This Sunday, December 13th 11 am – 7 pm at the Oregon Convention Center – Hall D

It’s Time for the Super Colossal Holiday Sale!
An all-star lineup of over 200 super talented artists and crafters, plus…

* 200 goodie bags stuffed with fantastic treats from local and national crafty businesses that will go to the first 200 shoppers through the doors!

* Local authors doing demos and book signings at the DIY area.

* A fancy event program featuring a fun craft project, an interview with a local crafty superstar couple, and a full vendor list + map of the room!

* A full bar with special signature crafty cocktails.

* Lots of food options – including vegan and vegetarian.

* Space to sit and relax between shopping and crafting!

DONATE SMALL HOUSEHOLD ITEMS FOR COMMUNITY WAREHOUSE!
This year we are proud to team up with the Community Warehouse, a local non-profit agency that collects and redistributes donated household goods to individuals and families in need. Stop by the Community Warehouse booth (#11) to learn more about their organization and also to make a donation if you’d like. They will be accepting gently used small household items like toasters, pots + pans, utensils, can openers, alarm clocks, towels, blankets + sleeping pillows.

Hope to see you there!

Rachel

Friday December 11th will be the 2nd annual Big 100 Show.  It’s like this 100 artists did 20 pieces for this monster.  The line up of artists is enough to make any collector’s wallet open and eyes water! Every piece in the show is going for $30!  $30, and $10 of it goes to the Oregon Food Bank!   Come by if you are ready for a bad ass time.  It will be at the Olympic Mills Commerce Building here in lovely SE Portland.  For more details and the full line up, check : http://portlandcityart.org/2009/10/12/big-100-art-show/

On Saturday and Sunday I will be downtown at the p:ear Gallery for their annual Art Sale/Swap and benifit.  15 % of artist’s sales go directly to p:ear.  They do amazing work mentoring creative homeless youth.  The have a very special place in my heart so come by and support.

Crafty Wonderland is also holding their monster amazing sale this weekend.  A bunch of my favorite people will be down there selling thier hand mades.  Hungry Eyeball will be down there selling a bunch of fantastic art from local artists, and will have some of my work as well as: Jason Graham, APAK, Bwanna Spoons, Justin “Scrappers” Morrison, and a ton of other awesome folks.  Hit them up.

So yeah, if you are in Portland, and by the end of the weekend don’t have your holiday shopping done, you’ve missed.  xooxox Heidi

If you are still looking for holiday gifts like me, there are many great options this weekend. Tomorrow/Friday brings the “BIG 100″, a huge Portland art show with 100 artists, over 2000 pieces & every piece is only $30. On Sunday, you can head over to the Oregon Convention Center for Crafty Wonderland’s “Super Colossal Holiday Sale” with over 200 artists and crafters. That might take care of most of your shopping.

Related: 75+ Portland Weekend Events, Parties & Free Tickets | December 10-13

From Crafty Wonderland:

A peek at what you might find at The Super Colossal Holiday Sale… Make Your Own Birch Log Kit by My Imaginary Boyfriend, Harvester Painting by Amy Ruppel, Hunter Wool Satchel by Wooly Bison, Bluebell Hat by Muluk, Vintage-Style Pink Snowman Gal by Magpie Ethel, Copper Bloom Earrings by RubyGirl, The Lady Necklace by i.heart.mies, Coconut Milk Shampoo & Conditioner Set by MeMe Cosmetics, Bernard, Bernerd… all depends on how you pronounce it by DoorMouse Designs, Space Garden Limited Edition Print by Apak, Le Squirrel Tee by Monsieur T., Burt Reynolds Letterpressed Thank You Card by Power and Light Press, 2010 Calendar Cards by Red Bat Press, Super Hero Gloves by World of Whimm, Sunny Lime Slice Tea Towel by Wonder Thunder…and that’s just the tip of the iceberg!!! Check out the full vendor list at www.craftywonderland.com/vendors.htm

w/ Diane Gilleland of CraftyPod and author of Kanzashi In Bloom

In true Portland fashion, Sesame Seed Designs makes home and personal accessories that are not only fun and attractive, but also environmentally friendly. As an ecologist, fiber artist, and mother, Casey makes functional, nature-themed items using recycled wool and cashmere sweaters. Cozy and eco-friendly!

