Friday, December 21, 2007
Happy Holidays!
Wednesday, November 28, 2007
Where Are They Now: December Edition
This Sat Dec 1st: Sean Hennessey and Rania Hassan (Goshdarnknit) have organized a Holiday Craft show at Big Bear Cafe from 3-9pm at 1st and R St. NW. Details here
Saturday and Sunday Dec 1+2 Jill Johnson of Jillory will be at the Wakefield Park 30th Annual Holiday Arts&Crafts Show, Audrey Moore RECenter, 8100 Braddock Rd., Annandale, Va.22003 Dec.1 9 A.M. to 4P.M. and Dec. 2 11 A.M. to 4 P.M.
Friday, Dec 7th 12-7pm and Sat, Dec 8th 10am-5pm Mary Ellen Larkins will be selling her glasswares along with Nancy Sween pottery and 6 other fine craft vendors at the 4th annual, Holiday Art Bazaar Home Show at 317 Church Street NE, Vienna, VA. For more info call: 703-281-7847
Dec. 7-19 Boxboy, Hadmatter Art and Cherie Lester will be at the Downtown DC Holiday Market; 7th and F Streets NW, Washington DC, in front of National Portrait Museum; noon - 8 p.m. Check their web sites for their exact dates. be sure to check out this festive market! and bring our favorite artists a hot chocolate if it's brisk out ;)
Dec.8 from 9 A.M. to 5 P.M. Jillory will be at the Hillsboro Christmas Craft Fair, The Old School House, Hillsboro, Va. A quaint country setting in beautiful Loudoun County.
Dec. 9 from 8pm-midnight. Don't miss Rock & Shop at the Black Cat which will feature some of our favorite vendors from Craft Mutiny along with vendors selling vintage records, indie designer clothing, rock posters and more...http://www.blackcatdc.com/schedule.html
Dec 15 from 12-6pm the Craft Mutiny is hosting their 2nd Annual 'Booty Market' at the National City Christian Church located at 5 Thomas Circle in NW DC. more info here: http://www.craftmutiny.com/
whew! that should keep you on your toes for the next couple of weeks! And remember: Buying handmade gifts is the way to go this holiday season.. Support local artists! Reduce your carbon footprint! And buy your friends and family cool, unique gifts that they will be sure to treasure way more than a generic gift card (move away from the gift card rack..)
happy shopping!
Friday, October 26, 2007
Where are they now? - November edition
Below is a list of shows and markets that some of our regular vendors are participating in during the month of Nov. After thanksgiving I'll post the December list.. happy shopping!!
You can find Boxboy at Eastern Market on Sundays and at these shows in Nov:
Nov. 3: Dominion Hills Community Center Fall Craft Show; 6000 Wilson Blvd., Arlington, VA; 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.Nov. 17: Mount Vernon Unitarian Church Holiday Market; 1909 Windmill Lane (off Ft. Hunt Road), Alexandria, VA; 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Nov. 17: Mount Vernon Unitarian Church Holiday Market; 1909 Windmill Lane (off Ft. Hunt Road), Alexandria, VA; 9:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Nov. 29: Patton Boggs Holiday Bazaar; Patton Boggs LLP, 2550 M Street NW, Washington DC; 11 a.m. -2 p.m.
Two of our vendors, Cherie Lester and Chantal Lebreton of Birdtree Philosphy will be at Eastern Market on Saturdays in November.
DC Craft Mafia is hosting:
The UNusual Suspects Arts & Crafts Festival
The Anastasi Room
5020 Battery LaneBethesda, MD 20814
Saturday, November 3, 2007 12pm to 8pm
for info visit: http://www.dccraftmafia.com/events.html
Melania Ferrara of Jewelry Link will be at these shows:
The Design Center- November 8
Fairfax Holiday Show at Fairfax High School- Nov. 17 & 18
McLean Holiday Show at the McLean Community Center- Nov. 30, Dec. 1&2
Glass On The Square will be at
the Northern Virginia Christmas Market at the Dulles Expo center
November 9, 10 and 11
For info visit: http://www.emgshows.com/a_nvcm.htm
Jill Johnson of Jillory will be at these shows:
Nov. 3 10 A.M. to 3 P.M. Annandale United Methodist Church Christmas Craft Fair, 6935 Columbia Pike, Annandale, Va. 22003
Nov. 10 10 A.M.to 4 P.M. Holiday Happening Craft Show, Robert Frost Middle School, 4101 Pickett Rd., Faairfax, Va. (formerly held at Woodson High School)
Nov.17 10 A.M. to 4 P.M. A Holiday Extravaganza Craft Show, Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology, 6560 Braddock Rd., Alexandria, Va.
