Craft Lounge - Monday 04.03.08

Craft Lounge

Monday, March 3
from
7 to 9 pm
at
The Camel
1621 W. Broad Street
Richmond, VA 23220

Come out for a social get-together centered around all things crafty sponsored by the Richmond Craft Mafia.

There are some really cool crafts you can make from shrinky dinks. Think custom earrings, key chains, the possibilities are endless.

If shrinky dinks aren't your thing, bring your embroidery hoop, your knitting needles, your pliers and wires, or whatever and come on down. Have a coffee or a beer, and rub elbows with other local crafters. This is a great opportunity for the crafting community in our city to get together and keep growing! Cities like Portland, Detroit and Austin are well known craft meccas and Richmond Craft Mafia wants you all to help us put Richmond in those ranks! We can share information (and supplies - more info on that soon), form some bonds, and enjoy a really cool atmosphere.

Big-Ass Book of Crafts EVENT!!!!

One of my favorite TV hosts and designers is coming to Richmond!!! Mark Montano will be hanging out, signing books making crafts at Tinkers on March 8th from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. He is coming in celebration on his latest book The Big-Ass Book of Crafts. For a sneaky peak of what's inside the book check out his official Big-ass book site.

Speaking of making crafts with Mark you can check him out on In the Loop with i village. You get a great sense of how fun and creative Mark is! And yes Mark we do love to say BIG-ASS Book of Crafts! After school today the kids and I are so going to be making his bubbly stationary craft! Oh I can't wait! But what I really want to do is the skull plate project. I think that would be so cool with vintage apron patterns!

I know Mark from 10 years younger on TLC and from my celebrity home on the Style Network,
(which I must say I want back on the air!) but I had no idea that he wrote so many books! My crafty crush gets bigger and bigger! Big-Ass Book of Craft is just one of five, I have ordered the Big-Ass one & Dollar Store Decor.

See ya'll at Tinkers on the 8th for this super crafty event!

DIY City Magazine

Is your city a DIY city? There is a new online magazine launched February 14th, DIY City Magazine making its way to a city near you. It is geared directly towards the DIY/indie movement and the artists that are in the hustle and bustle of it. Each DIY City Mag focuses on one city; its local artists/designers, resources, and shops. The first issue is all about NYC. Which makes total sense, because the brains behind it, Deb and Wendy of DIYThing.com are based in New York. Artist/Designers: DIY City also has a community on NING, DIY City Community to network with others and share resources. The next issue highlights New Orleans. Excellent! :-)

dumpr.net

Created with dumpr.net - fun with your photos

Now Accepting Applicatons!

Craft Show Application Images Advice

Since the
Richmond Craft Mafia
is now accepting applications for the
Third Annual Spring Bada-Bing,
I thought I would repost this old blog entry of mine on
putting-your-best-foot-forward
when it comes to submitting images for a
Juried Art or Craft Show.

Enjoy and Good Luck!

Spring Bada Bing Right Around The Corner!

Your Richmond Craft Mafia friends sure are working hard right now. Poor Dawn, Tasha, and Erica have been up half the night putting the finishing touches on the Spring Bada Bing website! That's right ladies and gentlemen. It is that time of year again, time to fill out the flurry of show applications that have started hitting your mailbox left and right, and your very first order of business should be Spring Bada Bing! We'll have all the details for you soon, and the application process is starting, like any minute now! Come on and join us at "The BOSS of all Craft Shows!"

Now, be sure you read ALL the application requirements and get yours in on time. We absolutely cannot take late, or incomplete apps -please, help us keep Adrien's head from exploding. Last year we had over 150 applications from around the country for the 55 spaces available, and while we do have a few more spots this year, you really need to be sure and choose the very best photos to represent your work!

This photo? Not so great.

This pic? Better.

Hey, do you hear that? What? I do believe it's the shrinking of dinkys! Mhm. The Craft Lounge (featuring Shrinky Dinks), will take place the evening of Monday, March 3 at The Camel on Broad Street. What is the Craft Lounge, you ask? Brain child of the great Dawn Anderson, Craft Lounge is nothing more than an opportunity to work on your craft in a laid back, social atmosphere. So bring your embroidery hoop, your knitting needles, your pliers and your wires, and come on down. Have a coffee or a beer, and rub elbows with other local crafters and Etsy folk. This is a great opportunity for the crafting community in our city to get together and keep growing! Cities like Portland, Detroit and Austin are well known Craft Meccas and the RCM wants you all to help us put Richmond in those ranks! We can share information (and supplies - more info on that soon), form some bonds, and enjoy a really cool atmosphere. More details on the way...keep checking back!

Please help us to get the word out by joining us at the Craft Lounge, applying to SBB and by passing the info along to other folks who might be interested in helping Richmond become a fierce Craft City!

Tutorial Time: make your own sushi candles!

