Etsy Craft Party 2011 by Austin Craft Riot!

On Friday Austin Craft Riot joined Etsy in hosting a world wide craft party. We want to thank everyone who came out this year. It is always such a treat to see folks get their hands dirty and find some beauty come out of their hard work. Between the button making, screen printing, duct tape jewelry, and upcylcled bags those in attendance were decked out to hit the town in their handmade fun. You can check out pictures from the photo booth, as well as all the other good times had at Starving Art Studios.





We would be remiss to not give a special thanks to The Lonely Gourmet who very graciously supported us in bringing snacks to the crafty masses, as working this hard can really bring on an appetite. At the Lonely Gourmet "Where Single Doesn't Mean Boring" you can get crafty with your dinner.




And last but certainly not least a big thanks to Austin Craft Riot's team members Cheryl of Liberty Originals, Katie of Sophie and the Cat, Beth of Paired Hearts, Tara of R&R Designs, Amelia of AmeliaBeth, Tisa of Tisa's Creations , Lani of Elle Dee Designs, Iliana of Bookgirlstudio, Brandy of Pigsey Art, Shay of Constant Dreamer, Amy of Craft Chi, Megan of Hammer It Out, and Renee of Robo Roku for working very hard to bring this amazing party to the people. We look forward to having more crafting events like this in the future and hope you will join us again next time.

Renegade Craft Fair

The 2nd Annual Renegade Craft Fair in Austin will be May 21st- 22nd from 11:00 am – 7:00 pm at the Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd. Austin, TX 78704. If you are not familiar with Renegade Handmade they are a brick and mortar store that host handmade events all around the country. Since the Etsy Austin team has such an amazing array of artists you will get to see a bunch of them there.




Baby Bolt will be at the show with one-of-a-kind or limited-run clothing and accessories for the little ones.





The team of Robo Roku creates unique art, apparel, accessories from original images they create.








Craft Chi makes bags, aprons and belts out of fabric that she has printed original images on.








Merrit Gade Fine Handmades will knock your socks off with her Tiaras and jewelry that she creates with wire and gems.




Squid Ink Collective screen prints original images on shirts and home goods. As they say print and destroy.

Pommes Frites makes housewares and accessories using eco-friendly and sustainable materials.

May Day

Drop by Cafe Medici at 2222B Guadalupe St. Austin, Texas 78705 from 10:00-5:00 May 1st for May Day. At the show you will find some EtsyAustin team members with all their amazing wares.

CraZeeCrafteeZ will be at the show with beautiful hand felted jewelry.

Crab Apple Designs will be out with her beautiful paper crafts including these adorable coasters.

Bright-Eyed Birdie will be out with fun jewelry and upcylced cassette case journals.

Shop Inviting will have gorgeous letter press items.

And Radiant Baubles will be out with fun, unique magnets.

Shop Crafty!

The Shop Crafty event will be held April 16th from 10:00 am - 5:00 pm at the Marchesa, 6406 N. IH-35 Austin, Texas 78752. You will have the opportunity to get creative in the Craft Lounge learning jewelry, sewing, and craft projects. There will also be over 60 artists showing their handmade goods including some from the Etsy Austin team.

Anne Marie makes beautiful bags and is also one of the talented hosts of the show.

Pigsey Art gives new life to old things with upcycled journals, stickers, and magnets.

AmeliaBeth creates fun accessories from Scrabble tiles.

Robo Roku creates buttons, notebooks, and even shoes from original characters they create.

Peach Bear creates sweet items out of felt, and clay.

Pommes Frites upcycles forgotten books and maps into buttons, mirrors, and books safes.

Debbie Carroll Designs creates beautiful jewelry layering vintage beads and findings into what will be become your favorite piece.

Hammer It Out creates functional and fancy home goods out of stainless steel.

The 54th Zilker Garden Festival

The 54th Annual Zilker Garden Festival is this week end and the forecast shows loads of sunshine. This show is a favorite of any plant lover and you will have the opportunity to see plants you may have not even heard of. The lush gardens are filled with music, art, and plants to take home with you. There is always so much for the little ones in the Kids Corner, and opportunities to hear talks from master gardeners. If all of that was not enough you will even get to see some of the Esty Austin team out as well. Check out the site for a discount on advanced tickets, but you can still get them at the door.

Brandy of Pigsey Art creates fun upcyled journals, stickers, magnets, and pendants. They are all thoughtfully made with skill and little humor.

