2011 Craftstravaganza!!!

This past weekend was the 6th Annual Craftstravaganza, a local Urban Craft Fair held at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds' Fine Arts Building. There were over 70 artists, including 34 artisans new to the show (yours truly, of course, was one of them) and thousands of returning attendees. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., attendees browsed tables bursting with handmade crafts and met creators. The Minnesota Center for Book Arts and the Textile Center were also conducting workshops throughout the day. The first 100 shoppers received free swag bags with samples of vendors’ work and other goodies. This was my/hbDesigns very first craft fair, aside from the MCAD Art Sale, and I had no clue as to how I would do. Well as it turns out, people really do like my work and even bought some!

My first customer of the morning told me that she skipped breakfast to wait in line so she could see ME and buy 1 specific Shrinky Dink pendant. (Which I only had 1 of!) So that kinda made my day from the get go, despite the cold.

My little sister, Theresa was a great help! I could not have done this without her. You defiantly need two people at a table to run an event like that. We took a few snap shots of my table/set up/display, what ever you want to call it. Considering I made enough to cover the vendor fee, motel, gas and food, I would consider this event to be a great success! I hope Andy & Jen let me come back next year! This was a lot of fun!

hbDesigns also had a nice, little shout out from Betsy, the woman behind the Minneapolis Career Girl Blog! Also be sure to check out my Etsy and be a fan on Facebook for a discount!

Holiday Cards

Last winter I put together some Holiday Cards for a local card/printing company. I never got around to posting them. So here we go, better late then never! Enjoy.

Getting Personal

A lot of things are going on this Spring. Here's the bullet points for you:

• Major changes at 1 PT job, smaller changes at the other PT Job.
• My birthday is coming up at the end of the month, I'll be 25.
• So, for my quarter-life crisis I'm getting a small tattoo.
• Making products for the Craftstravaganza Craft Fair.
• Preparing for it as well, taking credit cards, getting tables, displays, etc.
• Planning my little sister's Bachelorette Party, so making lists, invites, reservations, etc.
• The wedding is in May, so I need to write a speech too.

Which leads into the getting personal portion... I'm not even sure if anyone reads this blog anyways, but here goes.

I've hit a point in my life where changes, as you read above are becoming bigger and bigger... I've hit a wall with my personal life, my appearance and my self esteem. Some of you, who know me more in real life, might think that's silly, because I'm almost always a happy, positive, friendly person. Most of the time, that's true, I like being a positive beacon for my friends and family to rely on... but sometimes the fact that I feel very alone comes crashing down on me and it's quite depressing... Now, I'm not saying I'm depressed. I just feel some things need to change in order for me to be able to pick myself back up when I need to. So here's what's going to happen... Short term goals:

• Finish projects that I owe people (Marcy, Karlisha, my sister & my mom).
• Have a fun (wedding) and profitable (craft fair) Spring.
• Look harder for a FT Job (and if that pans out, move out of my mother's house).
• And work on myself... This is going to be the hardest... in the short term, losing 20 lbs. for my sister's wedding.
  

After this Spring, I hope to come back and reflect on these goals and then set some new one and some longer ones. One of the more important ones, being my health/weight. I mean, I know I'm 'cute,' but things could be better. #narcissism? Now, if I seem like I'm falling off the wagon, please remind me to keep my butt in gear! I hope to at least keeps tabs on myself at least through my Twitter, maybe Facebook, we'll see. For example, walking/jogging on days off or days where I have shorter shifts. Strength/bands on day's I work longer ones. Oh, and keeping regular sleeping patterns, that might help for sure.

I hope that wasn't too self revealing. I'm usually an open book, but in most cases someone else has to turn the pages for me to talk about this kind of stuff. I hope all is well with everyone else.

PSA Thursday

Keep you promises! If you say you're going to do something, be somewhere, then DO IT… Now, I know life happens, so when it does, just be straight forward and reschedule if possible. Leaving people 'hanging' is just rude, in my opinion.

PSA Thursday

When you get invited to a show or outing and the person who invited you didn't ask you to cover the price of the ticket or admission. It would be polite to at least offer to buy them a drink or something before, during or after the event. Kindness wears down on people and they need to be offered some in return otherwise it will fade.

Helpful Donations

Hey Everyone! As you may remember from my last post, I got into Craftstravaganza, a one day craft fair at the end of April. I'm super excited, but I'm also worried about the cost. The cost for the space, getting tables and display supplies plus the cost of materials to make product is adding up fast!

Here's where you, my loyal fans and friends, can help me out! You know that shirt you have in the back of the closet, the one that doesn't fit anymore or has maybe a couple holes in it, but other then that it's still in pretty decent shape... Well I'm looking for those kinds of shirts. Jersey knitted ones (that stretch), so I can make some of my necklaces.