If you are local, check out Sesame Seed Designs this weekend (Dec 13) at the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale and next  (Dec 19) at SCRAP’s Holiday Bazaar. For those not in the Portland area, make sure to check out her shop and newsletters for further updates.

Perfect for stocking stuffing or even an early Santa gift for yourself, Casey is generously giving ONE winner the choice between a pouch or coffee sleeve. To win, leave a comment here before Sunday Dec 13th midnight PST. Tell me which you choose and I’d love to hear about a favorite gift from recycled materials that you’ve either given or received.

For a second shot at winning tweet about this giveaway and leave the url in another comment.

Want a third and final chance? Subscribe or follow my blog. Good luck!

Portland’s beloved monthly craft fair, Crafty Wonderland, is headed to the Convention Center this month to host the Super Colossal Holiday Sale. Over 200 vendors will be selling amazing handmade gifts, so come on out and finish your holiday shopping while supporting local artists. Goodie bags will be given to the first 200 shoppers, and free craft activities will be happening all day!

Flapper Girl will be at this exciting event selling accessories for everyone on your gift-giving list. Shop our mega selection stylish eco-friendly coffee cup cozies, whimsical vintage-inspired jewelry, embroidered gingham bags, and much, much more!

CRAFTY WONDERLAND SUPER COLOSSAL HOLIDAY SALE, Sunday, December 13, 11am-7pm, Oregon Convention Center (Hall D), 777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd, Portland, All Ages, FREE ADMISSION

I just finished these new little pieces!  I had some scrap wood from cutting panels the other week and thought I would try some new shapes.  I like the way they turned out, my favorite is that top piece.  All of these are 4.5″ x 9.5″ and are listed for $90 in my etsy shop.

The holiday season is upon us (or me anyway)!  I am getting more and more orders through etsy and am busy getting ready for my last two shows of the year.  Urban Craft Uprising is this weekend – yikes!  I always feel I’m scrambling as a show approaches and no matter how organized we are, there is last minute running around buying more paper for notecards or other random supplies that we thought we had.  Things always come together, so I’m reminding myself right now to take a deep breath and drink less coffee.  Hope to see you at the show if you are in Seattle this weekend.  Portlanders, I’ll be at Crafty Wonderland the following weekend.  Woo-hoo!

Happy holidays,

Rachel

The vendor list for Portland’s Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Sale just went up and it looks to be amazing!  Click here to see who will be showing.  This is one of my favorite shows to do and to shop at – mark your calendars for Dec. 13th, 11-7pm at the Oregon Convention Center.  Free admission and goodie bags to the first 200 people.  Woo-hoo!

Rachel

Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale
Applications are due by Midnight on October 1st!
click here for more info

Cathy and I have decided to take everything we’ve learned selling at craft fairs over the past handful of years (AND what we’ve learned organizing Crafty Wonderland) and offer it to the public for a mere $35! We’re teaching a Craft Fair 101 class at DIY Lounge! Space is limited, so get your seat today!

Here’s the official class description:
Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced seller, this class will help you navigate the world of applying to and selling at craft fairs and give helpful insight from two ladies who have been selling at fairs for years and now organize and run a successful fair. Subjects that will be covered include:
* The application process – presenting yourself and your work well
* The dos and don’ts of booth layout
* Pricing your work
* Selling at larger national fairs
* Selling tips – credit card processing & how to maximize sales
* And oh-so-much-more!
Students will receive a printed handout chock full of resources, tips and secrets!

CRAFT FAIR 101
Saturday, 9/26 from 3-5pm
at DIY Lounge at Collage, 1639 NE Alberta St., PDX
REGISTER HERE!

