Deck the Halls Recap

Sunday we attended Deck the Halls in Dallas, an independent business showcase hosted by Armhole & Texas Tarts. The event was held in a very cool venue, Sons of Hermann Hall in Deep Ellum, & had a very casual, laid-back vibe. We had the opportunity to really spend time talking with all the passionate, creative vendors. It was truly an awesome experience!

Chris Watts (pictured here) owns Petropolitan, a unique shop designed for you & your urban pet. It was very apparent while chatting with Chris that he is very passionate about his business, as well as animals. Being a dog lover, I was really drawn to his enthusiasm. Petropolitan’s services include grooming, boarding, day-care, pet walking, personal shopping & much more. If you are in the Dallas area & are a pet owner, definitely check Petropolitan out. Located a few miles North of the Dallas Farmer’s Market – 408 South Harwood St., Dallas, TX 75201 – (214) 741-4100

Chris Thrash is the charismatic creative force behind Texas Scum. Don't let the name fool you - this company's designs are anything but scummy. Chris designs & screen prints his own apparel, as well as accessories & artwork.

Tefi Designs is a great jewelry company featuring Stephanie Hindall’s work. Stephanie, who founded the Etsy Dallas group, designs jewelry available in a wide variety of styles. Many of the handcrafted pieces are made using sterling silver, semi-precious stones, and Czech glass. You’ll also find less expensive pieces made with fabric-covered buttons.

Larry Pile is a talented furniture-maker and stained-glass artist based in Dallas. The Japanese lamps & stained-glass candle holders were all beautiful. Larry also teaches classes if you are interested in learning this beautiful craft.

Threaded Smiles specializes in patches, magnets, & wristbands, as well as vegan totes & wallets. The Whale of a hoodie was one of my favorite items displayed.

Clayton Wright (pictured here) of Deadbeat Leather had a cool setup showcasing her great leather designs. The luggage tags & leather-encased flasks were among my favorite items.

Drew Merritt is another interesting & talented artist we had the opportunity to talk with. Originally from Clovis, New Mexico, Drew is now opening a studio in Deep Ellum. I love that Drew creates art on a number of diverse materials. We saw art on everything from Sweet ‘n Low packets to large canvases.

Mikki Mallow’s hand-painted glassware is fabulous. A set of these would make any home bar the envy of your neighborhood. Her work is available at the House of Dang & Voyager Trading Company, both located in Dallas, as well as Etsy.

David Tripp, a local watercolorist, teaches Art History & Philosophy at an area high school. Mr. Tripp has prints of his wonderful work available through his site & he also paints murals that are very impressive.

Nine Eyes Studio is a Dallas-based, artist-run art studio, gallery & tattoo studio. Interesting concept, wouldn’t you say? Nine Eyes also offers art classes & allows private parties. I will definitely be checking out this gallery’s events in the future.

In addition to all the talented artists we met this weekend, I had the opportunity to meet a couple of members of the Assassination City Roller Derby. Wendy O. Wheels, captain of the Bombshell Brigade, and Pyro Maim Ya, Co-Captain of La Revoluciòn, (pictured here) were very friendly & more than happy to tell me why they love participating in roller derby matches. They said that it’s a great work out, they’ve forged great friendships, and they are able to take out their aggressions. Sounds good to me! Aside from the occasional broken bone, that is.

It was such a thrill to discover so many talented artist, crafters, designers & independent business owners this weekend. I plan to feature more of the funky finds we came across in the future.

GIVEAWAY!!!
This giveaway includes Dallas Indie swag & an original Funky Finds ornament handmade by moi! Leave a comment about one of the Dallas artists I featured this week by midnight CST Saturday, December 8.