Photographer Christopher Rok has an exhibition of his photography up at The Shenandoah Valley Art Center (SVAC), 126 S. Wayne Avenue, Waynesboro, VA. The show, titled Mandika's Marks on Earth is up until December 5th.
His work can also be found on a regular basis at WalkerHome, 409 William Street, Fredericksburg, VA 22401, (540) 899-3683
AND
Along with some of our other vendors, Erika of Hadmatter Art will also be at Eastern Market most Saturdays and Sundays.
She'll also be at: Bazaart, November 24, 2007, American Visionary Art Museum, Baltimore MD.
So if you need your fix of your favorite Ballston Arts+Crafts Market vendors, come find them at these upcoming shows!!
Friday, October 19, 2007
pictures from our October market:
a shopper picks out fun pins at Just Plain Jane's booth
Beth of Magpie DC and Tina of I Like Seamonsters offer up awesome tees, plush creatures, cute totes and more in their booth.
children dancing to the musical stylings by Dan 'the Man' Cunningham
shoppers peruse the racks at painter, Mark Cottman's booth
vendors all around the circle...
stained glass panels by Glass on the Square
the day wrapped up with a lovely concert by bluegrass band, Dead Men's Hollow
Thanks to everyone who made this year's market season a success!.. and for those of you who haven't made it out yet, get ready for May 10th, 2008- opening day for our '08 season!
ps-I'll be updating the blog throughout the winter with stories, tidbits, opportunities and more
Vendors: stay tuned to the blog after the new year for info on applying for the '08 markets
Thursday, October 4, 2007
The Last Hurrah- Final Market of the Season 10/13!
12-2pm: Just Steps away, Ellipse Arts Center hosts an Artist Talk and Reception: featuring YOU ARE HERE artists Dawn Gavin, Julie Jankowski, Renee Van Der Stelt and Karey Kessler. Reception to follow with refreshments including veggies from the Ballston Farmer’s Market and sweets kindly donated by Willow Restaurant. Gallery opens at 11am and it is the last day to see You Are Here: Maps Re-Defined by Mid Atlantic Contemporary Artists. (4350 N. Fairfax Drive )
1-3pm: Across the courtyard, Grand Cru Wine Store and Vineria holds an in-store wine tasting event. Sample their finest wines and discuss wine with the experts! The café opens at 11am and features small plates to accompany their extensive menu of wines by the glass. Shop their collection in their attached wine store. (4401 Wilson Boulevard, across the courtyard from the Ellipse Arts Center)
2-4pm: Local Bluegrass band, Dead Men’s Hollow, performs a free concert at the Arts + Crafts Market at Welburn Square. Sit on the grass and enjoy the music from a band the Washington Post calls One of our area's most talented traditional acts".
We'll be pasting colorful footprints to connect all three locations..so connect the dots and find your way around to all of the fun and festivities.
Another Opportunity for Crafters:
There will be food vendors, beer+wine, music and dance performances, arts+crafts, community health fair and activities for kids.
The call for arts+crafts vendors is still open and 10'x10' spaces are available for $75 ($100 if reserved after 10/15). Vendors should bring their own tent, tables, display, etc.
This is the first annual Taste of the Pike, and my friends over at the Columba Pike Revitalization Organization are doing an awesome job of organizing and promoting the event.
If you're looking for one last fall festival sign up for a booth! For a vendor application contact Pamela Holcomb at pholcomb@columbiapike.org or 703-892-2776
visit their site here for more info on the event: http://www.columbiapike.org/
Thursday, September 27, 2007
Crafty Bastards this weekend!
The 'Crafty Bastards' arts & crafts fair is this Sunday 9/30 from 10am-5pm in Adams Morgan. In it's 4th year, this annual favorite hosted by the Washington Citypaper is an all-day craft extravaganza featuring 100 crafters (national and international!), a series of craft workshops, live music and an annual breakdancing competition!
