Isn’t just great when you can get together with some special friends? Even better when you can get together with thousands of them! That’s what the Craft and Hobby Association’s semiannual convention feels like! Yes, it is a business-to-business convention with the best names in craft manufacturing delivering amazing products to wonderful, and generally family-owned, companies dedicated to this beautiful hobby. Nevertheless, and I’m spreading a little crappy gossip here, secretly it’s just one monstrous group of good friends!

Katie Hacker - Woot!

Fernando Dasilva and Wyatt White - Our Beadalon Buddies!

Fernando and why it is simply too much fun. Every time we are at the CHA, we love looking forward to getting together with these guys. You can get an idea of how crazy they actually are by watching my video blog taken at a party we had at CHA last summer. Take a look!

A big hello goes out this summer to Ellen Marden and Zoom Album! Congratulations on being on the HSN Ellen!! We wish you all the best!

We just love it when our buddies are succeeding at what they love doing! Since we all get by with a little help from our friends, checkout the Zoom Album episode on the Home Shopping Network below.

If you think it looks fun to make one of these little babies, you need to try it for yourself! Absolutely the best Mother’s Day gift and Christmas stocking stuffers I’ve found to date!!

Jay and Toni Lyn, Partners for Life in Crafty Crime!

Hubby always helps when he can travel with me! he enjoys the craft industry too! He just has a great eye for beautiful things! What more could a girl ask for? Besides a 3 karat yellow diamond…(Oops, did I say that out loud?)

Drew & Margot Potter, at the Beadalon Booth.

Drew and Margot are always up for a good time at CHA. We love Margo and had her on the show. You can watch that segment HERE.

In addition, Margo Potter is making her own videos! They are superduper fun to watch, and while Margo is incredibly eclectic and diverse in her talents, we love this side of her the best! Check out her YouTube Channel here!

Finally just an update on the Crafty Nation website. Everything has been installed, and we are working out some kinks. There are just too many bugs right now to open the site of to our beta group. However, we do reasonably estimate being able to do so within the next two to three weeks. Stay tuned!

xxoo

TL

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Jeff Pulver, Social Media and Networking Guru came to our town this morning and his only goal (so he claims) was Breakfast!  Socially speaking of course!

Infamous twitterers, (is that a word?), members of the DC Media Nexus and the generally socially addicted showed up to eat, drink coffee and socially “TAG” each other. Über FUN!

Toni Lyn with Jeff getting “Pulverized!”

From Left: Ann Miller, Steph Stockman and Tre Me!

The socially addicted of D.C….

Sashi of Network Solutions

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Crafty Nation UPDATE!

Well…..you know how things go sometimes, and that’s how they are going around here.  Now we are set for a May launch.  I’m sorry….I know I deceived all of you.  I told you March, and I was wrong, wrong WRONG!  Will you forgive me?

It looks like May now…soon…so very soon…

Ok guys, we are almost there! Just a quick video update below (doncha looove the frame google captures to display your video?)

So if you want to be part of the beta test, we gotta have your email so we can send you an invitation to join the network as soon as we’re ready. We will be looking for TONS of feedback, and want you to try everything on the site and see how things run!

This will be an exclusive, so if we don’t have your email, you’ll have to wait until we are out of beta to join. Thanks!!!

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Feb 29th, Leap Year Update: I just had to add this video update to the post, so you guys can just see how excited I am!!!

And now, a shot of the new HOMEPAGE!!!!!!!!!!

I think our designer is going to add just a bit more green to warm things up, but so far we are looking CRAFTY! Let me know your thoughts!!!

Feb 22 2008 - UPDATE:

We have the wireframes done, woot woot!! Now we need to polish the design and begin installation. WHEW! What a ride, but so worth it. Building a brand as exciting as Crafty Nation is really about taking your time to do things right. As we are trying our best for YOU!!! Stay tuned…

Feb 1 - Well, as many of you know, we here at Crafty Nation are hard at work revamping the website and installing new software that will make the site do everything but finish your creative projects for you. We were shooting for a relaunch before Thanksgiving, but lo an behold, another web developer gone south! That’s ok, it worked out (again) for our best. The new team on board is nothing short of “amazing” and we know you will love the new design and the new features (tons) that we’ll be offerin!!

As we said before, when we finally come out of hiding, the wonderful things you’ll be able to do on the site will be phenomenal! If you are already familiar with social media and social networking sites, then you know how many features have currently evolved in the Web 2.0 world. Crafty Nation is going to be a “combination” of both, which means that not only will you have a profile and project gallery and all the goodies that go with them, but you will also be able to interact with the show by rating episodes, submitting your comments on content and your suggestions for what you’d like to see! You’ll also be able to interact with each other’s projects, and work together in the collaborative work spaces of the site to design and refine new projects.

