indie crafts

Holiday Crafting Classes – DIY-Style!

Written on November 17, 2009 at 11:14 am, by Girl's Eye View (Bethany Kohoutek)

A quick preview for our Iowa-based friends. The staff at DIY mag will be teaching a holiday papercrafts class at one of our favorite design shops, Ephemera, on December 10! Won’t you join us for a night of craftin’, treats, and gift bags? Visit Ephemera’s site for all the deets (including classes taught by fabulous, nationally recognized designers) and to register.

Here are just a couple of the ideas we’re working on for the class. Also on the docket: a supercool papercrafted bracelet!

For those of you who reside elsewhere, there are sure to be classes, courses, and craft fairs near you! Check Indie Craft Shows for a searchable directory. If you know of a holiday craft extravaganza near you, comment on this post and let other readers know.

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Trendspotter: My Of-The-Moment Etsy Faves

Written on November 5, 2009 at 11:58 am, by Trendspotter (Jessica Thomas)

Best of Show, a special section in the winter 2009 issue of Do It Yourself magazine, was one of the most fun and interesting stories I’ve produced, from conception to the final photo shoot. We shopped and surfed hundreds of Web sites, craft fairs, blogs, and books to find the best handmade items around. It was hard to edit all the great finds, so here are more from Etsy that inspire me, appear on my personal wish list, or just make me smile. Some are artists from Europe or even as far as South Africa but all ship internationally.

(Check out more outtakes from our Best of Show photo shoot here.)

TickledPinkKnit’s scarfs and wraps are beautiful and stylish. so “right now” in terms of the folds and ruffle effect.

I love the graphic yet whimsical nature of this artist from Spain,
blancucha

Merit badges never looked so cool. These are from Lee Meszaros. Merit badge for being drunk as a skunk:

Merit badge for taking the cake:

These ceramic poppy bowls from PrinceDesignUK are perfect to keep little whatnots in. Or use one as a jewelry cache on a dresser. And the love bird just makes me happy.

Skinny laMinx is a South African artist with fun and funky tea towels. I love her style, especially this design:

I am totally obsessed with these paper cutouts by Elsita

Show and tell time! Which Etsy sellers and goodies are you loving right now?

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5 Questions with SPACECRAFT

Written on October 21, 2009 at 7:02 am, by Team DIY

SPACECRAFT Brooklyn is tough to classify. Launched in 2008 by friends Stella Mezner and Cristina Dodd, the space is part supply store—you can find everything from glitter to jewelry-making kits here—and part workspace—Dodd and Mezner host walk-in workshops and a loaded schedule of fun classes (from paper crafts to baby sign language to felting). And it’s part gathering space. Families hold birthday parties and showers here, and SPACECRAFT regularly welcomes kids’ and moms’ groups, local charities, and other local organizations.

Recently, DIY stopped by the shop to chat with Cristina and NAME about their unique approach to the community craft shop.

Do It Yourself: How did the two of you meet and hatch the idea for SPACECRAFT?
Spacecraft: We’ve been friends for about 11 years. We both happened to have children around the same time and began spending a lot of time together again out of necessity. The idea hatched out of something/place that we wished was available for us to do with our kids. There was a baby boom in our neighborhood, and businesses had yet to catch up to the demand.

It just seemed like something the world needed at the moment because of the bad economy along with the growing indie craft movement. As we got more involved in the crafting community we realized more and more that it isn’t just for kids. Crafting is for all ages, and types, whether you are an artist or not. So many things fell in place for us (getting our loan right before the market crash) that we knew it was meant to be and we were doing the right thing. Also, opening any business in a bad economy means that it can ONLY get better from there, so that’s one way of increasing your odds.

DIY: Spacecraft is so much more than a supply store or a gift shop. Tell us about your involvement in and with your community.
Spacecraft: We have both lived in this neighborhood for over a decade and are really connected to the parks, shops, and people here. Brooklyn is a community where people thrive collectively. So it was always a part of our original business plan to be community partners.

We get involved in every way we can, from helping local kids with school projects to working with local nonprofits, schools, community centers, and artists. People don’t come here just for the products we sell in the store; they come here because it’s comfortable and feels like home and reminds them of growing up and crafting around the family table at home. At that time in your life, when you realize you can make stuff yourself, anything seems possible in your life. It’s a very nourishing experience.

DIY: What has been the most rewarding part of this experience for each of you?
Spacecraft: First, having a great family-friendly place where our own children can come and hang out with us. Second, being able to follow through on all of our own crafting fantasies. Because we have the tools and materials here, we are often able to manifest the ideas that are in our heads relatively quickly. We are always learning new techniques and getting ideas from the people that come here. Even more so, we are thankful for the opportunities we get to inspire creativity in others.

Do It Yourself: Who and what inspire you?
Spacecraft: Martha Stewart, of course. And Amy Sedaris, Faythe Levine (Handmade
Nation), and Callie Janoff (Church of Craft) Maura Madden (Crafternoon). Pretty much everyone who has pioneered the craft movement. And extraordinarily talented people who actually like to share their knowledge and ideas.

Do It Yourself: What’s next? Expansion? New stores? New programs and partnerships? How about for each of you?
Spacecraft: We are working toward our online store. In addition, we would like to manufacture our own SPACECRAFT brand craft project kits. Franchising would be fantastic.

For us personally, we really want to take care of our kids and continue preaching the possibility of craft. There’s too much STUFF getting imported into the U.S. Mostly stuff you don’t need, but also stuff that’s poorly made. It wasn’t always like that. And when you subscribe to the consumerism, it becomes like an addiction that you don’t even know you have.

Our idea of crafting is a lot of people sitting around one big table, connecting, hand-making things with love, and using natural, environmentally friendly, and/or recycled materials. And often people tell us it has been therapeutic. So as women and mothers, we are multi-tasking (as usual) for the greater good.

Pay these rockin’ gals a visit! Spacecraft is located at 355 Bedford Ave.
Brooklyn, NY 11211 and online at http://www.spacecraftbrooklyn.com/

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