Post-Feast-Howdy

Hope you all had a great Thanksgiving. We took Thursday and Friday off to be with family and savor some serious thanks, but Ben and I have been working hard on the brand new Red Prairie Press website all weekend. Sign up for our mailing list HERE to get news about the launch, upcoming events, sales, and more!

Black Friday Shopping Kickoff!

Before heading up to AVAM on Friday night, spend friday morning shopping on the Avenue in Hampden! Shops will be open and offering free locally produced breakfast treats. You can pick up Red Prairie Press apparel, or a 2009 Calendar at Double Dutch Boutique and say hello to our good friends Megan and Leslie and they manage the crowds in style.
Also open early on Friday, our friends at: Red Tree, Atomic Books, Mud & Metal, Shine Collective, Milagro, Earth Alley and more!

Have fun, and look both ways before you cross the street. Hampden will be bumpin!

Bazaart This Weekend! Get your Shop on!

Be sure to visit all of our crafty friends this weekend at this years Bazaart at the American Visionary Art Museum.
I will be taking a break from being a vendor this weekend, but you will find a great selection of locally made gifts and goodies, so don't miss out! Plus, I hear the new exhibition up at AVAM, which I haven't been to yet, is worth the trip alone. A great place for great people, stuffed full of Thanksgiving and in need of a nice waddle around town for exercise.

Friday Evening • November 28 • 5:30–8:00PM: Bazaart PREVIEW PARTY & SALE
get the first shot at the original creations by 50 regional artists and craftspeople prior to the Saturday Bazaart extravaganza (see 11/29 listing). Spend a relaxing evening strolling among Bazaart artisans and their wares while nibbling light fare, and perhaps enjoying a beverage. Music TBA. Location: American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center, 3rd Floor. Admission to Preview Party & Sale: $20 at the door.

Saturday • November 29 • 10AM-5PM: BAZAART: Artful Holiday Shopping
A Holiday Marketplace of original creations by 50 regional artists and craftspeople. Painting, sculpture, papercrafts, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, mixed media, and other work that simply defies categorization. FREE ENTRY. American Visionary Art Museum, Jim Rouse Visionary Center 3rd Floor

Inspiration

working on some new paintings for a show at Paperwork Gallery that opens December 12th- mark your calendars!
here are some things I found inspiring this week: (from top to bottom) My own shadow, Dolls from Mummysam, Woven dresses from Kelgwo, every Jen Corace illustration, Camilla Engman's paintings. Sneak peaks of the finished paintings hopefully up by next week! We're also working to re-do the Red Prairie Press website, and I think you're going to LOVE how it looks! Until then, happy Tuesday.

For Phil

because you are just better at doing laundry than I am.
and because I still have faith that someday The State really will be released on DVD.

Disappearing Act

Thanks to all who have emailed about the site crashing this afternoon... I'm still not sure what's going on, but in the meantime, please visit www.redprairiepress.etsy.com for all of your Red Prairie shopping!

Hope to get the site back up as soon as possible.

TAH-DAH! Red Prairie Press Dot Com is back up. all is well. Shop away. :)

So amazing and inspirational.

I've had this song in my head for the last 7 years, ever since I went to see the play Oliver! on a college trip with my drama class. Sometimes I forget how grateful I am for YouTube, and the ease with which we can look things like this up. just LOOK at these dancing singing ladies in the movie. totally dreamy.

Badlands

(image from Badlands, taken from thereweretentigers)
Did you hear?

Badlands is playing at The Charles Theater this week.
If you haven't seen it, or even if you have, it's worth the ticket price to see on the big screen.

Showtimes:
Monday, November 24 at 7pm
Wednesday, November 26 at 9pm
There will be no show on Thanksgiving

1973 Martin Sheen, Sissy Spacek, Warren Oates. 94m.

More Pins in the Map

(image from pixietart on flickr)
I am without a mouse today and maneuvering toward anything on the laptop is hard for my frozen stubby fingers. While packing orders just now, I was thinking about how I wanted to find a virtual version of a worldmap that I could ad pushpins to, when sending items to new places... wouldn't it be fun to see where things had gone (and, hadn't gone)? Does anyone know a good place to get one of those? Google seems to have made one, but I was too lazy to figure it out, and thought it'd be nice to hear from others. In the meantime, maybe I'll just get a real people map, and real pushpins, and have at it in the office, sans computer!
Today the pushpins land on:

Towson, MD
Kettering, OH
Raleigh, NC
Bloomington, IL
El Dorado Hills, CA
Wilmington, DE
Solana Beach, CA
Surrey, (United Kingdom)
Victoria, Brittish Columbia (Canada)
Suffolk (UK)
Temecula, CA
Ontario, Canada
Austin, TX
Bronx, NY
Newark, DE
Clinton, IA
Concord, NH
Brighton, MA
Minneapolis, MN....
and the list goes on!

