Sneak Peek for Crafty Mart Show Tomorrow!

So if you are reading this post and are in the Cleveland/ Akron area, I’m just going to assume that I’ll be seeing you tomorrow at the Crafty Mart; School’s Out Show right?

If you do make it to the show, here’s what you can expect to see from zween…

Some very lovely Plarn handbags and messenger bags with recycled handles.

Some Plarn Owl Wristlets.

And there will even be a few Owl Weeble Wobbles as well.

When you come to the show, make sure to participate in the charity raffle, that will benefit the Heaven Can Wait, volunteer-run animal rescue center. Below is the Owl Shoulder Bag that I’ll be donating for this charity raffle. It’s a good cause, so buy some tickets! See you at Crafty Mart!

PS- If you’re NOT in the Cleveland/ Akron area this weekend, or are reading this post after June 1st, 2013, you can still shop for zween products at my new Etsy shop!  That’s right everyone, I FINALLY opened my Etsy shop!!!  So please go here to check it out

This post was linked to the Dedicated House’s Party “Anything Blue Friday” for the picture featuring my Sarah Grace handbag with the blue handles and medallion decoration.

String Market Bag

Now that Summer is here and the farmer’s markets are underway, you’ll need a great market bag to carry home your fresh fruits and veggies!

I’ve always wanted to make one of these and made my first attempt last summer in Morocco after I lost my handmade mesh bag at souk (market).  (Click here to see pictures from the weekly souk in our small Moroccan town.  Unlike in America, these outdoor markets happen year-round; rain, snow, or shine.)

My first market bag was made with a thin acrylic yarn, similar to the cotton used for this bag, but the acrylic ended up being a bit stretchier.  I also made up the pattern for that bag myself.  The result was a bag that was way too long when weighted down with heavy fruits and veggies.  No good.

This year I decided that I’d rather try my luck with a ready-made pattern and found this one from the Purl Bee.    This is a very good pattern for a beginning crocheter because it’s a complete tutorial, in addition to a pattern.  I used this pattern for the mesh part of a bag (a different bag, not shown) but was again unhappy with the length (even though I hadn’t made as many rows as recommended) and again it was too long and awkward.

That’s when I came across this post on the blog Yarn Junkie’s fix.  I saw the pictures and knew that it was exactly what I’d been trying to make all along.  I emailed Mandi for the pattern, and a couple of weeks later I was finished.  This bag works up more slowly than the one from the Purl Bee, but it was a perfect project for slow times during my last two craft shows.  What makes this bag great is that it’s short but full, allowing for more outward expansion instead of just downward.   The bag still stretches under the weight of veggies of course, but it’s a more manageable size.  I like that I can carry it either on my shoulder or straight down without it dragging on the ground, which is saying something because I’m on the shorter side.

Do you have an idea for a summer project that you want to tackle?  I’d love to hear about it!

Spring Fest 2011

Today I had the pleasure of attending the First Annual Spring Fest on the front steps of the Lakewood Public Library.  As far as I can tell, LEAF (Lakewood Earth And Food) put on the Spring Fest event, which included a plant swap, hands on activities for children, local craft venders, Local food venders (cheese and honey) and a sampling of local restaurants.

But what is LEAF?

“LEAF is dedicated to the development of a more sustainable, healthful and economically viable community through environmentally responsible actions producing broad access to fresh, local foods, knowledge and culture.”

Every Wednesday Lakewood Earth And Food hosts LEAF Night Market (similar to Spring Fest) at the Lakewood Public Library which is the pickup location for several CSA (community supported agriculture) programs.  The program that Jon and I are participating in this year is called City Fresh.

City Fresh works with 16 local farmers to bring shares of produce to people throughout Cuyahoga and Lorain counties. LEAF Community volunteers work with City Fresh employees to manage the Lakewood Fresh Stop.

Chris (above left) was kind enough to explain to us how the process of picking up our produce on LEAF Nights will work.

How the program works: (taken directly from the LEAF website)
Shareholders are required to pre-pay for shares at least 1 week ahead. Low-income shareholders receive a discount. The price for the regular income shares is slightly padded to subsidize the low-income share cost and some administrative expenses. Ohio Direction Card is proudly accepted.  The program will run for approximately 20 weeks. Delivery will be weekly at LEAF Nights (Wednesdays a the Lakewood Public Library) starting on June 8th.

Jon and I are very excited about getting fresh, locally grown veggies on a weekly basis throughout the summer.  It’s something that we wanted to do when we lived in Sandusky, but since the farmers market was on Saturdays, we were never able to make it due to our jobs.

The following are some more photos I took today at Spring Fest.

mmmm…honey!

These are super fun and tasty! It’s like a liquid pixie stix!

Plant Swap!

Cheese from Lake Erie Creamery. This creamery is located in Cleveland and distributes all over this area, including the Catawba Island Club, right down the street from where I grew up!  Unfortunately, we weren’t in the market for any cheese this week, but the Goat Feta was really good and the young couple watching over this booth were super nice.  We were told that Lake Erie Creamery will have a booth at LEAF Nights every other week, so we’ll have to get some cheese next time around.

