The Handmade Arts Show

I'll be there - along with 30 other local Seattle artisans selling our wares. Oh, on Sunday 10/12 from 10-4 that is!

If yo uare in the Seattle area, it is worth checking out. The 1st 50 people through the door get swag bags from the vendors. There will be a backe sale benifiting VSA of WA. And of course shopping, lots of shopping.

For a sneak peak at the vendors who will be there, click here

St. Edwards State Park is in Kenmore, WA (aka Juanita / Kirkland). It is a great state park, in the Seattle metropolitan area (yea, you don't even have to drive 60 miles looking at nothing but trees to get there). We will be in the historical Seminary Building which was just renovated. For directions and/or more details about the park click here. AND, when you are done shopping, you can go for a hike on one of the trails in the park, or play on the awesome playground!

Oh, and just as a disclaimer - Norm will be there but only as greeting cards. Heidi will also be selling reclaimed cashmere scarves & hats.

A great end to a long weekend...

We stopped for Chinese food on the way home from the Mill Creek Festival - and this was my fortune. I am choosing to believe that this means great things for Norm, since I don't really know what it means.

etsyRAIN.com at Mill Creek Festival

Here's a peek at some of my friends that will be at the festival with me, my new tent, my new credit card machine, my new Greeting Cards (woohoo - professionally printed), and other new stuff like magnets, soldered microscope slide ornaments, and...

Totes2Go: totally cool re-usable fabric shopping bags that fold up into a nice neat little pouch when not in use.

World of Whimm: totally cool kids costumes!

NueToMe: recycled childrens clothing (like little girls t-shirt dresses)

RozsSaxSeattle: very cute handmade fashion accessories

Woven Chains: fantastic chain maille jewelry (you've gotta see her keychains, betcha won't be able to put it down!)

Made@Home: Homemade play dough with the coolest colors

FloatingPalace: very cute linoluem block print cards

Oh yea, park at the park and ride and ride the shuttle in - saves the hassle of trying to find non-existent parking at the fair.

Norm at the Mill Creek Festival and Street Fair

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Casting Hands

So, a few lessons learned, and more experience gained - that's my way of saying the glass is half full instead of ... well you get my drift. I think it is time for me to do a whole tutorial on making these hands since this is the 5th time making hands/feet and I've discovered yet more problems that I hadn't encountered before. I am planning on typing up the instructions and taking step-by-step photos. It's really not that hard, but it does take a lot of patience, especially when you are working with kids. The photo above is of an 8 year old, 5 year old, Grandma and Grandpa.

Stay tuned, or post a comment if you want me to let you know when I get the instructions posted.

buddies in Rhode Island

so we (as in EtsyRain, the Seattle group of Etsy sellers) teamed up with Rhode Island Arts Street team to help promote each other. Funny that we are at the far reaches of the continent - you don't get much further east or west - and yet we are all very similar in our talent for creating new and wonderful treasures! Here are a few artists that caught my eye (it's kinda making me want to go to RI to one of their craft fairs...)

electronrings makes wonrderful felted goodies including rings, lariats, and this bellydancing belt!

spiderbite makes that rockin' cool journals -

julibcreative painted these wonderful "lollipop" trees - I LOVE lollipop trees. My art teacher in the 3rd grade was so impressed by my ability to draw trees with the V branches that she told me only little kids drew lollipop trees. Well here's to all the little kids at heart! (you'll note that I've reverted back to my little kidness too!)

and lastly, but definitely not leastly, a woman who takes skelton keys (another thing near and dear to my heart) and creates beautiful glass beads right onto the key! How cool is that? Oh her shop name is The Venerable Bead

the Fall Thing Art & Craft Show

'tis the season for art & craft fairs. I will be selling in at least 3 before Thanksgiving - come check it out if you have the chance! (Sat. 10/20, Phinney Ridge Community Center in Seattle)