2011 Monster Craft Mash - October 29th!

Announcing The 2011 Monster Craft Mash!

The DC Craft Mafia will be holding The Monster Craft Mash craft show outdoors in the parking lot at St. Luke's Episcopal Church at 1514 15th St, NW (15th and P).

We are very excited, as we had kickass crafters at May's Spring Thing, and we generated lots of traffic! The location is close to Dupont Circle Metro.

Please review the updated spooky guidelines before applying. We're super-excited to be working on this show and can't wait to see all of your amazing art and awesome creations!

Submission Form Coming Soon ....

Yarnbombing of Jimmy Valentine's

Who - You! Me! Everyone we know!

What - Cover the facade (and marquee) of Jimmy Valentines with knit hearts. Size to be determined by you but preferably ranging from 6″-26″ (and preferably in the colors of red/white/pink).

When - NOW! Seriously. NOW. Start knitting! This is going be their part of Artventures on H St which is a cool event for H street NE. (I mean it’s all about art and food and who doesn’t like that?)

Where- Jimmy Valentines is located at 1103 Bladensburg Rd. NE Washington DC 20002. It has no sign. Really. That’s part of its charm.

Why - Because, to the best of our knowledge, there has never been a yarnbombing of this size in DC. This place is really rad and I can’t imagine a better pairing.

Once you’ve completed a heart (and told your friends) you are welcome to drop them off at Jimmy Valentines (1103 Bladensburg Rd. NE) or Little Miss Whiskey’s (1104 H street NE DC).

Please don’t keep this a secret! Tell your friends! Enlist your aunts! Let’s cover this building with yarn!

Free Law-Related Panel Discussions for Artists!

Attention Artists & Crafters! Have questions about the law and your art business?

The Smithsonian's Anacostia Community Museum (ACM), co-sponsored by the Washington Area Lawyers for the Arts (WALA), will be holding a two-part panel discussion on the common issues and pitfalls attorneys regularly see with their creative business clients.

Targeting both emerging and existing entrepreneurs, this event can help you protect your creative endeavor and watch it grow. Bring your pads, pens and questions for our legal experts.

• Part 1: Tuesday, June 21 at 7pm: Why Do I Need a Lawyer? Common Legal issues for Writers and Visual Artists.
• Part 2: Tuesday, September 13 at 7pm: Why Do I Need a Lawyer? Common Legal Issues for Emerging and Existing Creative Businesses.

Both sessions will be held at the ACM located at 1901 Fort Place, SE, Washington, DC 20020. Completely FREE to attend, so why not?

Family Day: All Things Gullah - Call to Artists!

The Smithsonian Institution’s Anacostia Community Museum is organizing a special event, Family Day: All Things Gullah, on Saturday, July 23 from 11AM to 4PM (In the case of inclement weather, the event will be held on Sunday, July 24th).

This is the close-out event for the museum’s current exhibition, Word, Shout, Song: Lorenzo Dow Turner Connecting Communities through Language. The event will be a last-chance viewing of the exhibition before it closes the following day on July 24th. It will be a fun-filled day for the whole family with live entertainment, storytelling, arts & crafts demonstrations and workshops, face painting, oral history presentations and a vendor’s marketplace. The event will conclude with hopefully the largest “Ring Shawt” ever recorded. This program is FREE and open to the public.

As a part of the Family Day, the Anacostia Community Museum invites artists and crafters from the DC, Virginia and Maryland areas to apply to become vendors. Applications received by June 17th will receive priority consideration.

To receive an application, please email Soyini George at georges@si.edu or call 202.633.4807.

DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing - TOMORROW!

Spring has officially sprung. The DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing is TOMORROW - Saturday, May 21st from 11 AM - 5 PM, you don't wanna miss it!

Join us and more than 40 talented artists and crafters at what's surely to be an exciting day. We'll has a couple of musicians lined up, Fojol Brothers will be there and Lucky Dog Animal Rescue will be hanging out all day with an artist raffle and adoptable dogs looking for their forever homes.

The weather is going to be beautiful this weekend, so join us for a glorious Spring day of arts & crafts near Dupont Circle in Washington, DC! The Spring Thing will take place in the parking lot of St. Lukes Episcopal Church, only three blocks from Dupont Metro station.

See you there!

The Littlest Bean

The Littlest Bean's work is driven by a curiosity about color, shape and texture. Using randomly cut fabrics, intricately cut felt, and an assortment of found media, artist Jen Menkhaus, creates one-of-a-kind accessories.

Each piece is carefully hand-cut without a template, hand-stitched and embroidered. Jen notes that she loves it when her work makes someone else as happy as it makes her.

Let Jen's artwork inspire a smile at the Spring Thing on Saturday, May 21st!

Tsai Fi

Tsai-fi (pronounced sci-fi), a collection of twisted but adorably, cute artwork was launched five years ago as a creative outlet for artist Kimberly Tsai.

