things to do :: craft round up

The Eastside Culture Crawl is an annual 3-day November event that involves artists who live in Vancouver's Eastside in an area bounded by Main St., 1st Ave., Victoria Drive, and the Waterfront. A wonderful opportunity to meet painters, jewelers, sculptors, furniture makers, musicians, weavers, potters, writers, printmakers, photographers, glassblowers in their studios.

Don't forget to check out past and present Got Craft vendors such as heyday design, Aja Billas Ceramics, Jacqueline Robins Ceramics, Laura Bucci Handmade, Simpsonelli Designs and Flightpath Designs.

Event: Eastside Culture Crawl
Date / Time: Friday, November 26th - 5:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 27th & Sunday, November 28th - 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.
Location: Various

Gear up for the holiday season and stock up on Roxypop goods at Portobello West this weekend. Robert and I will be manning the table, so pop in and say hi! Other vendors to check out... Irit Sorokin Designs, Olive, Smidgebox Designs, BuenoStyle, Note + Emote and Him Creations.

Event: Portobello West
Date: Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Time: Noon to 6:00 p.m.

Location: Rocky Mountaineer Station - 1755 Cottrell Street, Vancouver

Features an excellent collection of fine craft and arts including A Cagey Bee, GroovyGlassGirl and Sam Bradd.

Event: Roundhouse Artisan Fair
Date: Saturday, November 27th and Sunday, November 28th, 2010

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

Location: Roundhouse Community Center - 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver

This Months market will include 60 vendors, music, hot food, beverages, and entertainment. Vendors will include food, fashion, accessories, supplies, fine art, vintage items and records. Make sure to check out Baby Elephant Designs, The Gluten Free Epicurean and It's Your Life.

Event: Blim
Date: Sunday, November 28th, 2010

Time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Location: Chinese Cultural Centre - 50 Pender Street, Vancouver

It's Your Life - feature #7

Name: Nicole Tirona
Website links: It's Your Life Shop, It's Your Life Blog

What do you make?
I make costume jewelry and sometimes I sew pouches and other bits.



What or who inspires you?
My need to make something, but mostly, my need to make a living.

How did you get started?
I started selling stuff online when I was not able to work yet in Canada.



What are your favourite materials to work with?
I love finding the nicest vintage for my jewelry, like wicked cameos and perfect lockets, strange and well made charms of past eras. When sewing, I like to use new Japanese printed cottons and linens.



What is the hardest and most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part for me is finding the motivation to continually make new designs and inventory over and over again. My favorite part would have to be creating new designs that are pleasing and well balanced to my eye.



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
Hmm.....

Instant Coffee: For art listings, it's pretty covered

Chalked Up: For club parties and shows

Avaaz: For all things activist

Vancouver is Awesome: For all things awesome in van

Bansa: For their tagalog-english online dictionary, i think it is the only one available (Nicole originates from the Philippines)



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
Keep trying, keep a record of stuff you made so you can see how your work progresses, dont just always ask othercrafters how to make stuff or where to get stuff, be resourceful, join as many fairs as you can and have fun.

Art vs. Craft - Are these terms different? Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
I am going to say these two are very different. I went to art school and what I am doing now is definitely craft. Though how I make the stuff, my process, how the materials dictate what the outcome will be, I believe that to be art.



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

Check out our past features...

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

String Magazine

Thanks Maria for an excellent post! Read all about it here.

Clockwise from left: Lauren Elgee, It’s Your Life, Maked, It’s Your Life. Photos by Blue Olive Photography.