Saturday, December 5, 2009, 10am-3pm
Ellsworth Drive (Between Fenton Ave. and Georgia Ave.)
Downtown Silver Spring

The Silver Spring indie craft show, Handmade Mart, is teaming up with Downtown Silver Spring and the FRESHFARM Market for the first annual Holiday Shop-n-Stroll.

Founders, Kim Dorn (Crafty Bastards Director) and Debbie Lee (Rock-n-Romp Founder), invite all crafters to apply to sell their wares this one-of-a-kind, holiday extravaganza, which will take place along the bustling Ellsworth Drive in Downtown Silver Spring.

This one-day, outdoor event will feature 50+ independent crafters, local farmers selling fresh seasonal produce, workshops, carolers, a tree lighting, and much more to get everyone into the holiday swing of things.

Vendor applications for crafters are up online, and it’s FREE to apply!

Apply Now
Hurry, the application deadline is October 19th!
The Handmade Mart is a juried craft show. Vendors will be selected based on quality and uniqueness of their craft.

There is no fee to apply, but all accepted vendors will need to pay a $65 booth fee + an additional fee if electricity is needed.

Check out photos from the spring Handmade Mart here.

Check out handmademart.blogspot.com for more show information.

DCRG Holiday Bash & Craft Sale
Saturday, December 12th, 8-11pm
McFadden’s Bar (2401 Pennsylvania Ave NW)

The DC Roller Girls are looking for crafters to set up shop at this holiday show that includes music, dancing, a bake sale, pictures with Santa, and general rollergirl fun!

Apply Now
Email dr.SKabs at stephk75@gmail.com for an application.
Application Deadline:  Friday, November 13
Table fee: $50 (includes a 3ft.x5ft. table and 2 chairs)

For more information about the DCRG, check out dcrollergirls.com!

This weekend, the Crafty Jury will be meeting to determine which crafters will become Crafty Bastards vendors. With more than 450 individual applications to review and only 150 vendor spots to fill, the Jury is psyched and ready to go!

The Crafty Jury has met for the last 5 years of the fair, with a different jury from year-to-year.  We rate each applicant through a unique system that keeps the vendor selection process fair for all crafters.

We’re excited to share our Jury process this year! If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment.

How long does the Jury process take?
The Crafty Jury meets for two days, approx. 10 hours per day.

How are the applications judged?
Each application is reviewed one by one, with special attention paid to the 3 photos and vendor statement. From there, each juror rates the applicant on 9 craftigories; the first 8 craftigories receive a score of 1-10. The last craftigory is an Overall score, which is worth 20 points.

So the best possible score for an applicant would be 100 craftaculous points! The lowest is 10.

All of the applicants’ ratings are then compiled and each applicant is given a total score based on the average score from all 7 jurors.

At the end of the jury process, those applicants with a score of 75 or higher are automatically accepted into the fair. We then take a look at the categories of craft that we might be missing, and try to fill in the gaps from there. For example, if there are 5 spaces left in the fair, and we have not accepted any ceramic artists, we will take a look at the highest rated potter applicant and may decide to accept them into the fair.

This process allows for an excellent shopping experience for our attendees, and a profitable day for our vendors.

What are the Craftigories?
1.) Craftsmanship/Skill
How well-made are the crafts? We keep in mind some things are meant to look rough or undone.

2.) Inventive use of materials?
Does the crafter use pre-manufactured materials or do they make their stuff from scratch?

3.) Labor/Time Investment
Does it look like there was time invested in the concept/design/product?

4.) Physical Design – How much thought was put into the aesthetics/function of the work?

5.) Alternative Subject Matter/Vision?

6.) Rarity/Singularity – How unique are the products?

7.) Excitability – Would we buy this or recommend it to someone?

8.) Appeal – Does this vendor appeal to a large group of shoppers, or would their products only appeal to a very niche group?

9.) Overall (worth 20 points)

Why do you use this rating system?
This rating system provides an equal opportunity for all crafters to have a chance to vend at the fair. Where some applicants might get a high score in the uniqueness of their work, others may get a higher score in how well their products are made.

Is there a wait list?
Yes. We usually pick a small number of applicants with scores closest to 75 to be on our Pending List. Those on the Pending List will be notified of any booth space that may open up for various reasons.

Who is on the Jury?
The Crafty Jury is comprised of award-winning art critics and designers, as well as crafters and Directors of Hello Craft — the non-profit which is powering Crafty Bastards this year, alongside Washington City Paper.

Meet the Jurors:

Kriston Capps

Kriston Capps writes about art around the nation and life in the District. His writing appears in the Guardian, Dallas Morning News, Art in America, DCist,  and other places.

Jeffry Cudlin

Jeffry Cudlin is an artist, curator, musician, and award-winning art critic. Since 2004, he has written features about museum and gallery shows for the Washington City Paper. He has been recognized with First Place awards for Arts Criticism from the Association of Alternative Newsweeklies in both 2008 and 2009. His visual arts blog, Hatchets and Skewers, is nationally recognized.

