Thursday, July 26, 2012

Artscape Giveaway Update, We Have a Winner!

My personal craft show hangover was especially long this year, following Artscape for some reason. So this announcement is a bit later than my original Tuesday announcement date, so sorry fans! 

Thank you to Mackwire, JennyJen, Yummy & Company, Open Eyes Press, Charms City Company, and Tigerlillyshop for donating to the giveaway! We collected 291 e-mails to add to our monthly BEST newsletter. It was nice to meet a lot of new faces this year and hopefully you all will enjoy our correspondence through the next few months.Thank you supporting your local handmade community! 


And the winner is..... Claire Kozera! 

She signed up at Yummy & Company's booth;) 
Congrats Claire!


Monday, July 23, 2012

Favorite Shop - Pierogi Picnic

Chicago based Pierogi Picnichttp://www.etsy.com/shop/PierogiPicnic is one of the coolest shops I've seen on Etsy!  I love the combination of unique style, vibrant colors, and eco-friendly materials.





Plus, this shop has some fabulous vintage finds.




Everything about Pierogi Picnic is adorable, including the name - so do yourself a favor and check it out!








Written by Dana of whoop www.whoop.etsy.com

Sunday, July 22, 2012

Artscape Giveaway!



Win this great collection of work from 
Mackwire, JennyJen42, Tigerlillyshop, Yummy & Company, Open Eyes Press, Charms City Company! 

Subscribe to our monthly newsletter at one of these Artscape Booths to be entered to win this collection of handmade Baltimore awesomeness!
Results will be announced on our Blog on Tuesday, July 24th. 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Tutorial - Shutter Table

I have a good friend who loves to go antiquing and is always looking for neat upcycling ideas. So when I came across this, I knew this would be a fun project. How many times have you seen old shutters like these at yard and garage sales?  You could paint this so many ways to go with your decor. I think something like this would be great for a back porch, with a glass of cool lemonade placed on top!




For instructions visit Good Housekeeping.

Written by Stacey Phinney of Phinney Studios 

Thursday, July 19, 2012

My Three Things- Tea Party

It seems as though tea parties are becoming very popular, maybe because of the return of Alice in Wonderland a few years back.....enjoy these adorable tea party inspired items from Etsy
 
 
by Bugged Up

 

by Mulberry Muse

 


by Sparkles Macaron

 

by Nerd that Draws

 
written by Abby of Abigail Leigh Handbags

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

Artscape is this weekend!

Artscape is America's largest free arts festival, and it just happens to be hosted by our own lovely city of Baltimore!  Friday, July 20th, through Sunday, July 22nd, the area surrounding MICA will be transformed by art installations, exhibits indoors and out, live music stages, craft and food vendors, parades, and more!  There is really something for everyone, so bring the whole family for a great experience right in the heart of Charm City.  BEST members Tigerlily Shop, Yummy & Company, Jennyjen 42, Charms City Company, Mackwire, and Open Eyes Press will be setup in the Artists' Market selling their handmade goods.  We hope to see you there!




Artscape 2012
July 20th-22nd
11am-9pm
Mount Royal Ave & Cathedral St, Charles St, Bolton Hill,
and Station North Arts & Entertainment District
Baltimore, MD 


Photo courtesy Artscape.org
Written by Rachael of Open Eyes Press

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Baltimore Life- After Hours at the Zoo

I am very lucky that I live so close to the Baltimore zoo. When we walk our dogs in the park, I can sometimes hear the roar of those beautiful lions.

Now you have a chance to experience the zoo after hours!  Every Thursday in July and August the zoo stays open late.  And you get 50% off admission on Thursday from 4-7pm until August 30th. So, take a break from the summer heat and bring the kids to the zoo for a fun stroll among the elephants, polar bears and penguins!







