Craftzine.com blog: November 2007 Archive

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Archives: November 2007

November 30, 2007

Recycled Altoid Tins + More Advent Calendar

Altoidtin Advent
Shannon writes:

Jennie painted and decorated five years worth from Altoids, Velamints, Penguins, travel candles, and loose tea to create a lovely modern advent calendar.

Check out this fresh minty advent calendar for yourself on Flickr. - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 06:00 PM
Holiday projects, Recycle | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email Entry

City Sampler: Brooklyn Available Starting Saturday, Dec 1

Citysampler Brooklyn
Brooklyn crafters are representing in the new City Sampler: Brooklyn!

From The Sampler:

This particular City Sampler was curated by Brooklyn Based, "an essential supplement to the best food, art, services, shops and people the borough has to offer: Brooklyn distilled." We've put together 100 City Samplers: Brooklyn, each one featuring a selection of at least a dozen of the items below, plus information about each contributor, provided by Brooklyn Based. Each City Sampler: Brooklyn box has been decoupaged by hand by Team Sampler using maps of the Brooklyn Area!

The City Sampler: Brooklyn will officially go on sale starting this Saturday at 10am PST. Hurry, there's only 100 of these in limited stock! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 05:05 PM
Announcements | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Winter Enchantment Fashion Show in Austin, Dec 1-2

Myspacebackground
Austin Enchanted Forest, who has hosted events like Austin Haunted Forest and Art Outside, is bringing forth a new event, "Winter Enchantment Fashion Show". This is a fashion show unlike any other with two full days of fashion runway and vending from 2p.m. to 5p.m. December 1-2. Emaree and Ferrin Deloach, two young and innovative fashion designers, partnered with Molly's Metals and other young designers, have dreamed up a fashion show that will be a true experience to your senses. The event sprawls throughout the Enchanted Forest's three acres of wooded wonderland in south central Austin (1404 West Oltorf). Find out more from their My Space page. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 04:49 PM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Recycled Computer Cat Bed

Computercatbed
Etsy seller Alpine took an old computer monitor and turned it into a cat bed, with a fun toy mouse, of course. If this looks like a fun home for your kitty it's going for $40. Thanks Marieke! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 04:00 PM
Pets, Recycle | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Love Makers Sustainable Craft Fair in Mill Valley, Tuesday December 4

Lovemakersposter
If you are in the Bay Area next Tuesday December 4th from 2pm-8pm head over to Mill Valley for the Love Makers Sustainable Craft Fair run by Ambatalia Fabrics (1 El Paseo). There's a great list of people selling at the fair including Molly of 8mm Ideas, Ashley Rose Helvey, Green Dog Designs, and more. There will also be two screen printers from Remade in America printing that day so bring by t-shirts and clothing to print on. For more info, visit the Ambatalia blog. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 03:20 PM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Toys by Ninon

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Kristen of Plush You! introduces us to Ninon's beautiful plush creations. You can see her photos in Flickr as Taniapat. Read more about them on Plush You! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 02:08 PM
Amigurumi and Toys | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

CRAFT Pattern Podcast - Princess Mitts from the book The Knitter's Book of Yarn by Clara Parkes

Craftpodcast Warmersbookofy
This week's CRAFT Pattern Podcast is the smashing Princess Mits, a pattern excerpt from the new book,The Knitter's Book of Yarn: The Ultimate Guide to Choosing, Using, and Enjoying Yarn by Clara Parkes. These adorable fingerless mits are the perfect small project you can tackle this winter! Plus it's a small enough project you can tackle if you want to learn how to knit cables. If you are especially daring, make them a bit longer to keep your arms warm with those 3/4 sleeve sweaters.

The Knitter's Book of Yarn is a fantastic book that is one part a resource that helps you understand yarn, how it's made, the various fibers, and which one works the best for what projects. The second half is chock full of 40 beautiful knitting patterns from sweaters, shawls, socks, mittens, hats and more. It's a guide book you'll turn to again and again before you start any knitting project! You can browse the book online in a special module at the Potter Craft site here. Link.

Download this week's CRAFT pattern PDF - Link.

Subscribe to the CRAFT podcast and get this pattern and other CRAFT content delivered automatically via iTunes - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 12:29 PM
CRAFT Podcast, Knitting, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (3) | Email Entry

More Weekend Craft Fairs

Here are some more craft fairs that wil be happening this weekend around the globe!

Australia - Melbourne Craft Mafia Market, Sunday Dec 2 - Link.