Since 2007, Cudlin has served as the Director of Exhibitions for the Arlington Arts Center. There, Cudlin curates five exhibitions of contemporary art each year, focusing on the work of mid-atlantic artists, but also bringing national and international art stars to the D.C. area in themed exhibitions exploring topics of the moment. His current show at the AAC, PARADOX NOW!, features historical reenactments, parodies, and anachronisms, and includes video works by New York new media artist Mark Tribe and British filmmaker Anna Lucas.

As an artist, Cudlin has organized projects in Washington, Baltimore and Richmond. In 2007, his mockumentary, Ian and Jan: The Washington Body School, appeared at DCAC and received accolades in the Washington Post. For that project, Cudlin and his collaborator, Meg Mitchell, performed an art-historical intervention by interviewing local art luminaries and asking them to describe a nonexistent D.C. art movement. Cudlin will have a one-man show next June as part of Flashpoint’s 2009-2010 season.

Jeffry received his M.F.A. from the University of Maryland, College Park, and his undergraduate degree in studio art from the University of Virginia.

Pete Morelewicz

Pete is the former art director of City Paper and currently designs several magazines you’ve never heard of. You may have seen him at Crafty Bastards’ in the past, whether squishing Crafty Bastards pennies, selling his paintings of Bob Ross, schlepping tables in the pre-dawn darkness, or just generally harassing the vendors. This is the fourth year Pete has had the honor of sitting on the Crafty Bastards jury, and in the process has learned more about sculpey than he ever thought possible.

Tina Seamonster

Tina Seamonster is a podcaster, blogger, crafter and mom to 4 year old twins. She usually writes in third person like this because it either scares people or makes them laugh.

Seriously, I really am honored to be a part of Crafty Bastards. This is my 6th year as a vendor and 2nd or 3rd as a member of the team. My credentials for job as juror include my many trips to shows with my own products (this includes getting into shows AND being rejected from them), my work with organizing the Craft Mutiny’s local holiday shows, blogging for the Etsy Storque, Cut the Craft Blog and Hello Craft. My newest and most loved project is a listener-generated podcast for Hello Craft, where crafters call a toll free voice mail line and tell me their stories. I love the stories that I hear from crafters and customers. If punk rock saved YOUR life, indie craft has saved mine.

You can check out what I make (including my world famous line of Zombies Plague Holiday Cards) at tinaseamonster.com. You can check out my podcasts at hellocraft.com and televisionzombies.com.

Kelly Rand

Kelly Rand is an arts writer for DCist.com, lead writer for Crafting a Green World, and is co-founder of Hello Craft, a non-profit trade association dedicated to the advancement of indie craft and the handmade movement. This will be Kelly’s second year serving on the Crafty Bastards jury. Kelly received her BFA from the Savannah College of Art and Design and is a compulsive knitter and avid maker. Kelly believes that handmade will save the world.

Kimberly Dorn

I’m a crafter and an event planner with a penchant for all things Hello Kitty, Lingonberry Juice at Ikea, and crafts that combine cute with functionality.

When serving on the Crafty Jury, I’m looking for crafters that take an innovative approach to whatever they do. My favorite category to review is Housewares, because I like to see how crafters merge their design ideas with functional pieces.

My background in crafting started with a BFA in Sculpture from SUNY Albany, which eventually turned into printmaking, which led to photography, and now also includes knitting, paper arts, making hair accessories, silk screening, and leaving trails of yarn, felt, fabric and other craft bits all over my house.

Being part of the handmade community has been an awesome experience, and has led me to meet many amazing, motivated and inspirational crafters and artists. As one of the Festival Directors behind the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair and the Handmade Mart, as well as being the Executive Director of Hello Craft, I’m excited to once again serve on the Crafty Jury.

Sara Dick

I enjoy fresh produce, bumpy yarn, Etsy browsing, craft brews, Frank Zappa and smart people. I make stuff and love to buy handmade.

As a crafter, I’ve sold my work at Renegade Brooklyn, Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh, Holiday Heap and Pile of Craft in Baltimore, Crafty Bastards and a handful of smaller shows in the DC area.

I’ve helped organize and curate Crafty Bastard since 2004, putting the number of CB vendor submissions I’ve reviewed somewhere in the thousands. The past two years I’ve worked with DC’s Craft Mutiny to produce the Holiday Booty Market and most recently, curated Hello Craft’s Show of Awesome.

As a handmade shopper, I am proud to have supported artisans (and filled my apartment) with purchases at craft shows like Renegade Chicago, Crafty Wonderland’s Super Colassal Holiday Show in Portland, Bust’s Spring Craftacular and all the shows of which I’ve been a participant. Can’t wait to see what I’ll be buying this year!

Questions?
Please leave a comment. We will answer in the comments so that we can share the information with all of  our readers. Please note that the Jury will be in session this weekend, so we might not be able to respond right away.

The last Craft Mutiny show of the year is happening at Design Within Reach in Georgetown, this Saturday, December 13th! Shop for awesome handmade goods while hanging out in the sleekest home furnishing showroom in DC.

Craft Mutiny, DC’s most exciting craft collective, has been hosting holiday shows for the last 3 years, encouraging shoppers to buy handmade during the gift giving season.

