Hi, Sarah Levine here. I’m the newest edition to the Crafty Bastards Blog and work at Pyramid Atlantic Art Center in Silver Spring as the Office Manager/Publicity Coordinator. Pyramid Atlantic is a non-profit contemporary arts center dedicated to the creation and appreciation of hand papermaking, printmaking, digital arts, and the art of the book. We have extensive studio space that artists can rent as well as workshops, residencies, and a beautiful gallery. We invite artists from all different backgrounds to check out these traditional art forms and use them in their own contemporary work. Find out more about what we do at http://www.pyramidatlanticartcenter.org

I started working at Pyramid Atlantic in January and am exploring all the art forms we offer. But up until last week, my closest experience in the Papermill was my mini dachshund peeing on the floor. Luckily Gretchen Schermerhorn, my co-worker and director of the papermill is forgiving of pups and an excellent teacher. Along with some fun classmates, I took Gretchen’s “Hollander Beater Unveiled” class where we learned how to make a variety of pulp, pull paper sheets, and press them.

After learning about different fibers and some background on papermaking we prepared to make a cotton rag pulp. We cut up orange, red, and white fabric into 1″ pieces, a pound total, which is a lot of cutting! I will skip the explanation of how exactly the Hollander Beater works because it’s somewhat extensive and it’s been a long day. So dot dot dot, after about 1/2hr in the Hollander beater we took it out and strained the pulp. Next we “pulled” the pulp through deckles/moulds (often made from picture frames). It was really fun and a bit wet and I think the whole class enjoyed the feeling of dipping our hands into vats and pulling sheets. I am excited to see how the different sheets come out. The class used about 4 different types of fiber to make our pulp. The different types of fibers and the length of time that they are beaten leads to a variety of paper thickness and appearance. Some of the pulp was thinner and very difficult to work with, sticking to the mould, but produced beautiful translucent paper. There was a bunch to clean up but we all pitched in and got it done.

Since I’m among crafters I probably don’t have to explain why someone would want to take the time and effort to make their own paper when they can just buy it. Even though computers and the digital age has done away with lots of paper, when you think about it, paper has been very essential to society. We record our history, beliefs, hatreds, loves, cures, stories, etc on paper. Even though I recycle like a fiend, I gotta have my paper and am not a fan of digital books and I don’t keep my diary on-line. There will always be something special about the tactile experience of books and written letters, and making your own paper makes it even more unique.

Don’t like the New Wave label? Here’s your chance to help define and shape the future of the handmade movement. You may recall my excitement last April after attending the first ever Craft Congress in Pittsburgh, PA. Craft Congress is back and will take place in craft-friendly San Francisco! From CraftCon.org:

We’d like to invite you to attend Craft Con 2008, a business development conference for the craft community. This remarkable gathering of leaders and organizers in the evolving craft and design movement will be held in San Francisco April 4-6. Last year’s Craft Congress was the first event of its kind, bringing together an amazing group of craft promoters from all over the country and as far away as England to network, share ideas, and discuss the future of the resurging movement.

Craft Con 2008 heralds huge growth for the project, bringing together event promoters, internet entrepreneurs, authors, store owners, craft teachers, and businesspeople to network, talk about the future of craft, and strengthen the community’s voice. With the explosive popularity of countless craft-related business ventures, the crafting world is poised to keep getting bigger and better – the question is, where do we want to go from here? This is our chance to help shape the future of the handmade movement and its place in society – we hope you’ll join us!

The cost of attending the event is $150/person, which includes a tour of San Francisco April 4th, meals and sessions April 5th and 6th, and a gala event the evening of April 5th where conference attendees will get to experience the unique culture of the San Francisco arts scene.

Hurry up and fill out an application to attend before the 250 seats available for Craft Con 2008 are filled!

If you are currently a seller on Etsy.com or are thinking about setting up shop, you will be interested in their new Cooperative Advertising Program.

For me, I have always been afraid to buy my own ads in national magazines because the price just seems too high for such a small space to show off my work. So Etsy is trying to help sellers out by securing advertisements in magazines like Bust, CRAFT and Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion. Here are some important points from their announcement:

• Etsy will purchase ad space in various magazines, cover half of the cost, and design the ads.
• Etsy Sellers are able to purchase spots in the ad at the discounted rate.
• You will get to display your shop name, an image of one item, its price, and its category.
• The limit is one spot per seller, per advertisement.

The first opportunity for a space in the Bust ad sold out in 6 seconds! The next ad will appear in the May issue of CRAFT and is on sale on Thursday, February 21st, 2008 at 3:00pm EST. 36 spots will be available to sellers at a price of $50 each.

My advice if you do plan to buy a space is to make sure you pick a spot in the right magazine and that you put your best photo forward. You wouldn’t want to pay $50 for a spot and send a bad photograph of the wrong item for that publication’s demographic. So, do some research and know your customers!

Upcoming opportunities are:

– Mary Engelbreit’s Home Companion, spots go on sale: Monday, March 3rd, 2008, 30 Spots at $75 each

– Venus Zine, spots go on sale: Thursday, March 27th, 2008

Visit the Storque article for more information on this program (including where to go to buy a spot!).

Oh course, this is only for people who currently have an Etsy shop, so what are you waiting for?