California - Indie Sacramento, Saturday Dec 1 - Link.

Minnesota - No Coast Craft-O-Rama in Minneapolis, Nov 30-Dec 1 - Link.

Oregon - Portland's got I Heart Indie Holidays, Sunday Dec 2 - Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 11:00 AM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Hanukkah Cards

Numbercard-L
Sari of Sari Victoria designs and makes her own custom cards and has some great versions for Hanukkah which begins December 4th. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 10:30 AM
Bazaar, Holiday projects | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

HOW TO - Refashion Extra Long Gloves

Refashiongloves
Sarah points us to Craft Addiction's tutorial on how to make Anthropologie-inspired extra long gloves out of cheap gloves and a recycled sweater. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 09:00 AM
Refashion, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Last Day to Enter Chronicle Books' Intarsia Contest

Hi Crafters! Today’s your last day (it's been extended a bit) to submit a pattern in Chronicle Books' Intarsia Contest (previous post here). If your pattern is chosen, it will be printed in their next knitting book, Picture Perfect Knits, alongside patterns from an all-star lineup of guest designers like Denyse Schmidt, Diane Gilleland, Alyce Benevides, Sarah Neuburger, Lisa Congdon, Crafty Chica Kathy Cano-Murillo, Ed Roth, Eunice Moyle, and more! For more information, visit the Chronicle Books site. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 30, 2007 08:38 AM
Announcements, Contests | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

November 29, 2007

Crafting on This American Life

I was talking to my brother about making people gifts for the holidays and he told me I should listen to This American Life when David Rakoff discusses crafting as a job with the crafts department at Martha Stewart Living and the idea of giving people handmade presents. Part three with David Rakoff begins at minute 47. Personally, I think people want homemade gifts, but I have also never made anything covered with Necco wafers. Pictured above is a Necco wafer pony from megasoul's Flickr account. Link.

Slipper Assembly Line

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Slumbergirldesigns on Flickr added this cozy pic of WIP to the CRAFT flickr pool of her assembly line of slippers she makes and sells in her Etsy store. Cozy! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 29, 2007 06:48 PM
Holiday projects, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Craftzine Site Maintenance

Hi Crafters! We're performing some site maintenance today and possibly some on and off this week, so please pardon the short break as we move servers and add some new features! Once we're back up later today, we'll post a new message. Have a great day!

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 29, 2007 09:45 AM
Announcements | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Sublime Stitchmas Contest

Yipee! Submit a photo of your best handmade holiday gift by December 10, and you could win a heap of killer prizes from Sublime Stitching, Chronicle Books, and Naughty Secretary Club. Full contest details are here: Link.

Holiday Heap Craft Fair in Baltimore this Saturday, Dec 1

Holiday Heap Poster
The Holiday Heap craft fair in Baltimore, MD is happening this Saturday at St. John's Church (2640 St. Paul Street) from 10am to 5pm. Bring a canned good for the Maryland Food Bank and get a raffle ticket. You can see all the vendors and get more info on the event at Charm City Craft Mafia. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 29, 2007 08:30 AM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Japanese Craft Kits at Purl

The fine folks at Purl Soho are now carrying a wonderful line of Japanese mascot kits, which include all the materials and instructions you need to make a variety of cute creatures like the kitty and sheep pictured above. Link.

Softies for Mirabel at Meet Me at Mike's

Meet Me at Mike's just posted photos of their window display for the Softies for Mirabel campaign. Meet Me at Mike's has been collecting softies to give to the Mirabel Foundation as part of their Christmas Toy Appeal. The window display includes toys handmade from all over the world and will be up for one week. Let us know if you head over to Australia and check it out. Link.

City of Craft this Saturday in Toronto

If you are near Toronto, check out the first ever City of Craft this Saturday from 11 AM to 8 PM. The City of Craft Flickr Photo Pool has photos of some of the great items that will be for sale. The day includes crochet a dink with Shannon Gerard (that makes me blush), a craft materials swap with the workroom and Sew Be It Studio, and gift wrap making with the Toronto Church of Craft. Link.

