Monday, June 29, 2009

imoM Q&A

This week we are very excited to feature our Q&A with the awesome gals of imoM (Susan & Emily). Their work is truly inspirational and we are so proud to have them at the Market.

1). imoM is abbreviation, which stands for “In Memory of Ming.” If you are comfortable, please share with us your inspiration for this name.
Of course, thanks so much for your interest! imoM is a tribute project to our dad, who created all of this art during his lifetime. He battled a recurring brain tumor for several decades, and his motor skills slowly grew worse over the years after each operation. But he still continued to paint and draw. He was so persistent about it he even switched from being right-handed to being left-handed because his right hand became too unstable after the surgeries.

We started imoM a couple years ago because, for most of his life, my dad's artwork sat in the basement of our house where he worked in his studio. But he loved sharing his work. His face would light up whenever other people appreciated or admired his art. For a long time, we talked about transferring his images onto cards and prints, but we never found the time to make it happen. When he passed away in May 2007, our family (mom, brother, sister-in-law, and us two) decided to set our minds to it as a way to remember him and share his pride and joy with other people. And now I guess you could call this a family shop, in our dad's name! He used to joke that he left us a fortune with his artwork, and it's true. We're deeply enriched by the art he left for us and hope that others can be too. 2). What three words would you use to describe your craft?
zen, tranquility, purity

3). Tell us a little bit about MousyBabe, your sister shop in etsy. I love the skull earrings!
This is a budding shop that Emily and I were inspired to start partly because of what we already did with imoM, and also after discovering this fascinating underground crafting scene that exists and seems to keep growing. The whole scene is kind of like a cute middle finger to mass-produced, sweatshop-produced goods. We both came to admire a lot of talented crafters who make jewelry, bags, plushies, artwork, etc. "MousyBabe" started out as our blog name. It's equal parts nerdy and sexy, haha. So we decided to use it as the umbrella name for our humble attempt to make trinkets and start a little fashion line.

4). My favorite design from your etsy shop is A12. Do you have a favorite design?
One that we've been enjoying a lot is B6, which we recently made into 11x14 prints. It's a collage with an orange sun hovering over a city skyline. It makes me think of a sunset behind a cluster of skyscrapers, but quiet and still, without the pollution of car horns and people in a busy city. It gives off a sort of zen-like peace, which was the essence of our dad's persona -- always content and at peace, in spite of all the health misfortunes that had been thrown his way during his life.

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?
You can find it online at imom.etsy.com, of course, but we'll also be participating in the Crafty Bastards festival this coming September. The MousyBabe etsy shop is mousybabe.etsy.com.

And check out imoM at the August 8 & September 12 markets!

Friday, June 26, 2009

Grrrr ... Arrrg

Not only does artist, Phil Barbato, create amazing Whiskerbear plushes, he also makes awesomely creative monster paintings, too! Perfect for kids' decor, (or even Clarendon walls, like mine!) check out his website for all your monster necessities!

And for a first-hand look at all of his pals in the flesh ... er plush, visit Phil's booth at the July 11th Market!

Thursday, June 25, 2009

Farmer's Market Friday!

Hey! Hey!

Don't forget about the Farmer's Market in Welburn Square on Friday. Stock up on some local yumminess. Fruits, honey, tea, coffee, chocolate--you name it, The Ballston Farmer's Market's got it. Now you get it!

Wednesday, June 24, 2009

A Work of Art

Um. I don't you about you all, but I consider this a work of art, so I am featuring it on the blog.
So there.

Tuesday, June 23, 2009

Q&A with Signatures by LaNorma

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but I think it's safe to say that Signatures by LaNorma has something that will wow each and every beholder.

1). Please tell us a little bit about yourself and your craft. What sets you apart from other jewelry-makers?
My name is LaNorma Huggins-Hopes, the jewelry designer/owner of Signature Designs by LaNorma, LLC, an online artisan jewelry boutique, that parades colorful gemstones, precious metals, vintage beads, glass and many other fine materials and fuses them into one-of-a-kind pieces to capture each customer's unique and vibrant personality.

What sets me apart from other Jewelry designers is my unique style and the inspiration for each piece I design. Jewelry designers draw inspiration from interesting people, places and things. My inspiration comes from my mother’s hometown of Mobile, Alabama - the home of the “Original Mardi Gras” and my talented grandmother. As a young girl, I was drawn to the festive colors, elaborate masks, and symbols of carnival. My grandmother, a talented seamstress, created gorgeous gowns and beaded trained for the various queens in the Mardi Gras Royal court. Infused with this inspiration, I created a jewelry collection bursting at the seams with vibrant color, magical craftsmanship and a bit of mystery.

2). What three words would you use to describe your jewelry?
The three words that best describe my jewelry collection are unique, colorful, and eye-catching.

3). I noticed on your website, you have a bunch of different collections. Besides, Mardi Gras, what inspires you?
The inspiration for my collections comes from many things; The Maxi collection was inspired and named in honor of my "queen of all crafts" grandmother Maxine Taylor.

