Save the date!

What: Handmade Holiday Craft Show in Richmond, Virginia that will exclusively feature the work of indie crafters and designers.

Why: Buy Handmade & Shop Local this Holiday Season!

Who: The Richmond Craft Mafia and some very talented indie crafters and designers.

Where: Plant Zero in Richmond's Manchester District

When:  December 12th - 11 am - 5 pm

How:  Come on out to support local and regional indie crafters this Holiday Season!

Richmond Handmade Holiday

Happy Holidays!
The Richmond Craft Mafia is proud to present our 5th Annual Handmade Holiday Craft Show. We have the pleasure of teaming up with the Visual Arts Center of Richmond for a second year.

The Fifth Annual Handmade Holiday Craft ShowThe 5th annual Handmade Holiday is being held at the The Visual Arts Center of Richmond at 1812 Main Street, Richmond, VA 23220 Preview Party Friday: December 11th - 7pm to 10pm, offers first dibs on fabulous local handmade gifts. No tickets or invite required, just a suggested donation of $10 at the door to benefit The Visual Arts Center of Richmond (formally the Hand Workshop). There will be yummy holiday snacks and a cash bar for beer & wine with the music of Fan District Caroling Association. Free & Open to the Public Saturday: December 12th - 10am to 5pm, Buy local & handmade from some of Richmond's most talented indie crafters and designers. Our Awesome 2009 Vendors: Modern Atelier, Monkey Dog Studio, Jackson Sage, Crystal J, Bees Knees Studio, Modern June, Keen Designs, Twist Style, Tasha McKelvey, Nicole Lee Designs, Lark Studio, Sew Ono, Always Midnight, April Scott Kids, Avant-Gourde, Corey Marie Parkhill, Dawn Correspondence, DawnStitches, Dream Spiral Art, Eesome, Right Paw Left Paw, Flower Peddler Bath & Beauty, hershey is my baby, Historically Inspired Designs, Holly Camp Cards, Inspired Creations in Wood, Itty Bitty Press, Judeglass, Kelly Dietrich, KShonk Designs, My Precious Studio, oelle m., Oura Sananikone, Phil Barbato, popidiot, Pretty Silly Things, Shannon by Hand, Silver Tree Art, Sprouthead, the bead empress, The Cupcakery, ZouZou's Basement, and VISARTS Clay Guild. Click Here: Richmond Handmade Holiday

Handmade Holiday

This year the Richmond Craft Mafia and the Visual Arts Center of Richmond are teaming up to present the Handmade Holiday Craft Show, an exciting new holiday shopping event for Richmond.

The Richmond Craft Mafia has put on their Handmade Holiday Trunk Show since 2005, but the show only consisted of work by Richmond Craft Mafia members. This new collaboration with the Visual Art Center will expand the show to include other crafters and designers from the Richmond area.

Buy Handmade, Buy Local!

The show will be held at the newly renovated and expanded Visual Arts Center of Richmond (formerly the Hand Workshop) on Main Street. The juried show will take place on Saturday - December 13th from 10 - 5, with a Preview Party the night before, December 12th from 7 - 10 pm.

Applications for Handmade Holiday Craft Show will be available online from August 24th - September 15th. Only crafters and designers living in the Richmond, Virginia area will be eligible (applicants must be within a 30-mile radius of the City of Richmond).

Visit the website at: www.richmondhandmadeholiday.com

Post written by Tasha McKelvey for the our Off the Record blog and swipped by me!

The RCM gift guide for MOMMY!

I will be on the WTVR show Virginia This Morning tomorrow showing off the cool Richmond Craft Mafia Gift Guide for Mothers day. Here I a sneaky-peek!

Tasha McKelvey

Porcelain and Sterling Silver Earrings and Necklaces.
Perfect for spring and Mother's Day.



Erin Taylor Designs

Honey-do mom and me apron set

Modern Atelier

Eau de Parfum - Richmond Inspired Scents


Keen

Garnet Wire Strung Necklace

The Monkey and Me

Sock Monkey Bib and Burpee set

a gift from the little one!



Sew Ono ap*par*el

One of a kind, recycled and repurposed clothing!


Lark Studio

Etched Glass Vase Set
Salvaged glass vases are etched with a simple wave design. 3 sizes to fit all of your needs.



