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.

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.

Wall of WOW Team for Etsy at SXSW! by debbiecarroll

A big thank you for my fellow committee members in preparing for this weekend's sure-to-be fun filled weekend!

stuffed toy elephant, green ... BethHempton $38.00	textured silver circle earri... adornmodern $20.00
Circles on Blue - Scrabble T... AmeliaBeth $9.50	2011 Graphic Calendar pairedhearts $22.00
Linen Placemat Set - Tiger D... CraftChi $36.00	Aqua - Swarovski Crystal Fea... actionjackson $26.00
Lilypad Necklace debbiecarroll $115.00	Clutch Pea Green with Navy R... SophieAndTheCa... $40.00
Nesting Doll -- Original Mix... NessaDee $38.00	Pottery Lantern - ceramic po... tinalewis $100.00
Squid Linens - set of two te... SquidInkKollec... $30.00	Handmade Pure Silver Link Ne... wildmoondesign $70.00
White Abalone on Gold Firewo... merrittgade $28.00	The Golden Buddha Soap NepenthesBatht... $5.50
Skulls and Hearts Colored Pe... babybolt $20.00	A Visit to the Doctor- Upcyc... PigseyArt $18.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.

Linden Leaf Studio's Guide to the Lake Travis Area

Ready to get out of the hustle and bustle of downtown Austin? A must-see on your list for SXSW is the world famous Oasis Restaurant on Lake Travis. This original restaurant is built on the side of a cliff, with numerous decks for enjoying the Texas outdoors including the beautiful view of Lake Travis - listen for the ceremonial ringing of the bell at sunset! The view of the sun setting, with a margarita in hand, is not to be missed! Want to kick up your heels? Then head to the Starlight Terrace, above the restaurant, for live music almost every Thursday, Friday and Saturday from March through October. For some unique gift shopping, check out the Oasis' antique shop called The Treasury, in addition to the Oasis gift shop.

In the past year, the area around the Oasis restaurant (locally known as Oasis, Texas) has been developed to include multiple retail shops, new restaurants, additional parking and office space. While some of the construction is not yet complete, two restaurants opened recently:

1. Uncle Billy's Brew and Que - a great barbeque and microbrewery
2. Soleil - a mediterranean-style restaurant

website: www.oasis-austin.com
address: 6550 Comanche Trail, Austin, TX 78732
phone: 512.266.2442
directions
event calendar

Next check out the Iguana Grill: while not as famous as the Oasis, the food is delicious and provides another great view of the sunset over Lake Travis. I'm always ready for their enchiladas or ceviche. They have indoor/outdoor seating and live music most Friday and Saturday nights.

website: www.iguanagrillaustin.com
address: 2900 Ranch Road 620 Austin, TX 78734
phone: 512.266.8439

If you're looking to relax or recover from SXSW festivities, look no further than the renowned Lake Austin Spa Resort. Situated on the shores of Lake Austin, 15 minutes from the Oasis and 35 minutes from downtown, this is one of the top spa destinations in North America. The spa features a range of activities from yoga, cooking demonstrations, T'ai Chi, cycling and various seminars. If you aren't able to spend at least one night, they do have day spa packages, which include a gourmet lunch featuring their award-winning spa cuisine. Reservations recommended.

website: www.lakeaustin.com
address: 1705 South Quinlan Park Road, Austin, TX 78732
phone: (800) 847-5637 (U.S.)
Event & Activities

Depending on the weather, March is not necessarily a bad time to get out on Lake Travis - rent a boat, fish, picnic, or parasail. My favorite time to go boating is spring or fall, when temps are mild and the lake is not so crowded. There are plenty of options for renting a boat , even if the water seems too cold for swimming. For larger groups, the party boats, from various marinas, are the way to go. End your day with appetizers and drinks and some live music at Carlos and Charlie's.

website: www.cncaustin.com
address: 5973 Hiline Road Austin, TX 78734
phone: 512.266.1683

Enjoy your time in Austin!

~Lindi

Linden Leaf Studio/etsy
Linden Leaf Studio/twitter

Hammer It Out's Guide to Zilker Park

In Austin, people do not often leave their own neighborhood. When you are from somewhere else it does not take you long to settle into the groove of your little slice of town. The one exception to this is the community park. Zilker Park is one of the most important pieces of Austin, without this sprawling green space I do not think we would have as large of an outdoor culture as we do. You could spend days exploring the park starting with the Zilker Botanical Gardens learning about all sorts of flora and fauna. The Garden is booked as a perfect backdrop for weddings year round. You can take a dip in Barton Springs, a natural feed public swimming pool. Then stroll on over to the Umlauf Sculpture Gardens to get inspired by an amazing collection from the works of Charles Umlauf.

Special events include the Kite Festival on March 6th that will have the sky filled with kites that you can learn to make at the park as well as the South Asian New Year's Festival April 9th. At the The 54th Annual Zilker Garden Festival March 26th-27th you can buy plants and art from local vendors, and hear talks from experienced gardeners about planting in Austin. Zilker Park is where you also will see the fireworks on the Fourth. Patrons of the Hill Side Theater are treated to Shakespeare in the Park, movies outdoors, musicals, and concerts. You can also visit Splash! to learn about the Edwards Aquifer. The park is also the home of the Zilker Tree which is lit during the holidays each year. It is built on a replica of one of 17 of Austin's remaining Moonlight Towers that provided light at night since 1895.

Now down to the important stuff food and beverage. Barton Springs Rd., leading out of Zilker Park, is stuffed to the brim with amazing local fare. You will first run into Chuy's and if you love enchiladas and Elvis, you and he will get along just fine. If you would like a place to sit, have a drink, and a chat, check out Flipnotics. If you need some Bar-B-Que, which I completly understand, The Green Mesquite will get you all fixed up. If you need Bar-B-Que and an awesome brew made on site by Brian Peters then Uncle Billy's Brew & Que will cure what ales you.

If only a burger will do, make a bee line to the Shady Grove which is also known for its live outdoor shows. When you find yourself dragging from all the great music and fun head into Romeo's Cafe for a big bowl of pasta. Austin Java has a little bit of everything to please a large group. You can end your day at the Barton Springs Saloon, a neighborhood bar with a great patio to watch the rest of the town go by.

-Megan Russell
www.hammeritout.etsy.com
HammerItOut on Tumblr
HammerItOut on Facebook

'TeamEtsyAustin Preps for SXSW 2' by wildmoondesign

another sneak peak at some of the work of the Etsy Austin street team

Cute Owl on Green - Scrabble... AmeliaBeth $9.50	Squares of Awesome Pacifier ... babybolt $20.00
Sushi Soap NepenthesBatht... $3.50	Small Soap Dish Spoon Rest C... tinalewis $6.00
Talpa Church - Archival Prin... debbiecarrolld... $40.00	Squid Linens - chartreuse ye... SquidInkKollec... $30.00
Cupcake necklace with gold g... ShineOnBoutiqu... $6.00	A Visit to the Doctor- Upcyc... PigseyArt $18.00
Slashed Pink T Shirt size 4-... HoBoThreads $22.00	Organic Cotton Napkins - Pin... CraftChi $18.00
Compact Mirror roboroku $6.00	Medium Cosmetic Bag - Psyche... annemariebeard $18.00
Midnight Garden Necklace StickLizardDes... $250.00	Custom 1" Twill Label (... TheDancingNeed... $1.00
Emoticon Mini Pillow AJthePurple $10.00	Houndstooth Raccoon framed f... BethHempton $18.00

Treasury tool is sponsored by Lazzia.com A/B image testing.