Spend a Day With Biggs and Featherbelle

If you do craft shows, you know that Biggs and Featherbelle is one of the best-smelling neighbors to have. And whether you do shows or shop them, you know that their body care line is just delicious. Now Kelly and Kasey, sisters and co-owners of the Baltimore-based company, will be welcoming Hello Craft to their studio on August 22nd. Come and learn how they create health conscious body care products such as bar soaps, bath soaks, lip balms, and scrubs using handmade methods.

The three hour tour will include several product making demonstrations from start to finish, focusing on cold process soap techniques, and an overview on the daily workings of a small craft-based business.

There will also be a hands-on craft project in which everyone will create their very own body scrub! Before and after the tour, you can take the time to explore the independent shops that make up the Hampden Avenue. There are two sessions to pick from. The first at 10 a.m., the second at 2 p.m. A 6 p.m. happy hour will round out the day.

Biggs and Featherbelle Tour
Date: Saturday, August 22
Times: Pick from two sessions.
First session: 10 a.m. or Second session: 2 p.m.
Where: Factory in Hampden, Baltimore
Cost: $30/person.
Hurry! There is a 15-person limit per session.

Register now!!!

via Hello Craft.

Summit of Awesome Recap

The month of May began with a bang thanks to our buddies from Hello Craft and their Summit of Awesome which took place May 1-3 in the charming neighborhood of Mid City in Washington. As a volunteer at the weekend long event, I was given a free preview of Faythe Levine's Handmade Nation documentary. Faythe traveled throughout the country to interview a number of rising DIY stars, which illustrated a commonality within this movement that there is need for change.

Another highlight of the weekend was a wonderful talk by Sublime Stitiching's Jenny Hart. Her words on how the DIY movement stems out of the punk rock movement really made my heart beat. Being an old punk rocker from the early '80's I have always tried to make a connection to my art and this very influential movement on my life. In the spirit of punk rock, we had to "do it ourselves" to listen to the music we wanted to hear as well as to buy and sell the cherished items that come from our hands and hearts, purehandmade!

The other workshop I attended was a wonderful workshop on Consumption and Sustainability. How DIY will Save the World with Sara Cotner & the $2000 Wedding with Autumn Wiggins - Upcycle Exchange. This exchange began a great discussion on how we consume in this country and how we needed more connection to what we savor, to make better decision between what we want and what we need. I really regretted not signing up for the entire summit. I hope this summit will continue for the upcoming years to celebrate this growing movement.

BEST members also had their part in this conference. Our own Megan Van Wagoner discussed Etsy Street teams and why you should connect and collaborate; How to Photograph Your Work was presented by Sherry Insley of Dandelion Blu, and there was a Plate Breaking Demo with our own Juliet Ames of The Broken Plate Pendant Co.. I highly recommend this conference for any DIY crafter at any stage. Summit of Awesome proved to be a very purposeful and informative conference. More details can be found on www.Hellocraft.com.

post written by jennyjen42

Enter to Win a Pass to the Summit!

Hello Craft is giving away two free Saturday only Passes to the Summit of Awesome. Just tell them why YOU are awesome. (Easy enough, right?) The two most awesome entries will each win a Saturday Pass to the Summit of Awesome ($85 value). The prize does NOT include travel expenses, just all Summit activities for Saturday, May 2nd. This includes seminars, workshops, a craftnote speech by Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching and a Saturday night party. See the Saturday schedule for complete details.

To enter, just email a short description of your awesomeness by Saturday, April 25. Winners will be announced on Sunday, April 26th.

Photo credit: Awesome card by OrangeTwist.

Don't Forget to Register for the Summit of Awesome!

Update from Hello Craft:

The Summit of Awesome is shaping up quite nicely and it is looking to be a craft-packed weekend of, dare I say - Awesome? Have you heard? Space is limited so you might want to register now!

So what do you get with your registration? Well, your registration at the Summit of Awesome gets you a one way ticket to propel you and your craft to the next level. It is a great mix of learning and crafting from discussions to hands on, with a little something for everyone.

Early arrivals can take advantage of the time and take a tour of the MidCity Business District, one of D.C.’s vibrant neighborhoods and coolest indie shops. Early arrivals will also have a blast at the Hello Craft Welcome party. Mix and mingle with the founders of Hello Craft, speakers from the weekend and get to know your fellow attendees.

Craftnotes:
Of course you won’t want to miss these talks with -

• Maria Thomas, Etsy.com CEO
• Jenny Hart - Sublime Stitching

Demos/Workshops:
Learn a new technique or make something awesome with guidance from our amazing speakers.

