Guys … guess what? My stuff is in the ArtVend machine at Wheatsfield.
See that? Super cool! 40% of the proceeds go to support local art.
[ you should go buy one of my zippy bags ]
[ here are some of my other zippy bags that aren't in the vending machine ... in case you're curious ... they are on my etsy shop ]
… if you live in Ames.
Remember that vending machine I told you about? The ArtVend project that lives at Wheatsfield in Ames?
My teeny tiny wallets (now not-so-teeny tiny at 5″x2.5″) and my zippy bags will be in there starting in December.
Teeny tiny wallets are $5 …
And zippy bags are $10.
I’m excited! I’m making things in the next couple of weeks for Market Day and will hopefully have 5-10 of each leftover so I can vend in December.
There are so many craft and art shows this season there isn’t any excuse not to support local makers and get some of your holiday shopping done at these local events. Unlike buying from a franchise store, when you support your local makers the money goes directly to them and directly back into the community. Who knows where the money goes when you pick up your gifts at Target, Wal-Mart, or any other big box or franchise store. It doesn’t go to the person who made it. That’s for dang sure.
How about instead of buying an over-priced scarf at The Gap, pick up a lovely cowl from Hey Jen Renee!.
(click the images below to go to the etsy listings)
Or what about those sweatshopped items at Urban Outfitters made to LOOK handmade? Instead of getting faux-crafted items, pick up the real deal. Like this gold rosette headband from Bean and the Sprout.
And thinking about shopping at Pottery Barn for bedding? Instead how about this lovely quilt — perfect for a little girl — from Whoopdedoo Crafts?
Oh and what about a gift for your lovely but sassy daughter who just moved out on her own for the first time? She probably doesn’t want your old tired set of Corelle dishes from 1995 or a new cheap set from Target. She would rather have these hand-painted upcycled dishes from chimesdesign.
Can’t make it to a craft show? No problem if you live in Ames. There’s a handy-dandy art vending machine, aptly named ArtVend, set up at Wheatsfield Coop. Things found inside this machine are also all handmade by local makers (extremely local — you have to live within 50 miles of Ames to vend). Pick up some stocking stuffers and while you’re at it, pick up some local food and support local agriculture (hey, I have to plug that now too!).
These are just a FEW of the many many many reasons that you NEED to try to shop local for your holiday gifts.
Want to meet some of these makers and get a chance to shop locally? Hit up Craft Saturday’s Handmade Holiday Show tomorrow from 12-6! Be there or be square. I will be there with my dishes, wallets, and zip bags.
And don’t forget about the mega-awesome Market Day Black Friday Sale on November 25th. I won’t be there selling (unless they can squeeze me in) but I will be there buying (assuming I don’t have to work … I haven’t quite figured out my vacation schedule yet!).
P to the S: Guess who’s on the front page of the Des Moines Register today? ME!
They just randomly picked a photo file to represent all the holiday craft shows … so I guess it was a good pic. 
Due to summer being INSANELY busy for me, I just got involved with Market Day this year. It’s only a few months late …
My first experience this year was last month. They have an amazing new venue this year — the Kirkwood hotel. It’s bright, clean and has climate control. And all the booths are indoors. On carpet. SUPER fabulous.
Last month I experimented with a new setup. I added shelving, courtesy of my roommates and their video game addiction (normally this shelf houses some of their games — yes, I said some).
Also, I made an epic butt-ton of zippy pouches. Shown here are a small amount of what I had or inventory that day, as well as the last of my wallets. I’m going to be revamping my wallets for next year. Wallets 2.0. There will be zippers or snaps involved. Potentially lace, flowers or rhinestones.
Sadly, I sold this adorable pouch. Well, not sadly. I made a sale (this was not ALL I sold that day, thank you — I actually sold about 60-70% of what I brought that day). I love using selvege edges in my zippy pouches to keep the scrappy look going and because the concept behind the pouches is to use EVERY BIT of fabric scrap possible.
This month’s Market Day was a suitcase showdown (ie. they were only able to reserve the front part of the building). I really enjoyed this idea — for one, I always use a suitcase. Two — I didn’t have ANY time last month to make any new items, so I just brought what I had left from the previous month. Three — I didn’t have to bring a table. Four — it was less expensive for me. And five — I got to network with so many more people. We shared a booth, so there was less pressure to stay at your space the entire time as there was somebody there that could talk about your work and hopefully help sell your stuff as well as their own.
That being said, I sold ONE item — to a coworker. It seemed like that was the general vibe of the day. I don’t think it was due to a change in format. I think it just happens to be a slow month. October and November will be busy, but September is kind of weird because it’s too far away from the holidays and the weather is changing and colder so not as many people were probably out at the Farmers Market (which is where a good portion of our crowd comes from).
I shared a booth with Meg, who makes fabulous needle-felted creations. Although she makes hats and other winter gear, this month she brought home decor. I love that fox pillow. And our stuff meshed so well together!
There was definitely a bird theme at our table.
My friend Kyle, who formerly created White Boy Burritos, had a booth with these really sweet antler decorations. This one was burnt, painted a bit on the end and clear-coated. Sooo pretty!
Here are more of his creations.
This booth had some beautiful wooden art. I didn’t catch the vendor’s name, but I love the green piece in the center.