Amy of Craft Chi creates with a one two punch. She screen prints beautiful images on fabric and then constructs beautiful bags, belts, and linens with it.

You will also see me Hammer It Out with my metal work. I have some new pieces that I will be debuting at this show, and I hope you drop by to see what I can do with a sheet of stainless steel.

Etsy Austin At SXSW

The team had an amazing time at the SXSW event. We would like to thank Etsy for having us and everyone who came out to join in the festivities. Fun was had by all while checking out our Wall of Wow featuring work by some of our team members, and making crafts to take home. We even got a mention on the CCN blog.

Members of the team provided samples of their work to display for patrons of the event to view. We had QR codes for each shop that were very popular with the tech savvy crowd. It was great to get to brag on each other and tell how supportive and active the team is in Austin.

The crafting tables were filled with people getting involved in the hand made vibe. Etsy and Burda Style provided the tools and supplies to make upcylced t-shirt bags and hand decorated shot glasses. It was a great weekend and we look forward to more events like this in the future.

Saddle Up Babsy!

SXSW has begun and Etsy has arrived to keep it crafty. You will have the opportunity to meet Etsy Admins from Brooklyn, and create some crafts to take home. At Venue 222 , 222 E. 6th Street Austin TX 78701, March 12th - 13th from noon to midnight there are no badges required. Etsy Austin will also be at the show with Babsy the cat from noon to 7pm. You can saddle up and take your picture with her. The team will have a Wall Of Wow displaying a sampling of wares all hand made locally and team members available to answer any of your questions. After 8 pm Venue 222 will bring out the rock and roll. Saturday you wil be entertained by Neighbors and The Black Angels. Sunday at 5 pm there will be a DIY Panel with KnittaPlease, Burdastyle, Threadless, and Spoonflower. The BurdaStyle DIY Fashion Show will hit the stage at 9 pm and then Quintron and Ms. Pussycat will be on deck with DJ Rana June providing the music.

Meet Craft Riot Vendor: Tina Lewis

Tina Lewis
Facebook Pottery page: http://artist.to/tinalewispotteryceramicart/
Blog: http://tlceramics.blogspot.com/ Website: tinalewis.etsy.com

Give a brief product description.
Wheel-thrown or handbuilt pottery and ceramic art.  I use porcelain and stoneware to create useful pottery, beads and ceramic art.  Most of my work is glazed with my studio mixed glazes. 

How did you get started? 
 I started making with clay in high school and took enough art in college to get into ceramics class.  After a 25 year break I startee making in clay again in 2007.   

Where do you get your inspiration? 
Everywhere, history, art, other craftspeople and artists. 

Describe your workspace/workroom. 
I am lucky to have a home studio in a converted 2-car garage.  
It has glass sliding doors onto a patio and lots of room for my kiln, wheel and supplies. 

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive? 
I like to give bowls, berry bowls.  I like to receive anything hand made, useful and/or art. 

Meet Craft Riot Vendor: Pixie Worx

Julia Chambers

My own website with galleries: http://PixieWorx.net

Crochet Blog: http://aberrantcrochet.wordpress.com/
Store: www.PixieWorx.etsy.com
Twitter: www.twitter.com/AberrantCrochet
Everyday Blog: http://TheDifferenceBetweenADuck.wordpress.com 

• Give a brief product description.

I'm a juried and published crochet designer who occasionally has a few digital projects on the side.  Sometimes my 13 year old daughter and I collaborate on projects.  She draws and works with polymer clay.  My handmade products, patterns and supplies are largely related to advanced crochet design.  I use a variety of custom tools, fibers and techniques to achieve my one of a kind designs and lecture occasionally on the variations these elements of the art achieve.  Working with 3-dimensional fiber is different than working with a flat surface and the way we perceive color changes based on texture.  My most popular items are my soft and stylish newsboy and eared hats, and my gothic jewelry designs and during the Fall season, my spider webs and costume accessories.  However I create anything from tapestry crochet wall hangings to muffatees and about 1/3 of my business is driven by customer requests, from scarves and headbands to guitar straps.  I also carry crochet patterns of my designs and supplies and hope to be adding handmade crochet hooks to my product line soon.  ZombiesAtPlay is for cannibalized parts that receive a new after-life.

• How did you get started?

