The installation for our upcoming Farmhaus + Friends exhibition is in the works and we couldn’t be happier with how it is turning out. There is so much detail to each piece in the show, so I thought I’d take some quick shots of my favorite details so far. Come out to experience Ben McBrien’s “Urban Beach Loft” in its entirety this Saturday from 5-8 and meet all the talented artist “friends” who contributed work to this fantastic show!
And let us know if you can make it to the opening via our Facebook Invite!
We are thrilled to announce that we will be participating in this year’s Crafty Bastards Fair in DC! We have heard so many incredible things about this show over the years and are so thankful to have the opportunity to participate this year for the first time ever!!
For those of you that have not heard of Crafty Bastards, it is very similar to our annual Art Star Craft Bazaar. The show features some of the best makers from across the country, a beer garden, DC’s best food trucks, family friendly activities + more at Union Market in DC on September 28th + 29th from 10-5.
We have partnered with Crafty Bastards and are able to offer all of you some special deals if you plan to make the trip to the show. You won’t be disappointed, we promise!
There is a small fee to enter Crafty Bastards ($5 for the day / $10 Weekend) but we scored you a special deal – a weekend pass for just $8! Because one day will not be enough, believe me! Enter Promo Code Vendor2013 when purchasing a weekend ticket and you will get the discount!
For those of you who want to take a trip to DC for Crafty Bastards, check out the Courtyard Marriott. It’s conveniently located within walking distance of the festival and they are offering a special rate of $126 per night, September 28th and 29th. Book your room today via this link or by calling 1-800-321-2111 and mention the Crafty Bastards room block. If you plan to stay and shop for the weekend, don’t forget to enter discount code VENDOR2013 when buying your tickets to get a special $8 weekend pass!
Speaking of comfort, we know how shopping for great crafts can make one, well, parched! With that in mind, Crafty Bastards for the first time in history will be serving craft beer. In partnership with New Belgium Brewing, there will be an outdoor beer garden featuring several of New Belgium’s amazing Belgian-inspired beers, plus food from local vendors and food trucks. We have a special discount code for you craft beer lovers, a single day pass and 2 beers for $10 when you enter the discount code CRAFTYBEERME when purchasing your ticket online.
We hope to see you there! Be sure to visit our booth and say hi!
We are excited to welcome Old Calgary, an online brand of handcrafted wallets and gadget covers made from Italian Leather and German Wool. We will be hosting the brand for a limited time and will kick off their debut with a Thirsty Thursday reception this Thursday, July 11th from 5-8pm. Enjoy a boozy cocktail while you shop. Also while you are in the neighborhood, visit Arcadia who will be hosting online brand kyu malange + Duke & Winston who will be hosting Maxton Men.
Ipad Proxima in Concrete by Old Calgary
Old Calgary began as a one man operation. What started as a simple design project, has now become a passion and continuing exploration of merging technology with traditional craftsmanship and quality. Our ethos remains the same; design and construct products with careful attention and provide amazing service. We obsess over every little detail, from the industrial thread we use to construct our designs, tasteful packaging, nifty letterpressed inserts, to the box your order is shipped in. We believe in the details, without losing sight of the larger picture. Some of our designs, though simple in appearance, have taken years to distill and perfect. Resulting into a finished product that is stylish, long lasting, and unique
I’m so excited that 3rd Ward Philadelphia is finally open! For those of you that don’t know, 3rd Ward is a 27,000 Square foot space for creating really anything you could think of. They have so many cool classes you really won’t find anywhere else, like LED Millinery, Urban Farming, Digital Textile Design, and um the History of the Cocktail? Sign me up! I have not actually visited the space yet, but I hope to take a tour soon to check it out. They run tours every half hour between 1 and 5pm all week.
After perusing the site I am most excited about the Drink & Draw evenings. There is one tonight from 8-10:30 and for $10 at the door you can kick back, drink some beers and draw. What better way to unwind? Just bring your drawing materials and they will provide the beer and model. I have been looking for a space in Philly that offers this with not much luck. I really need to brush up on my drawing skills and drawing from a live model is the best way to do it! I can’t make it tonight, but I am hoping this will be a regular thing for them.
Also, I am a novice when it comes to design and it would really help us at the shop if I could gain a few more skills. Intro to Illustrator or Photoshop 2 might be a good place to start! It would be a dream to learn Photo Etching on Copper, Upholstery, Enameling……..I want to learn how to make everything! To me there is nothing more satisfying then making something entirely from scratch. I can’t wait to see what other classes will be added to their roster.
I also wanted to share that they recently asked Erin and I to be judges for a contest they are running called Learn.Make.Inspire. They are asking people to share what they are learning, making, or what they are inspired by. Learn more here for your chance to win some cash, class credit or for your submission to be included in a culminating exhibition at 3rd Ward. We are so excited to see all the submissions and honored that we were asked to be a part of it!