• All the usual social networking features you’ve come to know and enjoy! (Groups, forums, friends)

In addition:

• Points and Rewards
• Contests
• Featured Artists
• Classifieds (sell your work with NO commissions)
• Local events and meetups
• Submit links (similar to delicious)
• Project Gallery where you can put step by step photos and instructions of stuff your working on
• (great collaboration tool!)
• Customizable profile
• Report Offensive Material (we depend on it!)
• Publish you own blog with your own RSS Blog Feed
• Guestbook feature
• Promote your business
• Help customize the content of our show
• Online Classes (coming soon)

We’ll keep y’all posted!!

Best,

Toni Lyn

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What does it mean to be a “Crafty Bastard?” Well, 150+ Indie artists can tell you…it’s about SNARK baby!! And this weekend, one of the most alternative craft artisan shows in the country is rearing its indie head. The Crafty Nation team is going to be live on the ground at the “Crafty Bastards Art & Craft Fair” in Washington D.C., where we’ll bring you a multi-faceted look at the one of the most alternative craft artisan shows in the country!!

Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts Fair is a juried exhibition and sale of handmade alternative arts and crafts from independent artists presented by the Washington City Paper. Why do they call it alternative you ask? Well, just for starters, this isn’t your Granny’s craft show, and…this isn’t your Granny’s craft. As the promoters of Crafty Bastards proudly shout on their website, “You won’t find knitted teapot cozies, floral wreaths, carved wood ducks or batik jackets here.”

What will you find? Be prepared to experience some of the finest and fugliest (did I say that out loud?) of the movement otherwise known as INDIE Craft. Items like “…dead Elvis statues, gumball machine ninja necklaces,… punk rock baby clothes,… tampon dolls, burnt toast plush toys,…” and others of like ilk are what mainly comprise this varietal display of colorful and creative albeit continuation-school dropout accouterments.

Items such as Dana De Kuyper’s Dammed Dollies…

Stella

Hortense

Or Victoria Wilkins Girlie Pants…

nuff said…

‘How bout them apples?’

Or something out of the mind of Ben Claassen, super creative INDIE genius - get some serious laughs from his daily comics at www.bendependent.com

Now in its 4th year of the show, the Washington City Paper promotes underground art and strives to connect the voice and vision of the indie craft community with their readers. In their Classifieds section, in print and online, they have a special Crafty Bastards advertising section through which craftspeople can sell their wares, and throughout the year they hold craft workshops finding talented crafters to share their knowledge and expertise with the public.

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How many of you remember Art & Craft time in grade school? Remember the finger paints and construction paper, the Popsicle sticks and play dough? And what about the paste? My friends used to eat it, (eeew!) and I can still smell it!

Now-a-days, I think the definition of art and craft is a little blurry. But by my wire nippers, I think I’ve snipped it!! Before I explain, you might want to grab a cup of coffee or wait to read when your fresh in the morning. Just to warn ya…

Now with respect to ART, I think we can safely say that when we say that a person is artistic we basically mean that they are “creative.” So what does it mean to be creative? I think at a minimum, to be creative simply means to possess the ability to design a thing from imagination. For some reason, we label creative people as “artistic.” So we can summarize that artistic people produce designs that most likely include external influence, but mainly stem from their own mind’s eye. This is why we say a design is “original” and not a reproduction.

Now here’s an interesting thought. A person may have “artistic” ability to design from imagination, BUT…they may not have much refined skill to ‘craft’ the design they’ve created. They can see the pattern in their mind, but bringing the design into being may not be so easy for them.

That leads us to CRAFT. In the past not so a very long time ago, a craft was something that a person did to contribute to their community. You had your local blacksmith who made your horseshoes, you had your weaver who produced cloth for the village, and your cobbler who made your shoes. Many of these crafts were simply skills that had been passed down and which enabled people to live communally. Everyone had a role to play, and most likely it involved the production of something. Most likely, the blacksmith did not design the horseshoes he made, but rather learned the design from a master craftsman. And so on.

Now, I imagine that on occasion, someone would get creative with their craft, and produce a new style or design of whatever it was they were crafting. This person not only had the refined talent or skill at producing things, but they were also the creator of the design itself. They were both ‘creator’ and ‘producer’. Hence, the title of “Artisan“. The word is a combination of Artist and Craftsman. An artisan then is simply both the artist who produced the design and the craftsman who brought the design into being.

Viola! Art & Craft understood at last! (Sorry if I was a bit philosophic, it’s just the way I’m wired.)