This is your last chance to get your hands on fabulous Craft Mutiny finds, as well as a slew handmade gifts from local vendors such as Jaime Zollars prints, Spaghetti Kiss Sci-Fi tees, Imogene’s lovely silver jewelry and recycled leather wristcuffs from Fisticuffs Leather.

You can check out the vendors and get directions here.

Craft Mutiny Holiday Trunk Show and Sale
THIS SATURDAY, December 13, 10am-5pm
Design Within Reach – Georgetown (3307 Cady’s Alley NW, Washington, DC 20007)

For more information go to craftmutiny.com.

I’ve wanted to learn how to sew since I was young, but I’ve always shyed away from classes where you need to shell out big bucks to use machines that intimidate the hell out of me… so I say thank goodness for the DC Threads Sewing Lounge.

The DC Threads Sewing Lounge is a free program held on the second Saturday of each month at the North Michigan Recreation Center (1333 Emerson St, NE, Washington, DC 20017) from1-4pm. The first session will be held on October 11th.

Participate in a “sew-n-tell” hour where you can bring projects you are working on to share tips and exchange ideas, followed by guided projects that are fun and beginner-friendly. You’ll need to bring your own supplies, but sewing machines are provided, and best of all… the sessions are FREE!

DC Threads is a great resource for local sewers. Get info on their Lounge and local sewing classes, find out where fabric stores are near you, and lots more at www.dcthreads.org.

CraftStylish is hosting the Make It Pink Challenge, encouraging Crafters to craft towards a cure. October is Breast Cancer Awareness month—pink ribbons are everywhere, all in support of finding a cure for breast cancer.

CraftStylish challenges you to get crafty and make it pink. Whether you sew, make jewelry, knit, crochet, do paper crafts, bead, embroider, or quilt… just make a pink creation and post it in their Make it Pink gallery. For each project posted, CraftStylish will donate one dollar to Susan G. Komen for the Cure.
For more information, visit Make It Pink Challenge.

It’s 11pm on a Friday night. You’re in your piggy pajamas. You’ve got your bunny slippers on. And your ready to shop… wha?? Ok, so the piggy pajamas are my thing, but you can still get your late-night indie shopping on at Dekka!

Dekka is now open Friday and Saturday nights from 9:30pm-Midnight. Come out for live interviews with local artists and designers, interactive video, music, drinks, and of course shopping for your favorite one-of-a-kind wares… cause who can shop properly with all that sunlight in your eyes?

This is possibly DC’s only afterhours shopping experience (as far as we know!?).
Dekka is located at 1338 U St. NW, 2nd Floor.

Official Crafty Bastards Photographer and Washington City Paper alum, Geoff L. Johnson, knows a thing or two about taking a really good photograph.

A photographer since he was a teenager, Geoff’s love of documenting friends and the spirit of his personal photography is at the heart of his professional work.

Having been friends with Geoff for the last 7+ years, I can’t even begin to describe how talented he is. Here is just a small glimpse into mind of Geoff Johnson, Photographer.

1.) How did you get into photography and what led you to doing wedding photography?
I was first taught black and white photo’y and basic darkroom skills in high school, just outside of DC. after graduating from SCAD, with a degree in graphic design, I worked as a designer and art director, all the while still making photo’y. then about 10 years ago, some creative-minded friends that were getting married asked me to take photos at their wedding.

2.) Many photographers do only wedding photography and many won’t shoot weddings at all. Do you do other types of photo’y?
Yes, I take on editorial projects (such as documenting the always exciting Crafty Bastards)… model and fashion… I love location and travel photo’y… the only thing I don’t do is studio photo’y.

Wedding photo’y can be tiresome, repetitive, stressful work. my work process keeps wedding photo’y fun for me and I think that comes through in the images. I limit the number of weddings I do, travel as often as I can (Jamaica wedding in October) and always make sure that I’m a good fit with the couple. I document real moments as they happen, by working unobtrusively and spontaneously. looking through my wedding galleries (www.geoffsphotos.com) you’ll see an approach that is: part fashion photo’r, part photo-journalist, part travel photo’r.

3.) What other photographers or other artists do you admire most?
The last 2 books I bought were a Joel Peter Witkin and Cindy Sherman. In June I attended the “Festival of the Photograph” (www.festivalofthephotograph.org) an annual photo’y festival in Charlottesville, Va. The 3 key speakers were Mary Ellen Mark, Joel-Peter Witkin and James Nachtwey, all world-reknown with decades of experience. I’m a fan of straight photo’y, as opposed to digitally manipulated, so I’m generally drawn to artists that work that way. I’ve always loved Henri Cartier-Bresson, Sally Mann, William Eggleston, Bruce Davidson, Wim Wenders. and there’s so much great stuff happening today that you can’t even see it all. I look at blogs, national geographic shooters, www.aperture.org, www.magnumphotos.com, www.digitaljournalist.org…

You’ll find Geoff shooting his way through 25,000 people at this year’s Crafty Bastards DC. After the fair, you can check out his handy work on washingtoncitypaper.com/craftybastards.

Geoff Johnson is available for commercial and personal projects, big and small, locally and globally. To contact Geoff or check out his portfolio, go to geoffsphotos.com.