This Week's Events

Thursday, June 2
Speakeasy's Fine Art Show, 7-11pm
The Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON

DADA BAZAAR, 8pm-2am
DADA, 52 N. Swinton Ave., Delray Beach, FL

Friday, June 3
Creative Finds Community Market, 3-8pm
Jessie Lee Elementary, 2064 154th St., Surrey, BC

June Art & Coffee, 7:30-10:30pm
It's A Grind Coffee House, 2901 Indiana Blvd., Dallas, TX

Friday, June 3 through Sunday, June 12
Three Rivers Arts Festival
803 Liberty Ave., Pittsburgh, PA

Saturday, June 4
Maker’s Market, 9am-Noon
Annmarie Garden Sculpture Park & Arts Center, 13480 Dowell Rd., Dowell, MD

54th & Monon Art Fair, 10am-4pm
1057 E. 54th St., Indianapolis, IN

Queen City Craft Bazaar, 10am-6pm
Union Station, One Main St., Burlington, VT

Freret Market, Noon-5pm
4421 Freret St., New Orleans, LA

Craft-O-Matic, 11am-11pm
Regional Arts Commission, 6128 Delmar Blvd., St. Louis, MO

Home & Handmade Market, 8am-2pm
Jackson Street between La Salle & Clinton Streets, Ottawa, IL

Etsy Denton Summer Bazaar, 10am-4pm
Greater Denton Arts Council (aka Center for Visual Arts), 400 E. Hickory St., Denton, TX

Saturday Vintage Market, 10am-4pm
The Vintage Vault, 6001 W. William Cannon Dr., Ste. 305B, Austin, TX

Whole Foods Market's HollyWOOF, 10am-2pm
Whole Foods Hollywood, 4301 NE Sandy Blvd., Portland, OR

The City Flea, 11am-5pm
W. Central Pkwy. & Vine St. at the Cincinnatus Mural, Cincinnati, OH

Doing the Unstinkable, 11am-5pm
PASTE, 1009 Russell Blvd., St. Louis, MO

St. Jude Catholic Women's Organization Jewel & Junk Trunk Sale, 8am-2pm
St. Jude Catholic Church, 500 Dallas St., Mansfield, TX

Saturday, June 4 & Sunday, June 5
Midwest Craft Caucus
Economic & Community Development Institute, 1655 Old Leonard Ave., Columbus, OH

White Plains Outdoor Arts Festival, 10am-5pm
Tibbits Park, 1 N. Broadway, White Plains, NY

The Farm Chicks Antiques Show, (Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
Spokane Co. Fair & Expo Center, 404 N. Havana St., Spokane Valley, WA

Spring Puces POP, 11am-6pm
St. Enfant de Jesus Church, Corner of St. Dominique & St. Joseph, Montreal, QC

Peacefest #3, 11am-7pm
L.A. Cafe, 5818 Dixie Hwy., Waterford, MI

Sunday, June 5
First Sunday Arts Festival, Noon-5pm
Calvert & West St., Annapolis, MD

Portsmouth Open Market, 10am-4pm
Strawbery Banke Museum, 14 Hancock St., Portsmouth, NH

Clover Market, 10am-4pm
12 E. Lancaster Ave., Ardmore, PA

45th Media Art Exhibition & Craft Fair, 9am-5pm
Veterans Sq. & W. State St., Media, PA

18th Annual Fishkill Craft Fair, 11am-4pm
Village Square Plaza, 986 Main St., Fishkill, NY

Takoma Park Jazz Festival, 11am-6pm
Old Town Takoma Park, Carroll Ave., Takoma Park, MD

Pretty Vagrant

While feather hair extensions are currently one of the hottest trends, you may be reluctant to jump on board. Pretty Vagrant offers beautiful feather earrings that allow you to be in line with this current trend without the daily commitment of hair extensions. Ann's earring designs are beautiful & made with high-quality feathers. Since teal is one of my favorite summer colors, I am immediately drawn to the Blue Moon super long earrings. But the colorful Emerald Goddess pair is also stunning. If you're looking for a pair that's even funkier, don't miss the Morning Glory pair (pictured). Visit Pretty Vagrant on Facebook for more information, special deals & more!

