Beyond Wonderland

I'm about to start some big projects today, I will be posting pictures of my progress :)

Halloween 2009

I've neglected my blog for a few months but my  pre new years resolution is to try and post at least once a week. So we shall see how that goes :)

Above are our Halloween gingerbread spooky haunted houses

 

My oldest decided he wanted two costumes this year. He had already decided to go as Optimus Prime the Transformer and I ordered his costume but with the Wild Things movie coming out he really loved the book and wanted to be Max too.

I made the costume to resemble the movie version more than the book mostly because I really didn't want to make a white costume for a 4 year old. I used a basic PJ pattern and altered the hood and the fit of the arms and legs and also used buttons instead of a zipper. The crown was made out of some gold poster board from Michael's

I would have liked to add claws to the hands and feet but I was already making two other costumes at the time and decided to simplify. He loved it anyway!

The Indie-Mart is emerging from our winter cocoon of quiet, tame, indoor events and blossoming like a big, drunken butterfly to the summer marts.  So here we go, let's launch our 2 year anniversary and kick off to summer marts with a bang!

Sunday June 21st, from noon - six, get your sweet ass to Thee Parkside where we will be rocking over 100 vendors bringing you the best in vintage, local design, rad stores, tees & hoodies, skateboards, zines, records, handmade oddities and a ton of other cool things you couldn't image making up yourself, all in an outside street fair setting with about 4,000 people joining you. We've got bands inside (um, hello, the Frail, The Red Verse & Shannon and the Clams!), DJ's outside, fresh BBQ food, local foodies making you sweets & treats, D.I.Y. and a tons of interactive vendors sewing, creating, painting, screening...on command and in your face. We even have drink/ beer specials & fun stuff for your Dad (afterall, it is Father's Day). We shut down the whole street so you can hang out all day. You can even bring your dog!

A sampling of our vendors: Shotwell, Nooworks, Four Barrell Coffee, Heathen, CC Riders, Mission Skateboards, San Franpsycho, Sita Rupe, Gangs of San Francisco, Coma and Cotton, Hanburger Panda and tons more. Peep some our fun booths from sponsors like PBR, Tricycle Records, Broke Ass Stuart, Timbuk2 and Bust Magazine giveaways. Don't miss out!

Band Line-up:

1:00pm: Shannon and the Clams

2:15pm: The Red Verse

3:30pm: The Frail (Thanks Tricycle Records!)

DJ's:

Resident DJ, Sarahdactyl, celebrating 2 years of DJing the Mart

Primo from Oldies Night @ The Knockout, 1964 @ Edinburgh..dirty!

The Indie-Mart Street Fair Sunday June 21st, 12-6pm
Thee Parkside- 17th st & all down Wisconsin
Ride your bike, take the 22 Muni Line & ample parking for bikes and cars
ALL AGES- 21 to booze it up.
$2 suggested admission benefits the Avon Cancer Walk and gets you a free Zine!
www.indie-mart.com
www.twitter.com/indiemart www.facebook.com/people/Indie-Mart/1330994393

SubZero

photo by http://mbseigel.blogspot.com/

SubZero was so much fun! It is rare to find an event like this in San Jose that celebrates local and independent artists and I definitely can't wait until next year. There was great music, and fashion show, and a ton of great vendors. Pictured above is my booth and some pictures of my yarnbombing.

Bag making and cool bargain finds

I have been busy making some new items for my upcoming shows, project #1 is handbags and new wristlets. I am right in the middle of making the bags and there is a lot of sewing and ironing going on. I am really excited about the new bags. For the first time with the two new bag styles I am not using my own patterns. I found a couple great patterns from KeykaLou's etsy shop and wanted to try them out. The wristlet bag is similar to the bags I already sell but I wanted to try a different method and so far I am really enjoying her patterns.

I also found some really great bargains this week, The first I am really excited about is a buffet piece I found on craigslist for $30! It's from the 50's and I am hoping to refinish it soon. I am thinking of painting it white but I am not quite sure of that yet, if you have any other suggestions please let me know

The second find was Todd Oldham's book on sale at Border's for $5! I can't wait to try some of the projects in the book.

New Banner!

Ever since I had my logo redone I've been wanting to make a banner, and this past weekend I finally did.
My inspiration was this tutorial found on Craftster
I took some pictures in the process but I was trying to get it finished so quickly, the pictures are not my best.

I had a 2ft x 3ft  image printed out at kinkos to use as a template, which only cost about $4

I cut out all the pieces, layed them down with some glue and then stitched them on as I went

The banner is wrinkled I know but I was up very late making the banner and didn't have time to iron the pieces before I took the pictures

Here is a close up of the detailing on the tree trunk and...

The finished banner! The lettering is glued on but I plan on stitching it down in time. I am really pleased with the end result and I can't wait to use it at the Maker Faire!

Street MRKT- Canceled

Due to rain tonight's street MRKT was canceled...bummer. But if you are in a craft fair mood there is still the Santa Teresa High School community Fair tomorrow. If you are in the South San Jose area tomorrow come by and check out the fair and Carnival at Santa Teresa High.

Street MRKT Tomorrow

Tomorrow is the first Street MRKT of the Spring/Summer, Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain...

Baby Shower!

My sister's baby shower turned out beautifully, I was quite nervous as it was the first baby shower I planned on my own. I had so much fun making the decorations and centerpieces. I just wish I had taken better pictures and more pictures but it was so hectic right before the party started and I was making all the food also!
The hanging decorations are from the Martha Stewart collection at Michael's, they were so easy to make and I love how they turned out. I made the diaper cake using diapers of course, silk flowers, and a receiving blanket set from target.
I am relieved it's over, it was stressful but also so much fun and now on to the next party, my son's 2nd birthday!

New and Improved Shop

I have been working on a complete Etsy shop makeover for the last week or so.
I rephotographed all of my products and enlisted the help of the wonderful Etsy shop PixelbyPixel to design my brand new Logo, banner, avatar, etc.
Here is a screen shot of the new look

Let me know what you think :)