The Mommy Song

If you're in need of a quick, thoughtful gift for Mother's Day, check out "The Mommy Song." Composer Rick Penn-Kraus calls it a recession-proof gift and a great way to "open your heart more than your wallet." This may not be your traditional gift, but this is something Dads can give their wives this Mother's Day to tell her just how fantastic she really is. The tender acoustic song & video video montage can be found on The Mommy Song website. Dads can surprise Mom by adding it to her iPod for just 99 cents! And for those mothers and/or wives feeling unappreciated..listen, just for you.

Crash Pad Designs

Philadelphia-based designer, Renee Pedro, says she started Crash Pad Designs in 2009,"because coming home should make you smile." Inspired by her new home, an obsession with mid-century culture and design, and her 1963 Philco electric oven, Renee has created a line of Earth-friendly home textiles. Adding to the eco-friendliness is the fact that all the inks and dyes are either water or soy-based, then set with heat instead of chemicals. Her original fabrics, available by the yard, and handmade home textile items are all fun AND functional. I love the lampshades that all sport a funky print made of organic cotton. The shades are available in four sizes; however, Renee is open to custom orders. If you're looking to add a mod vibe to your kitchen, you don't want to miss the tea towels. The 14"x26" towels are also made of 100% organic cotton and can be machine washed, making them great gifts, too. Renee is working to add wallpaper to her product line, so check back soon. Receive a 20% discount with coupon code 005831 (expires May 31).

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Oh Sweet Sadie! Art & Gift Show
WHEN: Friday, April 30, 5:30-10pm; Saturday, May 1, 9:30am-2pm
WHERE: SoDa Row at Daybreak, 4563 W. Kestrel Rise Rd., South Jordan, UT

WHAT: BrisStyle Indie Twilight Markets
WHEN: Friday, April 30; 5-9pm
WHERE: King George Square, Brisbane, Queensland

WHAT: UNEMPLOYMENT - Opening Night
WHEN: Friday, April 30; 7-10pm
WHERE: Austin Art Garage, 2200 S. Lamar Blvd., Austin, TX
ETC: On Display April 30 - May 30

WHAT: Etsy Dallas Spring Bash
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 11am-5pm
WHERE: South Side on Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar, Dallas, TX

WHAT: The New Village Festival
WHEN: Saturday, May 1
WHERE: Chameleon Bar, 7-9 Back Colquitt St., Liverpool, UK

WHAT: From Scratch
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 10am-4pm
WHERE: 1183 Grange Rd., Allentown, PA‎

WHAT: Handmade Austin Women
WHEN: Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2; 11am-6pm
WHERE: Ginko Studios, 800 Gullett St., Austin, TX

WHAT: Handmade Nation Screening - A fundraiser for Homespun
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 7-10pm
WHERE: The Irving Theater, 5505 East Washington St., Indianapolis, IN


WHAT: Chicago Style Crafters Present: Two-Craft Minimum!
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 4:30-9pm
WHERE: Cole's Bar, 2338 N. Milwaukee Ave.,Chicago, IL

WHAT: Mayday! Underground Crafts + Art
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 10am-6pm
WHERE: 416 St. Paul St., Rochester, NY

WHAT: Study Hall Drawings - New Work by Jenny Hart
WHEN: Saturday, May 1; 7-9pm
WHERE: Domy Books, 913 E Cesar Chavez, Austin, TX
ETC: Exhibit runs through June 10

WHAT: Brooklyn Lyceum Spring Food & Craft Market
WHEN: Saturday, May 1 and Sunday, May 2; 11am-7pm
WHERE: 227 4th Av. in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

WHAT: i heart indie crafts
WHEN: Sunday, May 2; Noon-4pm
WHERE: Lake Street Bar & Nightclub, 15 Lake St., Kirkland, WA

WHAT: The Shindig Art Craft & Music Festival
WHEN: Sunday, May 2; Noon-6pm
WHERE: 300 Block of S. Elm St., Greensboro, NC

Funky Five: Mother's Day

1. Custom Hand-Stamped Necklace by Spunk & Sass Designs

2. Note Cards or a Notepad with matching Return Address Labels featuring her little one's artwork from PrintArtKids

3. Screenprinted Mama Card by Beau Ideal

4. Treat Mom to brunch with a Mother's Day place setting you can eat! Posted by Cerri Campbell at Joli Paquet

5. You are Precious to Me tile by TileSmile

Ann Clark, Ltd.