Best part of the day? As usual, the dogs. Shown here is a long haired doxie WITH A MOHAWK. No, Barney is NOT getting this haircut. Unless one of my roommates is drunk and has the clippers out.
Hey, Des Moines! Come downtown today (from 9–2) for Market Day’s special September Suitcase Showdown. Be sure to hit up the Farmers Market while you’re at it … we’re right next door. Thirty vendors with everything they can fit into suitcases or whatever they can find. Don’t miss it! See you there.
Hi. I’m chimes. If you’ve been reading my blog and are just now figuring this out, well howdy. I’ve decided to try Craftzine’s 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 Profile questions. Enjoy!
1. My musical flowers pitcher. And the resulting photos of it. I really miss my little brick wall porch at my old place in Des Moines.
1. Not saying no when I should. I’m to proud to admit when I can’t take on a project — I love being a jack of all trades. I recently took engagement photos of my friend’s little sister and her (now) hubby. I really shouldn’t have. I’m not a photographer. And I said yes to taking her WEDDING photos too.
[okay, so they didn't turn out too horrible]
2. Using parchment paper to bake these amazing brownies. The result? What my roommate coined “reverse brownies” — gooey on the outside, done in the middle.
1. I’m cheap — but in a good way. I use EVERY scrap of fabric — including the selvedge edges — every discarded dish, every possible inch of batting and use cereal boxes for patterns for sewing projects. I’m currently making a map of the states quilt out of pieces of fabric that are less than 2″ big. Partially because I’m a fabric hoarder too.
2. Asymmetry. I hate symmetrical and being matchy matchy. I will never make a quilt from a traditional pattern — it has to be wonky.
3. Obviously, I love handmade objects. And as a graphic designer in my professional life, I try to incorporate hand-done items into my work as much as possible — whether it’s my own illustrations, found objects, fabric or paintings created by a friend.
[album cover for a band I was in that never took off]
1. Rotary cutter. I have no idea why, but there is something so damn therapeutic about cutting fabric and placing it in neat piles.
2. Adobe Creative Suite (especially InDesign — use it daily at work)
3. Sewing machine — I sometimes think I need a fancy one with more bells and whistles, but the freebie one I got from my aunt has been kicking out great projects and working just fine. I actually got a new Janome in October and it has been rocking my world! I even completed a quilt last month using that machine with no blips in the fabric or dropped stitches. I’m saving my old machine for threadbangin’ more crafty projects.
4. Sketchbook + Prismacolors. I don’t just do things. I think them through first and find several ways of accomplishing what my desired end result may be. It’s surprising what you come up with when you take some time to brainstorm.
1. Quilters like Fussy Cut and Oh Fransson!
2. Michael Jackson. Yes. I’m serious. If you’ve not read my blog before, then newsflash: I heart MJ.
3. Every DIY and craft blog out there. ever. I think I follow all of them in my google reader.
4. My granny — she left a TON of unfinished projects when she died and I’ve been randomly finishing them up in the past several years. Here’s a quilt I completed out of blocks she made from what we think may have been old clothing (she was also cheap and thrifty).
5. And I have to mention my boyfriend. He’s constantly helping me refine my work and offers up suggestions and critique as well as an incredible amount of support.
Today is Craft Saturday! It’s at 4th Street Theatre in Des Moines from Noon–6. You should come on down. I’ll be selling …
Quilted Cards — $1
Little Zippy Bags — $10
Wallets — teeny tiny: $3, small: $10, medium: $15, oversize: $20
Springtime Beauties Plates — $15
Little Birdies Cup and Saucer Set — $10
Teatime with Gram Cup and Saucer Set — $10
Teensy Flowers Platter — $15
Cake Stands — $25
Bonjour Beads and Lace Dish Set — $45
I’m also going to be plugging my wedding invites and my soon-to-be-opened wedding invite shop on etsy. Oh, and did I mention? I’ll be taking credit cards with Square!
When I was moving, I uncovered these fabulous dishes I was working on back in 2009. I totally forgot about them, but am hoping to finish them before Craft Saturday on April 30.
Except … I have no idea what to put in the ribbon on the hearts. There are 4 plates that need something filled in and I plan to make the mugs to match. I was going to do Mom, Dad, Love and something else, but realized if a family that didn’t have a mom, or didn’t have a dad might want these dishes and be offended. My best idea so far is to keep it blank and personalize it for the person who buys it, but that’s not probably the BEST way to go about it.
Ideas???
My friend Doris is getting married and I offered to help pull together her invites.
She had some beautiful church architecture and wildflower inspired sketches and a desire for an e.e. cummings type treatment. So I waved my magic wand and put it together for her. She printed these on some pretty silver paper.
Here’s a photo of the invite, RSVP and Doris’s original sketch from her blog.
Her wedding is in less than 45 days. So exciting!
The time has finally come for me to have FINISHED A PROJECT.
Although, “finishing” this project involved tearing out a few blank pages …
REGARDLESS, I am mailing my sketchbook in tomorrow, which is the postmark deadline. Which means hopefully I can make it to work tomorrow with the weather being this crappy because I left my sketchbook at work over the weekend assuming I would mail it from work over lunch tomorrow. KEEPING MY FINGERS CROSSED.
Here are a few selections from my sketchiebook. Enjoy.
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(who ya gonna call? bill murray)
