Handmade Austin Women Annual Spring Show this weekend May 2nd + 3rd

Handmade Austin Women 4th Annual Spring Show

May 2nd and 3rd, 2009

It's the weekend before Mother's Day!

Saturday 10am-6pm

Sunday 12pm-5pm

Handmade Austin Women presents the fourth annual Spring Show on May 2nd and 3rd, the weekend before Mother's Day. Handmade Austin Women are dedicated to unique design, and the highest quality in handcrafted work. We organize our show to promote the profound benefits of sustaining women artists at work here in Texas. We support Austin's cottage industry and the growing character of our local, independent economy.

Handmade Austin Women are pleased to announce the 2009 lineup:

• Trisha Allen ~ Uniquely Recycled, Art Cards


• Jenifer Nakatsu Arntson ~ Accessories, Wallets and Handbags


• Jo Bridges ~ Paintings


• Lisa Crowder ~ Studio Jeweler, Metalsmith


• Kathryn Davis ~ Mixed Media Collage Handmade Accessories


• Jamie Jo Fisher ~ Contemporary Art Jewelry


• Laura Freeman* (aka Luna Tart) ~ Ukulele


• Chia Guillory ~ Sunhats, Fashion and Accessories


• Laura Imhoff* ~ Singer Songwriter


• Heather Jarry* ~ Marionettes


• Gabel Karsten ~ Still Life Painting


• Beverly Mangham ~ Art Assemblage and Clay


• Christa Mares ~ Sculptural Crochet


• Melanie Schopper ~ Functional Ceramics


• Cherie Weaver ~ Drawings, Paintings

*musical entertainment

A family-friendly musical marionette matinee begins every other hour on Saturday. Live music plays on Sunday. Both days we offer complimentary tea and coffee service. Additionally, the Ginko Studios gardens will be open for viewing. Our show grounds are handicapped accessible, but call ahead for special-access arrangements.

For information, (512) 293-9505 or see us online at: www.handmadeaustinwomen.com

Handmade Austin Women

Spring Show 2009

Hosted by: Ginko Studios

Located at: 800 Gullett St.

Austin, TX 78722

(512)389-1920

This event is supported in part by Women and Their Work. Please visit www.handmadeaustinwomen.com for more information.

Download Letter-Sized 2009 Poster [PDF] [JPEG]

A new way to promote your crafty business!

I received the following email regarding the Happily Handmade Giveaway. Definitely a great way to promote your business!:

"I wanted to let you know about a great promotional opportunity for indie business, called the Happily Handmade Giveaway. You might have heard of it, as we've had many craft mafia members participate in the past. We've just relaunched this event after a two-year hiatus, with a spiffy new website and a team of fabulous volunteers ready to make this giveaway bigger and better than ever before.

Even in trying times like these, we are confident that this giveaway will be more popular than ever. I mean, free stuff? No one can resist the prospect of that. And the cost to participate is minimal. Only $20 plus a donation for the gift boxes. It’s a small investment for a huge return - I think past participants will agree, there is no other tool more powerful to grow a mailing list than the Happily Handmade Giveaway.

A quick backstory:
The Happily Handmade Giveaway began in 2004 as the result of a brainstorming session among a handful of indie artists looking for a unique way to promote their businesses and reward their customers. Since then, it's grown to surpass our wildest expectations. Our last event gave away nearly $15,000 worth of indie merchandise to 51 lucky shoppers around the world. This event, our 8th, is shaping up to be incredible for all those involved.

The goal of the HHG is twofold:
- To promote indie businesses with an affordable promotional opportunity, allowing them to reach new customers and build their mailing lists.
- To reward shoppers for their continued support of indie business, for making the conscious decision to purchase from an independent crafter and not a big box retailer.

We're currently in our sponsor registration period, which lasts through March 20th, and are looking for indie businesses who'd be interested in sponsoring the giveaway. For a small fee (only $20) and a donation to our prize boxes, Sponsors will be listed on our website as an official hhg entry site. Contestants can enter the giveaway by visiting any the participating Indie Shop Sponsors' websites. Each website will feature a separate entry form, allowing entrants to increase their chances of winning by simply visiting more of the Indie Shop Sponsors. Each Sponsor will also have the full list of sponsors on their entry page, creating an active stream of traffic from site to site to site. Businesses participating in the giveaway report a huge increase in traffic to their site and subscriptions to their mailing list (often a requirement for entry).

For more information about the giveaway, our website is the place to go:
http://www.happilyhandmade.com/

Our most recent press release can be viewed here:
http://www.happilyhandmade.com/2009/03/the-happily-handmade-giveaway-a-valuable-tool-for-promoting-indie-business/

I'm also always available should you have any specific questions.