I've been crocheting and creating all my life.  My crochet tutelage began at the age of 5, with my left-handed Mom and two crafting gurus as grandmothers for guides. I was immediately enraptured by the hook, and crochet has been with me ever since.  My grandmother always supported in me the idea that I could do anything outside of the box if I really wanted to.  And that set me free.  I began seeing that I could crochet with almost any fiber and turn it into almost any shape.  It became what I call today yarn sculpting.  Selling my work was almost an accident.  I crochet constantly anyway - it's very meditative to me.  Even when they were little, I often had to wait somewhere for my kids with their various projects, classes and activities.  And after a car accident, I spent over a year weekly seeing doctors and in physical therapy to regain use/strength of my left hand.  Then and now, I often have my yarn with me and crochet while I wait, even getting input from whoever's around.  It was good therapy too!  People started noticing what I was making and wanted me to make one for them too.  Before I knew it, I was selling my crochet!  

• Where do you get your inspiration?

I'm not sure I always know.  All my crochet work is designed by me - often without even knowing for sure what I'll make until the yarns are in hand.  Much of my work designing hats, however, is influenced by the needs of chemo patients.  There have been many victims in my family, my grandma Dorothy being quite an example as she crocheted herself a new hat everytime she went through a round of chemo and lost her hair.   I now often crochet with their needs in mind; choosing the softest, highest quality materials I can find for the tenderest skin going through chemo. Things that are easy to care for and yet don't look like chemo caps and are more comfortable for their sensitive skin.  I've heard from too many women, I just want to look in the mirror and see a pretty lady again.  I don't want to look like I'm dying.  I’ve also received a lot of highly appreciated input from survivors over the years that has led to the development and creation of these unique designs.  I guess my inspiration in part comes from the need for comfortable beauty during times of stress.  I truly wish to infuse my creations with healing and joy and make a difference for others.

• Describe your workspace/workroom.

Most of my work is very portable, so my workspace is anywhere I can get a seat.  I am often seen working while waiting for appointments or my kids.  My local coffee shop is also nice.  Otherwise my couch or kitchen table. I look forward to having a real studio someday.

• What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

If we're being specific to holiday fare....  Some of the kids from school got eared hats from me one year and then wore them on a ski trip over Christmas break.  Apparently the ski instructors really liked their funky hats and they received a lot of comments from other skiers.  They were the coolest (and warmest) kids on the slopes and came back from their trip on top of the world.  It's smiles like that I strive to give people through my designs.  That felt pretty good for a mom who lives in Central Texas and hasn't even skied in some 25 years.

Meet Craft Riot Vendor: Gem Junkie

Kelly Owens Pratlett
GemJunkie
Blog: http://gemjunkie.tumblr.com/
Facebook Fan Page http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/GemJunkie/340693226989
Twitter http://twitter.com/gemjunkie

Give a brief product description.
Gemstones and Jewelry Supplies online, handmade earrings and necklaces in person
What is unique about your product? I try to choose really fun, bright, colors and whimsical shapes for my supply shop so that the selection is different than what the average jewelry supply shop carries. What makes my handmade jewelry unique is the price point. All my earrings sell for $5/pair. I do this because I think it's really important for women to have fun, funky, unique accessories that don't cost a small fortune. I love variety and I like my customers to be able to afford variety as well.

How did you get started? 
My sister saw a necklace that she loved in an Anthropologie catalog. It was over $100. She couldn't afford it and she thought she might be able to make something similar. So, she did some research online, ordered some supplies and a month later she taught me how to make jewelry. The rest is history.

Where do you get your inspiration? 
I am inspired by everything: nature, gemstones, bead stores, other artisans, my family, magazines. There is style everywhere and you can use what you see and morph into something totally your own.
 About a year ago, my husband allowed me to take over the second half of our office. So, I hung one of those old accordion-shaped drying racks on the wall. Then, I hung hundreds of strands of beads, in rainbow order, onto the rack. I call it my "inspiration wall". Any time I get stuck and need an idea, I just stare up at all the gems and beads hanging there and something calls my name. It's instant jewelry-making gratification!

Describe your workspace/workroom. 
My workspace is one of our spare bedrooms. It has a vintage couch, a teal-blue accent wall, two desks (one for making jewelry and the other for packing orders) and more shelves than you can shake a stick at.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

There's not one single thing I recall having made as a gift that stands out in my mind. However, there is something I do every year that always makes a great gift. It's kind of a story. Every year, before Christmas, I listen to my mom and sister talk about the things they want or wish they could make, jewelry-wise, that is. And I usually keep a little list going. Then, come December, I choose from the ideas they've been "wishing" for and teach myself how to make one of those jewelry items for each of them. Sometimes it's the same for both of them and sometimes each gift is totally different. I figure I know it's something they'll enjoy because they commented that they wanted it and it's extra-special because it was handmade by a family member! 

