May 8th, 2011 at the Royal Canadian Legion on Commercial Drive from 10:00am to 5:00pm. We'll be celebrating our 5th birthday, so make sure to join the festivities with our amazing vendors listed below. Lots of newbies to the show, so there will be tons to check out!

Too hungry to shop? Bake Sale Baking Co. and The Gluten Free Epicurean will be serving up baked treats while Varinicey will be outside cooking up some veggie pakoras! Spool of Thread Sewing Lounge will show you how to make a take away craft project and stop by the Maker Faire booth for details on their upcoming event in June! Of course, for those early birds, the first 45 people through the door will receive a coveted Got Craft swag bag. Have you seen the goodies inside? Check out some past samples here, here and here.

A Cagey Bee, Sassy Contessa, Smuttons by Kimli, The Beautiful Project, Abeego Designs, Barefoot Contessa, Bake Sale Baking Co., Banoo, Billy Would Designs, Frankenstrap, cabin + cub, Cynthia F., district Thirty designs, Divesin, Sam Made, eikcam, GLOBE Foundation, gypsee designs, heyday design, hudsonny, Laura Bucci Handmade, Mena Dragonfly, Olive Bath and Body, smidgebox designs, Stitchella, Twig Prints, The Gluten Free Epicurean, The Rice Babies, Little Bird Designs, BuenoStyle, Inspryed Creations, irit sorokin designs, Faire by KeikoCreative, Its Your Life Handmade, LynnDee Designs, AstridLily Designs, kukubee, pomo mama design, GroovyGlassGirl, Superfly Lullabies, Bubbly Shnooks, Comiditas, kove handmade, Earthgirl Aromatherapy, Firefly Notes, honey canada, Raven's Rest Studio, Hello Bobbie, Roxypop, Telly Designs and Robbie Vergara Screenprinting.

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.

got craft :: spring show deadline

photo credit: Studio Jeanie | artist credit: Thistle Town Studio

A friendly note to say that Got Craft applications are due midnight (PST) on March 1st, 2011. That's this Tuesday! February always messes with my head, so thought it would be a good thing to whip up a quick post.

Vendor applications and full details can be found here.

Thanks to everybody that have already applied! We will be in touch soon!

happy holidays!

photo credit: myan print shop

It's been quiet.

Rob and I hopped onto a plane and took a few days to do nothing. I was not prepared to participate in 4 craft fairs (ending with One of a Kind) and do retail this year. It was a 1.5 person (0.5 being Rob who makes the teacup candles and fortune cookie cat nip toys) sweat shop over here. Plus, throw in a case of strep throat / virus due to stress, two visits to the medical clinic and the holidays. Needless to say, it was a hard month!

I'm slowly getting back into things. Hoping to wrap up a few points on the to-do list before the end of the year. My apologies for the delay, but better now than never I guess! We want to thank all the attendees, our vendors and sponsors in making the December 2010 Got Craft event, the best indie craft fair in Vancouver! It was a record breaking event, both in vendor sales and attendance numbers. Check out this post by Stitch Rabbit, this one by ars gratia artis or this post by Vancouver Portraits.

If you missed the holiday show, mark your calendars! Our next show will be on Sunday, May 8th, 2011. Interested in applying to be a vendor? Details can be found here.

A big thank you to all of our readers, fans and followers for your support. Got Craft would not exist without all of you. Happy holidays and we will continue our regular posts starting in the new year!

xo Andrea & Robert

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.

got craft :: DIY table

Make sure to check out the Spool of Thread DIY area on stage at the Got Craft holiday show! This year, Spool of Thread will be on hand to teach you how to hand sew flower pins, using felt, fabric and their famous button bowl! Depending on the materials selected, the pins can be festive for the holidays, like the Poinsettia in the image, or less seasonal and great for year round!

On Sunday, December 5th, attendees to the event we'll have 6 shades of felt and at least 10 cotton fabrics to select from, making each pin unique to the maker! There will also be complete instructions and Spool of Thread will be there to help, in case you get stuck in the middle of their making!

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.

got craft :: buttons!

I've been bursting at the seams over these button designs by our friend, the pauhaus, for the upcoming Got Craft event. ♥! ♥! ♥!

Interested in getting your own pin back? Pick them up on December 5th at the holiday Got Craft show at the Royal Canadian Legion from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

got craft :: six cent press giveaway

photo via hudsonny

Psst... have you signed up for the Got Craft newsletter yet? if your answer is no, then why not? Newsletter subscribers will be automatically entered to win an exclusive giveaway for a DIY button maker hosted by our friends over at Six Cent Press.

Sign up here (left side bar) or at the Got Craft holiday show on December 5th. One lucky winner will be drawn randomly at noon (PST) on Monday, December 6th. One entry per person. Open to Canadian addresses only.

The folks over at Six Cent Press can take care of all your button needs with services including custom button making and products for you to make your own. Have minimal graphic skills? No worries. They will take care of you each step of the way!

** All emails are kept confidential and never shared with others. Newsletters are sent monthly **

the express :: handmade community

The Express segment featuring Bird on a Wire Creations and Robert speaking about the handmade community is now up. You can check out Robert at 2:38 and if you look closely, you can see me at 3:16. Enjoy!

be still, my heart ...

Top left to right: Banoo, Brilliance Found, Little Mountain Friends
Bottom left to right: heyday design, Scrumptious Delight, Kove Handmade

We are keeping presents to a minimum this year, because, frankly, there isn't really anything that we need and secondly, I want to move / pack as little as possible. We leave to the UK (fingers crossed) in approx. 2.5 months! Eek.

That being said, I can still look and lust over the goodies from all of the vendors at the holiday Got Craft event on December 5th. Want to start your own list? Check out our full vendor list here. Happy swooning!

got craft :: the men

Clockwise from top left: Simpsonelli Designs, Frankenstrap, Locomotive Clothing, Sam Bradd

It's no surprise that crafting and DIY has always been lady oriented. Most of the people buying and selling at craft fairs are comprised mainly of women with the men waiting outside with the coffee cups. Well, times seem to be changing...


Left to right: Bliss in a Teacup and Olive Bath and Body

We received more applications from men vendors than ever before. Looking forward to checking then out at the upcoming Got Craft holiday event.

buy handmade :: holiday cards

Well, it's that time of year again. It's already November 4th and before you know it, it'll be Christmas, so you better start placing your holiday card orders! You should check out some holiday cards by a few of our Got Craft vendors including the pauhaus (pictured above) - choose from the following 3 designs - merry christmas, happy hanukkah and happy holidays with the words "lovingly yours the pauhaus" on the backside.


Maybe some tasty gingerbread men are more your style. Check these cards out by The Beautiful Project.


Or maybe some birdies doing some holiday socializing by Note + Emote are what you have been looking for!