Robin of The T-Shirt Diaries.  Robin is an eco-friendly mom who makes really great upcycled clothing.  You can find some of Robin’s creations at my favorite local handmade shop, Crafty Goodness!

Puppies! LEAF Night is a dog friendly venue, as we saw many furry friends this evening. As you can see, these little guys really liked Robin’s booth too!

If you are in the Lakewood area I hope you come out the a LEAF Night in the future (every Wednesday from 5:30-8pm for the next 20 weeks).

For more news about events like this, like zween on facebook!

June Events At Cratfy Goodness

Crafty Goodness, our favorite shop for unique handmade items made by local artists, is hosting a slew of fun events this June!

Have you been to Crafty Goodness on Madison Ave in Lakewood yet?  If not, what are you waiting for?!  If you have been to Crafty Goodness, remember that Chris (the owner) is receiving new inventory all the time, so you will be sure to see new items each time you walk through the door.  I was just there for my felt bead making class yesterday and noticed oodles of new stuff since the last time I stopped in just a couple weeks ago.  Chris even added a cute little seating area.  So go ahead, bring your hooks, needles, and reusable shopping bags!  And, as if these weren’t reasons enough for coming out to Crafty Goodness, here’s a list of the fun events coming up…

Drop In and Craft!  Every Thursday from noon-8 pm.  Lots of quick and easy projects that will take no longer than 30 minutes, priced at only $5! Projects include:  Mini Collages, Glass Tile Pendants, Domino Pendants, Button Rings, Button Bracelets, Glass Etching, and more!  Full class schedule here!  Order form here!

Buy Local, Buy Lakewood!  Between now and June 30th, Crafty Goodness is collaborating with 2 other female owned businesses for a shopping event.  Print out your passport here.  No rules, just stop by each store and have your passport stamped.  You will be entered into a drawing for a fabulous gift basket with products from all three shops.  No purchase necessary, but it will be hard not to buy at each shop!

Live music on June 17th!  Local musician Taylor Lynch will be performing an acoustic set between 7-9 pm.

Ears to You benefit, Saturday, June 18th!  Make 1 pair of earrings for $5, 2 for $9 or 3 for $12 and then donate them to Ears to You!  Ears To You was developed by Ruth Crane, a breast cancer survivor, to help other women undergoing chemotherapy fell good about themselves as they deal with their loss of hair.  Ruth feels like the idea was divinely inspired since she really wanted to do something to help other cancer patients in a way that was easy and affordable.  Ruth started the program at the Cleveland Clinic in June of 2008 and has been providing earrings to female cancer patients ever since.

Lakewood Street Sale!  Make sure to get over to Lakewood between Thursday, June 23rd and Saturday, June 25th for Lakewood’s annual street sale.  We will be participating, as will many businesses all over Lakewood, tons of surprises in store!  10am to 5 pm each day.

Cleveland Craft Coalition Trunk show!  This month the Cleveland Craft Coalition is taking our monthly show on the road!  We will be having a “Junk in the Trunk Show” at Crafty Goodness on Saturday, June 25th from noon to 5 pm.  Full vendor list coming soon, but for sure you can count on awesomeness from your favorite CCC ladies:  Chris, Kristen, Nicki and Rhiannon.  If you haven’t fanned The Cleveland Craft Coalition on facebook yet, click here and like us!

Although an official date has not been set, Crafty Goodness will host an “Ears to You” event sometime in late June.  For more info on this great charity click here.

Follow Crafty Goodness on Facebook for more information and updates about the events mentioned above plus much more.

New needle felted designs

Yesterday was the MayDay Show at Bela Dubby.  The best part of the show was being surrounded by so many talented people from the Cleveland area.  Despite the rain (or maybe because of it), we had a pretty good crowd in the small coffee shop and I was able to sell three of my new needle felted pins; a mustached banana, a ware wolf carrot, and an eggplant with eyeglasses)!  These sales, along with the four special requests from Jon’s coworkers at Trader Joe’s, leads me to believe that I need to explore this media and subject matter further.  So today I made several sketches of new designs and worked on some new pieces, starting with my forth special order of an evil cupcake with a mustache…

I went ahead and made a second one just like this one plus another, more girly cupcake which I didn’t get photos of yet (today is not the best day for photography).

Last night after the show I came home and felted this little devil…

And finally, here’s a flamboyant carrot that I had at the show but hadn’t shared with you yet on the blog…

To see some photos from the MayDay show, make sure to check out zween’s facebook page!

Last minute craft fair prep

Tomorrow is the MayDay craft bazaar at Bella Dubby and I’m busy putting the finishing touches on all of my products.  As usual, I had some last minute ideas, such as typing my website on the backs of my new, hand-embroidered note cards (above and below).

And here’s a little sneak peek of some other new items since the Spring Showers Show; bookmarks (above) and small flower pins (below).

