YVR :: things to do :: bake + pw + blim

via one charming party

Bake for the Quake is a collective bake sale to raise funds for Japan's earthquake and tsunami relief. All proceeds go directly to Doctors without Borders. Hosted by Melody and Joy, the event promises to be filled with of the Lower Mainland's most talented cooks and bakers serving up tasty treats! Prizes for raffle and silent auctions will also be available. You can check out some of the lovely goods you * could * take home by Got Craft vendor, The Beautiful Project. 

event: Bake for the Quake

date: Wednesday, April 20th, 2011

time: 6:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

location: Roundhouse Community Centre - 181 Roundhouse Mews, Vancouver (corner of Davie and Pacific)

The event is free to attend and open to the entire family. Please visit their website for complete details.

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via we heart it

Don't forget that Portobello West and Blim are taking place this Sunday, April 24th, 2011! Please check out their individual websites for full details. Be one of the first 50 at Portobello West and you could win a golden egg with gifts by Irit Sorokin, Caroline Calvert and creampuff by GG. Enjoy!

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. 

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! 

YVR :: things to do :: pop-up hamburgers

Remember when we first blogged about the pop-up retail spaces up for grabs from Rize? Well, Hamburger Disco has been chosen as one of the first businesses in the new pop-up retail space and their grand opening is taking place this Saturday! As one of the first companies to set up shop, they are working really hard to build their store of their dreams including a slew of new items such as new designs, sweaters, v-necks, kid shirts, shorts and accessories.

As part of Hamburger Disco's Vancouver Artist Series, they have handpicked nine of Vancouver's best artists to collaborate with on some amazing new designs. You can check out the full details and list of participating artists here.

Oh, and make sure to go early. The first 25 customers will receive a FREE Hamburger Disco tee. Woo!

event: Hamburger Disco Grand Opening
date: Saturday, April 9th, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m.
location: 196 Kingsway (at 10th Avenue) in Mount Pleasant, Vancouver

waldorf hotel vancouver :: artist vacancy

photo credit: Zanzibargirl via flickr

The Waldorf hotel in Vancouver is opening up a limited amount of rooms for studio, office, retail, gallery and showroom space. Rooms are available now and include free internet and private bathrooms. Alterations are encouraged. For more information or to book a viewing, please contact jon(dot)coleman(at)waldorfhotel(dot)com.

Bubbly Shnooks - feature #49

Name: Michelle Clement from Bubbly Shnooks
Website links: Etsy | Blog | Twitter | Flickr

What do you make?
I make cute illustrated paper goods for my shop, Bubbly Shnooks, and am currently expanding my line to include crocheted goodies, soft dolls, and accessories. I also design a line of scrapbook paper for Sassafras Lass, as well as work in the local Vancouver animation industry as my ‘day job’, as well as making a lot of crafts just for fun: I love to scrapbook, embroider, sew, cross-stitch, and am currently addicted to crocheting!

What or who inspires you?
I’m really inspired by artists, crafters, and illustrators who have made their own little thriving indie businesses! Artists like Elsie Flannigan of Red Velvet Art, Susie Ghahremani of BoyGirlParty, and Emily Martin of The Black Apple, for example – those who make their own unique and adorable goodies and have remarkable branding & a smart sense for all things indie bizz. Chasing dreams really inspires me!

I’ve also always been really into the mix of aged vintage & bright colors, so thrift shops inspire me, as does the magazine aisle at a big book store. Scrapbook galleries, numerous crafty blogs, children’s book illustrations, and artists like Mary Blair, Dr. Suess, and Edward Gorey have my heart. Calgary’s own amazing ‘Uppercase Magazine’ is also an amazing resource! I find inspiration everywhere, really. The world around me inspires!



How did you get started?
I started scrapbooking when I was 12 at a beginner’s class with my mom, and everything’s kind of stemmed from there! (I’ve been sewing and drawing and journaling for as long as I can remember, too, of course). I got really into scrapbook products and goodies about 4-5 years back, and my love of drawing led me to doodle my own scrapbook paper tags, which then led to also making cards and art prints, and it’s grown out from there. The collage-inspired way I scrapbook has now also led me to designing lines of paper – where I use every crafty technique in my arsenal, from embroidery to dying paper to drawing to sewing. It all started with paper and has grown into a creative outlet that comes out in a wealth of forms!

What are your favourite materials to work with?
I love to work with heavy cardstock and walnut ink (a natural brown dye that ages paper in a lovely way). I’m also partial to my trusty HB pencil and plain old white paper for drawings, and Photoshop is vital for everything! Fabric is also a favorite – especially neutrals that I can dye and scrunch and make my own.



What is the hardest and your most favourite part of crafting?
The hardest part, for me, about crafting is following a project through from beginning to end without being distracted by a new idea/project – lol. I like to start them, but it takes me a long time to finish one thing, sometimes! My favorite part is that as well, though – it’s so inspiring and there are so many possibilities in and of itself, there’s always something new & fun to be made!