For more information, visit their website

Written by Stacey Phinney of Phinney Studios   

Monday, July 9, 2012

Favorite Etsy Shop - Motherbored

I love the creativity of MOTHERBORED. Michelle recycles desktop-laptop computers into beautiful unique jewelry and accessories.  No two pieces are alike.  There are necklaces, cuff links, earrings, key chains, belt buckles, hair pins, and tie tacs.  They are beautiful and unique!

Here are some of my favorites:

Recycled Computer Flex Lead Necklace




 Vintage CPU 1978 Recycled Necklace





24K Gold Hard Drive Computer Necklace




  written by Erica at Becca & Mars

Saturday, July 7, 2012

Tutorial: Fruit Balloons



This tutorial is so much fun, how can you not like it?  Easy to make, great for parties, and kid-friendly.  Brought to you by Jordan of Oh Happy Day, a wife and mother of two who is currently living abroad with her family in Paris.  I love the whimsy and simplicity of this idea, and can definitely see it adding a special touch to summer backyard bar-b-ques and birthday parties.  Check out her blog for the how-to's and the rest of the photos.







Photos courtesy Oh Happy Day.


written by Rachel of Open Eyes Press

Thursday, July 5, 2012

My Three Things- Camping

Every June I go camping.  I've never seen a bear like in this handsome shirt by blackbirdtees, which incidentally looks like it would make an excellent father's day gift.






Or a cool trailer like in this card by B.E.S.T.'s own Holler and Whistle 


But, I always find the marshmallows.  Always.  And I hope these delicious looking Mexican chocolate marshmallows by TheTwistedTine find their way into my cooler! 



Written by Dana of whoop 

Tuesday, July 3, 2012

HonFest Recap

It's So Much Fun To Be A Hon

Hon: 1) a term of endearment derived from the word honey.
2) your friendly Baltimore woman from the late 1950's to early 1960's who is devoted to Elvis, loves leopard print, and has a pink flamingo or two in her front yard. She lives with one simple motto : "The Higher the Hair the Closer to God"
She is our Grandmother, our Mother, our neighbor, the friend you run into at Giant. She is our heritage. She is Bawlmer Hon!

Every Year in June, for one weekend, one little street in downtown Baltimore erupts into a plume of pink feather boas, leopard print spandex and cat eye glasses. Hon Fest. The 2 day celebration that pays homage to the HON and everything Baltimore. A few years ago my cousins and I started getting dressed up to go to Hon Fest just for something fun. It has now become a holiday for us and every year more and more ladies join our hon pack.

The hours leading up to the group of us caravan down to Hampden is just a haze of hairspray, jewelry, and red lipstick (no wonder the husband has never accompanied me). Nothing is "too much" no hair can be "too big" and one can of aquanet will just not do.

Once we arrive, we manage to make a stir, that thing about strength in numbers proves true. We smack our gum and blow kisses and shout some "Hey Hons" for videographers and pose for photographers, both professional and not. People have even handed us their kids wanting to take pictures of us all adoring their clearly terrified children. And of course we do it. I mean why wouldn't we?
 
 One of my cousins and myself ready to Hon.

 My annual photo with Elvis.
 
Between the craziness, we get the opportunity to really take in the festival. Sampling the food, grabbing a beer, and visiting the awesome stores along the Avenue. For me, the best part is perusing the super fun vendors that come out for Hon Fest year after year. I always find Baltimore crafters that I recognise and adore and each year I manage to discover new ones!
Some of the beautiful hair clips by one of my favorite Baltimore Crafters, Kolleen Kilduff of Design By Night
 
 
 After admiring their work online for so long, I finally got to meet the lovely ladies of Charms City Company - I am obsessed with these initial necklaces.
 

The bright, colorful baltimore inspired works of Ramon Matheu.
 
 
 
Be sure you check out Hon Fest's website and be sure you watch the adorable movie they have posted on their page . If you need your reminder for Hon Fest for next year, give their facebook page a like!
 
 
 written by Sara of Heavens to Bessie