Hey Portland crafty folks, DIY Lounge is offering a pretty kick-ass class this September all about the ins-and-outs of craft fairs. Here is the description from the DIY Lounge website:

Whether you are just starting out or are an experienced seller, this class will help you navigate the world of applying to and selling at craft fairs and give helpful insight from two ladies who have been selling at fairs for years and now organize and run a successful fair. Subjects that will be covered include:

• The application process—presenting yourself and your work well
• The dos and don’ts of booth layout
• Pricing your work
• Selling at larger national fairs
• Selling tips – credit card processing & how to maximize sales
• And oh-so-much-more!

Students will receive a printed handout chock full of resources, tips and secrets!

The class is being taught by Cathy Pitters & Torie Nguyen, the lovely duo behind Portland’s uber-successful (and equally uber-hip) Crafty Wonderland. The tuition for the course is a mere $35—a steal of a deal, if you ask me.

I’ve already registered for the class, and I have a feeling the spots will go fast, so if you’re interested, I’d hop on the role sheet pretty quickly if I were you.

Check out Crafty Wonderland’s latest mix of 40 talented artists and crafters this Sunday! Bring Mom and enjoy it together or come shop for that special last-minute gift! While you’re there, you can make a fun pop-up card at the free DIY Table.

Crafty Wonderland
Sunday, May 10th from 11am-4pm
at Doug Fir Lounge (830 E. Burnside, Portland, OR)
FREE, All Ages

Crafty Wonderland may sound like a fantasy that I’ve made up to get myself through a rough weekend, but it is real.

And it is fabulous!

A) It’s in the basement of the Doug Fir, which is a great breakfast place–even in a town of great breakfast places. (At night, the basement is the Doug Fir’s concert venue–where we saw The Go! Team last year).

B) It’s kinda like the Saturday Market, only with way more awesome. Tons of local crafty talent on display, including (but not at all limited to) adorable handmade skirts for grown-ups and little ones, ninja cats, 3D space paintings and the most gorgeous recycling of old records I have ever seen.

Some of my favorite things:

$24 from bossanova baby

$28 for 2 at Bread and Badger (Incidentally, there is nothing in their etsy shop or at their booth that I do not want)

$58 from Eye Pop Art

Price unknown, from Trifling Pieces of Finery & Low-Brow Bling

I came home empty-handed, but inspired to make some stuff of my own, which I’ll talk about tomorrow for my Make-It Monday update!

And I can’t wait to see what they’ve got in store for May!

I received an exciting email yesterday from Shab Levy, a photographer who had taken a set of photographs at Crafty Wonderland earlier this month. And not just regular photographs, but 3D photographs. Luckily, I actually found a pair of 3D glasses in the house (a surprise my husband and I had brought back for our daughter a few months ago, when we went to a handful of art shows in Seattle). So I got to view these images in all their 3D glory last night. If you have a pair of 3D glasses, be sure to check out the YouTube video slideshow Mr. Levy set up of his Crafty Wonderland photo set, which is pretty darn neat!

artwork by the fabulous Ryan Berkley

Tonight:
+ Valentine’s show at Alma Chocolates featuring tin flowers by Cathy Pitters, red velvet paintings by Juanita, porcelain anatomical hearts by David Olson and scrumptious chocolates!  Opening reception today from 6:00-7:30pm, 140 NE 28th Ave.

+ Sasquatchtenial at Grass Hut featuring new works by Yellena James, Ryan Berkeley, David Wien, Betsy Walton, Ryan Jacob Smith, Theo Ellsworth, Emily Counts, Scrappers, and Carson Ellis. Opening reception from 6:00-9:00pm, 811 E Burnside.

+ Drawings by Jill Bliss at Ink + Peat. Opening reception 6:00-8:00pm, 3808 N Williams Ave., Suite 126.

Sunday:
+ Crafty Wonderland! Over 40 amazing local artists and crafters selling their work. Take a break and make a cute felt fortune cookie at the free DIY Table hosted by Jen of DIY Lounge. Free, All Ages. 11:00am-4:00pm at Doug Fir Lounge, 830 E Burnside.