And to all you local makers, they are looking for teachers. Sounds like a great opportunity to make some extra cash and become a part of an organization that may just become a creative epicenter in Philadelphia.
Image by Andrew Zangerle of The Maple Ridge. Copyright 2013 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Click on image to buy his work.
Thirsty Thursdays are back by Popular Demand this summer. We will be hosting a couple of these each month and our first one will be this Thursday (June 13th) from 5-8pm.
We will be serving up the above Cucumber and Mint Gimlets. The recipe is by Emma from A Beautiful Mess. You probably already read their blog and If you don’t, you should. I am pretty obsessed with it. Those ladies are very inspirational to me. Anyway……..Thirsty Thursdays.
A sample of one of the Awesome Iron Ons Hope will be bringing with her.
The coolest part about this Thirsty Thursday is that our friend Hope Rovelto of Little Chair Printing will be set up with her Heat Press. She will have a slew of 80s themed Iron on Transfers for you all to use and design/heat press your own t-shirt! It is Free if you bring your own T-shirt (any color, though Hope says white works with all the designs) OR you can purchase a blank from her for just $10.
And that’s not all! Enjoy 20% off all regularly priced items during the event. Just for you! Because we like you and we’ll all be drinking.
While your here, check out our HUGE SUMMER SALE which is taking up our entire back gallery space. We have Art, Clothing, Housewares, Prints, Ceramics and MORE priced to sell!
Soooo Come drink with us and make a sweet T-shirt. Maybe buy some of our stuff too 😉 See ya Thursday! Peep the Facebook Invite and tell us if you can make it – Invite your Friends!
Can’t make it to the shop in Philly? This summer we may be in a city near you! We will be bringing a selection of goodies from our shop to the following summer shows:
Our friends from The Clay Studio were teaching the art of claymation at our bazaar a couple weeks ago. Attendees of the show really got into it & created some great stuff! The Clay Studio put together a little video of all the creations made during our bazaar. We love the finished piece aptly titled animal parade! Lots of little animals and dinosaurs fighting, snacking and falling in love. And there is also a pretty great little bowling scene. Our customers (big and small) are so talented!! Thank you to The Clay Studio for providing this treat!
I can’t believe we just completed our 10th Art Star Craft Bazaar! The threat of bad weather on Saturday didn’t keep shoppers away. Though the forecast called for an 80% chance of thunderstorms, it didn’t start to really rain until the end of the show right at 6pm! Our guardian angel was looking out for us! She was a cheerleader and Art Star supporter to us since we began and though she is gone from this world, she’s still here. I take comfort in that. Thanks Lara Long!
Though the weather report’s impending doom kept the big crowds we typically get away on Saturday, Sunday sure made up for it! Thanks to everyone who came out to support our show & our incredible group of vendors. It’s not easy to get up and out of bed early, load up your car with all the work that you labored over for months when the weather is looking so grim. But our vendors are professionals & they came with a good attitude and smiles on their faces. An extra special thank you to all of you, who make the Art Star Craft Bazaar what it is – a celebration of the immense talent within the crafting community that we are so proud to be a part of. We are YOUR cheerleaders and we are forever grateful to you.
These bracelets by Buffalo Craft Company were stand outs at this year’s show
Thank you to our group of community partners. Your craft demos and make + takes were a huge hit. We are so lucky to be a part of an incredible creative community here in Philadelphia.
The Clay Studio shared hands on claymation with event attendees!
Thank you to our incredible team. Our small weekend staff: Lisa, Rich, Leah, Kelly, Pat, Jasmine, Kazana and Dee – you made our jobs so much easier & kept everything running smoothly. Our group of volunteers: Dom, Neely, John, Molly, Lauren, Mary, Emily, Miranda, Aly, Sarah, Sharon, Victoria, Ben, Duran, Janet, and Bailey. Your help is so appreciated by us but especially the vendors if you helped with load in and out! You made a stressful time much less stressful and I can’t tell you how many of the vendors remark on how great you all are. Heather & Jenny – we missed you this year but we know you’ll be back next year! Thank you to my husband Cisco for putting up with me during a very stressful time of year and for his help with load/in out and being our official vendor concierge!
At the Art Star Craft Bazaar you can shop with a beer in hand! Now, what’s better than that?
Thank you to Joey Sweeney and Claire of Philebrity for putting together an amazing line-up of bands AND putting together the after party for our vendors and bands. A HUGE thanks to all the bands that played – you are such a wonderful and important component to our show. Also thank you to Wild Hunt Vintage for selling the band merch.
Thanks to the Delaware River Waterfront Corporation for hosting our event. Extra special love to Shelvia, Sharon and Punch.
But most of all I want to thank my wifey, my hetero life partner, the yin to my yang – Erin. Art Star wouldn’t be possible without you. You keep me sane and I feel like we can do anything we dream up together. Here’s to another 10 years of living our dreams!