Ann Clark, Ltd. is a family-owned business that began as a dream in a garage in 1989. After many years of hard work and enthusiasm, Ann’s creative flair & love for baking has produced a broad product line of handcrafted cookie cutters and giftware, making Ann Clark, Ltd. the largest cookie cutter company in the gift industry. The cookie cutter line includes designs that are traditional, as well as contemporary, ensuring there's something for everyone and every ocassion. Ann Clark, Ltd. also boasts cookie cutter gift sets and copper cookie cutters amongst their extensive product line. As a dog lover & owner, I was especially excited to see the company offering dog biscuit cookie cutters and treat mix which would make a great gift for any animal lover! The Children's Cookbooks that come with an assortment of cookie cutters are also fantastic. The books include fifteen recipes for breakfast, lunch, dinner & snacks and are designed to use the accompanying cookie cutters. This is a great way to get kids involved in the kitchen. Receive a 10% discount with coupon code BLGA18 (expires December 31, 2010).

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Angela Dildine! Ann Clark, Ltd. is giving away a With Mommy's Help Cookbook for children. To enter, visit Ann Clark, Ltd. and leave a comment on this post noting your favorite product. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Sunday, May 2.

Earth-Friendly Finds

100 Amazing Upcycling Ideas Anyone Can Do

Vintage Dictionary Pendants by Robbie Jenkins

Five Creative Recycled Planters

My Cocoa Paper - 100% hand-made cocoa paper products using cocoa waste and other sustainably sourced materials

Vintage Sewing Pattern Bracelet by Found and Made

Eco Jutes by Green Girl World

Top 10 Eco-Friendly Tutorials Curated by ReadyMade Magazine

Steampunk Vintage Keys Necklace by Sassy to Classy

Make your own Plantable Paper

AfricanKelli shares tips on hosting a lovely Garden Party

Crafty Reuse: Four Projects for Paper Scraps from Crafting A Green World

Custom Recycled Wooden Signs by William Dohman

Funky Five: Earth Day Finds

1. Upcycled Silver Snake Bucket Hat by Silent Sea Studios

2. Japanese Woodblock Ornament by Rimrock View Studio

3. Handmade Vegan Soaps by Earth Natural Essentials

4. The Fern Tank Top by Orgotton

5. Soft Orange Handmade Paper by Astonishing Handmade

Swaptree.com

For Earth Day 2010, Swaptree.com is redefining recycling and giving people across the United States a new way of going green and protecting the environment. Swaptree.com is “bringing bartering back” by enabling people to swap unused items for things they want! At Swaptree.com, swappers trade books, CDs, DVDs and video games - an emerging behavioral trend known as “The Swap Movement.”

Earth Day is a time of year when all of us are called on to examine how our behaviors impact the environment. In recent years, this has manifested as a focus on reducing consumption by reusing consumer goods. In 2009 alone, Swappers conducted nearly one million trades, with a total carbon offset of 5M lbs—roughly equivalent to taking 30 cars of the road for one year. Calculating approximately 5lbs of offset per trade, average members have been able to lower their annual carbon footprints by approximately 180lbs.

“In the last 12 months, Swaptree.com has saved members $5,549,058 and helped reduced carbon footprint by 5,011,078 pounds,“ says Carl Schwartz, Vice President of Marketing at Swaptree.com “Because items are constantly traded and reused again, Swaptree is an easy way to recycle stuff you have to get things you want, reduce consumption of new products, and feel good doing it.”

