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News: July 2 - 9, 2008

Start date: 07/02/2008
End date: 07/10/2008
Newsletter Type: Include events
Greeting:
Hi, Crafters -

Here's wishing you a great, crafty 4th!

Wrap up:
See ya next week!

Craft On,
~Sister Diane
www.diyalert.com

Batch status: active
If you hoard scraps and accumulate yardage, you'll love True Up, a new blog all about fabric. Yum!

Blogger Kim Kight shares scans of beautiful modern and vintage fabrics, plus online sale alerts and news from around the material world (as it were). Definitely a great read. And so what if it inspires you to acquire a lot more fabric?

 
Be sure to check out this week's interview with Becky Sander. She makes adorable jewelry and accessories for little girls under the (equally adorable) name, Little Daisy Chains.

. . . I wonder if it's okay for big girls to wear this stuff? Go take a look!

 
The first-ever Irvington Artisan Market happens on August 19th, inside the Historic Ballroom at the Irvington Tennis Club. There are still some vendor spaces open, and they're looking for designers, artists, crafters, and food manufacturers.

If you're interested in selling at this event, just contact irv.art.mark@gmail.com for more information. There's also a show blog to check out.

 
Jackie and Merritt of Handmade NW are organizing two more awesome weekday craft fairs. The first is August 19 and 20 at the lovely Montgomery Park Atrium. And, if you really like to plan ahead, the next is October 14 and 15.

Are you interested in vending? Then just put in an application at the Handmade NW website. You can learn more about the Handmade NW collective there, too.

 

PDX Profile: Becky Sander, of Little Daisy Chains

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Jewelry and hair accessories for little girls. How awesome is that? I only wish Becky Sander had been in business back when I was a little girl. Actually, her designs are so cute, I'd wear them now, too.

Take a look at all the pretties at the Little Daisy Chains Etsy shop, and keep up with the doings on the Little Daisy Chains blog.

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How did you get started making accessories for youngsters?
I have a little girl who is very girly, which to me is a foreign concept. Growing up I was very much the tomboy. My daughter craves accessories, lip gloss and matching shoes. I think she has more pairs of then I do. I'm pretty simple.

I took her to find some clips for her hair, she'd been growing out her bangs and they were in the poke-your-eye-out stage. The products we were finding either had hefty price tags and were very cheesy, poorly made or very run-of-the-mill and were "boring".

I'd recently quit my job and was overwhelmed with the amount of time on my hands, and the fact that I was no longer contributing to the family income weighed on me. So on one of my sleepless nights I thought about all of my family members and friends that had ventures of their own and I started to think of things I could do or make and for some reason my mind went to my daughter's recent failed shopping trip and it all just clicked!!! I thought of a name that night and was so excited I got out of bed to write it down.

How do kids react to having their own jewelry and hair toys?
Some squeal, quite literally, and will pick up a piece at a show and run to tug on their mother's skirt. Other little ones become so attached to their hair accessories and their trinkets I get emails from Moms telling me how their daughter's will throw fits when it's bath time or bed time because they don't want to take them off. It's a great feeling to know I'm doing something right. Kids like to feel big and grown up and want any chance they can get to feel what it's like to be Mommy. I try to help with that.

What kinds of things inspire your designs?
Color, texture, crisp patterns, nature and children. I also love taking something that shouldn't be and making it into something that should!

You're very active in the Etsy community - will you tell us about some of the things you do over there?
I'm a member of PDX Etsy, Portland's local Etsy Street Team. The team is in the middle of some very exciting new changes that will benefit local artists new and old tremendously, I'm thrilled to be a part of such an active and inspiring group of artisans. The PDX team is actually gearing up now for a series of summer shows June 28th, July 19th & August 9th - they will be sistered up to the Portland Farmer's Market at PSU. The power of networking is amazing to me. I've also just become the Pacific Northwest co-leader of EtsyKids and am a member of EtsyMoms. I thrive on the people aspect even though I'm surprisingly shy.

How do you define the difference between "Art" and "Craft"?
Before I was introduced to the world of art and craft I used to think of art simply as paintings or drawings you'd see in a museum or in the lobby of an office building. I saw craft as something you'd see on the Martha Stewart show, I was very closed-minded. Now everything I see, I see as art. Art to me is an idea and craft is the manner in which you execute that idea. They're one in the same and it just makes sense that way.

What are some of your favorite creative spots in Portland?
I love to people-watch, so parks are good. I'm a fan of Westmoreland since I grew up in the Sellwood area and I find memories always have a way of inspiring me. Eating ice cream at Ben and Jerry's on Hawthorne has always been a secret favorite and I also enjoy walking around during Last Thursday, just the feel of it all is very energizing to me.

News: June 25 - July 2, 2008

Start date: 06/25/2008
End date: 07/03/2008
Newsletter Type: Include events
Greeting:
Hi, Crafters -

Congrats to Anitra Cameron, who won the free copy of Embracing Encaustic!

Now, what's up with your crafty week?

Wrap up:
Public Service Announcement: there's a three-day weekend coming up. Do you, in fact, have enough craft supplies to sustain you?

Craft On,
~Sister Diane
www.diyalert.com

Batch status: done
This week's interview is with Kristina Perry, who makes wonderful stuff from natural fibers and upcycled knits. Her chicken tea cozies, hats, and Lumpies make me smile.

Click over to our blog and learn what the heck a Lumpy is. You won't regret it.

 
Muse Art and Design and Stabilo are sponsoring a big ATC show and contest. Bring your ATC's in to the store between July 1 and August 16. Your work will be displayed at Muse throughout the contest, and then in a special show at the Hawthorne Day Street Fair.

After the winners are announced, there'll be a big swap meet for all participants to trade cards. Visit the Muse website for more details, or stop in and ask.

 
Did you know that we have an incredible quilting and fiber arts resource at the Oregon Coast? Next time you're near Tillamook, plan a stop by the Latimer Quilt & Textile Center. There's a museum of historical quilts, a gallery of modern ones, a huge workshop with classes, a library, and a great shop of handmade things.

Visit their website for more details. Fair warning, though: it'll make you want to devote your life to quilting.

 
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