Etsy Banner Design

I finished designing a couple of banners this week for Trish of Creative Love, and I am thrilled about how they came out. One of them is already up in her Etsy shop! The bright handmade magnets look awesome against this vintage blue refrigerator.

Want to work with me to design a banner for your etsy shop, blog, or a logo for your business? Hop over to my Graphic Services page!

Wedding Registry Whatnot

I wanted to share some handmade things we put on our Amazon Wish List as part of our Wedding Registry:


Grain Sack Pillow by lesliejanson.etsy.com


Blue Heron Throw Pillow by Modern Folk Shop


Ticking Stripe Handmade Duvet Cover by Modern Folk Shop


Shabby Chic Party Pack Hooks by Monkey and Squirrel.


Claylight Sconce by lightexture.etsy.com


Seed Stone print by Brandi Strickland

We also set up more traditional registries with Home Depot, Target, and REI. I had to physically go into Home Depot and write down SKU numbers for their registry, but the others I was able to do online.

My Own Sad Etsy Boyfriend

Megan wrote:
"Hey Sarah, have you seen this? 20 Sad Etsy Boyfriends
So how long till Dan starts modeling your hair clips? :-)"

Well, I have a confession, Megan. I had Dan pose in a handmade crocheted beanie when I first started this blog. Want proof?




More Brutal Craft Humor
You may have seen these websites before, but I couldn't resist sharing them. I don't agree with everything (or maybe even anything) in the links below, but they are worth a laugh!

White Guys with Cornrows
Personally, I think people should wear whatever hairstyle they want. But this blog author doesn't agree.

WTF Etsy
Brutal shop reviews. The editor still has a heart and the goal is helping the seller improve his or her shop.

Regretsy
This website pokes fun at products on the Etsy website. I have a friend who had an item featured on Regretsy and it did wonders for her sales! Who knew?

Spring Runway Trend: Macramé

Christian Dior, Spring 2011 Ready To Wear

macramé: (noun) The art of knotting threads or cords into patterns without the use of tools; An ancient craft that saw a surge in popularity in the 1970's

If you've ever made a hemp bracelet or friendship bracelet, you were doing macramé. If your grandmother has her potted plants hanging from the ceiling by green, orange or beige knotted ropes, they are probably macramé.

After its heyday in the 70's, macramé has since had a reputation of being stodgy and old-fashioned. But this craft has always had two enduring qualities: loose movement and unlimited, intricate design possibilities. Updating macramé with slinky, modern textiles (instead of stiff cording) has made it a breezy look for spring 2011. With a revival of 70's style and nautical gear on the runways, several high fashion designers have taken the craft of macramé to the next level:

Craft Corps Book Giveaway!

Who would you induct? A drawing & conversation on the SM Blog.


Lark Books and Lark Crafts just published a new book, Craft Corps, Celebrating the Creative Community One Story at a Time. Lark Crafts team member Kathleen, who I met through the Belt Buckle project last year, emailed to see if I wanted to give away the new book on my blog, so of course I said yes!

Join Crown Town Handmade in Charlotte this Friday for a two-part craft party!!! This is an Etsy initiative to get the world crafting simultaneously in celebration of Etsy's 5th Birthday. First Stop: Midwood Park to make a miniature terrarium, swap your old craft supplies, get a ticket for the handmade raffle and have cupcakes and punch. Next Stop: Patchwerk Playhaus (in the back of Century Vintage) for Happy Hour craft circle where you can work on your own personal project, and then....FREE screening of Handmade Nation, a documentary about the Rise of DIY, Craft, Art, and design in America. I've read about screenings of this in other major cities, but never in Charlotte, so this is very exciting! You can BYOB to Patchwerk Playhaus, just be sure to bring $5 cash corking fee per 6-pack/container (this is the only money the venue will make for offering their space to the community for this event).



See all of the details on our Facebook Event Page. (You don't have to be a member of Facebook to see it.) Hope to see you there, and please help us spread the word!

ICE Holiday 2009 Multimedia Recap

Indie Craft Experience (ICE) was the definitely the hottest spot for shopping in Georgia this weekend. 100 booths were packed into the upstairs ambient plus studio, which had wooden floors and an exposed ceiling. As the crowds poured in, dj ZANO kept the place jumping with upbeat merengue music and sounds so new I couldn’t even tell you what they were! Besides the music, the place was just loud- you could hear the buzz of everyone conversing. Listen to it on a video I made:



To my delight, the venue was equipped with a kitchen where a few people were busy concocting yummy treats. I bought some vegan chili, and an amazing grilled cheese sandwich with pesto squeezed between wheat bread and swiss cheese. There was also a selection of yummy cupcakes from Dulce Vegan Bakery. In another corner, volunteers from MODA were sitting amongst piles of torn fabric helping event-goers gift wrap presents. People who were taking a break from shopping were chomping at the bit to sign up for a free shoot with LeahAndMark.com. The duo was there snapping portraits all day.

This year’s ICE was especially cool for me, because I got to meet some really accomplished crafters, including The Small Object and Alena Hennessy (both were featured in the book Handmade Nation). I chatted all day with my booth neighbors Mammie Ruth and Talulah B., and got a chance to hang out with So She Sews again. See some of their booths in this photo slideshow:



What I Couldn't Live Without:
The Small Object's Fabric sew-in buttons. I’ve been reading her blog articles for awhile and wanted to get a piece of the fun. I might have to knit up a sweater just to give these cute buttons a home:



What I Made for the Swag Bags:
I made patches for some of the swag bags that were given to the first 200 attendees of ICE. They were inspired by the canvas fabric patches I used to collect from rock shows as a teenager (I would safety pin them to my backpacks and purses). Indie Craft Experience added a pic of them to their newsletter (scroll down to "Swag Bags"). I screen printed them by hand:





Well, I guess that's it!
No, not really- there was so much more. But I guess you'll just have to attend next year and see for yourself! Thanks to everyone who came out this year, and especially those who stopped by to support Stitch Machine. All purchases at ICE have directly helped to support each individual artist! Thanks again!