Upcoming Craft Shows - Coast to Coast

I'm excited to announce that this spring you can find us at craft shows on both coasts! Our first show of the year is this upcoming weekend in Pittsburgh, PA at Handmade Arcade, which takes place on Saturday, April 16th from 11am - 7pm. I've heard nothing but good things about this show and their site states that they normally have 10,000 attendees - in one day! If you are anywhere near Pittsburgh, I highly recommend attending (and maybe getting an early bird pass, to avoid the crowds).

Also, I'll be re-uniting with some of my favorite crafty ladies from Baltimore Craft. Oh, how I miss them!

Just a few weekends after Handmade Arcade, I'll be traveling down to Portland, Oregon to participate in Crafty Wonderland. This is a mega indie craft fair, featuring almost 200 crafters. Holy moly, that's a lot of crafty goodness. I also think of Portland at the epicenter of indie craft, so I am both excited and humbled to be participating in this show. This show is also one day, and takes place on Saturday, May 7th, the day before Mother's Day - which seems like a really smart day to hold a craft fair!

Here are the details for these two shows:

Handmade Arcade:

Saturday, April 16th at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center in Pittsburgh, PA
11am - 7pm. Early bird pass hours are from 10am - 11am.

Crafty Wonderland:

Saturday, May 7th at the Oregon Convention Center, Hall D in Portland, Oregon
11am - 6pm

Hope to see you at one of these shows!

Made by Hank

Have you ever wanted something for a long, long time? Like for a couple of years? Well, I've wanted a Made by Hank bag forever. But seeing as how this designer is amazing, like red hot, it's hard to snag one. She posts her bags every-so-often and then they dissapear quickly. But not this time! This time I snagged myself this little number.

This little pouch will be perfect in my Moop bag, which I currently use as a diaper bag. This way, when we go into a cafe and I don't actually need the diaper bag, I can grab this sweet pouch and feel stylish. Which is rare these days. This mama needs a little style.

Oh, and I really, really want one of these. But, these bags go quick. One of these days I'll get lucky and get a big bag too. Fingers crossed!

You Say Hello

Sam, age 4 months

Most people write their new year posts in January, but February seems like a better time for me this year. We've got some big changes going on with my little business and family. For one, we've just moved back to Seattle. With our two dogs, baby, no house and my husband quit his architecture job (yes, in this economy). Crazy, right?

Our new start, falling so close to the new year, sort of feels like a resolution. A resolution that says: life is short. If you are not living the life you want, just shift your perspective. Also, now that I have a wee one, I feel very strongly that we should live our lives passionately. What kind of message would we be teaching our son if we stuck with something that wasn't working, just because it is comfortable?

With this change, I am in a new city where I don't know very many other artists. In Baltimore, I was very involved in the indie craft community. I did all of the Charm City Craft Mafia Shows. I was one of the founding members of Baltimore Craft. I got to know some amazing people in Baltimore who helped give me the courage to grow my jewelry business into a full time gig.

Am I scared a little bit right now?

Yes.

Do I think we're just a little bit crazy?

Maybe

Am I excited?

You bet


I would love to hear from you all about something risky or just different that you've done lately. It doesn't have to be anything drastic, like moving your family across the country. It could be something really small, like changing from pens to pencils. Or walking to the store for groceries instead of driving. I would love to hear what you are doing differently this year.