The way it works is members list the items that they are trading and the items they want, and Swaptree’s two and three-way trade algorithms instantly find all of the items that they can receive for the items that they have. The site is completely free, and users only pay for postage, which means that you can get a book, CD, DVD, or video game for around two dollars. Referred to by mainstream media outlets as “the eBay of Swap,” Swaptree.com is the only site that allows for cross-media trades, allowing members to swap a DVD for a book, a video game for a CD, or a book for a video game, etc.

Swaptree.com is the easiest way to swap your stuff--books, music, movies and video games. An award-winning website that brings people together to swap the stuff they have for the stuff they want for free, Swaptree.com helps users feel good because knowing they are saving cash and the planet. With millions of people listing millions of things, the swap opps are staggering. For more information, visit Swaptree.com.

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Paint the Town Pink Worcester
WHEN: Thursday, April 22; 6-11pm
WHERE: Orange Salon, 70 Worcester-Providence Turnpike, Millbury, MA

WHAT: North Texas Quilt Shop Spring Fling
WHEN: Thursday, April 22 through Saturday, April 24
WHERE: 10 North Texas Quilt Shops

WHAT: Petticoats and Parasols Plantation Art Event
WHEN: Thursday, April 22 through Sunday, April 25
WHERE: The Ford Plantation, Savannah, GA

WHAT: Craft by Northwest
WHEN: Friday, April 23; 4-9pm
WHERE: Washington St. - Between State & 4th Ave., Olympia, WA

WHAT: Crafty Balboa
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; Noon-5pm
WHERE: The Passyunk Fountain at Tasker & Passyunk Ave., Philadelphia, PA

WHAT: Fishtown Shadfest
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 11am-6pm
WHERE: Penn Treaty Park at Delaware & Columbia Sts., Philadelphia, PA

WHAT: Clutter City
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Norwich Arts Centre, St. Benedict's St., Norwich, England

WHAT: Silver Lake Art Craft & Vintage
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Micheltorena Street Elementary School, 1511 Micheltorena St., Los Angeles, CA
ETC: Event held the last weekend of every month.

WHAT: Spring Handmade Cavalcade
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 10am-5pm
WHERE: Berry Park, Williamsburg Brooklyn, NY

WHAT: Arts Market of New Orleans
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 10am-4pm
WHERE: Palmer Park, New Orleans, LA
ETC: Market held the last Saturday of every month.

WHAT: Girls Rock Art Show
WHEN: Saturday, April 24; 7-11pm
WHERE: F6 Gallery, 2800 W. Division St., Arlington, TX

WHAT: Sunday, Crafty Sunday Gift Bazaar - Mother's Day!
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; Noon-5pm
WHERE: Queen Bee's Art & Culture Center, 3925 Ohio St. (at University Ave.), San Diego, CA

WHAT: Ipswich Indoor Bazaar
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; 1-5pm
WHERE: Ipswich State High School, 1 Hunter St., Brassall, Queensland
ETC: Market held the 4th Sunday of each month.

WHAT: Portobello West
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; Noon-6pm
WHERE: Rocky Mountaineer Station, 101-369 Terminal Ave., Vancouver, BC
ETC: $2 admission (children 12 and under get in free). Market held the last Sunday of the month.

WHAT: Irvington Artisan Market
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; 10am-4pm
WHERE: The Irvington Tennis Club - Historic Ballroom, NE 21st & Thompson, Portland, OR

WHAT: Dustbowl Arts Market & Norman Music Festival
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; 11am-5:30pm
WHERE: Corner of Crawford & Gray, Norman, OK

WHAT: Crafty Mavericks' Vintage and Handmade Spring Fair
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; 11am-5pm
WHERE: Bayside Grange, 2297 Jacoby Creek Rd., Bayside, CA

WHAT: Blim Monthly Community Market
WHEN: Sunday, April 25; 11am-4pm
WHERE: Heritage Hall, 3102 Main St., Vancouver, BC

WHAT: Crafty Conspiracy Craft Night
WHEN: Tuesday, April 27; 7-9pm
WHERE: The Ruby Kitchen (upstairs area), 1263 University Ave., San Diego, CA
ETC: Craft Night held on the 4th Tuesday of each month.