Baltimore Magazine

We would like to give the highest form of glue-gun salute to Baltimore Magazine for putting out a December issue ALL ABOUT LOCAL, HANDMADE CRAFT. They did a very big thing for the MD craft community, and I feel very privileged to be mentioned along with so many of my local friends and fellow crafters. I am already seeing new wholesale business, and more website traffic, and an additional bump to the already ever-present sense of camaraderie among indie crafters in the city as we all congratulate each other. I sincerely hope that other publications all over the country will follow in the footsteps of Baltimore Mag and make the extra effort to support local and small, independent businesses this season. This is a heroic effort to help boost our local economy, and guess what? It's a beautiful issue, everybody wins, and it's working already. Thanks, Baltimore Magazine.

200!!!

CAPOOWWWW. that's the sound of us hitting the 200 sales mark on etsy yesterday.
we love our etsy shoppers!!!!!

To Do This Weekend

It's been two years since Lo Moda has put out an album, and last time they did, the usually-harsh City Paper called it one of the best local albums of the year. Are you ready yet, for a new one? Well, your patience is finally being rewarded with the sophomoric release of Replica Watches. The band, (which CP calls "grown folks music") is quite jump-around worthy, and you should test out your winter dance moves at The Windup Space TONIGHT. This band is so exciting that last time I saw them play, drummer Scott Braid played the entire set standing up. Just sayin.


I'll say it, this is not a pretty poster. BUT, it's a nice show of all jewelers at the Walter's Art Museum, including a personal favorite- Sherry Insley. The runway show was last night, but it was $150/ticket and $50/glass of champagne... so, I'll say it: I went to Rosemary's Baby at The Charles instead. (AGHHHHHHHHHH).


A FRIEND INDEED: Contemporary Art and the Academy
American University's 2008 mid-Atlantic MFA Invitational

November 3 - November 28
Opening Reception & American University MFA Open Studios:
Saturday, November 22
6 - 9pm
Located in the Katzen Arts Center Rotunda, 4400 Massachusetts Ave,
Washington, DC 20016

Artists & Schools include:
Matthew Bertsch – Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts
Katie Blochowiak – Maryland institute College of Art
Matthew Craven – School of Visual Art NY
Dragana Crnjak – Virginia Commonwealth University
Chanan Delivuk – George Washington University
Katie Dillon – Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Christopher Gartrell – Wesleyan University
Stephen Halko – Pennsylvania Academy of Fine Arts
Josephine Halvorson – Columbia University
Graham Loper – University of New Hampshire
Karen Ann Myers – Boston University
Erin Murray – University of New Hampshire
Jason Polan – University of Michigan
Damon Reaves – University of Pennsylvania
Megan Rogers – University of Pennsylvania
Naomi Safran-Hon – Yale University
Seth Scantlen – Columbia Univrsity
Daniel Wallace – Maryland Institute College of Art
Ryan Wallace – Rhode Island School of Design
Chloe Watson – Maryland Institute College of Art

New Retail Shop in Baltimore

Live downtown and sick of having to schlepp north through the city to find Red Prairie Press duds to try on in person?
Well, now you can shop right in your own neighborhood! Just in time for holiday shopping, Red Prairie Press Ladies and Little Buddies lines can now be found at Trixie's Palace in Fells Point. Trixie's Palace has a huge array of gift options and they carry many handmade (and LOCALLY MADE) items. Check them out online, or visit in person!

Trixie's Palace
(410)558-2195
1704 Thames St
Baltimore, MD 21231

calendar girl...

Guess what!
The website shop is updated to a new temporary state.We are working on using a whole new template altogether, but in the meantime, you can now at least see what you're clicking on before you click on it (imagine THAT!) and the 2009 Calendars are BACK IN STOCK!
Get em while you still can! they're flying away quickly and happily to all parts of the world!