Just another thought I’m having, (because I always have to share my thoughts). I think that very few people truly design from nothing, with no inspiration or influence. I think we all see shapes and colors in the world, and then we produce our patterns accordingly. We envision the components based on things we’ve been exposed to, or have studied. Ideas come from all mediums, from nature, from others. Normally when your least expecting it. So I think many of us are creative and don’t even realize it. We don’t think we are artisans, but we actually are! Ask yourself next time you play with your steak tartar (raw ground beef), and create something like this guy? Now haven’t we all seen him before?

TL

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This weekend, my husband and I took a road trip to spend the weekend in the Massenutten Mountain ridge in heart of the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia. This area is not only famous for its historic role in the civil war, but also for its beauty, farm fresh produce and friendly people. Fall is approaching fast, and as leaves begin to change, that means festivals and harvest celebrations. For me…that equals crafty country! I was disappointed not to be able to find a craft show happening on Saturday within a reasonable driving distance. But I did find the next best thing…

Dayton Farmer’s market is a local famous indoor market located in a town so small you literally miss it if you blink. (We blinked, and we missed it.) The market is a treasure of community, home to about a dozen small, family run businesses; many who have been there for decades. Once I walked in, I immediately understood the draw to this small blend of country offerings, open only on weekends. The market atmosphere is warm, and its shopkeepers are overtly friendly.
There is something for everyone here. Among the smattering of offerings are: A gourmet food shop that sells fresh local cheese and butter (think churned that morning), fresh meats (slaughtered yesterday), toys, coffee/espresso, local BBQ, fresh jerky, homemade chocolate and sweets, kitchenwares, baked goods, an art gallery, windchimes and other gifts, and much more!

But the draw for me was the several shops that featured the wares of individual craft artisans, and I was not disappointed. The shop, “Crafty Hands” has been in the Dayton Market for 17 years and is owned by Jo and her husband.

The shop is aptly named as it carries wares not only from local artisans, but also creative goodies from crafters far and wide. The atmosphere is cozy, but not cluttered. Here are some of my favorites…

Across the way, the Craftyhands in Toyland shop section beckoned my husband, and the radio controlled helicopter had his attention for most of the hour.  Just goes to show that they never really grow up.

Next, I met Cris from Cris’ Corner, a unique yarn shop with colors everywhere!  She was a little camera shy, but otherwise very friendly and welcoming.

This her biggest fan, Ramon. Cris offered to teach me how to knit, (something that I’ve just never been able to master. ), but I told her I’d never be able to sit still long enough to finish a project! (Makin jewelry is hard enough, just ask my creative soul sister, “The Impatient Beader“)

Everyone at the market and in Dayton that we chatted with was truly delightful, and we genuinely felt welcome in this small town. Just next door to Harrisonburg, Dayton has real community feel with larger city amenities close by. That evening, we did the unthinkable while on a mini-break in the country…we went to the moves!   I have to say, 3:10 to Yuma is a big thumbs up for this girl. Ooooo, Russel Crowe and Christian Bale as roughneck cowboys…mmmm, dicey!

After lunch and a beautiful hike up Massenutten on Sunday, we finally headed north home to DC.  It was good to get back, as I really missed my pooch, but I’ll definitely remember the sweet time we had and the crafty folks we met.

Even this little silk worm. See ya little fella.

TL

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As many of you know, I am a lover and collector of beautiful lampwork beads. I discovered Deborah Burch of Contessa Glass on eBay of all places, and have purchased several sets since then. In fact, Margot Potter used one set to produce this beauty for the show. It’s been sweetly dubbed “Haight-Ashbury” because it so reminds me of this San Francisco neighborhood where Flower Power and the VW Bus were iconic.

In addition, black and white is super hip this summer, so I put this art deco set together and called this one “Jazz Piano.”

Deborah says she has always been a creative person. Her past includes publishing short stories and culinary training in pastry arts. After a beautiful edible career specialized in wedding cake designs and sugar sculpture, Deborah decided to stay home to spend more time with her son. Still, creativity called, and in no time she was looking for a new medium. A friend introduced her to lampwork beads and when she discovered that molten glass behaved in a similar way to melted sugar and chocolate, she knew she was home!

And we certainly agree!! The main aspect that I love about her work is the use of color. Color combinations are key to the beauty of a design, and Deborah admits being driven by it. She also strives to produce designs that are clean, simple, elegant and inspired. She wrote to me recently and said that she’s inspired by color in fashion, and in fabrics, prints and textiles. She even loves looking through wallpaper books for color ideas!

She is also completely self-taught, and began working and practicing on a hot head torch set up in her basement. After a year, she upgraded to a dual-fuel torch and an expanded home studio.
She also loves the time that this art form allows her to spend with her son (who is now 4) during his first incredible & special years.

Some of my favorite examples are below! Let me know which ones are your faves when you have a chance!!

xxoo

TL

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