Announcements Galore

Announcements Galore is an online store featuring the best in photo cards, magnets and keepsake collages. All products are completely customizable and personalized at no extra charge. & custom orders are also created from scratch at no extra charge. Announcements Galore has exceptional customer service, a great compliment to their high-quality products. Whether you're looking for birth announcements, wedding announcements, or Christmas cards you have come to the right place! They also offer photo magnets ensuring your friends and family will never forget your announcement or important date. The keepsake collages are perfect for framing or scrapbooking. Announcements Galore offers free samples of their photo cards & magnets and they will work with you to ensure you are receiving exactly what you want. Don't see exactly what you're looking for? That's okay...the site is just an example of what they can do. Simply send an e-mail stating what you're looking for and they'll start a custom creation just for you! Free shipping always offered on orders over $100.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Giant Sis! Announcements Galore is giving away one $50 gift voucher. To enter, simply visit the Announcements Galore website and leave a comment on this post noting your favorite product or design. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Sunday, April 25.

Etsy Trashion Team's Earth Day Sale Event

Earth Day is next Thursday, April 22, and it is the 40th Anniversary of this great day. In celebration & recognition of this day, the Etsy Trashion Team is having a sale that will run April 16 - 22. The Trashion Team is a group of artists that creates art, jewelry, fashion and objects for the home from materials that were leftover, discarded, or found, and sell them on Etsy. Trashion Team members will run promotions in their Etsy shops ranging from free shipping, to free gift with purchase, to up to 20% off. Visit these shops on Etsy for specific details about each participating artist’s sale:

Sew Trendy - Cute handbags & accessories.

ClaireBaby Designs - One-of-a-kind bags made from t-shirts and other recycled items, as well as cuffs.

Ink4YourSole - Hand-painted clothing, shoes, boots, and purses.

Anyone's Guess - Unique jewelry.

Oddartist Studio - Home decor & jewelry.

The Sly Raccoon - Accessories & recycled paper envelopes.

Green Works - Hand-screened designs on organic and eco clothes. *Receive a 20% discount throughout 2010 when mentioning Funky Finds at time of checkout. (Excludes any sale/special promos prices.)

lilgreenshop - Creative handmade eco accessories, seatbelt art, cards. *Receive a 20% discount throughout 2010 when mentioning Funky Finds at time of checkout. (Excludes any sale/special promos prices.)

MonkeyDogStudio - Screen-printed notebooks, change purses, and more.

junck - Recycled credit card jewelry and miscellany.

Candy Calamity - Handmade recycled art and jewelry.

BELLAVIOLETTA - Paper embellishments and journals.

Findings - Fabulous findings, watch faces, stunning stones, beautiful beads, and remarkable recyclables.

The Creative Block - Jewelry, art dolls, and more.

Alex Keller - Jewelry

Vintage by Alex Keller - Vintage finds.

Funky But Chic Jean Boutique - Upcycled boho denim skirts, tops, dresses & totes.

au clair de la lune - Recycled fabrics for human and habitat.

re-maker - Accessories, journals, and more.

zJayne - Recycled products made from t-shirts, sleeves & more.

Rags by Sock Monkey - Eco-friendly, recycled clothing, accessories, & home decor.

Creative Castaways - Notebooks, jewelry & more.

Eye Pop Art - Mandala art on recycled vinyl records.

ecokaren - Eco-friendly gifts and home decor.

METAMORPHOSI - Accessories, home decor & more.

jakboutique - Clothing, accessories, home decor, and more.

maram - Eco-friendly bags and accessories.

China Doodle - Hand-painted, reworked China plates.

