MoMA Lecture at GWU

Next week GWU's Interior Design program is hosting Paola Antonelli from MoMA. The lecture is free and open to the public, so if you are in the DC area don't miss it! Plus there will be tasty treats and fancy balloons at the reception (I should know, I'm on the planning committee). 

Upcoming Craft Shows

Purple Clover's fall craft show schedule is set! If you are in the DC-area, come visit at one of these upcoming shows...

Saturday, September 29
Fenton Street Market
10 am - 4 pm
Veteran's Plaza, Silver Spring, Maryland

Sunday, October 14
Oktoberfest at the Kentlands
12 - 4 pm
Kentlands Village Green, Gaithersburg, Maryland

Saturday, November 3
Handmade on Hamilton
12 - 7 pm
Hamilton Street & Queen's Chapel Road, Hyattsville, Maryland

Saturday, November 10
Trash to Treasure: A Green Craft Fair
10 am - 4 pm
Watkins Nature Center, Upper Marlboro, Maryland

Saturday, November 24
Fenton Street Holiday Market
10 am - 4 pm
Veteran's Plaza, Silver Spring, Maryland

Trash Can Be Beautiful

We hear about the garbage polluting our environment all the time, but seeing it can sometimes bring the message home. That's the idea behind these beautiful works of art made from trash found in the ocean. Check out more images at Earth911. Do they make you think differently about our pollution?

If you are in the DC area and have the urge to create your own art from discarded goods, check out Scrap DC's upcoming show at The Center for Green Urbanism. Submissions are being accepted through July 30. Or, if you are more of the spectator type, the show opens in September.

Photos from Fenton Street Market

Photos of the booth set-up at last Saturday's Fenton Street Market...enjoy!

Craft Shows - Craft Attack and Fenton Street

Below are the promised photos from Craft Attack in Sterling, Va earlier this month. Many more can be found on the event's facebook page.

And, just a heads up that Purple Clover will be at Fenton Street Market in Silver Spring, Md. Saturday, May 5 and Saturday, June 2. If you're in the DC-area, be there! And if not, be sure to visit the local craft show in your town!

New Year, New Calendar

My New Year's Day usually involves a tasty brunch, a guilty-pleasure TV marathon and setting up my calendar for the new year. For an organizing junkie like me, a brand-spanking new calendar or agenda is as exciting as Christmas morning to a five-year old. Haven't purchased your 2012 calendar yet? Shame on you! But don't worry, here's a collection of crafty calendars from the Washingtonian for you to choose from. And if you're looking for a fun decorative option, might I recommend this gem from Suzy Jack? Enjoy, and Happy New Year!

Kick-Back This Black Friday

Hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday! Now that all that delicious tofurkey (just kidding - tofurkey is actually not the tastiest. I had maple tofu yesterday - yum!) has been digested it's time to turn your attention to more important matters:  Black Friday.

Skip the crowds, put on those sweatpants and kick-back with your laptop for an easy, breezy Black Friday online shopping spree. Be sure to check out the fantastic offerings from DC area handmade artists on Etsy and use the code HOLIDAYCREST for a 15% discount from participating artists. Not sure where to start? May I suggest perusing these treasuries? I'm sure it won't take long for you to find that must-have item!

Occupy Black Friday by EBNArtStudio

CREST Black Friday in Blue by thetwistedcow

Happy Shopping!

Support Local DC Artists this Black Friday

Skip the crowded malls, long lines and early wake-up calls this Black Friday. A collective of DC-area handmade artists (including yours truly) have joined forces to help you get your holiday shopping list taken care of without all of the hassle! Use the code "HOLIDAYCREST" at any of the following Etsy Stores this Friday, Nov. 25 through Monday, Nov. 28 for a 15% discount. Enjoy, and happy (stress-free!) shopping!

Bette's Bags - One-of-a-kind handmade bags, purses, totes, etc.

  Earthen Knit - Sustainable Scarves, Hats, Washcloths, & Fiber Jewelry

EBN Art Studio - Contemporary Painting, Prints, & more!

Handmade Habitat - upcycled clothes, handmade journals, functional bags, lovely toys for your cats, and more!

JenniferLynn Productions - Photography and Cards

Julie Rebecca Designs - Beaded Jewelry & Accessories

Maggie Sue Designs - Accessories for Fun & Function 

Peace, Baby! Batiks - Batik Clothing for Babies and Toddlers

Purple Clover - Eco-friendly Home Decor

RAM Jewelry Designs - Handcrafted, Beaded Jewelry

Smoking Haute - Modern Knitted Accessories

Taila Custom Designs - Handmade with Love Using Yarn, Fabric, & Ribbons

(check out fellow CRESTer EBNArtStudio's blog for the most up-to-date list of participating vendors)

Trash to Treasure

Want to know what I'm doing this weekend? Read below and I hope to see lots of fellow eco-craft lovers there!

Falling For Handmade

Since this week is going by at the speed of molasses, and the half-cold I can't seem to shake won't give up, I am putting my sights on the weekend. Not only has the weather man promised clear skies but Sunday is Falling for Handmade - the second annual craft show hosted by DC-area Etsians. A full list of vendors (including yours truly!) and item previews can be found on the show site. So swing by the Ernest Community Center in Annandale between 11 - 5 this Sunday to ooo and ah over the creative genius that can be found right here in DC.

Photos from Crafty Bastards

If you, like me, were one of the few DCers who weren't able to make it to Crafty Bastards this past weekend, take a look at these photos and salivate....

From NBC Washington

From Huffington Post

From Oh So Beautiful Paper

From Flicker

DC Craft Happenings

For all the DC-area crafters out there, here are the details on some upcoming shows and events you may interested in checking out...

Sept. 18 - Etsy is holding a mini conference at the Smithsonian as part of their Hello Etsy, Berlin event. It's free - so check out the details and sign up here: http://helloetsy.com/us/washington/

Oct. 16 - Etsy CREST is still accepting applications for their annual show, Falling for Handmade II. This year it's in Annandale, VA. Check out the current vendors (including yours truly) and apply: http://fallingforhandmade.weebly.com/

Also, the minds behind Fenton Street Market just posted this great promo video. If you haven't heard, the market is in danger of closing after this year due to changes in the county fees. If you're a fan and don't want to see the market go, sign the petition.

Heart Me, Heart Me Not

After several days of quiet (maybe too quiet!) at Maryland's Eastern Shore, I'm back to the DC grind. With the mostly rainy weather, I had lots of time get my hands dirty creating new pieces. Most of these will be added to the Etsy store over the next several days, but first up is this fun heart magnet set. I love the color combination - kind of simple but with a bit of a rocker edge. Use the pink one when you're feeling warm and fuzzy, the purple-striped one when you want to stand out from the crowd and the black one when he won't return your call...

Repurposed Fabric Magnets - Set of Three Hearts by PurpleCloverEcoHome

In other news, the Crafty Bastards 2011 vendor gallery is up. Very sad you won't find Purple Clover on the list (maybe next year, fourth time could be the charm?) but until then there are lots of great vendors to check out. I'm particularly loving the expanded eco-friendly craft section. Can't wait to see them all in person!