Sunday, December 2, 2012

Steel Town Etsy at Handmade Arcade


Our team is proud to announce that we're one of the sponsors of Handmade Arcade and will have a team table at the event.  Stop by, sign up for our newsletter, or any number of Etsy newsletters, and receive a FREE raffle ticket for your chance to win one of two (2) $50.00 Etsy gift certificates or twenty five (25) $25.00 Etsy gift certificates.  They can be redeemed online at any Etsy shop that accepts gift certificates.  While you're at our table you can also pick up some free swag from Etsy and purchase raffle tickets to win our basket filled with handmade goodies made by the members of our team.  Proceeds from the gift basket will benefit the Pittsburgh Center for Creative Reuse (PCCR) and the basket will include a gift certificate for PCCR as well.   You can also meet some members of our team, talk to them about Etsy, and purchase handmade items directly from them. 

Handmade Arcade, now in its ninth year, brings young, innovative crafters and progressive do-it-yourself designers to the David L. Lawrence Convention Center on December 8, 2012 to sell, their handmade, locally produced, and offbeat wares at a bustling marketplace.


This event provides craft artists working outside mainstream and fine arts sectors with a grassroots, high-visibility venue to sell wares, build community, network, and share their artistic practice.

With last year's event, Handmade Arcade found a new eco-friendly home at the David L. Lawrence Convention Center which allows them to continue their commitment to the environment through the convention center's green practices (www.greenfirst.us). This new home also provides space for more vendors than ever before (150+), the addition of new areas to feature demonstration artists, DJs, and musicians. The central downtown location is accessible via car, bus, T, bike, and foot and there is extensive on- and off-site parking.

Situated on-site, near the vendors, their welcoming Hands-on Handmade area features a variety of drop-in, short, and day-long interactive programs — including craft demonstrations, mini-tutorials, make-and-take activities, craft competitions, and art installations — all designed to bridge the gap between consumers and creators.

Don't miss your chance to support local artists and purchase unique handmade holiday gifts for those on your list at this year's event. Remember, you're not only supporting local artists, but your local economy as well. According to The 3/50 Project, a national small business advocacy group, for every $100.00 that is spent at a small, local business, $68.00 will return to the community. (Info from "5 Benefits to Shopping on Small Business Saturday" FORBESWOMAN, November 11, 2011)

Several of our team members at the boutique will be vending at this event, including:

AjwCreations

Audra Azoury Jewelry

Barker’s Herbs & Heirlooms

bel monili by l.marlane

charmed by nature

CreativeCustomology
Designs by Samantha

Erika Elyn

Everyday Balloons

Go Carr Go

Green Bubble Gorgeous

Jes Ha Ka

juNxtaposition

lazypeas

Miss Mousie Love

Nina Ramone Knitwear

Recycled Reads

strawberryluna

Trilodeon

Vehement Romantic

Whimsical Wonders
Check out our Facebook page for your chance to win a pair of Early Birdie Passes. These passes are $15.00 each and are available for purchase online or at Wild Card in Lawrenceville. Each pass provides shoppers with the exclusive opportunity to shop one hour before the event opens to the public. Early Birdie shoppers will have first pick to purchase all the unique and one-of-a-kind items that crafters will be selling and be given a bag full of goodies and coupons. (Children 12 and under are admitted free with an adult.)

Team Members who will be at the team table throughout the day include:

Textile Gifts by Lynn Forman
Gillie Beans BoutiqueBookCraft
Wakula Works
John the CraftistNot Your Granny's Afghan
Neighborhood Blonde
BobbidiBoo
Rebecca Bailey Photo
Beth Hedin
Erra Creations

We hope to see you there!  

Wednesday, November 28, 2012

I Made It! Market for the Holidays Comes to Bakery Square November 30, 2012 & December 1, 2012


I Made It! Market, the city’s nomadic indie craft marketplace, will pop into Bakery Square for their sixth annual I Made It! for the Holidays event. This year’s event features more than 90 local artisans selling all handmade wares. Shoppers can meet and talk with the artists who are our neighbors throughout the Pittsburgh region on Friday, November 30 from 5 pm - 10 pm and Saturday, December 1 from 11 am - 6 pm.

Friday’s festivities include the lighting of Bakery Square’s building in red to acknowledge World AIDS Awareness Day by the Delta Foundation. On Saturday, a pop up beer garden will be hosted by Tapped and Santa will be on site to pose for pictures.

Last year I Made It! Market welcomed 7,000 shoppers over the two-day event. This year’s artists will include a diverse mixture of goods including ceramics, housewares, jewelry, clothing, bath and body products, giftware, prints, letterpress, sweet treats, plush, children’s items and much more.

This pop up marketplace offers shoppers the opportunity to shop for all of their holiday needs in one space, choosing handmade and local offerings. The makers will be on hand to share their passion for creating unique products and will often work with customers to produce custom orders just in time for the holidays.

Each purchase made at I Made It! Market benefits our local micro economy by supporting an artist from our region who is able to continue to make a living through their art, some even sourcing their materials locally. Additionally, many I Made It! artists utilize repurposed or recycled materials in the creation of new ones including plush, clothing, jewelry, accessories, and more.

Several of the Steel Town Etsy team members will be exhibiting their wares at this market including:

After Dinner Designs
AJW Creations
Barker's Herbs & Heirlooms
Bel Monili 
Bonne Amy
Charmed by Nature
Cowboy Goods
Creative Customology
Designs by Samantha
Diane Wright Designs
Erra Creations
Everyday Balloons
Go Carr Go
Green Bubble Gorgeous
Judith Browne Calligraphy
Junxtaposition
Lazypeas
Nina Ramone
Recycled Reads
Red Robot Design & Illustration
Silentlotus Creations
Strawberry Luna
The Pretty 1
The Pretty Little 1
Trilodeon
Vehement Romantic
Wild Notions
Wren & Rita
Whimsical Wonders

The I Made It! Market creates events with a two-fold mission in mind: to provide the opportunity for regional craftspeople to establish small businesses and to partner with non-profit, arts, and community groups to raise awareness and financial assistance for their causes.

Partner with IMI!: For more information including sponsorship and partnerships, or to vend at a future I Made It! Market event, contact info@imadeitmarket.com.

Access a listing of all participating artists: http://imadeitmarket.com/i-made-it-for-the-holidays-2012-2/

Find their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/imadeitmarket

Their Facebook event page: http://www.facebook.com/events/117011748449077

And find them on Twitter @imadeitmarket

Thursday, October 4, 2012

Fall has arrived!

 
What is your favorite part of the season?