These cute sushi candles are made from strips of beeswax. I demonstrated them today on WTVR (CBS 6)'s Virginia This Morning show.
You can watch the segment here.

To make your own sushi candles, you will need:

• sheets of beeswax (red, natural, celadon green or other desired colors for the 3 sushi fillings) white and black for rice and nori (seaweed). To find the colors you like visit candle suppliers like Yaley Candles.

• 1.5" pretabbed, wax-dipped votive wicks. Most craft stores carry these and all internet candle suppliers should have them as well.

• craft knife

Cut the filling color sheets into small strips 1" by 2"

Cut 2 1"x 8" strips of white wax and 1 1x8" strip of black wax. Set these strips aside for the moment.

Carefully and slowly roll each of the 3 small strips into a 1" tall cylinder.

press the three cylinders around the tabbed wick. Use your fingers to gently mold the wax from a triangle to a circular shape.

Next, roll the first white strip around the tri-colored center. Once you have finished, use your fingers to join the second strip and keep wrapping it around the center. Finally, use your fingers to join the black strip and roll around then seal the edge with your fingers.

Repeat this process until you have 6 candles. Display them on a sushi plate or give them as a gift in a repurposed sushi takeout tray.

I * Heart* Craft

I * Heart* Craft, originally uploaded by potterybytashamckelvey.

I * Heart* Craft on Sunday was just lovely. The event had a great turnout - the members of the Richmond Craft Mafia, the Richmond Etsy Street Team and other local crafters got to meet and greet. We were able to put faces with names and even make some Valentines, too!

I *heart* Craft

Just a quick reminder to come hang out with us on tomorrow!



The Richmond Craft Mafia will be hosting "I *heart* Craft" on Sunday, February 10th from 4-6pm at The Camel. The event is open to any and all crafty peeps. The Camel will be sporting a full menu and bar so you can purchase a bite and nosh with us for a bit. Members of the Richmond Etsy Street Team will be there as well...come out and meet some of the folks you know from online. And bring a friend!

How To (Creatively) Torture Your Neighbor.

Every morning on my drive into work I go by a house that is festively decorated with two yard-dwelling garden gnomes. One of them, who stands on a big rock on the corner of their property, fell over into the grass two months ago.

It drives me crazy.

I thought about, uh, "rescuing" him but apparently when you take something that technically doesn't belong to you it's considering "stealing." I don't really want to get arrested for gnome theft and end up on the police blotter:

• A St. John Street man reported someone forced open a
window to gain entrance to his home and stole a .22-
caliber and a 410-gauge firearm and a pellet gun.

• A Southside woman was arrested for theft of a garden gnome.
When apprehended she clutched the gnome and told police she
"wanted him to have a better home."

• A Mapleton Drive woman told police she could hear
voices through her smoke detector.

Tres embarrassing. Anyway, instead I decided that the gnome should send the residents a little note requesting that he be righted. I mean, who wouldn't want mail from their garden gnome? Long tradition and all. I decided to send a postcard but not just ANY postcard, a gnome postcard. Where the hell does one go to find a gnome card? Why, Etsy! Where else?

Etsy: Your place to buy & sell all things handmade KeenDesigns.etsy.com

Caught in the Current

The Richmond Craft Mafia will be featured on Virginia Currents this week. The show will air on WCVE Channel 23 February 7th at 8:00 pm. If you miss it you can also check it out on Saturday at 5:30 pm or Sunday at 12:30 pm.



... learn how a group who call themselves the “Craft Mafia” take on mass production with a vengeance.

Links we luv: Crafty Business School

For this weeks links we luv we are sharing some of our favorite places to go for great tips on running a better craft business.



Dawn of Lark Studio contributes the following:

The Switch Boards
Craftypod Staying Savvy Series
PDX Supercrafty
indiebizchicks.com

While you are checking out the Indie Biz Chicks be sure to listen to Dawn's chat on their Podcast. You will learn all about Dawn, Lark Studios, IndieCraftShows.com and the Richmond Craft Mafia. Well done girl!

Miss Nicole Lee from none other than Nicole Lee Designs suggests SCORE! What a great place to get loads of free business information. This is a must know site! Look for the getting started seminars in your area they are very insightful.



Our own Mary Ellen Kim has been featured in a wonderful article about Turning your Creative Hobby into a Business. Mary Ellen runs the fabulous Twist Style. Congrats ME you are a rock star!

For my own contributions I am going to check out this new book.


Interview with Author Meg Mateo Ilasco at whip up!
Book review from Craft Goddess Sister Diane from Craftypod
Buy the book


I also like the following links:

Craftcast Podcast featuring Wendy Rosen.
How to run a successful etsy shop... by Greenbean Baby Art
For the ultimate link list check out ETSY Resource link list.

Please as always if you have a link to share please leave a comment. If you have linky luv subject you would like us to tackle contact me at Kelly@modernjune.com

See ya next week!

UPDATE our readers add:

Craft Boom thanks Q.D. Patooties!