Twist

Chinese Pottery Shard Pendant Necklace in Pretty Pink

Missing Monsters

give that mommy a plushy gift certificate!



Nikole Lee Designs

Breezy wrap around skirt. Flattering A-line styling.

Bees knees Studios

Sakura Spring giclee print

Crystal J

custom hand painted silk skull scarf - oblong

Modern June

The Market Tote in Blue Forever Oilcloth

Spring Bada Bing!

Bada-boom! The 2008 Spring Bada-bing: The BOSS of all craft shows is here! Come join la famiglia for our 3rd installment of the largest indie craft show in VA. The show will be at Plant Zero in Richmond's southside and, as always, will showcase artists and designers from across the country selling high quality, original handmade goods.

Fill out your application today.

My Craft Friends

My Craft Friends, originally uploaded by ModernJune.

I heart craft was a rocking good time. What a crowd we had, loads of crafty peeps from all over Richmond! Thank you our host The Camel and to the groovy girls that made it a success: Tasha, Dawn, Erica, and Deanna.

We will be meeting at The Camel for monthly craft time on the first Monday of the next three months come and join us.

Only 3 days...

Only 3 days left until I heart craft! Richmond Craft Mafia and the Richmond Etsy Street Team invite you to join us! All Crafters are welcome! Bring a friend and socialize with fellow crafters of Richmond. We will have some old school Valentine making, so if you have some fun papers and some crazy scissors bring them along! See ya there!

I heart craft!

The Richmond Craft Mafia will be hosting "I *heart* Craft" on Sunday, February 10th from 4-6pm at The Camel. The event is open to any and all crafty peeps. No need to RSVP or anything like that, but a comment here on the Off the Record blog to give us a heads up would be sweet (we luv comments!). The Camel will be sporting a full menu and bar so you can purchase a bite and nosh with us for a bit. Members of the Richmond Etsy Street Team will be there as well...come out and meet some of the folks you know from online. And bring a friend!

Wanna help us promote the event? Grab the image and the deets below!

What: I *heart* Craft - a crafter's social
When: Sunday February 10, 2008 from 4:00 - 6:00 pm
Where: The Camel, 1621 W. Broad Street

Entire post stole from the Off the record blog originally posted by Dawn Anderson. She is good I had to just copy her work!
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This event is for ALL CRAFTERS and for ALL CRAFT WANNABES!!!! : )


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Virginia Currents & The Richmond Craft Mafia

If you all are local to Virginia please check out tomorrow's Virginia Currents The Richmond Craft Mafia will be featured. In Richmond the show will air on WCVE on January 17th at 8:00 pm. If you miss it you can also check it out on Saturday at 5:30 pm or Sunday at 12:30 pm.

... learn how a group who call themselves the “Craft Mafia” take on mass production with a vengeance.

new years day party

My creation, originally uploaded by ModernJune.

Hey all I hope you all had a super fun holiday season and that your all healthy and happy!

Yesterday the crafty momma's (and their loved ones) from our Richmond Craft Mafia group gathered at my house for some holiday cheer. The theme was an Italian Pot Luck dinner! YUMMO! Boy did we feast, there was artichoke casserole, pasta galore, and the best Eggplant parmesan I have ever had! BUT the best dish was the simple and delicious Peas and Pancetta. I will be getting some recipes from this party and yes I will be posting them.

We tried not to talk shop but that did not last long! What a think tank we have. When I was interviewed for the upcoming Virginia Currents show I was asked how I benefit by being a RCM member I said loads of things but I could have wrapped it all up in one idea, "think tank". When you are surrounded by creative and talented peeps you can trough and idea out and get loads of feed back. Information on things that you need to know as well as ideas you never thought about. It all makes sense we can not work in a bubble, all alone. Creatives need to bounce ideas off each other. So keep you eyes on us we all have some good stuff coming in 2008.


Here is a little clue to what I am interested in for 2008!


Here is a must try recipe for you!