November 28, 2007

Urban Street Bazaar in Dallas this Weekend, Dec 1-2

Urbanstreetbazaar-Custom
Dmndieholidayguidefinal
In Dallas this weekend is the Urban Street Bazaar at the Dallas Market Hall (2200 N. Stemmons Fwy - Entrance is on Market Hall Drive). There will be over 50 local vendors along with a fashion show, fabulous cocktails, 2 DJs and bands. The first 50 people will get a swag bag. For more info, visit the Urban Street Bazaar site. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 08:00 PM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Bazaar Bizarre Cleveland this Saturday, Dec 1

Bazbiz2007Img
Cleveland's Bazaar Bizarre will take place this Saturday from noon to 9:00 p.m. in the storefront of the Sincere Building (2079 East 4th Street - corner of East 4th and Prospect Avenue) as part of Pop Up City (PDF), a new initiative partially funded by the Civic Innovation Lab. Check out the full list of vendors. For more information on the event, visit the Bazaar Bizarre site. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 07:00 PM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Colleen Baran Jewelry

Love, love, love the contrast of fuzzy felt with smooth silver in these contemporary yet classic rings by jewelry artist Colleen Baran. Link.

Heather Bailey Pincushion Pattern

Pincushionsverthb
Heather Bailey has just posted about her pincushion pattern that is available now for download off the Better Homes and Gardens site. [ via ] Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 04:00 PM
Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

HOW TO - Make Fabric Mittens

Learn to make some simple yet fun fabric mittens for your little ones with the help of this tutorial at the blog Write, Mama. Write. [via] Link.

Urban Craft Uprising in Seattle this Weekend, December 1-2

Urbancraftuprising
Coming up this weekend in Seattle is the mega-fun Urban Craft Uprising event on Saturday and Sunday from 11am-5pm. Shop from over 120 indie crafters and don't miss the fashion show at 2:30pm on Saturday. Bre and I were there last year and it was a blast (see posts here and here.) This year, our fabulous friend Beth Goza will be running our CRAFT booth so be sure to come by to say Hi to her! And make sure you get there early -- the first 100 people through the door get swag bags! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 02:00 PM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Linzie Hunter Prints

This just in: Thumbtack Press is offering affordable high-quality prints of Linzie Hunter's hilarious Spam One-Liners art series. Link.

Modern Paper Ornaments

Modernpaperornaments

Derek and Lauren on design*sponge show you how to make modern paper ornaments that are easy to make and also translate into a stunning mobile decoration. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 12:00 PM
Holiday projects, Paper Crafts | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Love 4 Amy Art and Craft Sale Event in San Francisco this Friday, Nov 30

Amy Flyer Final Front 02
We first posted about SF artist Amy' Woloszyn's hit and run accident here. Nows the time for her art and craft sale that will be happening this Friday at The Balazo Gallery (2183 Mission Street, San Francisco) from 6pm - late evening. For more information, visit the Love 4 Amy blog. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 11:25 AM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Cream Cheese Chocolate Cupcakes

Creamcheese Cupcakes

Jessica at How About Orange made these delicious cream cheese chocolate cupcakes and shares her recipe. They look amazing! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 11:11 AM
Food | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

HOW TO - Make Pinecone Bird Feeders

Pineconebirdfeeder
A tasty treat? Not for you but for the birds! CraftyPod's Diane shows you how to make pinecone bird feeders at DIY Alert. A fun project you can make with your kids to help feed your neighborhood birds this winter. [ via ] Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 10:00 AM
Food, General | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email Entry

Craftland Opening Party in Providence, RI this Friday, Nov 30

If you are near the Providence, RI area come by the opening party for Craftland (235 Westminster Street) Friday, November 30 from 5-9 PM for some fun filled craft-geekery. Brian Jepson, Rhode Island's local MAKE and CRAFT geek, will be showing off cool stuff you can make with LEDs, assuming he hasn't broken any of it between now and then: Ever wish you could control each holiday light individually? Check out an Arduino-powered set of 64 green and red holiday lights that you can weave yourself with LEDs, wires, and patience. If you prefer something a little more personal and wearable, you'll be able to see the LilyPad Arduino in action, too. Craftland runs from December 1-22 with the following schedule: Wednesday - Sunday 11am-6pm, Open late: Thursdays and Saturdays 11am-8pm. Don't miss your chance to do some holiday shopping with all the cool indie wares -- the perfect way to shop for the holidays! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 09:00 AM
Events | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

BurdaStyle Tory: Hanging Fabric Organizer

Burda Tory
BurdaStyle is featuring their Tory sewing pattern to make this handy hanging fabric organizer that's perfect for craft supplies, tolietries, whatever you'd like! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 28, 2007 08:00 AM
Organization, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Refab Sustainable Doorstops

Refab hand makes these cute doorstops in their London workshop. They use "reclaimed, recycled, organic and biodegradable materials wherever possible." Also, did I mention they are cute? [via] Link.

