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.

French Flea Market

Bonjour! Tomorrow is the French Flea Market hosted by the Map Room. I'm crossing my fingers for clear skies, this is sure to be a great show.

I'll be there repping the studio and my favorite craft store, Paste. Right next to my booth (and keeping me entertained with witty banter) will be my best crafty bud, Bobbi of DownZipper. She makes the cutest darn stuff you've ever seen! I'm currently coveting a small pouch with a organ-grinding monkey. I mean really, who doesn't need one of those!

There will be bunches of other vendors too, everything from stuff that smells delish to handmade beads and baubles. So start practicing your French accent now and pop in tomorrow for what's sure to be a great time!

Hope to see you there!

Soulard Market Park Arts & Crafts Fair

I'm super duper excited about this new series of shows that will be held in the Soulard Market Park right next to the historic Soulard Farmer's Market. The show is sponsored by the Soulard Business Association, The St. Louis Craft Mafia and Paste. (If you're interested in participating, there's still time to apply, just visit the Paste website for the application information.) This is going to be a great show with tons of indie artists and crafters, live music and tasty treats.

I'll be there all three dates:

May 15

June 19

July 17

Stay tuned for more info...

Supporting Handmade!

It's always such an honor to make it on someone's blog. Thanks so much Paige for helping promote our upcoming show this weekend, Indie Craft Revolution, and for supporting me (see my St. Louis necklace - wee!) and my crafty peeps. Muahhh!

Paige is a fiber artist that makes super duper cute stuff and her prices are oh so reasonable. Go check out her Etsy shop! I'm currently coveting the purple spring wildflowers scarf. Don't forget to give her some love on her blog too!

I hope to see all you crafty lovers this weekend. I'm so excited about this show I could burst. I'm taking the day off from my regular gig as Administrator Extraordinaire to do some last minute tagging and get ready for the big show.

I'll be on the second floor sharing a gallery with some of my favorite Mafia pals:

April "The Tater" Tate - Miss Lemon, sweeter than pie, visionary and head cheese in charge of the Craft Mafia. Crafter of fabulous upcycled goods.

Karen Miller - C. Bunny Binx, keeper of wit and sculptor of fantastic pint-sized critters in ceramic and paper clay.

Allison Rabbit - Squaresville, master of sarcasm, sewist supreme, digger of dirt, grower of pretty things and teacher of tweens.

Courtney Chesley - Twisted, wire twisting fireball, blogger, giggle box and mama to a Clifford-sized pooch.

Laurene Franco - Superchick Studios, bean counter, super chick and plushie mastermind.

Cara McKinlay - Mermaid Garden Party, bundle of joy, graphic artist and maker of chic geek paper goods.

This is a show not to be missed...hope to see you there!

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 :)

High on Crafts

I am high on crafts and positively worn out. What a great weekend with some of my favorite people on the planet. Crafty kids, y'all rock my socks off! Artropy was such a blast and I got to see some of my favorite customers and catch up with my Show Me Etsy girls. Renee and I even squeezed in a little dancin'. Sunday I did my shift at Big Ass and had a freaking fantastic time. Thanks a heap to the Big Ass crew for all your hard work and to The Mafia Family for being my favorite relatives and 100% hysterical.

I'll be taking a smidge of break and catching up on some family time with the kiddo (Senorita Cranky Pants) who is feeling oh-so-poopy from being sick. We both have been battling some sort of germie crud for the last week. I'm feeling a bit better, but my Boo isn't improving much. She's going to get some face time with the doc today and hopefully a big fat bottle of antibiotics.

I'm sure she's not too sick to put together a whopper Christmas list. I'll be hitting the dreaded mall soon. It seems that teenagers don't appreciate handmade the way I do. I'm hoping for a 100% handmade holiday and she's hoping for a 100% all designer label bash. We might have to split the difference.

So, I've been thinking...I do a lot of crafty projects and I'm pretty good with a camera, I could probably throw up a tutorial now and again. Any special requests?

I hope you are all having a FANTASTIC holiday season and get to squeeze some R&R in soon if you haven't already. Big giant bear hugs to you all!

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!!

Busy, Busy, Bee

So many exciting things have happened this week. It's been a total whirlwind! Earlier this week I got a "promotion" at Girls Guide to the Galaxy and am now the new Arts Editor. YAY! I'm so honored to be a part of this fantastic women's magazine! We have all sorts of neat-o events coming up in the very near future, be sure to stay tuned for details.

Today, I got an email letting me know my artist feature is live on Cafe Handmade. This is such a cool site that hosts a weekly virtual craft show. I'm thrilled beyond belief to be featured.

In addition to the totally awesome stuff happening I've also been feverishly crafting my butt off. Lots of new things are happening in the studio. I've added some toddler clothing with cute-as-hell appliqued animals, some new doggie toys, as well as making a bunch of jewelry. I've got lots more new stuff in queue for the big show at the end of the month, Big Ass Indie Arts & Crafts show at Mad Art Gallery. This is going to be a cool show. There will be live entertainment too! That same weekend I'll be representing my favorite craft store, Paste, at Soulard Farmer's Market with my pal Bobbi of DownZipper. I'll be at the Farmer's Market in Tower Grove Park on September 19th, then the next big show will be on September 26 & 27, the Strange Folk Festival in Illinois. It's going to be a huge bunch of fun with tons of artists from all over. I can't wait!

I'm feeling a little tired reading about all my big plans! In addition to all the fun in the studio, I have a wedding to attend and photograph for one of my dearest friends, Teri, a camping trip with the kiddo and a hotel overnight at the Crowne Plaza with my bff, Paula (I won a free night's stay last year and it's about to expire!). The day job is crazy busy with the fall semester rapidly approaching and I'm starting to wonder if I'm ever going to sleep again. Good thing I like coffee and there's nothing more I love than being busy.