2008 Crafty Bastards Vendor Spotlight: The Weekend Store

Get to know this year’s Crafty Bastards vendors! We’re posting a series of interviews of crafters who will be at the CB festival Saturday, June 28, at the Pyramid Atlantic Arts Center in Silver Spring, MD.

The Weekend Store has an air of mixed business and pleasure — It features jewelry that is all at once quirky, literary, vintage, lofty and quaint in only the finest ways. Adjowah Brodie is the creative force behind The Weekend Store. She designs and creates her thoughtfully handmade line of recycled vintage accessories in her sunny Oakland, Calif., studio while her lil pup Buck catches a tan on the back deck. Check out the rest of Adjowah’s jewels at her official website!

1. Using just three words, how would you describe your work?

thoughtful, clever, repurposed

2. What are you doing to prepare for Crafty Bastards? Are there any new products or techniques that you will be trying out for this show?

I’m working smarter, and focusing on popular items that I sometimes tend to *overlook*. I’ve discovered a new way to make typewriter key cufflinks that doesn’t involve glue or soldering (revolutionary!), and it’s awesome. I’ll have a really nice assortment of cufflinks for this show, and I’m excited to be able to share that with everyone.

3. Is your craft widespread in the handmade community? What makes your stuff different from others in your craft genre?

There aren’t too many folks using typewriter keys and watch parts in the handmade community, and those of us who do use these components all design in really unique ways, so there’s not *too much* overlap. I think what makes my pieces different is that I seek to create adornment with meaning. My work seems to resonate with my customers.

4. Starting an independent shop takes a lot of dedication, planning and hard work. At what point did you realize you had the chops to start your own indie craft business?

I started the business kind of slowly, keeping a full time job and sort of doing this and that here and there. I now run the business full time, and even though there’s talk of a recession, The Weekend Store is growing by leaps and bounds. I think what has helped me continue the business, and what has really helped it grow, is my immunity to disappointment. If something doesn’t go well, I think, “How can I make this better?” instead of getting all bummed and discouraged. I see both successes and failures as opportunities for learning, and I truly believe that is what has sustained me and allowed The Weekend Store to thrive. Also, I really, REALLY love my work – even the tedious crappy parts I love.

5. Where are your favorite places to find your supplies?

Google Search has been the best resource for me ever!

6. Crafting is a grassroots revolution of sorts. It’s catching on as people appreciate all things handmade, original, recycled and environmentally/socially conscious. Does this influence/inspire your work? If so, how do you incorporate it into your craft?

I love the recycled aspect of using vintage components, and I especially love that my work seems to resonate with my customers. I’ve had customers buy my pieces as gifts for writers, editors, teachers, groomsmen, retired secretaries – I even had one customer who took the keys off of his mom’s Royal typewriter and I made pendants for his whole family. I like that my work has meaning.

7. After seeing your work, many would-be crafters are inspired to start their own creations. Will you have any DIY kits available for sale at Crafty this year? Could you provide any simple how-to’s or tips for readers who want to get started on their own designs?

I don’t sell kits, but I would encourage would be designers to view craft fairs, boutiques, design magazines, etc. as museums or reference materials – places to go and take in all the sights and gain inspiration, but not to copy. Design has to come from your heart, or else you’ll never be able to sustain it. Copycats always follow – designers always lead. Strive to be a leader.