KStudio Handmade Embroidered Pillows

Beach Bungalow 8 posted about Shelly & Mary Klein, the mother and daughter team behind Kstudio. The duo creates these embroidered handmade pillows using only sustainable materials. Link.

November 27, 2007

Peppermint Fairy Stitchette

Peppermintfairystitchette

Hillary Lang of Wee Wondefuls has a new embroidery Stitchette! The Peppermint Fairy Stitchette embroidery patterns feature the Peppermint Fairy and her friends - polar bear, gingerbread pals, penguin, deer and gingerbread mouse house. The perfect embellishment for holiday gifts. Just $8 at Wee Wonderfuls. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 27, 2007 09:48 PM
Holiday projects, Needlearts, Patterns | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Easy Apple Turnovers

Tracy of Shutterbean whipped up some quick and easy apple turnovers using frozen puff pastry and other ingredients she already had on hand. What a great breakfast for chilly mornings! [via] Link.

Skull and Crossbones Cushion

Get your very own Jolly Roger throw pillow for your couch. - [via] Link.

Adam Parker Smith

Artist Adam Parker Smith created this disturbingly cool installation of heads on stakes, titled Bold as Love, crafted from felt, wood, and pins. It's on display at Priska C. Juschka Fine Art in NYC through January 19, 2008. (Thanks, Alison!) Link.

Plush Chthonians

What do you do when your dog eats half of your favorite plushie? Turn the other half into a tentacled monster. - [via] Link.

Virtual Gingerbread House

Every year I promise myself I'll make a gingerbread house for the holidays, and every year I get way too wrapped up in other projects to even think about attempting it. This year I'll bypass the guilt entirely and just play with the new Allsorts-created online gingerbread house builder! Link.

2008 Calendar Project

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Patricia of A Little Hut has been working overtime creating some amazing projects lately. I am in love with her 2008 Calendar project which you can purchase for only $3.99 in her store for the PDF template. The use of colored fabric behind the letters is a great way to recycle your old fabric scraps and let your favorite pieces of fabric live on each month. Link.

Wine Cork Mirror

Danny Seo has finished his beautiful wine cork mirror! It looks amazing and is a great way to collect and use all those wine corks from the upcoming bottles of wine during the holidays. hint hint! Link.

Kokeshi Doll Ornament

Front+Kokeshi

Zakka Life shows you how to make an easy Kokeshi Doll Ornament made from a wooden clothes pin. Link.

Rice Heat Therapy Bag Tutorial

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Kristin of Sew,Mama,Sew shows you how to make a rice heat therapy bag that works cold or hot. You can also reinterpret this tutorial to make soothing eye pillows. Seems like a great gift to make for the holidays and cold winter months. There's also a downloadable PDF gift tag too! Link.

HOW TO - Make a CD Envelope

Cdenvelope Tutorial
Lori of Camp Creek Press has a tutorial on how to make a CD envelope using a page from a vintage children's music book. Link.

Julie Arkell Photos

Blogger Manda posted photos from a Julia Arkell show. I am not familiar with Julie Arkell's work, but it certainly looks interesting from the photos. Link.

Related
Julia Arkell - Paper Mache

How to Embroider with Sublime Stitching

Learn how to embroider in a lesson with Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching. Link.

November 26, 2007

Sea Creature Patterns

Supercutepreview
Alice at Futuregirl has her Supercute Sea Creature Patterns & Instructions available now for $5 in her pattern shop! You'll get the cute octopus, starfish, jellyfish, and little fish which will make the cutest ornaments for your Christmas tree! Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 26, 2007 07:00 PM
Holiday projects, Sewing | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Quick Links - Nov 26

Attention all artists, woodworkers and crafters–Get FEATURED on Curbly’s home page! Find out how here. - Link.

Crafting a Green World is a new blog with resources for organic, natural, and recycled crafty projects. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 26, 2007 06:30 PM
Announcements | Permalink | Comments (0) | Email Entry

Magical Vegan Dinner Loaf

This year marks my first vegetarian Thanksgiving since high school, and we bought a fantastic dinner in advance from a local restaurant specializing in organic and veggie-friendly meals. The main dish was a veggie loaf that contained all kind of delicious roasted vegetables, plus nuts, lentils and who knows what else. I'm totally inspired to create my own customized version using the Magical Loaf Studio from the popular Vegan Lunchbox blog. Just choose from a variety of ingredients in a few different categories (Protein, Carbohydrate, Nuts/Seeds, Veggies, Liquid, Herbs), click "submit" and you've got a fun new recipe to try. Pictured above is a next-day "magic loaf sandwich" packed by the blog's author for her son's lunch--lucky kid! Link.

