This is how my day started off: hairdryer broke, ran out of cream for my coffee, and my car wouldn’t start.  Not the best, huh?  Well, I am having a great day now!  I arrived to work in a not-so-great mood, logged onto my computer, checked e-mail, and got an e-mail from Handmade Arcade (Pittsburgh Indie Craft Fair) that said:

Dear Amy:

Congratulations! You have been accepted to Handmade Arcade 2009!

Yay!!  Thank you Handmade Arcade for saving my day and actually making it a great one. Now, I need to get busy with the makin’.  I am participating in more shows this year than ever before, and am now in several local and not so local stores.  Lots of inventory needs to be made and lots of  re-stocking needs to be done. Oh, and lots of packaging and shipping.  Also, lots of coffee needs to be consumed.  This weekend is nothin’ but craftin’ and  I am looking forward to it.

Emily of Subu, Inc. fame can be found sporting a new garbella top around Pittsburgh.  Check out her blog for her review!

While you are at it, check out her Etsy shop.  Pick out a nice recycled notebook for yourself, and one for your friend, and maybe for your co-worker…

If you are in Pittsburgh and you really miss the sound of the G20 helicopters flying over the city, then this is the notebook for you!

Thanks for the shout-out Emily!

Hey yinz! Mark your calendars! …  Sat. Sept. 5th…

Crafts N’ At is handmade crafty awesomeness: Pittsburgh style.  Come out to get inspired, support local artists, enjoy some BBQ, to check out an amazing array of goods/services in the silent auction and raffle, to support a good cause, and to have fun!

crafts n’at is an opportunity for independent crafters to show and sell their wares, establish their business, and to celebrate creativity. it features over 50 vendors, make & take crafts for children and adults, craft demonstrations, live performances, a chinese auction and raffle, and an outdoor BBQ.

the union project
801 north negley avenue
pittsburgh, PA 15206

get directions here.

Saturday, September 5, 2009
{Labor Day Weekend}
10am to 6pm

crafts n’at is brought to you by the pittsburgh craft collective. we are a group of 50+ members working to create a strong and vibrant craft community through social and resource networking, education and workshops, and information sharing.

the pittsburgh craft collective will work each year to raise money for a charity in conjunction with this event. this year’s show will benefit [ gravity + grace ] and the parkinson foundation of western pennsylvania (PFWPA).

[ gravity + grace ], a contemporary opera written by frank ferraro, reveals his struggles with parkinson’s disease and will premier sept 25th at the hillman center for performing arts.

all net proceeds of [ gravity + grace ] will be used to support the PFWPA programs and services for people with parkinson disease, their families and caregivers.

hope to see yinz there!

Well, July was a busy month to say the least!

A few highlights:

1. Southside Works Exposed Artist Market- thanks to everyone who came out!  It was a beautiful weekend
2. A quick jaunt out to San Francisco to see my sweet, sweet friend- Taryn.  Taryn is her West Coast name.  Tom is her East coast name.  We had an awesome time just getting caught up with life, hanging out, checking out her new place (homeowners!), and vending over at the Renegade Craft Fair at Fort Mason.
   

   Taryn and Amy, By the Bay

3. Celebrating Steevo’s birthday (a week late since I was in CA!).  It was a great birthday date, beautiful weather, delicious  food, and excellent company.  I even got to wear my new sweatshirt-dress that I scored at Renegade from Recession Clothing. Check them out!
   

   steevo's birthday dinner

4. The MGR Foundation Peace Rally!  Young people came out in full force to take the stage at Market Square.  Lots of people came out to support them, listen to their messages, and rally along with them.
   

   Haji and Mohamed- G Brothas representing the Youth

   Hopefully, August will be just as much fun (maybe just not as busy!)

Come check out the awesome I Made it! market at the SSW Exposed festival this weekend. I’ll be vending there all weekend along with 70+ other artists and crafters!

Artist Market:  Friday 5-10 pm

Sat. 2-10 pm

Sun. 2-6 pm

Wow.  I have been so busy that I never had a chance to publish this post….. written over a month ago!

I had 4 days off in a row!  last weekend and it was great.  I was busy the whole time, but some of it was relaxing (working in the garden).

Highlights:

1) Being interviewed by Pittsburgh Superstar, Documentary Maker Extraordonnaire, Rick Sebak (WQED)!!!!

2) Attending my friend and neighbor’s wedding.  Somali weddings are so much fun!

3) Having the chance to pay back (a fraction)  my friend Matt for all the work he did on our house.  I helped to prep and paint the exterior of his house.  We still owe him hours and hours, ok, maybe weeks of help.

4) Working in the yard, prepping the garden.

