elizabethramos.com

a parade of goodness.

Here’s a glimpse of the wonderful things we brought home from Indie Craft Parade last weekend. I had much more time to shop this year and it was wonderful! Along with these goodies for us, we bought several gifts I’m really excited about (but can’t share of course). Here’s what I can show you:

Clockwise from top: port wine caramel sauce from Sweeteeth / fingerless gloves and a cozy cowl by erin elizabeth (I’m so much more excited about these than I look!) / stitched cards from Common Thread / handmade collar for Riley from Tree Parlor / owl ornament from Once Again Sam*

Not pictured (but things I can still share): leather clutch from Sew Few / bag with leather handles from lightnest / grey braided leather bracelet from Happylooks / What if Greenville poster from Shed Labs

*I know this photo is blurry, but I could barely get a clear picture of the owl since Riley thought it was a toy for her and kept trying to eat it in one gulp. I love they way they’re looking at each other here!

hello, goodbye.

I can hardly believe the Parade has come and gone. This year went even smoother than last, and I enjoyed it more than I ever expected I could. Stress levels were way lower — maybe since we knew a little more what to expect — but I suspect it had more to do with the number of amazing volunteers we had. Somewhere between taking shopping breaks, I realized that all the work I put into Indie Craft Parade is probably for myself!

I love this event through and through. It’s a combination of all the things I love — art, craft, design, Greenville, new friends, good food. I feel so privileged to work on this with Erin for months and months, and then watch all the pieces come together in a single short weekend.

The booth where I spent most of my money, by erin elizabeth

I have lots more to say and purchases to share, but for now — if you missed Indie Craft Parade this year, you can see photos of the artists and their work in our growing Flickr pool. I hope these images can communicate even a little bit of the inspiration that was Indie Craft Parade!

It’s time.

The extended silence over here means The Parade is about to happen! Festivities officially begin tonight at 6pm, but we’ll be busy all day with setup and preparation. My shopping list is growing by the day and I can not wait to see what all the artists have been working on!

If you come out this weekend, look for me in the lobby at the Indie Craft Parade booth and Andrew upstairs at the Parachute booth (#12)!

We are lucky to have so many people who are as passionate about Indie Craft Parade as we are. A big special thanks goes to my Mom who has spent countless hours making  tiny felt flags, stuffing swag bags for vendors, and just being all around event support. She doesn’t believe me, but I really don’t think we could have done it without her.

Indie Craft Parade Treasury

My excitement for this year’s Indie Craft Parade is growing and growing, and this treasury of our 2011 Indie Craft Parade artists should provide a teeny glimpse into what I’m so excited about! We have 74 participating artists (view the complete list here), and about half of these are new this year!

Erin and I hung posters downtown this past Friday, and billboards start going up around Greenville tomorrow. Everything is starting to come together, and I can’t wait to see all these great artists and their work in September!

you’re invited.

It’s time for more Indie Craft Parade news! We are about a month (eek!) away from the main event, and this time we’re planning to kick things off with a Friday night VIP Gala. I am so excited about this addition to the event, and you are invited!

As if Indie Craft Parade isn’t cool enough by itself, this VIP Gala adds a whole extra level of specialness. Tickets for the Gala are $25 each, and ticket holders get a first look at all the artists work, as well as a chance to win some of the amazing handmade goods. There will also be food, drinks, music and a few artists demonstrating their crafts.

Indie Craft Parade is still free Saturday and Sunday, but if you were scared off by the crowds or the lines last year, the VIP Gala is where you want to be. Tickets are limited, so reserve yours today. We’d love to see you there!

Just a note: This VIP night allows us to keep Indie Craft Parade going year after year, and continue to keep costs low for our artists, so consider investing in the Greenville arts community in this way. I promise you won’t be disappointed!

last call.

Tomorrow night at midnight, the application period for this year’s Indie Craft Parade will close.

If you’re an artist yourself, make sure you get your application in for a chance to exhibit at this year’s event! And/or if you have a few favorite artists whose work you love, make sure they’ve heard about this opportunity. Anyone in the Southeast can apply!

unintentional hiatus + handmade nation

The lack of posts here is directly related to the amount of Indie Craft Parade work that’s been going on in my ‘non-working’ hours. So, while I feel a little guilty about neglecting the blog, I’m super excited about all that’s going on in the Indie Craft Parade world!

First, the exciting news that we’re co-hosting a showing of the documentary Handmade Nation. This will be happening one week from today at the Warehouse Theatre as part of the Greenville Forward Challenge Series*. If you’re curious what the big deal about art and handmade goods is, this documentary is a great way to learn about the modern craft movement. Director Faythe Levine interviewed “artists, crafters, makers, curators and community members” across the country to learn about this subculture in America. Tickets are $10 and you can reserve them in advance here.

The second milestone we’re approaching is the application period, which runs June 1 — June 18. If you’re an artist or crafter in the Southeast, we want to see your work! We’re looking for quality handmade goods in a variety of categories. If you’re interested, or know a favorite artist who should apply, more information can be found here.

*Sidenote: we saw Food, Inc. as part of Greenville Forward’s Challenge Series, and it’s not an exaggeration to say that for us, it was life changing. This series is host to all kinds of documentaries, with focused discussions afterward that help the audience make applications to our community in Greenville. It’s one of the many helpful programs Greenville Forward is behind, and I highly recommend it!

on your mark, get set…

We are easing back into the swing of things with Indie Craft Parade, and it’s already getting exciting! At the moment, that means making website changes, updating and assembling sponsorship packets and starting the daunting task of fundraising. We’re also dreaming up a few exciting additions for year two!

It’s amazing to realize that in just one year, we’ve made so many new friends, connections and relationships in Greenville. It’s not just our (mine and Erin’s) idea anymore. We’ve got volunteers and advocates — not to mention artists — who are just as excited about this as we are.

I’m so grateful to everyone who believed in our idea and didn’t discourage us from dreaming big!

Indie Craft Parade recap.

Indie Craft Parade booth, photo by Julia Bastine

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been two weeks since Indie Craft Parade — which makes it past time for an update!

The bad news is that I was so busy I didn’t take a single picture. (gasp!)
But the good news is that all our planning and work for the event seriously paid off.

To see some great event photos from others, check out our Flickr group.

It’s really hard to decide my favorite part, so I made a list, in no particular order:

· the unexpected turnout.
· meeting so many great artists in person.
· the goods that found new homes.
· being able to introduce people to Greenville, and Greenville to these talented artists.
· the photobooth.
· volunteers who were excited about our idea and gave up their time for it.
· the money that went to individual artists, musicians and local restaurants.
· the connections that were made between artists and local shops!
· the spirit of the entire place: shoppers not bothered to wait in line, and so excited about handmade.
· coming home with lots of goodies, including new favorite cds.
· the number of artists whose first craft show it was (almost a third!).
· the unbelievable quality of work represented in one place.

the Two Over Zero booth, photo by Bryan Rees

We certainly came away with lots of ideas to make next year better. But I don’t think we could have asked for a better first year event! If you were one of those who came out, thank you! You were a huge part of what made this so successful!