I finally ran out of the cute stationary paper that I used to make my last set of DIY business cards, so I thought I’d get high tech and use the computer to draft my next batch.  However, as it turns out, my printer isn’t working!  Luckily I was able to bang out some new ones using my good old trusty typewriter and nice, thick drawing paper.

Believe it or not, all my products and display items for tomorrow’s show will fit in my newly refinished suitcase, shown above.  Handy, since I’ll need to walk home after the event.

I hope to see you tomorrow at MayDay!

Cleveland area crafty news for May

If you haven’t checked out the Events page recently make sure you do.  May will be an exciting month for zween!

First up is Oddmall; Emporium of the Weird on Saturday, May 7th from 10-6  at the Clarion Hotel and Conference Center in Akron, Ohio.  What is Oddmall you ask?  “Oddmall is more than just an ordinary craft show. It’s a celebration of uniqueness, creativity, imagination, and wonder where artists, crafters, and like-minded sorts gather to offer their unusual creations for public consumption. It’s a forum for creative expression, a classroom for esoteric wisdom, a soapbox for wild ideas, a miraculous marketplace of the unconventional, a metaphorical Serengetian watering hole where the zebras and wildebeests of inspiration and artistry congregate amidst the snapping crocodiles and scorching sunbeams of originality and ingenuity. …umm yeah. Anyway, it’ll be fun. Trust me.”

Though zween will not be vending at Oddmall, I am so excited to check it out, it sounds absolutely fascinating!

Next is the MayDay Show at Bela Dubby on Saturday, May 14th from 1-5 pm brought to you by the Cleveland Craft Coalition.  Help us save Greater Cleveland from boring crafts by coming out and supporting 16 local artists!

Then, on Sunday, May 22nd, come on out to Crafty Goodness for a riviting class in the traditional style of embroidery from Morocco called Fesi.  Students will be making their very own sampler to display with pride along with the knowledge of how to make their very own embroidered greeting cards.  Check out my last post for more information about the technique, how I came to learn it, and how you can sign up for the class.

And finally, on Sunday, May 29th, I will be teaching a class on felt bead making, also at Crafty Goodness.  Felted beads are great for making jewelry and  embelishing your knitted or crocheted pieces.  This class is for ages 10 and up, so it would make a nice Sunday afternoon activity for a parents and children.  More information about the felt bead making class can be found on the Events page.

I’m not the only one teaching at Crafty Goodness this May.  Check out the complete class list which includes a wide array of techniques which include mosaics, poly clay jewelry making, henna art, beginning crochet, beginning embroidery, and much much more!

For more updates about these and other upcoming events, like zween on Facebook!

New Page

I would like to point out the new page, located at the top of my banner and in the right side-bar titled “Shop.”  Here, you will see photos of items that are for sale and learn where to purchase them.   Currently, you can find my work, along with the work of over 60 other local artists, at the very cute brick-and-mortar shop, Crafty Goodness!

New products for MayDay Show!

Flowers, birds, colorful, cute, and fun. These are the themes I’m concentrating on in my current body of work, probably because I am so ready for spring and summer.

Here is a sneak peak of what I’ve been up to since the April Showers Show and what I’ll be showing at the upcoming MayDay Show at Bela Dubby on Saturday, May 14, 2011 from 1-5pm. I hope that you like what you see and come out to support the 16 local artists at the show.

Fabric flower bouquet.  Flowers are expensive and last just a few days, or a week if you’re lucky.  These hand-crafted flowers will last all season and then some!

Fabric flower broaches and hair clips.  Cute and sweet on a little girl or fun and flirty on a big girl.

Fabric collage wall hangings. Here is just one of the new 5×7″ fabric collage wall hangings that I’ve made since April Showers.

Note cards based off of the fabric collages. The note cards pictured here were available at Spring Showers, but there will be new ones based off of the new collages as well. I will also be packaging the cards in sets as well as selling them individually.

Want to make sure you don’t miss out on any future events such as the MayDay Show?  Like zween on facebook to be notified of new posts about upcoming events, tutorials, crafty news and more!

Thank you Crafty Goodness!

So my husband and I went to Crafty Goodness for their grand opening extravaganza this past Saturday and while we were their he signed us up for their raffle drawing, and I won the $25 gift certificate!

Of course we were super excited about this and decided to spend the certificate on stuff for our home.  Below are the treasures we found.  Thank you so much Crafty Goodness!

Above is a soap dish and “vase” from Christin of CMS Designs. Christin also happens to be part owner of Craft Goodness. I’m not sure if toothbrush holder was the intended purpose for the vase, but I think they make a great set for around the sink. I love the textured surfaces that appear on many of her designs, especially the wood grain featured in these pieces.

The other treasure we found was this ceramic magnet. We don’t have many magnets and we love that the ceramic is attached to a nice, strong magnet. Cute and functional, just how we like them! I’m not entirely sure who made this magnet but it has the letters “JMH” inscribed on the back.  If you know who made this please let me know and I’ll add his/her name and link.

*update 4/11- The magnet was made by Jason Hayes a pottery teacher at Shore Cultural Center in Euclid