I’ve got a couple of goodies that are on sale until January 1.
Teensy Flowers Plate // $5 — normally $15
Baby Blue Zippy Pouch // $5 — normally $10
That’s Kinda Kitschy Zippy Pouch // $5 — normally $10
Big Beautiful Butterflies Wallet // $25 — normally $35 (there are 2 of these!)
Get ‘em while the gettin’s good … before January 1.
I’ve been really busy lately making a ton of new stuff! Last month I made new wallets, zip bags and then decided to make a big box full of new dishes. Free shipping to Ames and Des Moines and Christmas orders must be placed by December 20 to receive them on time.
Here’s a small taste of what I made (click the link to go to the etsy listing):
Hey, it’s Black Friday! If you’re getting ready to go out shopping, why not hit up Market Day in Des Moines at 9 AM today for some great deals?
In case you forgot, I’m doing a giveaway that ends at 5 AM on Monday. Be sure to check it out!
And if you’re going, you could buy me a present 
… here’s my local Christmas wishlist (click on the images to go to the etsy listing):
White topaz ring by Jen Lawler Designs
Hand-sewn tank by Hard Love Apparel
Vintage Lion Mug by TheSaraInitiave (BIG MUG … I realllly want this and it’s only $6!)
Milla Hand-knit cowl by HeyJenRenee
Champagne and Rhinestone Statement Necklace from Bean and the Sprout … out of your price range? I like this too …
Poppy and Blue necklace for only $40
Fabric covered button earrings by SRenee Design
Natural Cherry Cutting Board by KopperKitty
U Printed Card by YelleFont
Convertible Cowl/Sleeveless Shrug by LisforLiz
Expletive Hearts (custom made to order) by No Tengo Miedo Clay — I have one in mind that I just haveeeeeee to get made. For a friend.
Handspun yarn by MaraJane Creations
Classic Glam Peacock Earrings by DaniAwesome
Make your own long dog kit by JuneCraft — obviously I have been wanting this FOREVER.
Seaglass Elephant Pincushion by VeronicaMade
Audrey Vintage Lace Pouch by Florence Oliver
And the Super Amazing 100% Awesome Cat Calendar by Kate Funk
After stuffing yourself silly with turkey and cranberries, it’s definitely time for a day-long shopping trip. After all, that is the new American tradition.
How about shopping locally instead of hitting the big box stores? Market Day’s Black Friday sale is from 9-2 on Friday, November 25. I’ll be there and I’m going to have a couple crazy sales.
All dishes are 50% off. And most are already a crazy low price because they are last season’s pieces. So snag a handpainted decorative plate or a mug for $5 or less.
My new wallets will be on sale for $25. Normally these are $35. $10 off is a STEAL for these. If you haven’t seen these awesome new wallets, they’ve got hidden magnetic snap closures and dividers with card slots. I may have kept the middle one (below) for myself. I’ve been LOVING this wallet and have gotten a ton of compliments on it since I started using it.
I’ll also have a couple of random things on super-duper sale. These are my old wallets, old teeny-tiny wallets (I changed the size) and a few miscellaneous items.
Come on down and check it out. This event is going to be chock full of awesome vendors!
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. 
The Craft Saturday Holiday 2011 show is THIS SATURDAY from noon-6 at the Fourth Street Theatre in Des Moines.
I will be there. And so will my new wallets. And all my old stuff will be on SALE. Major sale. Clearance. I want to get rid of it to make way for new stuff. So that means awesomely cheap holiday gifts for you!
[new wallets for $30 each — $35 on etsy]
Besides that, there are going to be a TON of awesome vendors there. Check out the vendor preview page. I know I am planning on getting some things from these fabulous vendors. Bean and the Sprout will be there, so will JuneCraft and Florence Oliver.
I hope to 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.
Hello bloglings. Tomorrow is my first Market Day of the season. They’ve been going on since May, but I’ve not had a chance to do much crafting until this last month.
For those of you who don’t know and are around Central Iowa, you should come check it out. It’s pretty awesome.
Actually, for you newbies, here’s a description from their website: Market Day is an indie craft market: their vendors craft — but they don’t make your grandma’s crafts. At Market Day, shoppers find screenprinted posters and tees, postcards of monsters, stenciled paintings of mermaids, kawaii earrings, macabre pottery, and more. And? They’ve got their share of vintage housewares, clothing and jewelry, too.
Find Market Day at the Des Moines Social Club in the Kirkwood Theater — at 400 Walnut Street in downtown Des Moines, IA. Click here to get directions.
What am I selling? Why dishes of course. But actually, since I moved twice since the last craft show I did, I don’t have any new dishes. I do, however, have a metric butt-ton of new zippy pouches because these are super easy to transport and are reallllly fun to make.
Zippy pouches are $10 (at Market Day, $12+shipping on etsy). Dishes range from $5-15 for single items and $35-75 for sets (again, 10% more expensive on etsy + shipping).
Also, did I mention that Market Day is from 9 AM-2 PM? COME ON DOWN.
Weeeeee!
Here are the latest iterations of pretty pretty dishes. They are for sale on my etsy and, more importantly, will be for sale at Craft Saturday from 12-6 PM THIS SATURDASY (the 30th) at the 4th St. Theatre in Des Moines.
There are 4 new springtime flowers stoneware plates — slightly different versions of a floral pattern (sans music by popular request). Also, I have 8 of the little birdies cup and saucer sets on cute pastel dinnerware.
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???