The festival, which I've participated in over the past 4 years, has a been a huge inspiration to me in the way I've organized Ballston Arts+Crafts Market. They have a fun advertising campaign, great web site and over the years have become known for having the best, newest and coolest crafts in the area. As an artist, it's a way for me to check out the hottest stuff out there- and I'm always inspired to get back into the studio and start coming up with new designs.
You can check out the list of vendors and get directions to the fair here: http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards/vendors/
Hope to see you there! and mark your calendars for the next installment of the Ballston A&C Market on Sat. October 13th!
Thursday, September 13, 2007
Beltway Ramblings reviews the market:
http://www.beltwayramblings.com/2007/08/12/ballston-art-craft-market-support-your-local-artist/
Opportuntiy or Crafters: Capitol Hill's Barracks Row Fest
Barracks Row Main Street will be hosting its fifth annual street festival on Saturday, September 29.
Last year’s Barracks Row Fest attracted over 6,000 attendees with 80 vendors and musical acts on the stage all day. This year, we hope to increase attendance by partnering with the Capitol Hill Community to bring an Oktoberfest and Military Cook-off to Barracks Row. The Armed Forces Military Cook-off, modeled after the popular Iron Chef television competition, will showcase the culinary skills of the nation’s top military chefs.
This will also be the first year that Barracks Row will feature a beer garden. Popular features from last year’s festival, including a children’s area with a moon bounce and petting zoo, art vendors, and a performance by the Marine Corps’ Silent Drill Team, will also be present at this year’s festival.
We still need vendors. Whether you represent a non-profit group, or wish to sell food, arts, or crafts, we invite you to download the application available at www.barracksrow.org. We hope to make this the biggest festival on Barracks Row yet.
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
What's in the bag?
YES.
Every month I solicit (okay, stalk) local restaurants, businesses, artisans and other unsuspecting people with the offer to donate a gift or 'goody' to our bags. It's a great chance for cross-promotion. And since we don't offer food at our market, it's nice to have coupons for specials at a few nearby restaurants and cafes.
We make 100 bags for each market and the first 100 people to come by our booth reap the rewards. Each month is a different mix.
What's in this month's bag?
-a coupon for 50% off membership at Curves
-a mini-flashlight/keychain from Advance Car Rental
-herbal tea from Penelope Spa
-a coupon for 10% off from Jillory that can be redeemed at her booth or online
-a coupon for a free sandwich at Chic-fil-A in the nearby Ballston Common Mall
-cool toothbrush from Mai T. Phan dentistry
and more!!
The next market is this Saturday 9/8 10am-4pm, so come by our booth on your way in to get a bag, while supplies last!
See you Saturday!
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Ballston A+C Market: Back to School Edition! Saturday, September 8th
Pick up a cool school supplies from our vendors and stand out from the herd! Check out these finds:
Store paperclips, business cards or candy in a one-of-a-kind box by Boxboy like this one from his ‘scary clown’ series:
Survive your morning commute by using Peneleope Spa’s hand sanitizer. Made with natural ingredients, this sanitizer leaves a light, citrus-y scent rather than a strong chemical one and doesn’t leave a sticky residue.
Need a cool bag to carry your books? Find cool totes like this ‘bunny love’ tote by Manatea Party at the DC Craft Mafia Booth.
Get a book for your bag: Arlington Cultural Affairs will be giving out free copies of Rudolfo Anaya’s classic novel, Bless Me, Ultima (while supplies last) as part of their ‘Big Read’ project which is funded by the National Endowment for the Arts. The program distributes free copies of the book in English and in Spanish, and will hold a series of discussions and events throughout the fall.
Between the Hours of 12-2pm, market visitors will be treated to a free performance of alternative world music by The Constituents. Based in Arlington the band members met each other through work, politics and community activism in the Washington metropolitan area.
And as we’ve done in the past, the first 100 visitors to stop by the Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership booth will receive goody bags full of treats and coupons from area businesses and include gifts from Advance Car Rental, Penelope Spa, and a toothbrush from Mai T Phan Dentistry so you can keep your teeth clean, at school or work!
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Pictures from our August market:
The weather was beautiful, the vendors were fabulous and the music of the Lovejoy Group provided a great backdrop for shopping and lunching on the square.