Cuttlefish Softie

I made this plush cuttlefish for my niece, who's 1.5 years old. Her mom's a marine ecologist, so why not encourage her propensity towards a nautical theme? My sister, brother in-law, and niece travel a lot, so I included a security handle, good for strapping the toy to a backpack or stroller. - Link.

Keep Warm Quilt-in-Progress

With nearly 8,000 people having signed up for the Handmade Pledge already, a lot of WIP (works-in-progress) photos are beginning to pop up on Flickr and across the blogosphere. One that particularly caught my eye is this striking quilt by Steph DosReis. I love the clever use of applique, as well as the combination of fabrics and colors. Can't wait to see it when it's all done! Link.

Mend your Quilt

The quilt my mother made me is falling apart. It seemed as soon as I moved to Arizona (a much drier climate than previously), the fabric started to crack and shred. Does anyone know why this would happen? My cat doesn't scratch my quilt at all. If you have any idea, post in the comments. I made an instructable about how to patch a quilt. - Link.

Eyeball Yarn

Remember to always keep an eye on your yarn stash...because it may also be keeping an eye on you! This creepy-cute handspun was created by the amazing Insubordiknit. Link.

DEPART-ment Interview

Department1
Department2
As craft fairs are popping up around the country this holiday season, for the last 4 years in Chicago, there's a different way handmade goods are being sold. DEPART-ment is like one big store you can shop -- where things are organized in groups by product, much like how a store is. You also pay for everything at 1 checkout area. I got a chance to talk with the organizers of the event Sarah Bortt, Laurie Freivogel, and Ariel Samara before their next big DEPART-ment event coming up this weekend November 30 - December 2.

DEPART-ment
AV-aerie (formerly Open-End)
2000 W. Fulton *310, Chicago
Friday, Nov 30: 7pm - 11pm
Saturday, December 1: 11am - 5pm
Sunday, December 2: 11am - 5pm

Nat: Please tell me about DEPART-ment and a little bit about yourselves.

DEPART-ment: DEPART-ment started in Chicago in December of 2003 as a twist on the traditional craft fair. Imagine it more like the indie store of your dreams. Instead of vendor booths, we group items into departments (get it?), with a central checkout area and helpful volunteer "staff" ready to assist you. We've hosted four shows a year since the beginning, to provide as many handmade alternatives for consumers as possible, including one show a year at the Pitchfork Music Festival.

Our focus is providing ethical, handmade alternatives to consumers by offering as wide a variety of goods as possible, to reconnect buyer and seller - an experience that's lost in the modern economic model. Buyers can form relationships with the creators, learn their process, collaborate with them and order custom work - making us all "together for new economy" (our tagline). We also aim to nurture relationships between makers. Instead of having our participants trapped behind a table all weekend, we ask that they volunteer for a shift during the show, working alongside their fellow participants. This allows us to get to know each other and to better foster community.

We have seven organizers, all makers, five who sell their goods through DEPART-ment. We share a lot of common philosophies, but we're also all very different, which makes DEPART-ment pretty well-rounded. The three of us talking here are:

Department Ladies

Sarah Bortt: Sarah is an all around organizer, educator, and maker of many things. She has been participating as a maker in DEPART-ment from it's inception. Shortly after the first show, she realized how fabulous the organizers were and decided that she should join in their efforts. Fond of repurposing and trash-into-treasure philosophies, she often creates from items that might otherwise end up in the dump. She currently makes soap, plays the banjo, etches drinking glasses, and makes jewelry, purses, wallets out of things like used truck tire inner tubes & old game pieces.
(Sarah is pictured left on Halloween in her Dallas Cowboys cheerleaders string band (her band) outfit that she made for ALL of her bandmates.)

Ariel Samara: After creating and selling at DEPART-ment since December of 2004, Ariel liked DEPART-ment so much that she became an organizer in 2006. She keeps the website pretty and informative, designs promotional materials, handles PR related tasks, and still finds time to come up with fancy ideas for lovely objects. When she's not working at her day job doing freelance web design, she creates elegant jewelry from translucent vinyl, designs under clothes + over clothes (and soon, travel clothes), as well as purses from fabrics picked up on her travels.
(Ariel is pictured center.)