Help promote environmental awareness. Visit the Etsy Trashion team blog and team Facebook page during the Earth Day Sale Event. Trashion is all about bringing out the beauty in unconventional objects &materials. For team members, recycling is an art and an ideal.

Tutusonor

Charlotte Merino is is a Tutusonor, a young French costume designer. Her unique tutu skirt designs are perfect for women, baby girls, singers, dancers, burlesque artists, and brides. The puffy blue tutu is beautiful, as is the romantic white ballerina skirt. If you're looking for something a bit funkier, check out the bi-color tulle skirt or the black & fushia skirt. The asymmetric skirt, pictured here, is also very eye-catching. Visit Tutusonor's Facebook page for updates and other information.

Take Three - The Shops @ Funky Finds

Cynthia Sickler of Demonstrative Amigurumi Bears and Friends has several Amigurumi patterns available so you can create your own funky friends! She has been designing and making bears and Friends since 1992. The Bobbly Wobbly Puppy Amigurumi PDF pattern is pictured above.

A Snails Pace features a variety of hip, handmade crafts created from fabulous recycled finds. I really like the Sweet Shutterbug Pin Up Girl Scrabble tile pendant, as well as the Birdcage illustration print on vintage dictionary paper.

Texas-based Heather Best creates funky decorative lamps using glass blocks. Lamps by HB offers lamps in various themes, including babies - a perfect baby shower gift or decoration!

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Girlfriends, Glamour & Gold
WHEN: Wednesday, April 14; 6-9pm
WHERE: Cincinnati Museum Center, Union Terminal, Duke Energy Childrens Museum Lobby, Cincinnati, OH
ETC: Tickets are $10 and can be purchased through CincyMuseum.org or by calling (513) 287-7021.

WHAT: International Quilt Festival/Chicago
WHEN: Thursday, April 15, 5-9pm; Friday, April 16 & Saturday, April 17, 10am-7pm; Sunday, April 18, 10am-3pm
WHERE: Donald E. Stephens Center, 5555 N. River Rd., Rosemont, IL
ETC: Admission - $10 adult; $8 seniors & students; $10 Preview Night pass (includes one free additional day, no senior discount); $25 full show pass, includes Preview Night

WHAT: Go Green Expo
WHEN: Friday, April 16 through Sunday, April 18
WHERE: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, 100 Station Ave., Oaks, PA

WHAT: The Lone Star Ladies Present: Shop Austin
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 10am-6pm
WHERE: Saengerrunde Hall, 1607 San Jacinto Blvd., Austin, TX

WHAT: Not Yo Mama's Craft Fair
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 11am-6pm
WHERE: 161 2nd St., Downtown Jersey City, NJ

WHAT: Crafty Supermarket Spring Show
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 11am-6pm
WHERE: Clifton Cultural Arts Center, 3711 Clifton Ave., Cincinnati, OH

WHAT: Craft Saturday!
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; Noon-6pm
WHERE: 216 4th St., Des Moines, IA

WHAT: Philadelphia Designer's Market
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 11am-6pm
WHERE: First Baptist Church, 123 South 17th St., Philadelphia, PA

WHAT: Made in the Shade Springtime Jamboree
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 10:30am-5pm
WHERE: The Lighthouse, 11 Mitchell Ln., Glascow

WHAT: ARTROPY
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 10am-3:30pm
WHERE: SqWires Annex, 1415 S. 18th St., St. Louis, MO

WHAT: Alternative Media Expo
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; Noon-6pm
WHERE: The Contemporary Arts Center Warehouse, 900 Camp St., New Orleans, LA

WHAT: Paw Paw's Pooch Pow Wow
WHEN: Saturday, April 17 and Sunday, April 18; 10am-5pm
WHERE: Paw Paw's Dog House, 1906 W. Park Row Dr., Arlington, TX

WHAT: Pennsylvania Guild Craft Market
WHEN: Saturday, April 17, 10am-5pm and Sunday, April 18, 11am-4pm
WHERE: Corner of Price & Walnut Streets, Lancaster, PA

