Summer is here!

Well, at least in my book anyway. The skies are bright blue and the clouds are poofy. FINALLY, we are getting a break from the rain. I've got some really exciting stuff going on in the few weeks too.

Tower Grove Farmer's Market - 5/29/10

This weekend is my market day with Bobbi of DownZipper. Sharing with Bobbi is always a good time, she always has great snacks and she makes me giggle like I'm still in middle school. Her stuff is not to be missed either, Bobbi makes the cutest and most wonderfully colorful kids stuff around as well as some lovely stuff like doggie head embroidered tea towels for the grown-up folks. I'm fully stocked and ready to go with lots of new jewelry designs, dog collars and market totes. Be sure to stop by our tent and say hi!

I can't decide what I love best about the market - the delish veggies, the parade of adorable babies, the fabulous pups that help their people shop or the handmade goodness. Tough call really. They are all pretty awesome! If you aren't familiar with the area, the market is behind the playground in the very center of the park. For a detailed map, visit the market website www.tgmarket.org. Oh! If you are a yogi in the making or want to give yoga a try, there are free yoga classes at 9 right next to the market. Kinda makes me want to get all stretchy.

Green with Indie Craft Show - 6/5/10 - Webster University's Grant Gym

This green-themed craft show will feature vendors who sell vintage goods, upcycle, recycle and repurpose to make handmade morsels of wonderful. I don't normally get an opportunity to flaunt my vintage stock in person (I mostly sell it in my Etsy shop), so I'm pretty excited to bring it out. Among the stash I have some Donna Reed-esque everyday dresses, brooches, kitchy floral tumblers and a stack of fabulous grape hardsided suitcases for sale in addition to my usual handmade fare. The show is being hosted by my crafty family, The Craft Mafia, with many of my artistically inclined relatives in attendance in addition to lots of other talented folks. We've got a website up and running with all the details including handy maps and a list of vendors.

Soulard Market Park Arts & Crafts Fair - 6/19/10 - Lafayette & 9th

The dynamic duo of South City Studio and DownZipper will be reunited again. Who knows what sort of shenanigans will ensue? This one is going to be an absolute blast! There will be tasty treats, beer on tap for the thirsty crowd, oodles and oodles of handmade crafts, make and takes for the kiddos and live music. This is a family-friendly good time. The fair is sponsored by Paste, The Soulard Business Association and The St. Louis Craft Mafia - super powers of fun, innovation and craftyness who are joining forces for the second time to bring you a fabulous event in a series of three summer shows. Vendors will include folks from ShowMe Etsy and The St. Louis Craft Mafia as well as lots of other talented local artists and crafters from Missouri and Illinois. *Bonus, you get two-for-one-fun because not only will the fair be going on, but the Soulard Farmer's Market is right next door so you can grab some fresh fruit and veggies on the way out. Five servings a day ya know. That's thirty-five a week per family member. Yipes. Don't forget your granny cart.

Join the Revolution! Indie Craft Revolution

Three cheers for the indie craft scene! Just say no to geese in clothes, crocheted doll head toilet paper cozies and plastic flower arrangements. Join the Revolution and support crafts with some attitude!

The next big show is only a couple weeks away and I'm totally flippin' excited. Right about now is when I start to panic and craft around-the-clock. So, if you see me on the street and my hands are covered in glue, there are stray threads clinging to my shirt and splatters of paint in my hair - you'll know why.

Indie Craft Revolution will be held on Saturday and Sunday, March 13 & 14 at the St. Louis Artists' Guild in Clayton. Located in Oak Knoll park near the corner of Big Bend & Clayton, it's central to darn near everything. If you make it, please come by my booth and say hi! I'll have a special treat for anyone who mentions my blog :)

Go! Go! Go!

I feel like I'm always saying that things around here are busy, but lately, it's been insane. My day job has been keeping me late on the regular and my weekend/evening crafty gig seems to be a flutter with activity in the few gaps between. Don't mistake me, I'm not complaining, I'm grateful for all the new opportunities that the universe has offered up! I am truly blessed to work with so many interesting and wonderful people; it makes hard work a lot more fun!