Thanks so much! :)

- Lindsay Landis
Webmistress and Event Organizer
The Happily Handmade Giveaway
http://www.happilyhandmade.com/

Mafia Members & Madewell 1937

Erica of Erica Burns Designs & Shayne of Novelty Kitten, both DC Craft Mafia members, will be taking part in Denim After Dark with Madewell 1937. Madewell is hip collection of women's clothing from the same people that bring us J Crew. I will be at the Tyson's Corner Madewell store from 7-9PM & Shayne will be at the Annapolis store from 7-9PM. All of this takes place on Thursday, March 5th so come out & let us tag your initials on your jeans! Sweet!

New Orleans Craft Mafia needs your swag!

The New Orleans Craft Mafia is proud to once again sponsor the Alternative Media Expo, presented by Antigravity Magazine. This will be the seventh edition of the Expo, and as always, this year's event will feature over 100 exhibitors with 'zines, comics, films, crafts, photography and handmade clothing, independent record labels and artists with CDs and records, indie and grassroots organizations, filmmakers and much more!



The Expo will take place on Saturday, March 21, 2009, from noon - 6pm at the warehouse at the Contemporary Arts Center (900 Camp Street) in New Orleans, LA. The admission fee for this all-ages event will be $5.

The first 150 paid attendees through the doors will receive swag bags courtesy of the New Orleans Craft Mafia: a cotton tote bag filled with freebies and product samples from various indie businesses. These bags present a great opportunity to get the word out about your business, band, or organization. Vendors exhibiting at the Expo are also encouraged to participate in the swag bags.

Some swag suggestions include, but are not limited to: coupons, stickers, buttons, magnets, pens, etc. We ask that you do send actual swag items and not just promotional materials such as business cards or flyers. You may attach business cards, etc., to any donated swag, of course. If you are interested in sending in swag material, we ask that you send in the full amount of 150 items.

We will also be accepting product samples, which may include, but are not limited to: CD/DVD samplers, comics and zines, small jewelry or accessory samples, t-shirts, blank notecards or stationery, or other small samples of your products. If you choose to send in samples, we ask that you send a minimum of 25 samples.

The deadline for sending in swag & samples is Friday, March 6, 2009. Items may be sent to:

New Orleans Craft Mafia swag bags
c/o Kerry Fitts
P.O. Box 791922
New Orleans, Louisiana 70179-1922

Those interested in dropping off samples and swag locally may bring them by Winky's (2038 Magazine Street) during regular business hours. Please make sure your items are marked as being for the New Orleans Craft Mafia / Alternative Media expo swag bags.

For more information on contributing to the swag bags, please email mallory [!AT] neworleanscraftmafia.com

New ads for the New Year!

Thank you thank you again Steph for making this quarter's Craft Mafia ads. They're really cute and creative!



We really appreciate it. You do fantastic work!

A great cause and yummy yummy treats!

Since I closed my business, Amet and Sasha, I've been a wee bit silent on the crafting front. And why is that you might ask? Because I'm exploring food, baking to be exact. I'm even heading off to pastry school this spring. Can you believe it??!? Well, maybe you can, but my head's still spinning.

One of my new projects is a food blog. It's just a wee baby of a blog, but if you like to eat, which I'm pretty sure is almost all everyone, then maybe just maybe you'll like my wee baby of a blog.

But this is not why I'm writing. I'm writing because this month I'm taking part in a wonderful cause. It's a fundraising effort for a school lunch program in Lesotho. What's in it for you?? Amazing prizes. No, seriously... good good stuff. So please visit me and see how you can win some great food-related prizes while helping with a fantastic cause.



If you have a blog and would like to help me tell the world about the raffle please do. There are SO many food bloggers out there donating to the cause. I'm donating a huge box of amazing brownies. Other people are donating things like Le Crueset products, cookbooks, classes.... so many great things.



I hope your holidays are warm, cheery and full of many many tasty treats!

Portland Craft Mafia Holiday Bailout Game!

Would you like to win everything pictured below?

Then play the PDX Mafia holiday bailout game! All you have to do to be entered to win all the above goodies is find the Portland Craft Mafia logo in each of the shops listed below. When you have found each listing on Etsy containing the Portland Craft Mafia logo email the shop names and item links to portlandoregoncraftmafia@yahoo.com. If find them all you will be entered to win EVERYTHING you see in the picture above. That's right it is winner takes all! Keep it all for yourself or give as gifts to those you love during the upcoming holiday season.

The hunt will last 11/15/2008-11/29/2008. The winner will be randomly drawn from all correct entries. The lucky winner will be announced no later than December 1. The entire box of goodies will be mailed out with plenty of time before the holidays.

So what all are you getting you ask? You will win a hand poured candle, two book journals, two pairs of earrings, a mini glass mobile, hair accessories galore, several magnets, a hand carved stamp and more!

Ready to start the hunt? Check out the participating stores below and look for our logo in one of the listings. Email your list to portlandoregoncraftmafia@yahoo.com by 11/29/08!

Hunt for our logo in these partcipating shops:
Autumn Comfort Candles

BeBe Babies and Friends

Ex Libris Anonymous

Flapper Girl

Kenton Beadworks

Leah's Glass Creations

Mode Noir

Sjane

Happy holidays from the Portland Craft Mafia!