Tina Seamonster blogs her life and craft at http://www.ilikeseamonsters.com. She thinks you are rad.

If you have been looking for a really cool show to sell your handmade goodies at in February, you are in luck! Crafts and Kisses, a Valentine-themed craft fair in Washington, DC, is looking for a few more vendors.

The fair will take place on Sunday, February 3rd, from noon to 5pm. The location is the Josephine Butler Parks Center, a gorgeous old mansion right next to Malcolm X/Meridian Hill Park on 15th Street NW. It’s situated a few blocks from both the Columbia Heights Metro and the U Street Metro.

This fair will feature 30 to 40 vendors, entertainment, edible treats and drinks. You are welcome (and encouraged) to make Valentine or even anti-Valentine themed crafts, but this is not required. BUST magazine is a media sponsor and will help to market the event.

For information about becoming a vendor at the fair, just email Moira or check out the website at http://craftsandkisses.wordpress.com/

The list of vendors already signed up is impressive! Check it out:

Vendors

* 60 bugs
* 8th Street Soap
* Amplifiche
* Art School Dropout
* bLuGrn Design
* bookish lady
* Bookwyrms
* Charming Vices
* De*Nada Design
* Erica Burns Designs
* Had Matter Art
* Imogene
* Jenafusion Fashion Accessories
* Karen Jabo
* Kristina Bilonick
* Leah Sturgis Jewelry Art
* Magpie DC
* Manatea Party
* Patch Ink Designs
* Peacock Blue Design Studio
* Penelope’s Spa
* Pile of Craft
* Raygun Robyn
* REALM Jewelry
* Rebound Designs
* Red Prairie Press
* Resurrecting Victoria
* The Devil Made Me Do It
* Tina Seamonster
* Trees
* Woolarina

Crafty Bastards was crazy fun! Huge thanks to all the amazing vendors for their hard work and fabulous craftertise!

The Washington City Paper would also like to thank Marie Reed Learning Center, the fabulous entertainers, the generous sponsors- Scion, Stitch DC, Adobe, Paper Source, Whole Foods, Avatar Wellness, Pinz-N-Needlez, The Dog Spot, the yummy food vendors- Carmen’s Italian Ice, Cake Love, and Sticky Fingers and the dedicated City Paper staff that made the day such a success.

Big yummy thanks goes to Craft Magazine for providing the sweet treats for all our crafty vendors. CRAFT is dedicated to the renaissance that is occurring within the world of crafts, and carries the torch of the DIY spirit by sharing stories and resources from the exciting independent crafting community.

Huge thanks as well to Etsy which hosted how-to workshops all day long at Crafty Bastards. ETSY is THE place for DIY makers and shakers to buy and sell handmade goods, and network within the ever-growing indie craft community. Check out ETSY for all your shopping needs this holiday season, and get in the crafty-know with The Storque.

Hey, check it out! Crafty Bastards is on the Etsy Storque!

The Crafty Crew is super-duper excited to have Etsy Labs hosting the workshops at Crafty this year. Sounds like they have lots of goodies in store. From the Etsy Storque:

Etsy will be set up with an exclusive tutorial display (find us on the tennis court) and will be leading tutorials throughout the whole event including:

* How to make a pincushion
* Making boxes from recylcled papers
* Making your own envelopes

So stop by, say hello, make something, tell us your Etsy story and get some sweet promo merchandise while your there (rumor has it the Etsy booth always gives away the best free promos at Craft fairs…wink wink).

Don’t miss out! Enough said.

Etsy hosts a full day of hands-on how-tos to get you crafting in no time!

11am Knitting with Stitch DC

12pm Bookbinding with the Paper Source

1pm Food as Art with Whole Foods

2pm Puppet Manipulation with Washington Action Group

ALL DAY! Etsy Labs! Make your own pincushions, boxes and envelopes! Plus learn how to fuse plastic bags into fab new finds! Hooray for Etsy!

Get details here and on page 91 of this week’s City Paper.

Hooray! Crafty Bastards is on the CRAFT blog.

Plus CRAFT magazine has got some special treats in store for all you Crafty Bastard vendors this Sunday!

Oooh, I can’t wait!!!

Check out the awesome Craft Mutiny podcast brought to you by Tina Seamonster and Sara Dick!

In the first episode, Sara and Tina talk about upcoming indie craft shows that are accepting applications and they preview the Crafty Bastards Arts and Crafts Fair. Watch and listen for a preview of some of the super fabulous vendors that you won’t want to miss!

Listen to the podcast here. Watch the slide show here.

Welcome to guest blogger Christy Petterson!

Christy is currently preparing for her second drive to DC to participate in Crafty Bastards and her third drive to Chicago to participate in Renegade (this weekend!) with her line a bardis. She co-organizes the Indie Craft Experience in Atlanta, co-produces the annual Starlets of Craft Calendar and co-edits Get Crafty.

When she’s not busy prepping for, travelling to and selling her goods at craft fairs, Christy will be dishing out tips and hints to help you get ready for your next craft show. To get a taste of the helpful info Christy will share, check out the How to Prepare for a Craft Fair entry (complete with checklist) she wrote for Get Crafty a couple of years ago.

Welcome Christy!