Check out the complete set of photos by Abigail Reimold here
Now, I know you are all coming to the Art Star Craft Bazaar this weekend, right? After you leave the bazaar you are going to be hungry for more. So head over to Rittenhouse Square & check out the Pennsylvania Guild Fine Craft Fair!
Now, I’m a clay nerd so I am personally drawn more to the ceramic pieces that I found in their flickr set, but really there is something for everyone – jewelry, furniture, mixed media sculpture, photography and some pretty sweet bird houses, amongst many other things. There will be over 140 artists set up Friday through Sunday in the lovely Rittenhouse Park, so you are bound to find a great mother’s day gift or a new addition to say, cough, your already (just a tad) excessive handmade mug collection. Or just go to browse and enjoy the amazing weather (cuz it ain’t gonna rain!!) Details Here.
I leave you with some of my personal favorites from their roster of artists…
Sharon Bartmann CeramicsKlara BorbasElizabeth Gates, hand bookbinderLana Heckendorn
Next up in our series of Art Star Craft Bazaar Vendor Profiles is Philadelphia based textile artist/designer, Julie Lange of On 3 Designs. Julie crafts beautiful clutches, bags and purses from her own screen printed fabric designs. Visit her at the bazaar at booth #69!
Art Star: Did you go to art school? If so, where did you study?
Julie Lange: Most recently I worked in Financial Services but I graduated from the University of Pittsburgh with a degree in Chemical Engineering. I worked in the field for over 11 years in manufacturing providing engineering support to everything from Corelle dishware to TV parts to pharmaceuticals. (If you stop by my booth, ask how many of these companies used a form of screen printing. Seriously :))
AS: So where did you learn to do your craft?
JL: I always had an interest in arts and crafts, taking classes on the side at local community colleges, etc. I tried everything – drawing, painting, pottery and frankly, I hated sewing until I took a class as an adult while living in LA…lower Alabama. Then I was hooked and so my addiction to fabric started. More recently, I learned to screen print from Candy Depew at the Candy Coated Center and from Bill Brookover at Fleisher Art Memorial. Screen printing fabrics to use in my sewing projects is my new passion.
AS: What types of items will you be selling at the bazaar? JL: I will be selling handmade handbags and clutches. I am introducing some new cross-body bags and jewelry made from fabric too. About 60% of my collection right now is made from original, screen printed fabrics and sewn on the 3rd floor of my home, hence the name, On 3 Designs.
AS: What materials do you work with? JL: I screen print using waterbased fabric inks on high quality quilting cottons, linens and sometimes denim to create all my items. Since I LOVE fabric, I carefully select commercially made fabrics that compliment my original line of fabrics.
AS: How are your items made? Describe your process. JL: Each project starts differently. Typically, I create an inspiration board from magazine clippings, or my personal photos. (The pre-pinterest way!) I save a lot of images that I like even when I don’t know what I am going to do with them – people, places, color combos, etc.
If I am printing my own fabric, then, I plan and choose the best method to create the silk screen (stencil, photographic process, etc), often starting with hand sketches or scanned photographic images. I hand screen print in my home studio or at Fleisher Art Memorial.
Each bag is sewn by me using professional sewing techniques that I have learned over the last 18 years. I use multiple layers of interfacings and interlinings to keep the shape of my clutches, even when you carry your cell phone and keys.
new fabrics
AS: Are you able to make your work full-time? If not, what do you do for your day job? JL: Yes! And I love it! About a year ago, I transitioned from a fulltime corporate job to officially launch my business. In addition to my core business, making handbags, I also teach fashion, sewing and textile design to adults and children at Main Line School Night, Chester County Night School and the Eilandarts Center. Occassionally, I take requests for custom drapes and clothing too. It’s been super exciting, a little stressful at times but always fun! Big thanks to my husband and daughter for supporting me through my new endeavor!
Julie with some of her students
AS: Who are some of your favorite artists? JL: My favorite artist is Gustav Klimt, for both his simpler sketches as well as his more popular paintings of women emblazened with shapes, textures, many, many colors and golden metallics. I would love to wear the garments these ladies are donning!
Gustav Klimt
AS: What are you reading/listening to right now?
JL: Read? I am sewing ALL the time. No time to read though I do have a guilty pleasure…watching Shark Tank on TV Friday eves!
AS: Where would you like to see yourself and your art/craft business in the next 10 years? JL: I’d love to offer clothing items in addition to fashion accessories with a small team of employees helping me to grow the business in to more retail shops.
Julie’s studio – on the third floor!
AS: Are there any bazaar participants that you are excited to check out this year? JL: I am looking forward to seeing Once Lost Jewelry. I was amazed last year by the re-use of materials, making each piece look interesting instead of just recycled. I’d love to have Michelle make me something from vintage jewelry pieces I have in my collection from my grandparents.
While your here, check out our HUGE SUMMER SALE which is taking up our entire back gallery space. We have Art, Clothing, Housewares, Prints, Ceramics and MORE priced to sell!