• Fun with Duct Tape with Kristina Bilonick
• Simple Mold Making with Adam Maron - Pearson Maron
• FIber Demo with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera - Urban Fauna Studio
• Embroidery Demo with Jenny Hart - Sublime Stitching
• How to Photograph your Work with Sherry - Dandelion Blu
• Sew a Felt Broach with Beth Baldwin - Tiger Flight
• Make a Snow Globe with Esti Gerson
• Plate Breaking Demo with Juliet Ames - The Broken Plate
• Sewing Demo with DC Threads
• Make a Small Book with Esti Gerson
• Screen Printing Demo with Christy Petterson

Learning Sessions:
The main part of the weekend is to learn and grow your crafty endeavors. And what better way then to learn from the people in the know?

• Crafting a Green Craft with Jamie Chan and Blas Herrera - Urban Fauna Studio, Liz Grotyohann and Jeff Fein-Worton - Cosa Verde, Becky Streipe - Glue and Glitter
• What’s a Social Network and How to use it for Good with Danielle Maveal - Etsy Success & Virtual Labs, Tina Seamonster
• Craft Fair Booth Set up and Displays with Caitlin Phillips - Rebound Designs, Shauna and Stephen - Something’s Hiding In Here
• Event Sponsorship with Craftland
• Am I a Business? How and when to form a business for your crafty endeavors with Cynthia Gayton and Paige Totaro - Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts
• Street Teams. Why you should connect and collaborate with Jen Menkhaus and Megan Van Wagoner - B.E.S.T.
• Branding and Identity with Jeffrey Everett - El Jefe Design
• Developing a Product Line. Deciding what to make and sell with Ali Dryer - Pistol-Designs, Rebecca Juliette - This Chickadee
• Navigating the Art world with Craft with Joetta Maue, Quincy Pearson, Sean Hennessey, Jaime Zollars
  
• Selling in a Brick and Mortar with Urban Fauna Studios, Craftland
• Consumption and Sustainability. How DIY will Save the World with Sara Cotner - $2000 Wedding, Autumn Wiggins - Upcycle Exchange
• Selling Successfully Online with Danielle Maveal- Etsy Success & Virtual Labs, Liz Grotyohann and Jeff Fein-Worton - Cosa Verde
• Tax Implications of Starting a Business with Michael Kreps and Paige Totaro - Volunteer Lawyer for the Arts
• Organizing a Craft Fair with Al Hoff, Jessica Manack - Handmade Arcade, Christy Petterson - Indie Craft Experience
• Going out on a Limb with Jeffery Everett - El Jefe Design, Kasey and Kelly Evick - Biggs & Featherbelle
• The Ins and Outs of Trade Shows with Rania Hassan - goshdarnknit, Sean Hennessey, Rhonda and Elijah Wyman - Figs and Ginger
• Copyright and Tradmarks, How to protect yourself and your work with Megan Gray
• Customer Service. Crafting with a Smile with Caitlin Phillips - Rebound Designs, Rebecca Juliette - This Chickadee

Handmade Nation
You’ll also have access to a screening of the D.C. premier of Handmade Nation, Faith Levine’s long awaited film documenting the indie craft community.

Make Something Awesome Craft Area:
All weekend long, stop by the Make Something Awesome Craft Area and well, make something awesome. Have some down time between panels? Feel like decompressing? Socializing? This is the place to do it. Supplies and tutorials will help you on your way to making something awesome. Plus you can record your story for a future episode of the Hello Craft Podcast!

Handmade White Elephant
You might be familiar with this fun and sometimes funny holiday game. Well, be prepared to swap and trade your handmade goods at this fast and fun crafty version of this old favorite.

Phew! That’s a lot of awesome for one tiny weekend. Check back here for updates and additions as we introduce our amazing speakers to you over the next couple of weeks.

Register Now for the Summit of Awesome

Registration is now online!

May 1 - May 3
MidCity, Washington, D.C.

The Summit of Awesome is 3-days filled with business seminars for artists and crafters, hands-on workshops, the D.C. premiere of the Indie Craft Documentary, Handmade Nation, and a Saturday night party. Through a partnership with the MidCity Business Association, all Summit seminars and workshops will take place in the wondrous and vibrant independent businesses in MidCity (14th and U Streets NW). There will be informal tours of DC’s coolest indie shops and a welcome reception for early arrivals on Thursday, April 30th.

Seminar topics include Business Identity and Branding, How to Green Your Craft, Small Business Basics, The Ins and Outs of Trade Shows, and many many more! Hands-on workshops will show experienced crafters new techniques, and will introduce exciting projects to craft dabblers. A complete schedule of speakers and seminars is coming soon.

Our seminars and powerhouse line-up of speakers will show you how to grow your craft, green your craft, and be prosperous in this ever-changing economy. And best of all, you will get to meet and hang out with other crafters just like you!