The inspiration for the Love Me collection was to celebrate “love for oneself." Love for the unique qualities and characteristics that make us beautiful and special.

My latest collection, the Signature Gents collection was inspired and designed for that fashion-savvy guy who wants something beyond the ordinary.

4). It seems like you really have the art of jewelry-making down! Is there any other craft you're dying to try?
Since I was a teenager, I have always had aspiration to be a fashion designer. In the future, I would like to expand my collection to include unique fashion accessories like hats, purses, and scarves.

5). Where can we find your jewelry outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?
My jewelry collection is available online at http://www.signaturesbylanorma.com/ and at the following boutiques: Lofty Salon and Wellness Spa, Vienna, VA and Threads DC, Washington, DC, and various shows and events.

You can see a special collection on the runaway at the Artomatic event, “Art in Fashion” on July 3rd.

Check out Signatures by LaNorma on July 11th at the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market!

Monday, June 22, 2009

Love & a Pretty Necklace

Is it wrong to love a necklace?
If it is, I NEVER want to be right.
The necklace I love is by Jule's Jewels.

Friday, June 19, 2009

Pile of Craft Road Trip!

If you feel like getting out of the city for a couple of hours, take a little road trip to Baltimore, my old stompin' grounds.

Pile of Craft, presented by the Charm City Mafia, is showcasing over 50 local crafters, all in one place--St. John's Church on Saint Paul's Street.

Sounds like a good time to me.

Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Free Puppies ... ?

Free puppies up for grabs! Cute little stinkers aren't they? Just ignore the snarls and the fangs and the tendency to eat squirrels ... Oh, the one with who looks really mean and scrappy is mine. Awesome framed print by Laughing Moon Designs.

**Be sure to read the fine print.**

Monday, June 15, 2009

Pics from June 13th!

Hey! Here are some shots from Saturday. I'd say fun was had by all!

imoM displays their amazing artwork
Jules & her Jewels

Reinvented Elegance at its best

Gimmee! Laughing Moon Designs

I bought a blue Whiskerbear. I named him Yeti. Thanks Phil Barbato!

BoxBoy busy as usual

The Constituents were a huge hit

Love My Paper ... who doesn't?

The Craft Mafia strikes again ...

... and again!

Yellin' Moon Designs' beautiful dresses

Karma Krafts (and soaps!)

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Another Great Day at the Market

Ah, another great day at the Market. Great weather, great vendors, great customers--can't ask for anything more.I will have a recap and a bunch of pics from yesterday's show up on the blog tomorrw.

Oh, and we must be making waves around the District because NBC Washington/Around Town has wrote another article about us! Check it out:

http://www.nbcwashington.com/around_town/the_scene/Arts-and-Crafts-Arent-Just-for-Kids-Anymore.html

Saturday, June 13, 2009

Arlington Rap

Wow. I was getting ready for the market... you know, drinking my Starbuck's on my laptop, and I came across this.

You must click on http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4T1RMuoQnKo

All I have to say is wow. And awesome.

Friday, June 12, 2009

The Market's Tomorrow!

Yah! The Market's tomorrow. It's gonna be another great one, I can tell. Sunshine, awesome crafts, cool music--what else would you want to do on a Saturday afternoon?

Rain or shine, visit the Market tomorrow and support your local artists and musicians.

Thursday, June 11, 2009

Ballston Farmers Market

If you are in the area, tomorrow from 11:00am to 3:00pm, check out the Ballston Farmers Market in Welburn Square. It's a yummy wonderland of fresh-baked breads, artisan chocolates, rich coffee and much more!

Check out http://www.ballstonvasquare.org/farmersmarket.html for more info and a list of all of the participating vendors.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

Sydney Hale Featured on etsy!

Although it was a couple of days ago--June 8th to be exact--one of our vendors, Sydney Hale, was featured in an etsy Finds emai for Traditional Wedding Finds!

Sydney Hale's Del Mar soy candle with its silver lid, and baby blue labeling is a perfect table gift for June weddings.

As her listing says, "This infused soy wax candle with eco wick burns cleanly for 70 hours. It sits beautifully on a table or night stand in a clean line 8 oz glass tumbler. The Del Mar scent fills the
room with the well loved aroma of salty ocean air."

Congrats are in order, Sydney Hale!

Find her this month in Booth #21!

June 13th!

Are you geared up for the June 13th Market? As always, I am! We have great ads coming out in this week's City Paper & City Paper Online. Plus, on June 7th, we had an ad in the Washington Post magazine, as well as a small article about the market, which reached about 150,000 people!

In the meantime, be sure to keep sending those emails out to all of your lists, posting about the Market on your site/blog and distributing the postcards and posters. If you run out, you can always get more at the market.