Kimberly is inspired by daydreams and her own world of make believe. The world of tsai-fi was created to be an escape from everyday life, so her love of fantasy movies is a huge influence for the art. The other two major inspiration areas include popular Asian culture and Kim's everyday life experiences.

Yep. Tsai Fi and her incredible artwork will be at at the DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing on Saturday, May 21st. Come say HI!

Fuzzy Mug

FuzzyMug‘s Brooke Behnken is a professional graphic designer, business owner and a HUGE animal lover. When she’s not creating custom pet portraits, she volunteers her time and design know-how to local animal shelters.

Her own four cats and three dogs were her inspiration for FuzzyMug and they are often coerced (with many treats and promises of long hikes in the woods) to pose for Brooke’s portrait ideas.

Catch FuzzyMug at the DC Craft Mafia's Spring Thing on May 21st!

Lucky Dog Animal Rescues Joins the Spring Fling!

Great news, crafters and craft-lovers! DC's own, Lucky Dog Animal Rescue joins the DC Craft Mafia's Spring Thing on May 21st!

So, whataya say we hold a raffle for them? They'll hang out with us, share some information and host a raffle, where all ticket sales will benefit their organization. Best of all, they'll have plenty of lovable dogs at the event looking for their forever homes! So, if your looking to adopt and adorable companion, now's a perfect time!

Exhibitors: If you would like to donate a small item (no more than $20) to the raffle on September, please contact the DC Craft Mafia for more info. This is completely voluntary, folks! No pressure at all.

Vendor List (AND more) is Up!

Wow! We have so much awesome stuff in store for YOU at the frist-ever DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing on Saturday, May 21st!

The official vendor list has been added to the website, plus check out who we have performing that day: Dave Tieff, front man of the late Laughing Colors AND Snakehead Run with their original take on old-time acoustic blues.

Not only that but the well-known food truck, Merlindia's own Fojol Brothers will be parked alongside the Spring Thing tents ... serving up their unique brand of Indian/Ethiopian mobile cuisine.

It's gonna be a glorious day of crafts, music and food. Come and join us!

Jon Wye

If you haven't heard of Jon Wye, you've been living under a rock. And not cool, little grooundhog nook, like those dudes in the Geico commercial, just a boring, old rock.

Did you know that Jon Wye was the first company to use belts as canvases? Yep. They create one-of-a-kind designs on the finest quality leather, and now the best cotton shirts around. They take pop culture and add their own influences. They make almost everything by hand in their workshop in DC, and they try their hardest to get all of their materials from the USA. Basically, they make awesome.

Jon Wye. DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing. Saturday, May 21st. Be there!

punkrockknits

Looking for kick-ass, hand-knit creations? Well, then, you're in luck. Welcome to the world of punkrockknits!

Your senses are are in for a treat when they get a load of artist, Tracy Weidman's original designs:

Your eyeballs will go into sensory overload with the vivid, flashy colors.

Your hands will marvel at the soft craftsmanship of the fibers.

And your taste ... well, maybe that's one sense that will not be affected, but you get the idea!

Check out punkrockknits at the DC Mafia's Spring Thing on Saturday, May 21st!

Announcing the Spring Thing!

Don't know about you, but I am super-siked for the first-ever DC Craft Mafia's Spring Thing on Saturday, May 21st! So let's get to it. Introducing our talented exhibitors. Let's start off with popular DC artisan, Herban Lifestyle.

Herban Lifestyle has been passionate about hand crafting natural and organic bath and body products for more than 10 years, ever since founder Mary Kearns learned to create herbal bath and body products for friends, family and visitors at her local farmers market. Today, Mary brings the same passion for sustainability, healing herbs, and aromatherapy to Herban Lifestyle.

There are over 30 Herban Lifestyle products all made with natural, organic and Fair Trade ingredients and packaged in recyclable containers printed on 100% recycled paper.

Visit with Mary and all of her organic products from 11AM -5PM at the DC Craft Mafia's Spring Thing!

**December CRAFTY DRINKS!!**

Hey all!

Come meet us at Open City tomorrow at 5:30 pm for Crafty Drinks! Just down the block from Woodly Park Metro (red line), Open City has half price wine and pizza on Tuesdays. Bring your crafty pals, crafty ideas and crafty creations. We look forward to seeing you tomorrow!

~emily

http://craftydrinks.eventbrite.com/

The Holiday Heist is Ready

Great news, crafters! The DC Craft Mafia's Holiday Heist application is up and ready! Wanna be part of the show this year? Apply online!

Since we got such an amazing response last year, we figured why not repeat history? So, this year, The Holiday Heist will be held at the same place--our favorite Vienna hottspot--The Soundry on November 21 from 10 AM - 5 PM.

There is a $10 application fee and if accepted, the booth fee is then $55. Hope to see you application in the mix!

Ballston A&C Market TOMORROW - October 9th!

I can't believe our final show of the season is tomorrow. The summer has flown by! Won't you come join us on Saturday, October 9th from 10 AM to 3 PM at Welburn Square, to visit with your favorite regulars and to meet some new artists, alike.