Craft Riot Vendor: SweetWolf

Cathie Fuentes
SweetWolf
SweetWolf on Twitter

SweetWolf on Facebook

ultratrixie@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

Handmade funky and functional items. unique one of a kind items, upcycled and new materials.

How did you get started?

I started sewing in second grade and had my first business back then, selling tooth pillows. I have been pretty crafty my whole life, and I enjoy making a wide variety of things in all kinds of mediums. When I found out about Etsy it seemed easier than sitting outside in the Texas heat all day and it has turned out to be a great way to sell online. I do work a regular full time job, so this business is like stress relief and a way to earn money to buy more supplies.

Where do you get your inspiration?

From all over the place! I don't have a muse per se, but I find inspiration in many forms. I only wish i had time to daydream more and play more!

Describe your workspace/workroom.

It's pretty cluttered and sort of organized. I actually just took over a 2nd room in our house to have more workspace. Thankfully my husband is very accommodating and supportive! I now have one room for sewing and one room for 'other' crafting. The Other room would include all the weird junk and stuff I have accumulated and saved for use in some kind of imagined project. The Sewing room has a wall of shelves which is stacked high with my big ol' fabric stash.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

This is a tough question! I always have a hard time picking favorites...

Craft Riot Vendor: Pommes Frites

Kristen Pumphrey
Pommes Frites

Pommes Frites's Blog

Pommes Frites on Twitter

Pommes Frites on Facebook

pommesfritescraft@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

I make housewares and accessories using old, reclaimed & eco-friendly products. I turn forgotten books into one-of-a-kind book safes, old sheet music and atlases into magnets, and make sweet, owl-shaped candles with soy wax. I love to create items with a sense of humor - items that are equal parts a little bit geeky, clever and beautiful.

How did you get started?

I've always been crafty - I never had a knack for drawing, so I tended towards the make-it-yourself side of life. I have been knitting and making candles and sewing since I was a tween. When I graduated college, I started working at a craft magazine called Adorn in NYC. After crafting and writing about other crafters and artists all day long, I would come home and make candles or sew something or carve books (I found an entire set of encyclopedias on the street once!) and then blog about it. I got inspired by the artists I was writing about and thought "that could be me!" Although I had been working slowly on Pommes Frites, it wasn't fully launched and realized until I moved to Texas.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I'm inspired by libraries, antique stores, small Texas towns, vintage movies, old-school country music, schools, and office supply stores. I am very inspired by craft and interior design blogs, and the plethora of crafty goodness on sites like flickr.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

My workroom is a small second bedroom. I have two large Billy bookcases along one wall (from ikea) on which I keep all my carved books, glued books and "books waiting to be carved". I keep all of my smaller products (magnets and pin packs) in clear labeled tupperware boxes. I like everything to be labeled and live by the mode "a place for everything, and everything in it's place". There are repurposed glass jars all over my work room containing sponge brushes, sharpies, razor blades, and manilla tags. I put shelving up all over the walls, too. I have a vintage desk that is supported on one side with stacks of books - we lost the legs in a move somewhere along the way. There are stacks of encyclopedias lining the walls. My space tends to be a bit industrial and dusty because of the mess created when carving up books.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

Two years ago, I made terrariums for my mom and sister. It was really cool to personalize them (low maintenance cacti for my sister, a more lush environment for my mom, who has the greenest thumb in the family). They were potted inside huge cookie jars. It was awesome to give something that was living - and looked so cool!

Craft Riot Vendor: AJ the Purple

AJ Kosarek
AJ the Purple

AJ the Purple's Blog

AJ the Purple on Twitter

AJ the Purple on Facebook

AJ the Purple on Flickr

AJthePurple@gmail.com

Give a brief product description.

I sew, knit, and illustrate cute and fun things! In my shop you can find art prints, huggles (my little knit creatures), scarves, and lots more!

How did you get started?

My mother-in-law taught me how to knit right as I first discovered Etsy. It was meant to be! I started with huggles, and have gradually included more of my favorite things in my shop.

Where do you get your inspiration?

I am inspired by things that make me happy - because I want to share the joy! I frequently find inspiration outdoors, with family and friends, or when surrounded by beautiful artwork.

Describe your workspace/workroom.

I work out of my home, so I find room where I can. My puppy likes to help a lot.

What has been your favorite winter holiday gift to make or receive?

I knit neckties for my father and husband last year - they were so surprised and loved them!