And, remember, we have also created a public facebook event page, so all you facebook-users, feel free to 'invite-away' using that, too.
(http://www.facebook.com/n/?event.php&eid=94089480333&mid=90ba0bG54bff36fG3090e1G7))

See you at the Market!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Q&A with Sweet & Light

Jayne Hudgins, the owner of Sweet & Light, makes her first appearance at the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market on June 13th, and we couldn't be more excited to have her. Just for us, the busy artists takes a little time out to answer life's most poignant questions. :)

1). Sweet & Light. It reminds me of June! Please tell me how you came up with your name.
I've heard many successful artists advise to make what you love and your kindred spirits will find you. "Sweet and Light" pretty much describes all my favorite things: Sweet candy colors, soft feminine florals, girlish sensibilities, and always remembering to not take things too seriously. It's also about the nostalgia associated with vintage linens and retro prints. That's "sweet and light" to me.

2). What inspires you when you are designing?
My inspiration is always changing. There are so many creative people sharing their art and craft on the internet. It's a great resource for getting the creative juices flowing. And of course, I'm inspired by the fabrics themselves. I use mostly vintage, reclaimed, and re-purposed fabrics and as soon as I set eyes on them, the finished item is already taking shape in my head. And lately I've been finding so much inspiration in plants, flowers and animals in my neighborhood. Spring in the DC area is truly beautiful!

3). My favorite item in your boutique is the Li’l Strawberry Change Purse. What a creatively cute idea! What is, currently, your favorite item to create?
Thanks! The strawberry purse is fun to make, but right now I'm really enjoying making appliquéd linen wristlets. Laying out the designs and doing the free form machine embroidery is such fun. It's kind of like drawing with a sewing machine. Each one is a little different, with its own character. These are an item I've designed especially for the Ballston Craft Market.

4). What three words would you use to describe your craft? (Besides “sweet” and “light”!)
Feminine, fresh, and eco-friendly

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?
Well, you can always find select wares in my Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop.php?user_id=6104091, but the Ballston Arts and Crafts Market will be my first show. I'm still new to the DC area, having moved here from Indiana last year, and I'm just getting a feel for all the craft shows DC has to offer! There will certainly be more in my future. Until then you can follow my work at my blog, http://www.sweetandlight.typepad.com/. I will post news about upcoming shows there.

Friday, June 5, 2009

Transcendence 3 is Mine, Mine, Mine!

See this necklace? Yep, this beautiful, award-winning, hand-carved necklace? Well, it's now mine. Mine all mine! I completely fell in love with this piece when I first saw it at the May 9th Market and told my husband, Dave, about it. A month later, a package arrived for me. It was one of the best birthday presents ever. Thanks, Dave!

Melissa Lew, the Herndon artist, will return to the Ballston A&C Market in August, so mark your calendars, people. This is a great opportunity to see one of the area's most the most talented and talked-about jewelry artists.

Transcendence 3 (my necklace!!) was awarded first place in the category/Best in Show (Handmade Beads) in the 1st Annual Bead Museum Washington DC's Celebrating Beads International Jewelry Competition. (Phew!) Hey! I've earned (or should I say bought) bragging rights!

Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Q&A with Don Becker

Our first interview is with the Puppet Master himself, Don Becker.

1). What three words best describe your craft?
Unique. Encompassing. Playful.

2). Who (or should I say what) influences you?
The shape of the clay as I start molding it around is how most of the figures get started. As I mush and shape it, a face starts appearing and then it all starts from there. Lord knows where the initial thought comes from! From that point it probably from somewhere deep in my head! HAHA!

3). My favorite puppet of yours is the troll-like creature with the golden orb. (Soon he shall be mine!) Do you have a personal favorite?
I can't say I have a personal favorite. There are a few that I am proud of after I made them because of some technical thingy that I figured out or some kind of look that I was able to achieve.

4). You have a rather impressive client base, including The Smithsonian. I have to ask: What did you create for them?
I have built figures for the Discovery Theatre and at the American History Museum I built some figures at the beginning of the "American at War" exhibit (I think that is what it is called). It is kinda of a Punch and Judy show, you press the button and the figures move talking about the tea tax.

5). Where can we find your craft outside the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market?
I have just started doing the craft shows again so we shall see. I am sure an Internet presence is in the future. [http://www.dbpuppet.com/gallery.htm]

Find Don Becker Puppets at Booth #16 on June 13th!

Q&A with The Ballston A&C Artists

Get to know the artists of the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market!

Each and every week we will spotlight a different artist (appearing in the corresponding show) and ask them a series of 5 interesting questions.

So, what are we waiting for? Let's begin!

Monday, June 1, 2009

The First of June


Is it me or do you also get a really cool feeling when June 1st hits? Maybe it's because I think of June as the prettiest month of the year, or maybe it's because my birthday is in June (the 7th, ya'll!) or maybe it's just because I can take long evening walks with my dog, Scout, and it doesn't get dark until 9:00!


Just thought I'd share some good vibes ... Are you guys gearing up for the June 13th market? Once again, I'm pysched.