the wonderful land of crafts

I’ve hemmed and hawed whether or not to write anything about my experience at Crafty Wonderland this past weekend, not because I don’t have much to say, but because it was wicked awesome and I’m a complete spazz and might burst into a ball of flames (kind of like my plants last year) just talking about it. So I’ve decided to just relay the highlights of the radness that was the wonderland:

• DIY Lounge – collage, which is home to the DIY Lounge, sponsored a selection of DIY projects, such as bottle cap magnets, which I made. Good thing that collage has an on-going rotation of kick-ass classes to choose from though, because I had fun and I’m thirsty for more.
• abby try again photography – just totally cool prints
• AK vintage jewelry – gorgeousness
• art on alberta – go, it’s going to be awesome; donate if you can
• allie b – I scooped up one of her bangles and basically want one of everything she crafts. Find her on Etsy or visit StuStuStudio6 on Alberta.
• Christopher Reitmaier – I’m not even sure how to describe what he does. Pure brilliance.
• darling savage – this vendor was, in fact, darling. I purchased a simple print of a tomato that is going to look stellar in my kitchen. She also does a bunch of other stuff.
• kiki and polly – I’ve loved her paintings for quite some time so I was pleased to see her there. Her paintings conjure up memories of childhood. I love the yellow suit girl. Oh, and she has a blog.
• kirsten blair – sharing a space with special, kb’s simple graphite feather drawings instantly mellowed me out. It was one of the last booths that I visited and the beauty of her work, which are set against simple white boards, just spoke to me. I stood there for approximately two lifetimes trying to determine which feather was right for me. I settled on one, wished I would have gotten a different one the moment she bagged it, and then realized I just wanted the entire series. Serenely rad.
• lori shippy – when I first saw her name: lorishippy, I read it as: lori’s hippy. Easy mistake to make considering a whopping 20% of her profits are donated towards building wells in Togo, West Africa. I liked her instantly. Then I realized my mistake, but her work is still organicly chic. I’ve seen it before at Pistil’s, and apparently it’s featured at other Portland boutiques as well.
• man’s face stuff – they sell simple little tins of moustache wax and it is the COOLEST. Their new scent, which smells like a pot of bubbling home brew and a lemon tree, is to die for. I stood there smelling that tin for eons, and seeing as how I don’t have a fancy moustache, I know I came across as strange, so I eventually left, sans wax.
• my house party – mini balsa wood houses stuffed with air plants – to die for! I already have an air plant obsession, and these are just too cute. Their booth set-up was one of my favorites; see it here.
• my little buffalo – Coincidentally, I met this artist a few weeks prior at a naked ladies party. I purchased a clean, simple card, and you should too!
• pepe moscoso muluk – just go see what he does, it’s neat.
• pigeon toe ceramics – I happened upon a tripod pot at ink & peat a year ago (while stopping for my fav coffee next door) and it was love at first sight. Soon after I started seeing mention of pigeon toe in various publications, and they’ve since exploded. The booth didn’t have a huge selection on hand and was overrun by other p.t. lovers, like this girl, and so I breezed on by. They often have seconds at a discount here, and of course, they have an even larger selection at their brand new storefront. I want four of each.
  
• seattle sundries – loved their packaging and they have an interesting blog.
• silver tilia designs – jewelry, including these really smart necklaces.
• yellowcake crafts – I scooped up several prints and wished I would have gotten this one as well. Freakin’ cute and super clever. She also does photography.

There was just so much to see and I’m missing a ton. Crafty Wonderland has a complete list of the vendors here and I think quite a few will be at the Alberta Art Hop as well.

I’m severely tired of linking and I bet your screen is already filled to the brim, but here are a few more links you may enjoy:

• eat: a power snack that will give you the strength of Princess Vanhalla Hawkwind. Halla!
• grow: a super green way to reuse toilet paper rolls
• eat: meet the Pops and nosh on yummy salmon

Have a fab day and Happy Mother’s Day to all those mamas out there. Hope you have a chance to put your feet up.

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