Plus, Jane Franklin Dance will be performing excerpts from The Mouse of Amherst from 11 AM - 12:30 PM. Then, local faves, The Lynn Veronneau Triohits the Square from 1-3 PM!

It's going to be sunny and warm tomorrow--perfect weather for an art market. So, bring the entire family to the Ballston A&C Market. Support the trifecta--Artists Dancers & Musicians.

We'll personally thank you.

Happy Heads press release

For more information, contact:

Emily Landsman (DC Craft Mafia) 202-258-1287

August 18, 2010

LOCAL KNITTERS AND CRAFTERS TO SHARE TALENT WITH

KIDS IN NEED ON AUGUST 22, 2010

The DC Craft Mafia is teaming up with Stitch DC to promote Happy Heads, DC, a local charity that benefits the District of Columbia’s youngest residents. An afternoon of knitting, food and craft giveaways on August 22 at Stitch DC’s Capitol Hill location at 731 8th St. SE will benefit Happy Heads, DC. Crafters from across the area have been invited.

Happy Heads, DC was launched during the 2003-2004 winter season by a former employee of the Safe Shores—The D.C. Children's Advocacy Center, a direct service nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and working directly with child victims of sexual and physical abuse in the District of Columbia. DC area knitters and crocheters were asked to pool their talents to make hats for children served by Safe Shores, many of whom did not have proper winter clothing protection.

In 2005, the program received attention from members of Congress, including Safe Shores supporter Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC At-Large), Congressman Steve Israel (D-NY 2nd), and former Congressman Bud Cramer (D-AL-5th), founder of the National Children’s Advocacy Center.

DC Craft Mafia is the local chapter of the national group Craft Mafia, which is dedicated to strengthening the independent artist community and educating the public on the importance of buying handmade crafts and performing community outreach. This will be Happy Head’s first event at Stitch DC. Participants are asked to make a donation of new school supplies, new toiletries or other items that Safe Shores needs in order to continue to protect and serve DC children.

Information on the upcoming August 22 event can be found on the Happy Heads' website at www.happyheads-dc.org

Stitch DC – www.stitchdc.com

DC Craft Mafia – www.craftmafiadc.com

Safe Shores – www.safeshores.org

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market TOMORROW - August 14th

August 14th is TOMORROW and you know that that means! It's time for the monthly Ballston Arts & Crafts Market. The weather forecast looks perfect--86 degrees and partly cloudy--the perfect weather for an outside Art show.

So come join us from 10am - 4pm in pretty tree-lined Welburn Square to see a wonderland of handcrafted items by the area's most talented artists, like:

Herban Lifestyle

Bette's Bags

Mint Parcel

bLuGrn designs

The BumbleBee Studio

And SO many more! See you tomorrow!

Happy Heads update!

Hi folks,

We're just over two weeks away from the big Happy Heads/DC Children's Advocacy Center/Stitch DC event!

Here's an update on the festivities...
Snacks will be available! Yum!
Free hat & scarf patterns for knit and crochet! Awesome!
Super hourly raffles! Cool!

Remember that this is a fundraiser for Happy Heads and the DC CAC. As such, we ask that you donate in order to participate in the fun. This list comes to us directly from the folks who work at the CAC. Please bring at least one of the following items:

School Supplies:
Calculators*
Colored Pencils*
Markers*Pencils
“Jumbo” kindergarten pencils
Filler paper*
3-ring binders*
Book Covers*
Erasers

Clothing/other Items:$1 Toiletries; baby wipes*, travel baby toiletries, deodorant, Vaseline*, Kleenex, hand sanitizer*, travel toothpaste and tooth brushes

Children’s socks*

Packaged children’s undies

Boys/Girls undershirts*

*indicates items of greatest need

Remember, please bring new items that you'd give to your own kids. You can also make a small monetary donation ($5-$10) if you don't want to bring items. Either way, CAC staffers will be with us to give you a receipt of your items if you'd like.

Then, hang around with us on what will most likely be a hot summer afternoon and knit some hats for kids for the upcoming snowy months!

Want to help spread the word? We'd love it if you would tell your craft and fiber friends, media friends and others who like to participate in their community in DC. Feel free to leave us comments if you have an idea.

Thanks again to Stitch DC and the DC Craft Mafia!

~emily

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market TOMORROW - July 10th!

Woot! Woot! Guess what TOMORROW, Saturday, July 10th is! Yep-- it's the Ballston Arts & Crafts Market! And I can't think of a better way to spend a Saturday afternoon than with a laid-back stroll through pretty, tree-lined Welburn Sqaure. From 10:00am - 4:00pm, check out your favorite returning artists and newcomers alike.

Plus, this month, St. Coletta of Greater Washington is joining us! St. Coletta Shops will on hand to offer a variety of crafts by artisans with intellectual disabilities.

Here's a sneak peak of the artists showing THIS Saturday:

Grumpy Haters

BoxBoy Demented Decoupage

Holland Cox

Moonlight Bindery

Tuesday Tauchen Artwork

See you tomorrow!