2011 Handmade Arcade review

This weekend we took an extra long drive up to Pittsburgh to check out Handmade Arcade. It was my first time at a cool craft show where I wasn't a vendor. How nice to have time to look around! My first purchase was at My Paper Crane. I have bought from her online shop and from Spoonflower but I never had time to spend at her booth when we were vending at the same shows so it was nice to be able to say hi.

How amazing are these little houses from The Oak Leaves? These will definitely be finding a home in the studio apartMac.

For the dollhouse we also bought this cute mushroom birdbath. I'm sure Tasha McKelvey calls it a ring holder but we have other plans. I wish I had bought more but I was a little overwhelmed by the cuteness.

I love everything that Renee Ruth had out there. It was so hard to choose but I'm happy with this. It's really amazing. Her papercuts are phenomenal. This is a bad photo.

This print by Kin Ship Press is too cool. Z picked it out for her room. It's perfect. And it was only $5.

I loved everything at Laura George but my budget wouldn't allow it. I had to settle on these cards. The beard will become part of the permanent holiday collection. I'm going to frame it and hang it on the wall. Next time I will plan to buy an original.

Finally, we picked out a few cards from Sloe Gin Fizz. Lots of cuteness. I like her style. These wellies will probably hang in Z's room too (once we figure out how to hang pictures without frames just in case we have another earthquake.

I also bought a funny shirt for my nephew but just in case he's reading I won't post it.

Overall, it sucked to have to pay so much for parking but with a toddler in tow, we weren't willing to park anywhere else. I was surprised that the things that bothered me as a vendor bothered me even more as a shopper: super loud music (I think we're there to buy stuff, not dance or see a concert) and food. While the food was really good, there wasn't much of a selection. I think craft shows should always have food so the shoppers stay longer. If you get hungry and leave to eat, there's a pretty good chance that you won't bother going back. I remember before that there were more local vendors. I am assuming that the venue wouldn't allow it.

The vendor selection, as usual, was pretty broad. I would like to have seen more kids clothes but I know (having been there) that it's a tough market.

Handmade Arcade: a review and all the stuff I bought

Handmade Arcade this year was so much better than last year.

1. It was not in a filthy warehouse with absolutely no heat.
2. It was in an armory with a working bathroom and big huge tanks and stuff (and heat and lights and windows and doors).
3. I wasn't pregnant.

Because this is a two day show, I had time at the end of the first day and at the beginning of the second day to do some shopping. Also, because it's so close to home (about 1.5 hours), I had some helpers. I usually don't have much time at all to shop at craft shows so this is a big bonus for me. You don't get into this business if you don't like the whole movement (but that's a post for a different day which may discuss why I don't consider myself a visual artist anymore or maybe for just right now).

Zadie was being an absolute angel: sleeping in the stroller when prompted, eating solid food like a big girl, going home with Grandma at the end of the show so Mr. Lemon and I could actually eat a meal out together (Welcome to Moe's!), and being a gorgeous model of the yeti ringer onesie and bean romper lines SO I bought her tons of stuff.

First of all, this amazing elf hat by Sweet Pepita. She will wear this in the Spring.

This amazing horned yeti creature with a red bird on his head by Cutesy but not Cutesy. You gotta see the kid grab this beast by the horns and chomp on that bird. It's really cute.

The squirrel card to make the "S" for the alphabet in her nursery by esoule. We will probably frame the gnome. The wallet is for me and was made by the people at Get Felt Up who were very nice.

I got these cool legwarmers in a trade with Little Lumpkin who also made a Christmas present for my niece. I was so excited to finally be able to meet all of the family as Sarah and I were pregnant at the same time.

Finally, I bought some more fabulous Tim Gunn magnets from Tiny Rat who makes these really cool plastic canvas creations too.

If you didn't make it out, check out the vendor list on the website. Almost everyone has an Etsy shop so you can still buy their cool stuff.

Handmade Arcade this weekend!!!

We are in a frenzy getting our stuff together for Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh. It's only just over an hour away from us so it's the closest good show we do and we are determined to make the most of it.

Last year was awesome even though we were freezing (no heat) and dirty (in a warehouse). This year is already promising to be so much better as the location has been moved to the fabulous and historic Hunt Armory in Shadyside.

It's on 324 Emerson Street so plug it into your GPS and be there. Find us Saturday from 11 - 7 and Sunday from 11 - 5. There are also some Early Birdie Shopping passes available for Saturday morning so you can get there first and get dibs on the good stuff. I'm right in the middle in the aisle closest to ZipCar in booth 49.

Best of all, I have been working away on some really gorgeous long-sleeved onesies and toddler tees with beans in some cool new suits -- some even out of this crazy expensive Japanese fabric I bought in SoHo (had to have some retail therapy to make up for the loss at Vida's Market). It's fantastic.

Here's a little bit more info from their press release:

Handmade Arcade is the perfect opportunity to jump start your holiday shopping, decorate your home, or dress your fine self while supporting independent businesses and creative ingenuity.

Check out the more than 90 vendors that will be appearing at HA this year on our website vendor page: here. We’re also going to have yummy food vendors like Franktuary, Coca, My Goodies Bakery, and Dozen.

A.I.R. will be back for their second HA appearance with screenprinting demonstrations and “make-and-takes”. The Society for Contemporary Craft will present metal working demonstrations throughout both days of HA.

Handmade Arcade 2008 is Saturday, November 8 (11am-7pm) AND Sunday, November 9 (11am-5pm) at the Hunt Armory, 324 Emerson Street, in Pittsburgh’s Shadyside neighborhood. The location is just a short walk from a number of bus lines, including the 71C, 71D, and 500, so save some gas money and take the bus! There will also be several bike racks on site donated by BikePGH so we’re peddle friendly too!

Handmade Arcade

It's been over a week since Handmade Arcade but I've been sick. I wish I could have posted a review sooner but it just wasn't happening. The show itself was amazing. It was very well organized and we got great communication involving setup and directions. I was impressed. They even had volunteers lined up to help us unload our cars the first morning. Wow.



The crowd was super enthusiastic and really there to shop and support us makers. They had to be! It was freezing in there. I was layered up like I was off to seek out yetis in the frozen tundra. For me, it was nice to be so close to home. It takes just over an hour to get there from here and I was able to stay with a good friend where I felt comfortable.

I'll definitely apply to do the show again next year and I hope to get accepted. But I do hope they find a venue that's a little cleaner or at least provides some heat.

I had my friend Dorsey make up a new batch of yeti tees, I got busy making a whole bunch of bean dolls and a nice stack of the Lemon Cadet baby and toddler line including some furry yetis. The table was about 8 feet wide, a whole 2 feet wider than my little tables. The space was great but my tablecloths (designed to fit a variety of table sizes) were too small! Oops! So I took my decorative linens and layered them on the sides where my cloth was too short. I like the way it looks but you can bet I'll be sewing up a couple more for BUST.