Laurie Freivogel: Laurie has made things for fun since childhood (remember latch hook rugs?), but didn't consider turning it into a business until she went to her first DEPART-ment in March of 2004. She was so inspired that she went and bought a kiln and taught herself how to fuse glass, and her business Kiku Handmade was born. In July of 2005, she became an organizer. It's often joked that Laurie is DEPART-ment's poster child. She makes fused glass jewelry, belt buckles, and when that gets old she knits, sews, makes knitting needles and crafts with her kids.
(Laurie is pictured right.)

Nat: How did the idea come about to create this? How much work goes into getting DEPART-ment together, since most of you are also running your own crafty businesses or working full time?

DEPART-ment: In the beginning, Marshall Preheim and a few others brainstormed the idea of a craft collective in a store setup that allowed for maximum participation, and that provided as many handmade goods as possible to provide for every need - from fetish to function. DEPART-ment is designed to be very low-risk to foster future makers participation. We have low barriers of entry to encourage more people to create things and try to make a living working with their hands. There is an emphasis on participating at any level -- whether it's someone just starting out with only a few pieces, or an experienced maker with a wide variety of items. We also wanted to offer up the opportunity for shoppers to buy as wide a variety of goods as possible directly from the person that made it (ok, not a car, for instance, but custom car seat covers? maybe!) instead of shopping at the local mega-chain.

Organizing roles vary from financial tasks (paying out participants, year end taxes, paying sales tax) to entering vendors and prices into our cash register database, to design (both print and website), to coordinating volunteers, to decorating. We each have a main task, and we meet together regularly to collaborate. In the months that lead up to the show, we do tend to put in a lot of hours, but still manage to find time to craft.

Nat: Do you think there is a growing market for these kinds of craft "stores" and fairs that seem to be popping up around the country? Why do you think people are flocking to buy handmade?

DEPART-ment: We talk about this a lot, and are thrilled that the crafting community has grown exponentially over the last few years. For the most part, the community is totally supportive, both online and locally, allowing people empower themselves through craft, either as a hobby or a full blown business. We feel that, in order to continue to grow, it needs to evolve to keep it interesting to makers and shoppers alike, and keep a step ahead of the chain stores, who glom onto and exploit trends like these. We have to find ways to expand the market and get people away from buying mass made items from overseas. Buying locally and buying handmade allows shoppers to have something truly unique and special, and to have a connection with the maker and the product.

Nat: Can you tell us what kind of fun products will be at DEPART-ment?

DEPART-ment: For the holiday show, we'll have goods from over 120 local and national makers. Some of the specific things that we'll have that we think are extra cool are coasters made from sliced and polished rocks, lighting made from delicate curls of wood, etched glasses from recycled bottles, one-of-a-kind freeform crocheted hats, every kind of jewelry ranging from cute, shrinky-dink necklaces to elegant, one-of-a-kind stones set in sterling, new + recycled fashion, amazing cloth + repurposed truck tire inner tube handbags, paintings, prints + photography, stationary, cat + dog toys (can't forget the pets!), amazing sewn and crocheted plush and cool, vintage-inspired baby gifts and much more.

How should interested crafters who want to participate in your event for next year contact you?

DEPART-ment: Email info[at]depart-ment[dot]com and ask to be put on the makers email list -- you'll get updates about upcoming shows. We have all kinds of information on how to participate on our website, at www.depart-ment.com.

Nat: Are there any special plans for DEPART-ment in 2008?

DEPART-ment: Since the last three shows have happened so fast (July at the Pitchfork Music Festival, October at AV-aerie, and now December at AV-aerie), we haven't had as much time as we'd like to talk about the future. We'll meet in January to start planning for the year. Some ideas we've been considering include perhaps doing special themed shows, and reviving workshops on things that interest crafters (tax + business issues, how to photograph your work, etc.) during our Sunday morning participants brunch. We also plan on making the website more informative, adding a blog and links to our flickr account.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 26, 2007 12:00 PM
Interviews | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email Entry

Hanukkah Crafts for Kids

Menorah4

Kids Craft Weekly has a some fun Hanukkah crafts that kids can easily make like this simple Menorah card made from dried pasta. Link.

Posted by Natalie Zee Drieu | Nov 26, 2007 11:00 AM
Holiday projects, Paper Crafts | Permalink | Comments (1) | Email Entry