april and early may was a busy time for craft shows! as usual, when i had a helper, i wandered around each event documenting some of my favorite work. the season started on april 14th at Ardmore’s Clover Market. my boyfriend Nick was my helper for the day and i unveiled my Main Line Tote, inspired by the railroading history of the area:
check out Yardsale Press’ popular print on a tshirt, exclusively sold through Philly’s own Art Star. i picked up this sweet summer drink print by fellow printmaker Masthead Printshop.
it was awesome to meet Kim of Dollhouse Fossils– it turns out she lives around the corner from my studio! her multi-media works depicting homes and domestic environments are awesome and really different from other work i’ve seen at art shows. Christine Shirley’s are so nice; her elegant floral bags are perfect for spring and summer travels. i was especially excited to see the work of meeralee– her original watercolor illustrations are intricate and playful. how cute is that fox illustration?
bee vintage redux was there with some new, awesome vintage statement necklaces. i don’t remember whose booths the other two photos are from, but how cute is that cat with coffee? if only i drank coffee . . .
the following weekend, i spent a chilly day in West Philly at the Go West! Craft Fest at Woodlands Cemetery. check it out- one of my prints was hanging out at the handmade peanut butter table!
love that beautiful cherry blossom tree at the cemetery! Black Heart Letterpress was a couple of booths down from me; they recently unveiled some new letter pins that are really fun. i also love their witty breakup card featured above.
mellifera candles had a really nice setup featuring their beeswax candles. i picked some up during the holiday Go West! for work gifts.
it’s always exciting to see other printmakers at shows, so it was cool to see the work of Lisa Imperiale of Imperiale Prints. i love the patterns on those bug silhouette blocks! i stopped in to see my friend Jess of Frosted Treats to see what new jewelry she had- how fun are the PB+J friend necklaces?
i stopped in to see Amy of b.goods– these rock/paper/scissors pins are great for a friendship gift. it was nice to meet Dana Wyatt, the artist behind Spruce Avenue. her colorful illustrations are perfect for summer! i was smitten with the parakeet tea towels. i also snagged this awesome Maker’s Mark print for Nick- it’s his whiskey of choice:
the whole table of ceramic cups by Wynn Bauer was visually commanding- what a great setup! this west philadelphia tote bag by kathryn kelly workshop is classic.
in the beginning of May, i headed to Brooklyn, New York for the BUST Spring Craftacular in DUMBO. it was really great to come to New York and see a whole bunch of new, crafty faces! i unveiled my new tee shirt display and came home with a Mail Chimp monkey friend 🙂
my neighbor was the talented Periodically Inspired– her brainy tshirts and goods are featured in the Big Bang Theory TV show’s web shop! so cool!
miniature rhino’s booth was primarily centered around embroidered goods, but i was struck by the cyanotype pillows- it’s a process i rarely see. Life with Tigers‘ bucket of severed leg catnip toys was priceless! what a clever idea for a cat toy. Ink and Sword illustration shared a table with the catnip toys. i thought that the cards were by them because Ink and Sword had some adorable animal PSA posters, but the cards are also by Life with Tigers. check them both out!
the weekend after BUST, i set up shop at the annual Art Star Craft Bazaar at Penn’s Landing. my friend Karina came to help me out- thanks so much! i also had the super talented Phea Jean as a neighbor which is always a pleasure. it was a bit windy, but overall it was a great weekend to be outside.
Ukiah Carbone-Gambon doesn’t have a proper website (yet!) but his printed paper goods were quirky and funny.
wear liberty sells limited edition tee shirts inspired and influenced by Philadelphia. i picked up a sweet Philadelphia shirt.
i see Tadpole Creations at a lot of shows and am already a big fan of their matryoshka dolls- how adorable are these pirate versions? they also sell kits to make your own at home. the USB Typewriter booth was so packed with people i was only able to snap the above photo of their display.
The Knotty Owl’s wooden jewelry and coordinating displays were a nice combo of a rustic feel and modern shapes and colors. nestleberry, a print outfit from Vermont, made really nice homegoods and kitchen wares.
Stevie Lynn jewelry had a whole bunch of these bold, laser cut pendants based on organic shapes. i am a big fan of Moxie House Papergoods and was swooning over this simple “thanks a bunch” card. another neighbor of mine was Boutique Textiles. her booth featured a lot of printed home goods like pillows and table runners, but i was drawn to the above watercolor painting.
of course, there were many irresistible items and i couldn’t come home empty handed. the coasters on the left are by Typothecary Press. it was really nice to meet Megan, the master mind behind the Reading-based letterpress company. the cat tshirt on the right is by some of my favorite silkscreen printers, Everyday Balloons.
i fell in love with this geometric clutch bag by Red Osa Bags. i love the design of it- it’s essentially a large bag that folds over with a magnetic fastener. the bright orange goldfish is an older style from Stevie Lynn jewelry. the bunny rattle is from one of my favorite plush makers, Laura from The Wind and The Sail and made a great gift for a one year old. the card is my annual purchase from the hilarious Laura Berger. the soft pretzel pin is a new style from b.goods– i think i’m going to wear it as a necklace instead.
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