Flapper Girl will be at TWO craft events this weekend! On Saturday, February 7, I will be at the Montage Craft & Rummage Sale, and on Sunday, February 8, I will be at Crafty Wonderland. So come out of winter hibernation for one-stop indie shopping just in time for Valentine’s Day! In addition to jewelry, coffee cozies, iron-on patches, and embroidered handbags, you will find a wide array of retro pinup valentines, and a brand spankin’ (har har) new item—panties! I’ve been making pretty panties in two styles: bikini, and ruffle-bottom bikini! This weekend is your one chance to get yours before Valentine’s Day, so don’t miss out!

MONTAGE CRAFT & RUMMAGE SALE
Saturday, February 7
Le Bistro Montage
301 SE Morrison
11am-4:30pm

CRAFTY WONDERLAND
Sunday, February 8
Doug Fir Lounge
830 E. Burnside
11am-4pm

Today I put six more squirrel coffee cozies in my shop. I embroidered all those while I peddled my wares at Crafty Wonderland on Sunday. Have I mentioned that these make excellent stocking stuffers?

Speaking of Crafty Wonderland, here’s a photo of the booth space my friend Diana (that cutie pie sitting behind the table on the left) and I shared. I’m still perfecting my craft fair display. I need some new display gear, but I’m not sure what I want yet.

You can’t see it in the photo above, but I also had a rack full of hostess aprons next to my altered clothing. Here they are below (photo by Lulu via Shop Vintage Portland).

I’d like to give a huge shout out and thank you to all my pals and all the other dedicated shoppers who braved the snow on Sunday to make it out to Crafty Wonderland. You guys rock, and we all appreciated your support and general bad-assness!

Yesterday was the Crafty Wonderland’s Super Colossal Holiday Sale. I had been planning on going early and waiting in line to be one of the first 200 shoppers (so that I could get a goodie bag full of…well, goodies). Then our friend, and Crafty Wonderland vendor, Nate and his wife had a little baby girl on Thursday. The little one was early so Lars and I handled the booth while the new fam spent some quality baby time together. So I was defiantly early and had a good eye on the line, I was around the 20th person in line. This is my awesome catch.

Ahh, the loot is good. I really like the little cute things like the acorn charm, owl bobby pin, and the “smART now” pin. The goldmine loot: LaceKnitting to go patterns- this will be very useful. And shniky! the bag is big. A lot of yarn (plus a small critter, thermos of coffee, and an emergency blanket) could fit in this bag.

As if a baby and craft colossal wasn’t exciting enough, it started snowing yesterday morning.  In case you don’t know the ways of the pacific northwest, Portland doesn’t get a lot of snow. Maybe every year it will snow a bit and about every other year the snow will stick. Almost any amount of snow means ice and “severe inclement weather” advisories. Having grown up around snow, and having lived in Fargo for 4 years, it’s humorous to see the city in a huff about some flurries. I personally love the snow and get really excited since we see so little of it around here. Unfortunately, the snow did keep a lot of shoppers away from Crafty Wonderland, especially as the day went on. But I think we did a good job of handling the booth and getting some sales out. It was a fun environment, (200 crafters and a bunch of crafty-minded shoppers) and it’s not too bad hanging our Nate’s beautiful leather bags either.

To end the day yesterday, I heard the rumor that school was closed for Monday. That means a snow day for me too. Now I am spending the day working on my own projects and sitting here in the library with my tea. There are kids with squeaky boots and layers of hats and mittens, followed by their parents saying “shhhhhhhh.” Seems like there is even more of a community around our neighborhood on these days with more people walking. Even a gaggle of dogs are hanging out together outside of the library.

Here are just a few of my favorite vendors from the show:

Emmeline

Fernworks

Kendra Binney

Lisa Johnston-Smith

Plants & Animals

Satsuma Press

Spincycle Yarns

ThinkingMama

Oh Dear. I have been flummoxed. Yes that is a word Virginia. Flummoxed. According to Daniel Webster it is “having impaired psychological capacity to the extent of being forgetful and no longer able to carry out simple everyday tasks.” OK maybe I don’t suffer from the most intense definition, but perhaps the more casual definition which is “in no logical or sensible order.” Yes I am that flummoxed. Stress is the cause of most flummoxing. And I am very stressed at the moment with holidaze, new jobs … you know the usual stresses. 

