Welcome Home!

Whew! I 'm finally home from New York...

with a little three day camping trip tacked on at the end.

I love to travel and see cool new things but there is nothing better than coming home to Portland. I could go on and on about my week in NY...

how I ate my weight in bagels and pizza,

drank yummy cocktails at Pete's Candy Store,

went to the Bronx Zoo,

rode a bike through Central Park,

and went to a super fun Lotta Jansdotter printing party.

I could give all the juicy details from the Renegade Craft Fair...

how I sold out of my new dress design,

bought an adorable plush toaster and burnt piece of toast from
My Paper Crane

and how a crazy thunder + lighting + rain storm blew in and toppled tents and soaked us to the bone.

But New York is so last week...what I really want to talk about right now is this amazing Betsy Walton painting that I bought last night.

Betsy is showing with several other female artists in Swim Meet at Together Gallery here in Portland. I've had my eye on Betsy's recent work via her Flickr page and was excited to see them in person. This piece really called my name and I decided it was a fine way to treat myself with some of my Renegade earnings. Yeah! I can't wait to find that perfect place for it in my house.

No Sleep 'til Brooklyn!

The Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn is quickly approaching and I have been sequestered in my basement craft bunker trying to make as much as I can to bring along. My standard Renegade prep routine includes lots of coffee, sugar (i.e. candy + cookies) and The Beastie Boys. I listen to License to Ill (on vinyl) at full blast and shout out the occasional "Yeah Boy!" or "Kick It!" all the while sewing like a demon. Don't know what it is...but it works so I'm sticking with it. I have thrown in a little of The Clash, The Police and X but with songs like "She's Crafty" and "No Sleep 'til Brooklyn", The Beastie Boys seem to be perfect inspiration for New York craft fair preparation.

Piles of pockets waiting to be attached to skirts - I match up thread so I can be sure that I have the right color. I'm proud to say that after years of accumulating thread, I am finally at the point where I *almost* have every color I could possibly need.

Finished vintage fabric Betty Skirts!

Finished Gocco printed skirts!

All of the above skirts (as well as dresses, belt buckles, tin wall pieces and more) will follow me to NY for my favorite show of the year. The Renegade Craft Fair in Brooklyn is a spectacular event that features over 200 talented vendors from all over the country selling their handmade goods at the bottom of a pool! I'll be there sharing a booth with the talented Cathy of California and right next door to fellow Portlanders Berkley Illustration. If you live in the New York area, come on down to the fair for some crafty goodness.

When I'm not craft fair-ing in NY, I plan to go roller skating at Coney Island, visit The Met, shop in the fabric district and eats lots and lots of bagels and pizza. Yeah Boy!

It's Crafty Wonderland Time Again!

It's time for another installment of Crafty Wonderland! Come on down for crafty goodness from 40 vendors as well as a fun make and take project at the free DIY table!

Crafty Wonderland
Sunday, June 8th
11am - 4pm
at Doug Fir Lounge
830 E. Burnside in Portland
FREE ADMISSION - ALL AGES!

more details and a full vendor list at:
www.craftywonderland.com

I'll be there selling my skirts, sweaters, belt buckles and some tin wall pieces.

Upcoming Art Shows!

Two of my favorite artists have shows going up this month - both with opening receptions in the next few days. There's also a great new show going up at Grass Hut.
Here is the skinny:

Brett Superstar

at Moshi Moshi
916 W. Burnside in Portland
Opening Reception TONIGHT - Thursday, June 5th 6-9pm

Steve Mathews
at Life + Limb
A new store featuring home decor and unique plants
1716 E. Burnside in Portland
Opening Reception Friday, June 6th from 6-9pm

And while you are on East Burnside on Friday night you should definitely check out the new show at The Grass Hut - it's called Yosemite Studio and features five artists who share a studio in Los Angeles county. The Grass Hut website alleges that this show will "squirt amazingness into your eyes and hearts." Don't know about you, but I'm in.

Yosemite Studio
at Grass Hut
811 E. Burnside in Portland
Opening Reception Friday, June 6th from 6-9pm-ish

Joy!

I saw this woman at the supermarket today and got a good laugh. She was wearing one of those t-shirt beach cover-ups with the fringe at the bottom that has an image of a lady in a skimpy bikini printed on both the front and back. I told her that her shirt was awesome. I was lucky enough to snap this photo of her as she rode away on her bike so I can remember it forever and look at it whenever I need to smile.