Erika of Had Matter Art
visitors rounding the square
Kristina and Ellen in the BVSP booth
(note: Kristina is donning a tee by market vendor Fort Cloudy)
Jillory fights off a crowd in her jewelry booth
musical stylings by the Lovejoy Group
Donna Estin of Advance Car Rental and Julie Mangis, director of the BVSP man the booth, otherwise known as 'goody bag central'
Ellen checks out the paintings and prints in Mark Cottman's booth
a Sunday Eastern Market fave, Boxboy, joins us for our Saturday markets
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Round Three! Return of the Craft Champions: Saturday 8/11 10am-4pm
If you haven’t been to the market yet, be sure to come by on August 11th to see what the buzz is about. All of our favorite vendors will be there with their newest goods, and some new vendors will be dropping in to add some fierce competition in the ring.
For a glimpse at some of our heavyweight defenders, check out our recent interview with regular market vendors, DC Craft Mafia below. Other returning champs in August include Fort Cloudy from Baltimore with her hand-sewn stylings (http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=83323 ) and Boxboy (http://www.boxboyboxes.com/ ) with his off-beat decoupage boxes and accessories.
New to the market this month are Erika Rubel of Hadmatter Art, who constructs mailboxes and key hangers from recycled aluminum and other materials (http://www.hadmatterart.com/ ) and Penelope’s Spa with her line of all natural bath & body products (http://penelopespa.net/ ).
From noon-2pm, market visitors will be treated to a free concert from The Lovejoy Group, a local jazz ensemble and winner of the Takoma Jazz Festivals’ 2006 Jazz Jammie Award! (http://www.dcbebop.com/tlg/thelovejoygroup.asp )
And as we’ve done in the past, the first 100 visitors to stop by the Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership booth will receive goody bags full of treats and coupons from area businesses including I love Thai, Natural Body Spa and Grand Cru Wine shop.
See you Saturday!
Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Vendor Spotlight: DC Craft Mafia
(Members Michael, Erica and Chandi at the July Market )
The DC Craft Mafia is a group of diverse indie artisans who endeavor to bring craftiness to the nation's capital. Our chapter is officially connected to a worldwide organization of crafty creatives, started by Austin Craft Mafia.
KB: Who are the members and what do they make?
Michael Auger (aka Arty4ever) - Offbeat Paintings, Prints and more
Erica Burns (aka Erica Burns Designs) - Wildly, Wearable Jewelry
Leah Huete (aka Curious Zoo) - kids' prints, softies and more
Chandi Kelley (aka Manatea Party) - pillows, totes, repurposed neckties
Shayne Rioux & Chris Radz (aka Novelty Kitten) - cards, buttons, novelties,kittens
Regina X. Jiron (aka BeadJewelryShopgirl) – artisan jewelry for the artistic soul
KB: What are some benefits of being in a craft collective?
Having a sense of community is really nice. It is also helpful to have people to bounce your ideas off of rather than going it alone. As a collective we are able to do art shows together rather than having to drag a friend or spouse along!
KB: How did you all meet?
We recruit new members through our website.
KB: What is your favorite item in your collection right now?
Erica Burns of Erica Burns Designs says, "My favorite item right now is my Octopussy necklace. It makes me smile whenever I look at it because it is so unexpected!"
Arty4ever's Michael Auger likes his States and Capitals cards best. "They're my big seller."
Leah Huete of Curious Zoo started an entire line of prints based on her flying bear.
Chandi Kelley of Manatea Party's favorite right now is her High Society totebag
Novelty Kitten's Shayne Rioux is in love with her new "Periodic Table ofMonsters" cards right now.
and Bead Jewelry by Shopgirl’s Regina Jiron loves her Leilah Necklace, she says “It’s my ‘omigosh’ piece. When I tell people I wove itty bitty seed beads to decorate a wooden bead, it never fails to amaze!”
Come see the DC Craft Mafia in action at the next market Sat, 8/11!
Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Photos from Bastille Day Market 7/14!
click on the link to see the slideshow of photos:
http://s184.photobucket.com/albums/x5/BallstonArts/?action=view¤t=b8f1d3c8.pbw
the next market is Sat. August 11th..see you there!
