Charm City Craft Mafia puts a hit out on the holidays.

They’re at it again - The Charm City Craft Mafia has announced their next crafty event! Holiday Heap- a FREE indie craft fair featuring a wide array of the country’s best crafters- will take place on November 15th from 10 AM to 5 PM at St. John’s Church, located at 2640 St. Paul St, Baltimore, MD 21218. The event is free and open to the public. 40+ Vendors, juried from applicants nationwide, will include local favorites Bake Sale Designs, Bowerbox Press, Cotton Monster, HVM Designs, illegible ink, It Knits, Kiss My Crafts, Phampersand Press, Pink Kiss Pottery, Pistol Designs, Red Prairie Press, Spaghetti Kiss Productions, Sweet Pepita, and many more! Music provided by Sleepy Records. Red Emma’s will offer coffee & vegan snacks.

Interested in being a sponsor? The Charm City Craft Mafia is currently looking for individuals or organizations interested in sponsoring Holiday Heap and making it an even bigger success than the last show. Interested parties should contact us at charmcitycraftmafia@gmail.com.

Want to sell your stuff at Holiday Heap? Vendor Applications will be accepted through midnight on October 5th, 2008. Apply now at www.charmcitycraftmafia.com.

Help a fellow crafter!

If you're local knitter and you haven't yet checked out Lovelyarns in Hampden, here's your perfect chance!
I'll let Heather's own words explain, "my local yarn shop owner has organized a Saturday (like this) knitting session where everyone will be charged to attend, then she’s pledged to match the funds raised to help with Zander's medical expenses. I stopped in to the shop today (for Mental Health Wednesday, of course), and already there have been donations. A huge thank-you to everyone who has and who will contribute- it is so moving to me that this whole community cares about my baby (who, according to Sue, is officially a giant). I also want to say, before I forget, that the event at Lovelyarns is happening (and this is quite by accident, I assure you) on Zander’s 4th birthday, April the 12th."


For the whole story, check out Heather's blog.

But seriously, knitters, make a day of it. It's a great shop, get lunch at Soup's On just a couple of doors down, and window shop and poke around in all the antique and junk stores. Sounds like a good day to me! And do good!

No press is bad press

And this is good press! I was contacted by Baltimore magazine about using my bags for a spring photoshot. Cool! I just saw the final result in the April issue--see below.

My Bangle Bag is in the top right hand corner. Yay! I'm in good company with the Squidfire boys and fellow Charm City Craft Mafia member, Ali of Pistol Stitched.

I'm looking forward to getting out to spring shows. I have lots of fun, bright spring bags. Some are already at Doubledutch if you can't wait to see me at the show coming up:
May 10--Squidfire's Spring Art Mart, Baltimore, MD
June 21--Charm City Craft Mafia's Pile of Craft, Baltimore, MD
July 18-20--DIY@ArtScape, Baltimore, MD

Score at nearly new sale!

The other weekend, I went to the Sinai Nearly New sale for the first time. I was hoping it might become a staple like the GBMC Nearly New Sale. But sadly, it was not nearly as good. It was in a small space and was too crowded. They didn't have enough cashiers. I waited in line for half an hour. Ugh! And apparently, they just bring in more stuff as items clear out, so you never really see everything. I pity the people who paid $15 to get an early sneak peek.
But I waited in line for half an hour because I found these...



Sweet! No? Perfect for the new house too. The short ones are in really good condition. The gold paint is almost fully intact. I got a whole set, 5 tall and 4 short for just 6 bucks!

But I'm still looking forward to the GBMC sale in May. See you in line!

A new look for spring and spring cleaning!

I've been a busy girl with work. But the huge work even I've been planning for months is over. George and I have also been busy in the past few months looking at houses. We found a house we like and we buoght it! We'll be moving in the next month or so. Eck! Home owers!

But in the midst of all of that, I was still thinking about Bake Sale Designs and revamping my logo and collateral promo material. George was kind enough to put some of my ideas onto paper and finesse them it to some good looking postcards and business cards. The final products arrived just in time for the upcoming spring shows. Yay!