WHAT: Handmade Promenade
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; 10am-6pm
WHERE: Luna Music Midtown, 5202 North College Ave., Indianapolis, IN

WHAT: Do It Your Own Damn Self
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; Noon-4pm
WHERE: 2312 N. Milwaukee, Chicago, IL

WHAT: Salty Not Sweet & Walk All Over Waterloo
WHEN: Saturday, April 17; Noon-8pm
WHERE: 15613 Waterloo Rd., Cleveland, OH

WHAT: Randolph Street Market Indie Designer Market
WHEN: Saturday, April 17, 10am-5pm and Sunday, April 18, 10am-4pm
WHERE: Plumbers Hall, Chicago, IL
ETC: Admission - $10 (covers both Saturday and Sunday markets). Children under 12 free. Students & Seniors - $5 with valid IDs.

WHAT: Spring Bada-Bing
WHEN: Sunday, April 18; 11am-4pm
WHERE: Plant Zero, 0 E. 4th St., Richmond, VA

WHAT: Manayunk Celebrates Earth Day
WHEN: Sunday, April 18; Noon-5pm
WHERE: Cotton at Main St., Manayunk, PA

WHAT: Cincinnati Fashion Week
WHEN: Monday, April 19 through Saturday, April 24
WHERE: Cincinnati, OH

Ka Gold Jewelry

Ka Gold Jewelry features beautiful accessories by cosmic jewelry artist David Weitzman. He has designed a variety of pieces perfect for Mother's Day (May 9). The Seed of Life pendant is the perfect gift for mothers-to-be, offering protection during pregnancy. All Mothers deserve a gift that inspires love, such as the Key of Love. Of course, Ka Gold Jewelry has items that are not only perfect for Moms, but others, including various pendants, bracelets, rings, and much more.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Laura Stewart! Ka Gold Jewelry is giving away a silver Flower of Life pendant. To enter the giveaway, simply visit Ka Gold Jewelry & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite design. Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Sunday, April 18.

Crystal Anklets by Christine

Calgary-based jewelry designer Christine Wedgewood creates unique & beautiful crystal anklets that will add a little spice to any ensemble. Made primarily with genuine Swarovski Crystals, these anklets are double strung to ensure durability. The light rose anklet is perfect for a spring wedding. Purple is my favorite color, so I am especially drawn to the Amethyst anklet. There are many other anklets available in various colors, including light green and dark red. In addition to offering three different sizes, Christine has created each piece with a 1 inch extender chain featuring a Swarovski jewel.

In The Loop: Knitting Now

Black Dog Publishing is proud to present its latest book release - In The Loop: Knitting Now. In the Loop explores the progression of knitting, a craft which has come a long way from its fuzzy image of thick socks and embarrassing motifs on Christmas jumpers. Now there are knitting groups that meet in quirky venues throughout the country, as well as hundreds of clubs and contemporary artists intent on reclaiming the craft. In the Loop maps knitting’s journey from solitary hobby for old maids to mainstream, contemporary trend. The book also features essays & images that show the progression of knitting and discusses the topics of knitting in art, international knitting traditions, knitting as social activism, the oral history of knitting, and knitting technology. Also included are case studies on knitting clubs, artists using knitting in their work and an attractive & informative review of the subject and is billed as an essential book for anyone with an interest in contemporary crafts. To receive a 40% discount on the new title, simply email Jessica Atkins at jess@blackdogonline.com with your shipping address and "Funky Finds Offer" in the subject line.

More terrific Spring Fling vendors!

With over 120 artists, crafters & designers at our recent Funky Finds Spring Fling, it's hard to highlight them all. But, I am going to continue to do so each week as I know you will enjoy discovering the work of all these talented people!