I’ve decided to take my own unsolicited advice and to shop online for the remainder of my Christmas gifts.  Well with a couple of exceptions. Tomorrow is the last Crafty Wonderland before Christmas and they have taken on the Convention Center people. Can you believe it? These DIYer extraordinairres have come so far in so little time. YOU ARE FABULOUS Crafty Wonderlanders!

On Sunday you can browse through 180 booths of incredible handmade goods by local artisans (and regional) and art from 11am until 7pm! It is, hands down, the best and easiest place to get unique, amazing gifts for family and friends.

Felted Flower Flair

As always there will be folks there to help you get your craft on and this time they include DIY Lounge/Collage, IPRC and Paper Zone. You can water and feed yourself at nearby concessions stands and admission is free. FREE! 

Check out some of the offerings:

Don’t miss the Crafty Wonderland Super Colossal Holiday Sale this Sunday at the Oregon Convention Center from 11am-7pm! There will be over 180 booths filled with amazing handmade goods and fantastic artwork. It’s the perfect place to finish (or start) your holiday shopping. There are 200 goodie bags for the first shoppers through the doors, plus free craft projects hosted by DIY Lounge / Collage, IPRC, and Paper Zone!  Don’t forget that the Max stops just outside the Convention Center and street parking is free on Sunday. We’ll be there no matter what Mother Nature throws our way, and we hope everyone will join us! Quentin, Matilda and I are in booth #50 (Totinette & Monsieur T.) – stop by and say hello! Shop local and buy handmade this holiday season!

I will be at Crafty Wonderland’s Super Colossal Holiday Sale this Sunday, December 14! This baby is the mother load of all holiday craft fairs, and is not to be missed. So clear your schedule and mark your calendars for this once-a-year opportunity to shop over 180 talented local artists’ handmade wares all under one roof. I will be sharing a booth and keeping it real with my lovely crafty soul sister, Diana of MOSS. This event will go on rain or shine or snow, and is right on the MAX line. The first 200 people through the door will receive goodie bags packed with fun things donated from the artists at the show. See you Sunday!

The Super Colossal Holiday Sale
Sunday, December 14
The Oregon Convention Center (Hall E)
11am to 7pm

For those of you that made it, THANK YOU so much for coming out to Urban Craft Uprising and the Luxe Riot sale this weekend. Both sales were a HUGE SUCCESS and wouldn’t have been without you. For those of you who have been making all the online orders from my website, THANK YOU TOO! It’s your support that makes all the difference in the world to a small business like mine.

Ask most small businesses you know and they’ll tell you it’s been a quiet few months. Now more than ever it’s important to reach out to your favorite local business and show them your support. This is the year of change and we’ve seen how important grass-roots efforts have been to making the impossible possible. When you shop for gifts this year be sure to encourage your friends to buy from locals. Introduce them to the sales like Crafty Wonderland happening this weekend in Portland (details below) and show them the websites of your favorite designers and artists.

Reach out and do what you can, because a small contribution from you will make the biggest difference to a small business owner.

Thanks again for your support,

Sam Trout

Crafty Wonderland
a crafty community of crafters crafting their way to success. Over 180 artists!

@ The Oregon Convention Center – Exhibit Hall E
777 NE MLK Jr. Blvd.
Portland, OR 97232
11am – 7pm

click on the photos to visit each website

graphic apparel and hats from Monsieur T.

original artwork and prints by Martinhead

belts from Steel Toe Studios

spray painted records from Adorable Spray Paint Art

cuff links from Swear Jar Design

All of these vendors will be at

Come see Monsieur T., Bossa Nova Baby and yours truly this weekend at Urban Craft Uprising! We’ll be in the Crafty Wonderland booth, #68.

If you missed last night’s episode of Oregon Art Beat that featured Crafty Wonderland, DIY Lounge, and Queen Bee Creations you’re in luck…you can watch it here! I’m on there smiling and blinking.