Now I just need to update my site as well. Hopefully I can do that soon now that I'm done with a huge work event. And since we're moving. I'm trying to declutter my craft room. I just put up a bunch of farbic up in my Etsy shop. It's hard to let some of it go, there's so great vintage finds, but it's better to let it go to a good home. If you're interested, check it out! I'll be adding some more supplies and fabric in the coming weeks.

Crafters for Critters

When I first started out with Bake Sale Designs, Crafters for Critters was one of the first places I sold something I had made. I donated a cute little green bag and it sold! I was very excited that someone would actually buy something I made. And the proceeds went to a good cause. Crafters for Critters(CFC) "collect[s] handmade/individually-created items and put[s] them up for sale. The proceeds are then donated to animal rescue groups." Awesome.
In any case, I hadn't donated anything to CFC in awhile and I thought it was about time.

So check out their shop. They really do get some cute things: like these vintage pattern notecards and these printed tea towels. The vegan truffles always tempt me. And since it's an animal friendly shop there's always goodies for your pets. I've gotten my kitties some treats, including this catnip toy. And this adorable grocery list is now sold out, but I got it hanging on my fridge. It makes me not mind so much writing out the grocery list. And of course some of my good are up in their shop as well.

American Craft Council goes New wave

ArtScape isn't the only good old art show inviting in the "indie" crowd. The American Craft Council is doing the same with their Amerian Craft Show in Baltimore. I'm fairly well acquaimted with this show since George and I go each year to help one of the artisits, a friend of his mom's, take down her show. It's quite an experience to see the convention center go from a packed art show to a bare bones concrete warehouse. They start taking up the potted plants and carpet right away and soon cars are pull into the sapce to load up.
Before the take-down George and I always wander around. While it's not exactly our style, I usually find a few artisits/crafters that I like. But I can normally never afford anything.
This year, maybe I'll be able to afford something from one of the "New Wave" artists. I can't help putting "New Wave" in quotes. Who came up with that? I know it's referring to a new movement, but all I think of is New Wave music--and the web agrees with me since the first thing that comes up when you google "New Wave" is a wikipedia entry on New Wave music.

I digress. The press release below will explain it all and tell you who these New Wave artists will be attending the February show in Baltimore. I actually did recive an invite to apply, which I was flattered by, and I submitted an application, but alas, didn't get in. There's only one "bag" person who did get in. I don't really know anyone who is in, although I've seen Twigs and Heather and Bright Lights--Little City around. And I do believe Margaux Lange made a very special engagemnt "ring" for a certain mafia member.
I did spot there are a few paper people, letter press, stationery, etc. That's cool because I can't even think of anyone currently in the American Craft Council show who's doing that. Anyway, check out the New Wave and the American Craft Council in B-more.


____________________________________
New York, NY (February 1, 2008) – The American Craft Council has opened the doors of its most prestigious show, The American Craft Show in Baltimore, to the New Wave Craft community – artists typically labeled ‘indie’ as they usually exhibit and sell their work at small local craft shows.

The Council invited 300 artists of the national New Wave Craft community to apply to a special section of the show: out of 100 applications, 15 have been juried in. Their handmade items are varied and include: lampshades made out of cocktail umbrellas; colorful adult and children’s clothing made out of vintage and reclaimed fabrics such as sheets, drapes, table linens, and lace; and jewelry incorporating Barbie parts; among others.