All About Henna features unique home decor items & beautiful henna tattoos created by Surinder Marbha and Meghna Banerjee. They had a very neat booth setup at the Spring Fling with a spot for customers to sit while having a henna tattoo done. The "tattooed" candles are also terrific. Check out Surinder's interview with Handmade News.



Rachel Bates is a talented potter that creates blue/green earthenware Italian-style clay tiles featuring various phrases & images. These tiles make great additions to any home, as well thoughtful gifts. Check out Tilesmile's Shop @ Funky Finds where you too can have a one-of-a-kind handmade tile...AND a smile!



Fitzy Sparrow features vintage-inspired jewelry with a punky, yet elegant, twist hand-crafted by Amelia Wood. A member of Etsy Fort Worth, one of our Spring Fling sponsors, Amelia creates lovely earrings, bracelets, and much more. I'm thinking Fitzy Sparrow is a great source for a few Mother's Day gifts!



Andrea Schmid is a talented artist that participated in the Spring Fling. Originally from New York, Andrea, also a member of Etsy Fort Worth, creates acrylic paintings that are inspired by life. According to an interview posted on the Etsy FW site, she finds inspiration in people's stories, music, what she witnesses and what she experiences. Check out her personal blog for more information.

red.neck Chic always has the most interesting, intricate, and funky booth setup! We have come to eagerly anticipate what Robelyn will come up with for her display. Using vintage, found, and upcycled materials, Robelyn creates the funkiest bags, purses, home decor items & more. I love reading the red.neck Chic blog & learning about new products & designs, various events, and other antics from this funky trailer park and duct tape lovin' gal!

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Booze and Schmooze
WHEN: Wednesday, April 7; 6-8:30pm
WHERE: Square Peg Artery & Salvage, 108 South 20th St., Philadelphia, PA

WHAT: Crafting from the Collection
WHEN: Thursday, April 8; 6pm
WHERE: Amon Carter Museum, 3501 Camp Bowie Blvd., Fort Worth, TX

WHAT: Rogers MOPS Craft Fair
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 8am-2pm
WHERE: Rogers First Church of the Nazarene, 4911 West Pleasant Grove Rd., Rogers, Arkansas

WHAT: Suzuki Spring Artist Market
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 10am-7pm
WHERE: Suzuki School Buckhead, 443 E. Paces Ferry Rd., Atlanta, GA

WHAT: Evil Kitty Trunk Show
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 11am-4pm
WHERE: The 900 Shops, 5th floor, 900 N. Michigan Ave., Chicago, IL
ETC: First 30 guests from our RSVP list will receive a free goody bag. RSVP to lidia@evilkitty.net.

WHAT: Glam OFF B-day Insanity Bash
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 9pm-2am
WHERE: The Highball, 1142 South Lamar, Austin, TX

WHAT: Hip Happening Spring Art & Craft Show
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 11am-5pm
WHERE: Sellwood Masonic Temple, 7126 SE Milwaukie Ave., Portland, OR

WHAT: HeART Workshops
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; 10am-1pm
WHERE: Chapel Creek Fellowship, Fort Worth, TX
ETC: Jennifer Williams of blueskysunburn creations will be teaching an Into to Art Journaling class. The workshop is $5 per person for supplies. RSVP per person is required!

WHAT: Make's Urban Street Bazaar
WHEN: Saturday, April 10; Noon-8pm and Sunday, April 11; Noon-4pm
WHERE: Bishop Arts District, 418 North Bishop Ave., Dallas, TX
ETC: Free outdoor event! Also happening in the neighborhood: 2nd Annual Oak Cliff Art Crawl, The Better Block Project at Tyler/Davis, Turner House, Kessler Theatre, Shops in Bishop Arts District, 7th Street Mural Project + Pedicabs

WHAT: Craftopia
WHEN: Sunday, April 11; 10am-5pm
WHERE: Hope Artiste Village, 1005 Main St., Pawtucket, RI

WHAT: CRAVE
WHEN: Sunday, April 11; Noon-10pm
WHERE: NOVA, 1417 West Davis St., Dallas, TX