List 5 of your favourite links and why you like them
A Beautiful Mess: I love Elsie’s blog because it’s full of crafty/vintage/fashion/indie business goodness, always!

I Just Might Explode:
Kara is a thoughtful, inspiring, crafty girl who just moved to New York to go to art school – her adventures and wonderings always make me smile!

Vivienne McMaster:
Not only are Viv’s photos amazing, but her thoughts are so insightful & lovely to read.

Candi Mandi: Mandi’s adventures in fashion, thrifting, and home décor always inspire!

Danielle Thompson: Danielle’s design sense & love of vintage kitsch – not to mention her amazing photography, rocks!



Do you have any advice for those in the biz?
I would say that the most important thing when you’re creating anything or opening a shop is to make what you want to make and stay true to yourself, not to make something because it’s popular right now or that it’s what everybody else is doing. It can be discouraging at first, sometimes, feeling like you’re a black sheep of sorts, but once you spread the word and find your niche, you’ll be glad you stuck with something unique that you love to do. You’ll find that other people will love that about it, to!

Do you consider yourself an artist or a crafter?
Oh, this is a toughie. I’ve bantered over it with art school folk a few times, because it’s such a blurred line, now. I would like to say I’m a ‘maker’ – lol - aka, a crafter & artist all rolled into one. I think today that craft & art have joined forces – crafts are just as beautiful and inspiring during this handmade movement as art, is, to me.

(photo images courtesy of Bubbly Shnooks)

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

Check out our past features...
Yummy Yarn - feature #48
Cutesypoo Toys - feature #47
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

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)

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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

got craft? :: spring 2011 :: it's coming!

design and illustration by the Beautiful Project

It's that time of year again! The Spring Got Craft? event is just around the corner and this year, we are turning 5 years old! Hip hip hip hooray! Thank you to all of our lovely vendors, sponsors and attendees. We started 5 years ago brand spanking new to the handmade community and just started tacking some pieces of paper with pull tabs at local coffee shops asking if anybody wanted to join our fair and here we are now!

There are lots to do at our next show including a complimentary D.I.Y. lounge hosted by Spool of Thread to make your own projects, tasty treats by Bake Sale Baking Co. and The Gluten Free Epicurean and veggie pakoras by Varinicey parked outside. DJ Duff will be providing the tunes and of course, over 55 handmade artists including our friends Maker Faire Vancouver, Collage Collage and Barefoot Contessa (selling their own handmade goods)!

Oh! If you haven't heard, we are beyond thrilled to have Etsy sign on as a new sponsor < insert cartwheels and sparklers > . This has been in the works for almost two years and according to my research, we are the first handmade market in Canada to have their support. Yippee!

Here are the details... See y'all there!

event: Got Craft? spring edition
date: Sunday, May 8th, 2011
time: 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
location: Royal Canadian Legion - 2205 Commercial Drive (at East 6th Avenue), Vancouver
cost: $3.00 (kids 10 and under are free)

For more information or to apply to our holiday show (December 4th, 2011), please visit our website here.

(please note that the event is located on the second floor with no wheelchair access. we are doing our best to find a new venue. suggestions are welcome and can be sent to info at gotcraft dot com)

YVR :: things to do :: books + monthly markets

illustration via calloohcallay

** vancouver, bc edition **

Collage Collage is holding their first ever book sale ever on Saturday, March 26th, 2011 from 11:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m at 621 Kingsway Street, Vancouver (15th and Fraser Street). Having purchased lots of good reads for the little ones in our lives here, we know this sale is going to be a good one! All kinds of books will be on sale from 10 to 50% off including a recently arrived shipment of new titles. 

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Portobello West is kicking off their new season at the Creekside Community Recreation Center at the Olympic Village. Featuring 90 amazing artists and designers including many of our Got Craft vendors - BuenoStyle, a Cagey Bee, Abeego, Firefly Notes, Comiditas, Irit Sorokin Designs, Mena Dragonfly, The Rice Babies, Superfly Lullabies, Twig Prints and pomomama design to name a few.

Make sure you drop in and check out the two day season opener! For a full list of participating vendors, please visit their website here.

event: Portobello West

date: Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27, 2011

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

location: 1 Atheletes Way, Vancouver
cost: $2.00 (kids 12 and under are free)

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Blim! Blim! Blim! It's a double whammy Sunday with Blim happening at the Heritage Hall. Make sure to pick up a I heart Japan t-shirt designed by Lee Hutzulak. Shirts are $20 and all proceeds go to the Red Cross' earthquake relief in Japan. Can't make it to the show, but want a shirt? No problem. Visit Blim's etsy store here.

event: Blim Community Market
date: Sunday, March 27, 2011
time: 11:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
location: Heritage Hall - 3102 Main Street, Vancouver
cost: by donation

For more details, visit their facebook event 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.

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