Last weekend was Indie Underground with my Craft Mafia ladies at the Lumiere Hotel. Although sales weren't what I'd hoped, the people watching was FANTASTIC. I've never seen so many cougars and wacky shoes in one location in my life. The amount of posing and admiring of self that was going on was gut-bustingingly hilarious. About half way through me and one of my crafty girls in crime started keeping a list of famous nearly-look-alikes - there was Phyllis Diller with her cowgirl boots and giant pink feather boa, Posh Spice in her ass-bearing short shorts, Erkel in giant black rimmed glasses and hitched up pants and oh so many more. There were fabulously dressed and sophisticated too, but they weren't nearly as fun to gawk at.

This week has already started off with a bang. Last night I taught a class on polymer clay at Paste, which was super-duper fun. Tonight was my glass class at Third Degree Glass Factory and I got to play with fire! We made beads with polka dots, square ones, round ones and flat ones. I can’t wait to snap some pics to show y’all. Tomorrow is the Wine Tasting…Craft Making event at Paste where I’ll be teaching some lovely ladies how to paint and wire wrap wine glasses while they sample vino. This weekend is the big event I’ve been chattering about forever, Needles for Newborns …Crafting with Purpose. A bunch of knitty chics will be gathering to whip up some goodies for the preemie babies at St. Louis Children’s Hospital. On Sunday I plan to practice lying down horizontally on my couch. All day. Possibly changing channels once in a while.If I don’t bump in to you in my travels in the next few days, here’s to you and hoping you have a great week! Stay crafty!!

The Big A$$ Weekend

After a whirlwind of activity in the last week I'm glad to have a couple days of quiet-ish time in between activities. Last night was a marathon meeting for Girls Guide and we got a ton done. Tonight and tomorrow will be nice and mellow. I have a few things to do, but nothing as intense as last weekend. Getting ready for Big A$$ Indie damn near killed me. Of course I waited perhaps a bit too long to really get my butt in gear, so I had weeks worth of activity to cram in to a weekend. Oh well, its done, submitted, I was pleased with the results and I'm REALLY excited about the show this weekend. I hope y'all will come check it out this weekend at Mad Art.

The kid got back from Mexico today and she smells like heaven - sand, salt water and sun tan lotion. I'm glad she's back too - this mama doesn't like to go more than a few days without some kid love and it has been a full week. Since she's a teenager affection is rationed in such small amounts anyway, ya know?

Tomorrow afternoon I have the dreaded allergy testing where I will be poked, proded and injected with stuff that makes me itch like a mo fo. After I have a handful of Claritin washed down with some Benedryl I have big plans for the dog park. I'm going to sit on my kiester with Bobbi and watch our unofficial black dog club (Mackie, Zipper, Noodles and Bibi a.k.a. Debbie) romp and play. I might throw a fudgesicle on top of the whole thing if I'm feeling extra adventurous.

I'll need my energy for this big weekend. Friday night I'm working at Mad Art from 7 to 11. Saturday morning I'm up at the crack of dawn to work a booth for Paste at Soulard Farmer's Market. Sunday afternoon it's back over to Mad Art to pick up my stuff. Somewhere in there I'll hang with my kid and sleep some. Maybe eat.

Speaking of...I better get my arse to bed. Toodle-loo!

Happenings in the Studio...

Hey y'all, it's been a busy couple weeks. I graduate from college this Saturday! YAY!!!! Finally. Anyhoo, I've been doing a lot of studying which seriously cuts in to my crafty time. Dang.

The studio is overflowing with projects in queue - I can't wait to get crackin'. There will be critters, totes, aprons, baubles and more.

Here's what's on the calendar so far for the summer:

Tower Grove Market - June 20 and July 11
Big Ass Indie Arts and Crafts Show at Mad Art Gallery - July 31-August 2

I hope to see you there!