Banana walnut chocolate chip cookies_
Courtesy of the lovely Martha Stewart

_1 cup all purpose flour
1/2-cup whole-wheat flour
1 tsp coarse salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
1 large egg
1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 cup mashed ripe banana (about 1 large)
1 cup old fashioned oats (not the quick cook kind)
8 oz semi-sweet chocolate chips or coarsely chopped bar
1/2 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375. In a small bowl, whisk together dry ingredients (1st 4) in a large bowl use a mixer to whip butter and sugar until fluffy. On low speed, beat in egg and vanilla until combined. Mix in banana. Add flour mixture and mix until just combined. Stir in oats, chocolate, and nuts. Scoop dough onto cookie sheets. Bake at 375 for 12-13 minutes until cookies are just set. Let cool on sheets on wire racks for 5 minutes. Then remove cookies to wire racks to cool completely.

Enjoy! from our dear Nikole...www.nikolesarvaydesigns.etsy.com_handcrafted jewelry

UnUsual Suspects

My booth at yesterdays show. I love using my bakers rack it is super when the space is really tight. The layout was only 6x6, I am glad I got these pictures before my booth neighbor set up.


I have a big shout out the great gang of crafty peeps in DC you first show was great! Keep up the great work!

The DC Craft Mafia:

Erica Burns
Shayne Rioux and Chris Radz
Michael Auger
Leah Bloomfield
Chandi Kelley
Regina Jiron
Meaghan O'Malley

The Centerville Pumpkin Festival

The Centerville Pumpkin Festival is this weekend, come and check out! And don't forget to say hi! I will be there with my craft posse! BeesKnees Studio, Lark Studio, Keen Designs, Nicole Lee Desings and yours truly will be hanging out in the big "double wide". Tents is mean, tents not trailers! : )

Also at the show the marvelous Monkey and Me, Missing Monsters and Sew Ono.

The Pumpkin Festival is an all-day event, outdoors, free to attend, offers fine art, crafts, and produce for sale. Food, entertainment, music, activities for kids, prizes, and more are a part of this fun event!

I saw this one the website... "The hottest, to the minute, artists and indie crafters in the country with many new vendors and a larger variety of shopping to choose from!" Oh my that is what we are, cutting edge crafters! I like the sound of that!

See the links in side bar to learn more about the 2007 vendors! Wow this year there are over 40 vendor! That is a big show!

See ya there!

g is for ginko leaf

Ok last night I asked for some G words to post about. Well I can have some fun now that I have a list of great G words! Keep them coming!


Filigree Ginkgo I large fine art print by Bees Knees Studio! A Richmond Craft Mafia craft diva! You can check out her profile here! Erica I love your super hero spokesperson! Tortoro is perfect for you! I love love love Totoro!



Ginkgo Porcelain Earrings by Tasha McKelvey the Richmond Craft Mafia's maker of pottery, buttons & jewelry! Tasha is craft rock star! I want these earrings so badly! Don--- hint, hint!

plushy plush!

So remember that I told you that the Crafty Bastards Show was so cool and beyond busy that I could not even go shopping? Well a couple of guys made this cool Plush Toys @ Crafty Bastards video, there you can see interviews with the cool Plush artists that were selling at the show. How groovy it that?

But what is totally cool is that my crafty friend Deanna is there chatting about her Missing Monsters! She's also a fellow Richmond Craft Mafia girl.


The cool thing about Missing Monsters is that you help create your own monster. You can get a custom made monster. Now that is cool. My son asks to fill out the "missing monsters report" every other day. I have saved his "report" and I plan to surprise him with it at Christmas!

But is gets better... when your Monster has been found she takes a photo for you and send it to you. You get to see just where she found you monster at. That is my favorite part.

You can also adopt a baby monster from World of Mirth, the coolest store in Richmond! And soon you can get them on her Etsy site.

So go and find your missing monster today, it is there just waiting to be found!

For you locals you can also meet the maker at the Centerville Pumpkin Festival on October 20th 10-4. Yours truly will be there as well as many other groovy crafters!

Angry, Bitter and Tired!

The three craft muses have had it!

Here we stand Angry, Bitter and Tired.

This was taken at the Charlottesville All Star Show last Saturday.

It's hard to peddle your wares on a black top with lonely art boy music being blared upon you. Not our best show but hey at least we had each other! On the left is the cute wonderful Erica from Bees Knee's Studio you all need some of her tiny paintings. And on the right is my new friend Nicole. She runs Soliel Rouge there you can find some fabu skirts. I really want a Bark cloth skirt! I might just order that today! You can read all about Erica and Nicole over at the Richmond Craft Mafia website. Meet the Family