I'm going to list all my sponsors/donors not only here on my blog, but also if you would like in exchange a felt fortune cookie or mustache key chain I would he happy to make you one.

Here's what I'm looking for the left and center t-shirts will work, they are plain, or mostly plain, stretch and it's nice that they don't have side seams. The right one is an example of one that won't work, it has a felted/texture to it that wont stretch. But I'm happy with what ever you are willing to part with... If I don't use it, you could have it back or I'll donate it to the Steele County Clothesline.

If anyone has any other thoughts/idea/suggestions I'm happy to hear them. I've never done a craft fair, so I'm learning a lot. I already have a mannequin that a friend is letting me barrow and my mom is getting some tables and I'm using the Cricut at work to make my sign, so if you have any other ideas, let me know.

I'm also be in the market for more felt, beads of most kinds, cheap displays or DIY ideas for them.

PSA Thursday

I'm starting a new segment called PSA (Public Service Announcement) Thursday. It's just my rants on common sense stuff, some to do with politeness others from personal experiences. I hope you at least take a moment to read them and maybe it will make at least someone out there a better person. Thanks!

PSA #1
If someone leaves/sends you an email, message, text, etc. please have the courtesy to reply. Even if it's a negative response, it's better then not replying at all. I'll admit, I can see exceptions to this idea, but for everyday friends and acquaintances it would just be more polite.

Craftstravaganza 2011 Acceptence!

Some of you may remember this image from last May, where Marisa and I went up to the MN State Fair grounds to look around and shop for handmade goodness!

This year (even with a small email hiccup) I made it in! I'm super excited. I do however have to start working by toosh off to get product made! So if it all works out, I expect to see a lot of you there, at least to say hi and check out ALL of the awesome handmade crafts for sale.

Learning Something New

And then share what you learned with others. That's how I roll. I went to a fun craft gathering the other day and learned how to make necklaces out of jersey knit t-shirts. So simple, they are totally going into my repertoire.

Supplies: A t-shirt (old, new, whatever, as long as it's a knit that stretches), a scissors, some thread and a needle. (You can also had beads (larger ones) if you so choose.

(Note: I happen to be using a shirt with no seams on the sides, you will most likely want to cut those off, use your best judgment.)

Step One: Trim off the bottom seams and then begin cutting 3/4 - 1 In. strips, lengthwise, across the shirt. You will more then likely be cutting up most of the shirt (at least to the armpits).

Step Two: Stretch out each strip, if your seams don't break, you're most likely going to want to cut them anyways, this is up to you though. Once I had all my strips stretching I cut them to the lengths I wanted and lined them up shortest to longest. Since I didn't have any seams, I could cut where ever.

Step Three: Run a needle up and down each side of your strips (I went in the same order). After doing both sides, I stitch them together. I just used a piece of the hem I cut off and used that to hide the stitches. (Just sewing the ends and flipping it over.)

And Ta Da! A fun new piece to wear. Color and options are limitless. This is a great way to recycle/reuse older shirts or ones you can't wear anymore for some reason. Feel free to experiment with how you hide your seams.

Blog Transfer

I decided to get rid of my Word Press Blog. I tried it, but I have a hard enough time trying to keep one blog updated, let alone two. Turns out you can't delete Word Press accounts, so it get's to waste space on the internet as an inactive blog. Seams silly to me.


October! Halloween themes and Birthdays.


Thanksgiving!


Christmas Cakes, Chocolate Fix & Red Velvet Cupcakes.


St. Patrick's Day Toppers.


Dad's 50th Birthday Cake.



Happy Halloween Cupcakes!


Dharma Cupcakes and Valentine Cupcakes w/ Stencils.

And with Green Cupcakes, you need Green Punch!

St. Patrick’s Day Party Punch (Alcoholic)

Ingredients:
2 (12 oz) cans frozen limeade concentrate
2 (12 oz) cans frozen lemonade concentrate
2 (2 liter) bottles lemon-lime flavored carbonated soda (I used Sprite)
1 (750 milliliter) bottle rum (I used Bacardi Superior)
2 quarts lime sherbet

In a large pot, combine limeade, lemonade and lemon-lime soda. Stir in rum. Mix in the lime sherbet. (Cuts in 1/2 really well.)

The Hop, a fundraiser in Owatonna for the Clothes Line.


A 6 Layered Rainbow Cake for TB's 21st Birthday


Vegan Chocolate Cake/Cupcakes

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon distilled white vinegar
• 1 cup water

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease one 9×5 inch loaf pan.
2. Sift together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking soda and salt. Add the oil, vanilla, vinegar and water. Mix together until smooth.

Pour into prepared pan and bake at 350 degrees F (175 degrees C) for 45 minutes for cake (adjust for cupcakes). Remove from oven and allow to cool. Frost.

Betty Crocker Apple Pie
(Tip: Lime Juice keeps the apples green while you're prepping the rest of the pie)