O'Brien and Schridde Designs

Founded in 2003, O'Brien and Schridde Designs features beautiful frames designed by Louise and Daniel Schridde. All of the decorative frames are designed to look weathered and worn reflecting the designers' appreciation for time gone by. The duo continues to explore new ideas that compliment their product line, including the newest addition of artboard frames. These frames are made from cardboard that is over a half inch thick with edges that have an antique gold leaf finish. The printed front has a romantic debossed and gold leaf pattern around the opening. You may have seen these frames in magazines, such as Country Living & Country Home. Louise and Daniel are also offering new frame styles that are smaller and more delicate in design, the perfect compliment to their other frame designs. The handmade frames are simple and delicate in design and come in calming colors like cream, taupe and grey-blue. I'd love to mix and match all the different styles to create a unique wall collage! With the timeless feel of these designs, every space will look as though it is loved, creating a comforting, lived in feeling.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congratulations Jolee! O'Brien and Schridde Designs is giving away a Medium Ivy Frame in Cream valued at $64. To enter, visit the website & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite design. Giveaway closes at Midnight EST, Sunday, April 11.

A Shade Better Than Stick Figures

Amber Uphoff is the talented artist behind A Shade Better Than Stick Figures. I love the name of her business & I have to say her work is more than a shade better than the stick figures I can draw! A Funky Finds Spring Fling participant, Amber recently surprised Joe and me with a beautiful drawing of our Chihuahua, Abigail Raine, as well as a drawing of our Yellow Labrador, Beau Bradley! We are so lucky!!! If you are looking for a unique & special gift for a loved one, I highly recommend that you commission Amber to create a piece. Her prices are very reasonable considering the quality of her work, plus her typical turn around time is two weeks. That is amazing! If you would like to see Amber's work in person, visit her blog to see which events she will be participating in.

2nd Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling - Recap Part 2

As I said before, we had so many talented artisans participate in the 2nd Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling held on March 13 in Fort Worth, Texas. I will be highlighting a few here, with more to come in the near future.

Sunday Afternoon Housewife features the funkiest Scrabble tile pendants created by Martha Latta who traveled from Indianapolis, Indiana. I felt like a bit of a mother hen worrying about Martha traveling so far, but she arrived safely & seemed to have a great time at our event. I know that other participating vendors have blogged about her & mentioned her work on Facebook, so she definitely made a good impression on her peers! You must check out Martha's blog where she chronicles her trip to Texas, including five days spent in Austin for SXSW. She was set up at the Standard Recording Company Day Party next to Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching! I so wish I could have been there myself. Jealous!

Another fun vendor I've become friends with is Tania Cardenas of The Curious Cake Shoppe. If you're ever in need of a baby gift, this is the place to go. Tania creates the cutest diaper cakes that consist of diapers (obviously) and other items, such as receiving blankets, toys, etc. depending on the theme. I loved her setup featuring washcloth lollipops, onesie cupcakes, & washcloth truffles. Tania gladly accepts custom orders, as well. She recently began a blog for DFW area artists listing upcoming events in the region. This is a great source for important information!

Of course, not all Spring Fling vendors were women. We had several talented guys set up shop, including Nix Johnson of House of Smash. Nix screen prints cool designs on old vinyl records, then cuts them up to create funky accessories. House of Smash offers wide cuffs, as well as narrow bracelets. Nix's products can be found at a number of DFW area shops as listed on Facebook.

Jennifer Williams is the talented artist behind Blueskysunburn Creations, as well as Etsy Fort Worth's team leader. Etsy Fort Worth was a sponsor of the Spring Fling & the team member's worked together to create the funkiest swag bags that were given to the first 50 attendees to buy a minimum of five raffle tickets. The bags looked great & went fast! Jennifer had her own booth at the event showcasing her fantastic artwork. Check out her main website for more information. Also, Etsy Fort Worth is hosting their first event, Cowtown Indie Bazaar, in September.