Ballston A+C Market in the Press
Falls Church News, July 12
Arlington Connection, July 4
Washington Citypaper Crafty Blog Video Spotlight, June 14
Washington Citypaper Crafty Blog, June 7
DCist, June 7
What's Up Arlington, June 7
Falls Church News, June 7
Friday, July 6, 2007
Sat. July 14th Market: Bastille Day Celebration!!
À bientôt!
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
Opening Day 6/9!
Here are some photos from the event..more to follow!
booth shot: Tina Dale handbags, Craft Mutiny and Ron Leibfried photography
a few lovely members of DC's craft collective 'Craft Mutiny' : Tina the Seamonster, Woolarina, and Rania Hassan of Goshdarnknit
Our super-intern Ellen and Wendy Rahm of the Arlington Arts Commission man the partnership booth...
psst- insider tip: goody bags are given out to the first 100 attendees who visit the partnership booth! don't forget to visit next time..The partnership booth also serves as the info booth for visitors and vendors and has loads of info about other area news and events.
More photos and recapping to follow.. the next event is July 14th, Bastille Day..mark your calendars!!
Thursday, June 7, 2007
2 Days To Go!...
Make a day of it- the first 100 visitors to visit the Ballston Va-Square Partnership booth will get a goody bag full of treats and coupons to nearby shops and restaurants. Have you always been wanting to try Willow Restaurant? there's a coupon in our bag for 1/2 price burgers! and they have a fabulous outdoor terrace right across the street from the market. There are coupons for lots of other nearby places, so if you live in the neighborhood you can use them up over the course of a couple weeks..and then use the discount at 'Curves' to work it off! ;)
The market runs from 10am-4pm on Saturday and the free concert starts between 12-1 and runs 2 hours.
If you're coming from DC, take the orange line to Ballston and cross N. Stuart Street. You can also take the 38B which starts at Farragut Sq. and travels through Georgetown and over the Key Bridge, ending at Ballston Metro.
See you Saturday!! -kristina
Tuesday, April 17, 2007
Drumroll, please...
We held the first round of jurying last week at Arlington Arts Center with a panel of Arlington and DC-area artists, art collectors, crafters and craft-connoisseurs. After all was said and done, we selected the 'cream of the crop' from our submissions, hoping to have a wide range of variety with something for everyone at each market date.
I am super-excited about some of the people that came out of the woodworks and applied, and I'm also thankful for the already solid group of vendors that have been here since the market opened 4 years ago. 2007 is gonna rock! (and my bank account will definitely suffer...do I get a discount for working here?)
see you at the market!! -kristina
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
it's not too late!..
you can download the submission form/brochure here: www.ballstonvasquare.org
If you'd rather go the snail mail route, send your apps to: (but hurry!)
Ballston Virginia Square Partnership
2807 North Glebe Road
Suite 515
Arlington, Virginia 22207
feel free to contact me with any questions at: kbilonick@earthlink.net
we'd love to see you at the market!!
-kristina
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
the cat's out- goody bags for first 100 visitors
Tuesday, March 6, 2007
Call For Musicians:
Solo musicians and all types of musical groups are invited to apply. If you're interested, send us an email with information about your music and a link to your web site if you have one.
artists: don't forget to send your applications by 4/1 for the first round of jurying and first dibs on market dates! For the dowloadable application visit: www.ballstonvasquare.org
email me with any questions..
-kristina
Tuesday, February 20, 2007
Call for Artists and Crafters:
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership is pleased to announce plans for the Ballston Arts + Crafts Market in 2007. The Market will be held on the second Saturday of every month from June through October (June 9, July 14, August 11, September 8, and October 13). Market hours are 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.
The Ballston Arts + Crafts Market is held in Welburn Square, at 9th and N. Stuart Streets, across from the Ballston Metro station. It is conveniently located near the Ballston Common Mall and a multitude of restaurants, cafes, shops and condominiums. In its three years of operation, the juried Market has gained a reputation for quality works at affordable prices.
The Ballston-Virginia Square Partnership is now accepting applications for 2007 vendors. All fine craft and art media are acceptable including, but not limited to: clay, fiber, furniture, glass, jewelry, leather, metal, paper, wood, original painting, drawing, photography, prints, sculpture, fiber art, digital, and mixed media.
The deadline for the first round of jurying is April 1, 2007 (applications received after 4/1 will be reviewed on a rolling basis and are subject to availability)
For more information and a downloadable application go to: www.ballstonvasquare.org