Your registration includes all programming from Friday through Sunday. Spaces are extremely limited, so register now!

All access passes are currently the discounted price of $150, after April 10, passes are $180.

Coming from out of town? Get complete information about travelling to and staying in Washington, D.C.

Hello Craft Episode 8: American Craft Council Baltimore

If you've ever wandered through a craft show and found yourself looking at all the crafters and artists and makers and wondered, "How did you all get here?" you must visit Hello Craft. Hello Craft's weekly podcast features these folks talking about formative experiences, inspirations and the paths that lead them to where they are now.

I am so honored to have been able to participate in this week's podcast alongside Caitlin Phillips of Rebound Designs and Rania Hassan of Goshdarnknit. Listen to Hello Craft Episode 8: American Craft Council Baltimore here.

And please don't forget to visit all of us at the ACC show this weekend in Baltimore. We can't wait to see you!

Win a Ticket to ACC from Hello Craft!

Wanna go to The American Craft Council show in Baltimore? Hello Craft has 4 tickets to give away. Just email us them hellocraftinfo@gmail.com with the word BALTIMORE in the subject line and you'll be entered to win 1 ticket ($14 value). The ticket is a one day pass. Winners will be randomly picked on 2/20, so email before then!

The American Craft Council is gearing up for its annual 3-day craft show – the largest, indoor, juried craft fair in nation. Hosted at the Baltimore Convention Center, this ACC show will bring together more than 700 traditional, green and alternative crafters showcasing their latest works.

The ACC will also provide live craft demos from local experts, as well as student works from two innovative art schools, the Savannah College of Art and Design and Virginia Commonwealth University.

Hello Craft will be there hosting their super cool Show and Tell booth — stop by to have your photo taken with your purchases, and share your shopper story. They'll also be conducting crafter interviews throughout the weekend and will share them on the blog.

American Craft Council Show
Baltimore Convention Center

Friday, 2/27 (10 am - 9 pm)
Saturday, 2/28 (10 am - 6 pm)
Sunday, 3/1 (10 am - 5 pm)

Tickets: $14 per person, $20 for a two-day pass
Children 12 and under free

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit craftcouncil.org/baltimore.

Summit of Awesome

In case you missed this on Hello Craft news. Sounds awesome!

May 1st - 3rd, 2009
Hello Craft’s
SUMMIT OF AWESOME
Convene * Learn * Show
Washington, D.C.

Mark your calendars! Hello Craft is excited to announce our 1st ever Summit of Awesome to be held the first weekend of May in Washington, DC. We’ve got lots of fun activities planned and exciting events we can’t wait to tell you about! If you’re an indie crafter, from dabbler to pro, this is the place to be in May.

The Summit of Awesome will officially begin Friday, May 1st with seminars, workshops, and other fun surprises running through Sunday, May 3rd. There will be informal tours of DC’s coolest indie shops and a welcome reception for early arrivals on Thursday, April 30th.

Join the email list and we’ll let you know when it’s time to register. In the meantime, email hellocraftinfo@gmail.com with any suggested seminar topics, workshops and other fun things you’d like to see at Hello Craft’s Summit of Awesome.

Volunteers Needed! Hello Craft is looking for volunteers to help us at the Summit of Awesome. If you are free on May 1st, 2nd or 3rd and want to work with a rad group of crafters, please email us at hellocraftinfo@gmail.com.

Hello Craft!

Hello Craft is collecting stories about making and buying handmade. This will be a weekly podcast hosted by Tina Seamonster. Tina is a regular Cut the Craft and Storque contributor and gnome and zombie extraordinaire.


Call the toll-free voice-mail line at 1-888-317-3785 and tell Tina, Sara, Kim and Kelly your story in under 5 minutes and it might appear on a future episode of their soon to be launched podcast. They want to know everything from who inspires you to make, buying your first sewing machine, how the handmade community effects your life, crafting injuries and failures and brilliance and successes.

So how do you do it? It’s easy!

1. Decide what story you want to tell.
2. You can either record it yourself and email it to them if you have the know-how or call the toll-free voice-mail line (1-888-317-3785) and leave a message up to 5 minutes long.
3. Please start your message like this: "Hello Craft! My name is *your name here* and I make *blank*. If you don't make anything, then say, "and I buy handmade". Then tell your story. Extra points if it is funny or sad!
4. At the end, give your email address, business name, etc. and they will edit out the email address. They just need to be able to contact you.

Email tinatheseamonster@gmail.com with questions. The phone number is toll-free in the US. Be sure to contact them if you are outside of the US and would like to contribute. Get your stories heard!