5) Getting in a good amount of studio time in preparation for the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn (June 6th and 7th, so soon!)

Being Interviewed by the one and only, Rick Sebak!

OMG, I'm talking to Rick Sebak, what do I do with my hands?

So, garbella got some press this week in the Pittsburgh City Paper.  It is my first printed (not web) press!  Oh, okay, it really doesn’t say anything about garbella, but the article mentions that Lindsay Welsh is wearing a t-shirt that says “I [bike] PGH.”  I made that shirt!  So, that is kind of press, isn’t it?  It made me smile, anyway. 

Steevo and I are lucky enough to have a ton of awesome kids in our neighborhood.  We are really close with 4 families, who are refugees from Somalia.

So, during Spring Break we decided to host a party for the kids at our house.  We had music, dancing, snacks, pizza, cake and….. screenprinting!  As I have mentioned before, I screenprint shirts for a Somali hip-hop/R&B group called the Lil Kiziguwaz.  All of the neighborhood kids love the shirts.  So, as a surprise at the party, each kid got to screenprint their very own Lil Kiziguwaz shirt.  We even made a baby onesie for one of their Mothers who was expecting.  Congratulations Makay! (She gave birth to Mukufu Osman on April 12th).  These kids always make my day.  When I come home, 95% of the time, one of the kids (usually 5-10 kids) are outside and come running over to say ‘hello’ while screaming “Amy…Amy….Amy!”  It makes me feel all good inside.

Also, check out Steevo’s blog post about the party.

Fatuma is crafty!

succulents! handmade awesomeness! books!

In the mood to shop for books, plant, and handmade art/craft?  Well, you are in luck.  Come to the latest I Made It! market happening this Saturday in Oakmont, PA in conjunction with the library book sale and the Garden Club of Oakmont’s  Annual Plant and Flower sale from 9 am – 3 pm in the parking lot next to Brr-Kees.

The Plant and Flower sale benefits community projects.  Also, I Made It! supports local artists and crafters.  Come by to support everyone and leave feeling great about yourself!

Come check it out!  If you want a preview of some of the local vendors who will be at I Made It!, then click here.

Also, if you love succulents too, then come by and check out my brand  new succulent inspired designs on Saturday.

Awesome upcycled "Make a List" notebook from remaker

So, I always make lists.  The problem is… I rarely scratch off everything on my list before I make a new one.  I made a list over the weekend of things that I needed to get done, supplies that needed to be ordered, appointments I needed to set.  It was 4 separate lists, 4 pages long by the time I was done! This list is different though.  I am committing to this list.  I will scratch things off as I complete them and I think I should be able to have everything scratched off within the week!

I am going to spend more time scratching things off the list and less time reading blogs this week.  That being said, I think the following blogs are awesome and should not be neglected.  So, I put together a list of blogs that I like for your reading pleasure.  Maybe you can pick up the slack for me and keep readership up while I am crossing off my list?  Oh, okay… I’ll probably read just a little bit, so I’m not out of the loop, but I’ll still keep up with my list.  Maybe I should add “Keep up with RSS and read blogs daily” to my list?  Then I can still have the satisfaction of scratching it off.

Indie Craft/Design/Business Blogs

1. Poppytalk and Poppytalk Handmade
2. Indie Fixx
3. Design Sponge
4. Bakery
5. Handmade Business Blog
6. Heart Handmade

Pennsylvania and Pittsburgh Representin’

1. Pittsburgh Craft Collective
2. I Heart PGH
3. Handmade in PA

Bike Related Blogs

1. Steevo
2. Pgh Racing
3. Urban Velo

This is just a sample of some of my favorite blogs.  There are plenty of other awesome blogs out there.  Maybe next week  I’ll make another list of awesome crafty bloggers, local and not so local.  I’ll add that to my list.  

Well,  this week is off to a great start!  First, the I Made It! Market was great this past weekend.  Everyone was really friendly, I think the sunshine and nice weather really helped with that   Sales were good and I got some new tea cups and mugs from Jeff of  Jeff Guerrero Ceramics.  Awesome!

Also, I am really excited to report that …….. drum roll please…… my friend Taryn and I got accepted as vendors for the Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn!  We are thrilled.  She and her business (Tomgirl)  live in San Francisco, CA.  We have done a number of art shows together while in college, but this is going to our first time vending together at a craft fair.  We are going to have so much fun!    I love vending at craft shows and I love spending time with her, so I can’t wait for Renegade- Brooklyn!

I called Tom last night to tell her the great news and I imagined that her face looked like this when she heard what I said.

So, we have a lot to prepare…..  I have so many new ideas and can’t wait to start making them happen.