The New Wave Craft section which will feature the 15 artists together will be positioned among the 700 booths of professional craft artists who will present their high-quality, handmade jewelry, furniture, clothing, home décor and more at The American Craft Show in Baltimore, the largest juried, indoor craft show in the nation. Each year, the show attracts upwards of 25,000 crafts enthusiasts. Visit: www.craftcouncil.org/baltimore

The 2008 New Wave Craft Artists at The American Craft Show in Baltimore:
Amy Alison (Chicago, IL): www.sodabyamy.com
Julie Belcher & Kevin Bradley (Knoxville, TN): www.yeehawindustries.com
Heather & Kerry Alice Collins (Nahant, MA): www.twigsandheather.com
Erika Ebert (Philadelphia, PA): www.erikaebertpress.com
Dolan Geiman (Chicago, IL): www.dolangeiman.com
Chia Guillory (Austin, TX): www.chiahats.com
Regina Jiron (Bethesda, MD): www.beadjewelryshopgirl.etsy.com
Tia Keobounpheng (Minneapolis, MN): www.silvercocoon.com
Becky Klay (St. Paul, MN): www.smallmotordesigns.com
Margaux Lange (Brooklyn, NY): www.margauxlange.com
Nancy Pizzaro & Andy Witt (Chicago, IL): www.circaceramics.com
Eli Reich (Seattle, WA): www.alchemygoods.com
Erica Schlueter (Verona, WI):www.jewelrybentmetal.com
Niki Ulehla (San Francisco): www.nikiulehla.com
Heather Wells (North Attleboro, MA): www.brightlights-littlecity.com

DIY@ArtScape 2008! Call for entries!

If you're a Baltimorean, you know what ArtScape is (I've also heard it called FoodScape.) Ever since Geroge and I moved here we've embraced ArtScape, or maybe we were more consumed by it. We've always lived right in the middle of the neighborhood that hosts the three-day art event so it was easier to just go with it than fight it. It's the largest free public arts festival in the country.

Anyway, this year ArtScape has a new opportunity this year for crafters. For the first time, Artscape will include “DIY@Artscape.” In the past few years, some indie craft types have been sneaking into the 'fashion' section with t-shirts and what not. But now thee's going ot be a whole section of stuff I can actually afford at ArtScape!
So anyway, in short, it's a huge event, I know people who have done the 'fashion' section and they have done really well and you can apply!

* Art car from ArtScape. I was trying to get the logo for ArtScape 2008, but it wasn't happening, so this is what you get.

Artscape takes place July 18th, 19th and 20th. You can apply for a table space for the whole 3-day weekend, or for one or two days.

Go to ArtScape's application page, and scroll down to the crafter/DIY@Artscape “Call for entry” to obtain all the necessary info regarding fees/rules/applications etc.

Online applications are due by MARCH 30! Help spread the word!

I really hope that it becomes a permanent part of Artscape. So let's get in some awesome applications!

Hi there internet

Ahem...

(Dusting off the blog.)

Hi there internet...
I've been awfully quiet here of late. Partly it was the holidays, getting ready for them and for shows and then also having time off from work and recovering from them. The new gig is also keeping me quite busy during the day which makes me not want to spend much time on the old computer when I get home. But I'd like to focus on quality here rather than quantity.

On my list of things to do is take some photos of some personal crafting I've done. I finally came up with a way to get rid of all my felt scraps from all the sweaters I've felted in the past two years to make my button scarves. The scraps I had filled up an oversized shopping bag. The pieces were too small to make scarves out of, but i used them for the different designs to adorn the scarves, and sometimes on bags. But this year, I got rid of the whole bag! It felt so good. I dind't two things. First, I made wrist warmers, which were really a hit at all my holiday shows. I'll certainly be making more of those. And I was inspried when walking through a shop in Hampden to make a wreath out of smaller felt scraps. I had enough for three wreaths. One mini wreath went to my mom, a larger one went to a friend and I kept one for myself. They're great because they're not specific to the holidays. they can be a year-round wreath. But like I said, I need to take a photo.
Edited to add photo:


I'm also working on my first quilt. It's nothing fancy, just rows of squares from old clothes mostly. I'm doing it on the serger so far which is super quick. I can't wait to finish it and curl up under it on the couch. Hopefully, I won't run into any trouble. Although I haven't thought through entirely how I'm going to bind it. I'll need to poke around one some blogs that i've seen instructions on.

So long internet, I'll be back soon.