Granny Knits

Every time I visit the Granny Knits website, I want to grab a needle & get to cross stitching! Their bright & cheerful cross stitch kits are fantastic. The 12 bright butterflies make a beautiful wall hanging & the campervan stripe is perfect for any quirky hippie-at-heart. In addition to the kits, Granny Knits offers a variety of patterns, including an adorable laundry bag. If cross stitch isn't your cup of tea, check out the other crafts category that features embroidery, sewing & even lamp making. To round out their extensive offerings, the site also showcases craft books, fabrics, and haberdashery (love that word!). Visit the Granny Knits blog and Facebook page for a variety of project ideas, inspiration, and more. (pictured: Rainbow Heart)

Smaller Box

Smaller Box is a site that was founded by busy indie entrepreneurs and is full of helpful info & tips for small biz owners. The about page says, "We're not anything like the Best Buys and Walmarts of the world. We're not big box, we're smaller box." Definitely something we can relate to, so I wanted to direct your attention to the site in case you're not already familiar with it. I subscribe to the Creative Entrepreneur's Newsletter that is always filled with links to great information.

The latest newsletter included:

• Selling at Shows - How We Sold Thousands of Dollars in Product in 14 Hours Despite Pouring Down Rain

• Getting Your Products in Stores: Consignment, Wholesale & Drop Shipping

• 14 Questions Your Product Page Should Answer

And much more! The Smaller Box blog is filled with similar content that is sure to help out any small biz owner. I hope you find it as helpful & inspiring as I do! Check 'em out on Facebook, too.

This Week's Events

Friday, May 27
Brocante Lux, 11am-8pm
Market Square, 91 King St., St. Catharines, ON

BrisStyle Indie Twilight Market, 5-9pm
King George Square between Ann & Adelaide Streets, Brisbane, QLD

Friday, May 27 & Saturday, May 28
Vintour "Handmade Art" Expo, (F) 7-11pm, (Sat) 10am-5pm
Oklahoma State Fair Park, 3001 General Pershing Blvd., Oklahoma City, OK

Friday, May 27 - Sunday, May 29
CityArts Festival - (F) 6-10pm, (Sat) 11am-10pm, (Sun) Noon-6pm
Dallas Fair Park, Dallas, TX

EUNIQUE 2011, 11am-7pm
Messe Karlsruhe Exhibition Center, Messeallee 1, 76287 Rheinstetten, Germany

The Clothing Show - (F) 5-9pm, (Sat) 11am-9pm, (Sun) 11am-6pm
The Queen Elizabeth Building, Exhibition Place, 195 Princes Blvd., Toronto, ON

Saturday, May 28
Fleur de Lis Memorial Day Weekend Craft Show, 9am-5pm
Natchitoches Events Center, 750 2nd St., Natchitoches, LA

Buninyong Makers Market, 10am-2pm
Buninyong Town Hall, Learmonth St. (A300 Hwy.), Buninyong, Victoria, Australia

Old School Market, 9am-4pm
Old Clayburn Schoolhouse, 4315 Wright St., Abbotsford, BC

Clarksville Fine Arts Festival, 9am-4pm
Historic City Square, Clarksville, TX

Saturday, May 28 & Sunday, May 29
Indie Designer Market at Randolph Street Market, (Sat) 10am-5pm, (Sun) 10am-4pm
1340 W. Washington, Plumbers Hall, Chicago, IL

Saturday, May 28 - Monday, May 30
Paseo Arts Festival - (S/S) 10am-8pm, (M) 10am-6pm
Paseo Arts District, 3022 Paseo, Oklahoma City, OK

Saturday, May 28 - Saturday, June 25
The Wool & Willow Festival, 10:30am-4:30pm
The Minerva Arts Centre, High St., Llanidloes, Powys UK

Sunday, May 29
Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Fest, 11am-5pm
2202 N. Main St., Santa Ana, CA

Sowebo Arts & Music Festival, Noon-8pm
Hollins Market, 1100-1000 blocks of Hollins St., Baltimore, MD