Charm City Craft Mafia

Hey! Charm City Craft Mafia was interviewed for this article in the Baltimore City Paper. Here is Phu, above, posing adorably with her handmade book stash. This week is the holiday issue, so go grab one and you won't ruin Christmas! Ha. we kid. but DO go grab a paper. There are great gift ideas, an article on letterpress printing, an article on the Craft Mafia, i mean....what more could you need to see in print??
found at your local big-yellow-box-o-city-papers today!

Mrs. Pacman

You might want to sit down for this, as I know it will be a shocker. A couple weeks ago, Angie brought me to the back of Joe Squared, where I played my very first game of Pacman. It's one of those things that you're sure everyone did at least once or twice back in the 80's but then you find the one exception (me). I have a friend who's never heard of The Princess Bride, and another who hadn't seen The Goonies, and then DISLIKED IT when forced to watch it at age 25 for the first time...and I bet there are 20-somethings out there that have never consumed a pop-rock or a jolly rancher, though I don't know them personally. Somehow, I'd never played pacman. Verdict? It was great! Viva Pacman!!
In any case, the above is not a cake wreck, but it's from the blog "cake wrecks" which I found out about from Shannon of Sweet Pepita. Judging by the number of comments left on most of their posts, I guess most people already know about Cake Wrecks, but I couldn't resist re-posting these anyway. A nice tribute to a nice new game. er..... old old old game.

Friend Fame

Thanks to all who came out this weekend to Holiday Heap. To all the vendors who make and sell such lovely things, to the Baltimore Etsy Street Team for their extra help with running the show, To Clementine Restaurant for the delicious sandwiches they provided for FREE for our vendors (!!), and to my fellow Craft Mafiosos, who are surely all exhausted like we are today, and who I hope are doing absolutely no work until Monday.
When you are done playing with your new crafty purchases, you should take a look at this! Our good pals Albert & Vanessa recently made this music video for our other good pals The Spinto Band.
It was on the front page of YouTube when last I looked and the bonus YouTube fame is well deserved! I love all the craft supplies flowing by and the winking baby doll head.

Reasons to be in Baltimore This Weekend:

We are exploding with excitement today for the following reasons:

Charm City Craft Mafia presents: HOLIDAY HEAP, Saturday, 10-5 FREE!
Caleb Stine hosts Round The Mountain, at Creative Alliance. Saturday, 8pm. $17.
The Spinto Band, live at Soundgarden! Saturday, 2pm. FREE!

Red Prairie Press....on BRAVO!?!!!

Our t.v. debut? The Purple Marsh Tee was spotted yesterday on the season premier of Top Chef!!!
Click HERE to watch! The shirt appears on a woman around minute 8:13. The woman is Jill Snyder from Red Maple, a hip restaurant/club in Baltimore! SO FLATTERING and AWESOME that someone from Baltimore took a Baltimore made tee with her to the show! Also, congratulations to Jill, for being the first woman from Baltimore to be accepted to the competition!
We're now routing for her!!!
Thanks Jo & Shawna for letting me know about this!

Doesn't this inspire you to come out and shop handmade this weekend!!?! (see below).

BUY HANDMADE!!!!!!

Buy Handmade Video from Etsy on Vimeo.

THIS WEEKEND, HOLIDAY HEAP. 10-5pm. 2640 St. Paul Street. Baltimore, MD. 21218
TAKE THE HANDMADE PLEDGE! BUY HANDMADE THIS SEASON!

HOLIDAY HEAP - Just Two Days To Go

headband from The Candy Thief
Bone china necklace from Yasha Butler

Oh the things I covet in advance.....
Come early, leave happy!
For a full list of Vendors at this year's Holiday Heap, you can go HERE!
Did you see Craft Mafia members Shawna & Kathy on Fox News this morning? They were SO hometown hotspot!!

I'm In An Art Show- You should come

Habitat, a group exhibition I'm in at at Goucher College, is having an opening reception TOMORROW, Thursday, Nov. 13 at 7pm at Rosenberg Gallery. Come if you can!!!!