GIVEAWAY: Amy Peters' Studio

Amy Peters has been designing jewelry since she was 8 years old. Based in California, Amy's inspirational word jewelry & mommy jewelry designs are hand-crafted with love. No matter what the occasion, you are sure to find the perfect unique gift at Amy Peters' Studio. I love the soon-to-be-retired (and discounted!) Chunky Chokers. My Mother loves anklets & I know she would be drawn to the inspirational designs Amy offers. I really like that her website provides a variety of ways to find exactly what you're looking for, such as being able to search by sentiment or jewelry type, like earrings. Many of you are probably looking for the perfect graduation gift & there's no shortage of options here, including the Congratulations sentiments. Visit Amy Peters' Studio on Facebook for more info & updates.

* * * GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats melifaif! * * *

Prize: One lucky winner will receive a $75 gift certificate from Amy Peters' Studio.

1 Entry: Visit Amy's website & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite product or design.

1 Additional Entry: Subscribe to Amy's newsletter, then leave a comment on this post noting you have done so.

Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Saturday, June 4.

FENNOfashion

Megan Fenno is the founder & designer behind FENNOfashion, an online boutique of vintage-inspired accessories that are handmade in Cincinnati, Ohio. This week she announced the launch of her new website that features the bells & whistles she has long dreamed about. Some of the new features include 'like' and 'tweet' buttons next to each product, as well as larger images. Users also have the ability to create a customer account and Megan's business news is now displayed in images instead of straight text. I have long been a fan of Megan's high-quality accessory designs. The new Champagne Ribbon Bracelet is beautiful and I love the girly Pink Hollywood Earrings (pictured)! Megan also offers lovely handmade clutches and unique Acai jewelry.

Funky Five: Tea Party

1. Recipe for Berry Lemonade Cupcakes by Sunshine and Carousels

2. Three Tier Cake Stand by Aunty Apples ReFinery

3. Citrus Chamomile Loose Leaf Tea by Red Leaf Tea

4. Teapot by Roaring Rabbit Pottery

5. Teacup & Saucer by Betty Raspberry

CP Studios

Christopher Paul's bright & funky home decor items are the perfect remedy when you need a jolt of happiness. It's impossible to be glum when surrounded by such energy. CP Studios showcases Christopher's 'mod mood' creations. All products are rescued items that have been re-purposed & re-designed with a modern aesthetic. The modern candle holder is a very unique & interesting piece and I love the hand-painted 'not a boring table' (pictured). If you don't have space for Magenta's Throne, treat yourself to some sexy legs for your wall.

Malissa Long, Fashion Designer

Malissa Long is an Austin-based fashion designer that uses funky & unusual items to make clothing. She says she has used men's ties, bottle caps, paper, & aluminum to make her designs interesting. This September Malissa will debut her first collection & her website shows a sampling of her work from 2003 to present. The little blue & red dress is one of my favorites and the grey dress is smokin' hot! Malissa currently sells some of her pieces through two sites, Shopflick and Sense of Fashion. An excellent example of this designers eco-friendly ability is the zip front recycled aluminum dress. This denim sundress features recycled aluminum bunny punch flowers stitched with denim thread, as well as a lined bodice. Check out MLW / Malissa Long Wear on Facebook for more info.

This Week's Events

Wednesday, May 18
No Glitz, No Glory Special Exhibit Opening, 6:30-9pm
Exhibit Runs through September 25th
National Cowgirl Museum & Hall of Fame, 1720 Gendy St.,
Fort Worth, TX

Friday, May 20 & Saturday, May 21
Craftin' Blues, (F) 4-11pm, (Sat) Noon-11pm
Haddad Riverfront Park, Kanawha Blvd. & Capitol St.,
Charleston, WV

Saturday, May 21
8th Annual Montford Music & Arts Festival, 10am-8pm
Montford Ave. between Cullowhee & Waneta St.,
Asheville, NC

Hand(Made) In Marriage, Noon-5pm
Teamster Temple, Lawrenceville, 4701 Butler St., Pittsburgh, PA

6th Annual Trenton Avenue Arts Festival, Noon-5pm
Trenton Ave. & E. Susquehanna, Philadelphia, PA

Deep Ellum Outdoor Market, 11am-5pm
Covered Lot Behind Cafe Brazil, 2820 Indiana Blvd., Dallas, TX

Brooklyn Craft Central's 3rd Spring Market, 11am-6pm
The Archway under the Manhattan Bridge, Dumbo,
Brooklyn, NY

BUST Magazine Craftacular & Food Fair, 11am-8pm
82 Mercer St. (between Broome & Spring St.), NYC

DC Craft Mafia Spring Thing, 11am-5pm
Parking Lot of St. Lukes Episcopal Church, 1514 15th St. NW, Washington, D.C.