Artists:
Angelo Arnold
Rachel Bone
Alyssa Dennis
Robert Sparrow Jones
Chris La Voie
Jackson Martin
Sebastian Martorana
James Reick
Eddie Winter

Curated by Laura Amussen

THEN: COME TO HOLIDAY HEAP ON SATURDAY, AND SEE ME AGAIN!!!!!!!!

Red Prairie Press in the news!

Woke up yesterday morning to find that an interview I'd participated in (and a corresponding photoshoot) had been picked up by a few papers in the U.S. and Canada! You can read the article, all about independent crafters, from a number of newspapers. Here's the article in a newspaper from NC. GO CRAFT!!

Handmade Arcade Recap

We had an awesome time at Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh this weekend. The shoppers were wonderful, the space was great, and we got to stay with our friends Paul & Valerie of Tugboat Printshop (who made the woodblock print above, and who are both excellent hosts). It was fun to see someone else's printshop, and theirs was one of the more beautiful I've seen. Also, they took us to eat at a Vietnamese Restaurant called Tram, and it changed my life.

The fair itself was fun as well. We were one of 90 vendors and got to see some familiar faces, and purchase a lot of christmas presents. We watched people screenprint 6 foot posters of the front page of the Pittsburgh newspaper from November 5th, ate some fancy cupcakes, sold lots of shirts (and SCARVES!), and vended to nice music.

Coming up this weekend is the ever highly anticipated HOLIDAY HEAP craft fair here in Baltimore. We're busy getting ready this week, and I can't wait to see you all there!!!

Handmade Arcade, This weekend

How much do you want this awesome clock from www.garbella.etsy.com !!??!
If you're in the Pittsburgh area this weekend, make sure to stop by Handmade Arcade and visit us! We head out today!

Handmade Arcade
Hunt Armory, 324 Emerson St., Shadyside., Pittsburgh, PA
11-7 Saturday
11-5 Sunday

SEE YOU THERE!!!!!

You guys are total Mavericks

Just wanted to give a shout out to all the shoppers who've stuck with us, despite the bad economy this month. I'm endlessly amazed and humbled that people find our little shop and purchase things all over the country, and I want you to know I appreciate it more than I know how to say. I've turned off the radio because I can't stand hearing about how "all retail shops are reporting horrible downturns, and the holiday season promises to be a wreck." Scary, right? Well, so far, we've seen an INCREASE in sales since election day... and this week, I shipped to the following places:

Cochranville, PA
Saint Paul, MN
Atlanta, GA
Baltimore, MD
Brooklyn, NY
Guthrie, KY
Casper, WY
Durham, NC
Cincinnati, OH
East Meadow, NY
Denver, CO
Elmhurst, NY
Menorca, Baleares, SPAIN
London, England
Dumont, NJ
San Jose, CA
Scotts Valley, CA
Northampton, MA
Tulsa, OK
Missouri City, TX

THANK YOU ALL for being so FRICKING awesome. Have a stupendous weekend.

The many eyes of Jennifer Strunge

Jennifer, of Cotton Monster is having an art opening tonight in the Minstillation Gallery at Creative Alliance. The Minstillation Gallery itself is a wee 16" x 14" but the Creative Alliance fits lots of people. Also opening tonight at the Creative Alliance is: Magnolia Laurie & René Treviño: Destructive Behavior.
Both shows are up until December 20, so if you don't make it tonight (which you should, because there's a rumor that there will also be some mountain music to boot), you have most of December to get there.

6-8pm
Creative Alliance
3134 Eastern Ave.
Baltimore, MD 21224

Congratulations, Obama!

(image from patrickmoberg.com)

Baltimore was screaming and cheering out loud last night, and I went to bed awfully proud of my country.

Exercise.....your right to vote!

(image from ask.com)

And once you're done, you can celebrate all that exercise with free junk food:

Free coffee at Starbucks today!
Free doughnuts at crispy creme today!
Free ice cream at Ben & Jerry's today!

Cast your vote, then collect your prizes! If coffee and ice cream aren't reason enough to vote... well, give us a call, and we'll tell you some more. did YOU vote yet?

(image from guardian.co.uk)

Weekend Recap

Put it in the history books. This is what we did on Halloween, in 2008.

Please don't forget to vote. Leave work early, show up late, take a lunch break.
(thanks again to kyle for the only shirt I'll ever own with a cuss word on it).