Cat-O-Matic: 10th Life Fundraiser, Noon-5pm
MADE, in The Foundrie @ Chesterfield Mall, 291 Chesterfield Mall, Chesterfield, MO

Market on the Strand, 10am-4pm
Saengerfest Park, 23rd & The Strand, Galveston Island, TX

Brickell Bazaar, 2-8pm
Tobacco Road, 626 S. Miami Ave., Miami, FL

18th Annual BBC Juried American Crafts & Fine Art Fair, 11am-6pm
81 Bedford St., Barrow & Commerce Streets, NYC

Coppell Farmers Market Customer Appreciation Day, 8am-Noon
455 Bethel Rd., Coppell, TX

The Great Rescue Roundup, 9am-4pm
Fort Worth Stockyards, Fort Worth, TX

Home & Handmade Market, 8am-2pm
Jackson Street between La Salle & Clinton Streets, Ottawa, IL

Curiosity.Haus – Contemporary Craft & Design Fair, Noon-5pm
Orange Tree, 38 Shakespeare St., Nottingham, UK

Saturday, May 21 & Sunday, May 22
Silver Lake Jubilee, (Sat) 10am-11pm, (Sun) 10am-9pm
Street Fair, 1070 Myra Ave., Los Angeles, CA

Renegade Craft Fair, 11am-7pm
Palmer Events Center, 900 Barton Springs Rd., Austin, TX

Old Gruene Market Days, 10am-5pm
1641 Hunter Rd., New Braunfels, TX

Maker Faire, (Sat) 10am-8pm, (Sun) 10am-6pm
San Mateo Co. Event Center, 1346 Saratoga Dr.,
San Mateo, CA

Saturday, May 21 through Monday, May 23
Artisans at the Distillery, 11am-6pm
The Distillery District, 55 Mill St., Toronto, ON

Sunday, May 22
Blim Monthly Community Market, Noon-5pm
Heritage Hall, 3102 Main St. (Main St. & 15th Ave.),
Vancouver, BC

Valley Junction Spring Art Market, 11am-5pm
Fifth St., West Des Moines, IA

Fine Art & Designer Crafts on Bleecker, 11am-7pm
Bleecker Park, Hudson & W. 11th Streets, New York, NY

greennessalanteRn

Vanessa Lerma of greennessalanteRn creates humorous decor for people with a sentimental sense of humor. I'm not typically one to decorate with mounted animals, but Vanessa puts a funky spin on taxidermy. Her mounted plush animals are the perfect alternative for those looking for animal-friendly decor. The mounted deer head with white hair & a white collar is adorable! And I love the little Indian deer head (pictured) complete with fringe collar & feather head band. If you're not so much in the market for a mounted plush deer head, perhaps you will be enticed by a plush Magic Moustache pillow!? One of those will most certainly start a conversation or two!

Upcoming Event: Detroit (Texas) Arts Fest

The 3rd Annual Detroit (Texas) Arts Fest will be held on June 18th in Downtown Detroit, Texas. If you didn't know that there's a Detroit, Texas, you'll be tickled to know that it's located near Paris AND Reno, Texas! This small town has lots of exciting aspects for attendees to enjoy. Over 25 vendors will be selling a wide variety of goods, including many handmade items. Held in conjunction with the Little Motor City antique car show, there will also be petting zoo, bounce house for the kids, art contest, Rock-a-thon and much more.

The weekend kicks off with an old-fashion lemonade social on Friday, June 17th, at the Detroit Tabernacle. Vendors that wish to check in early & locate their booth space are welcome to do so at the social. This family AND pet-friendly event is the perfect way to enjoy a hot summer day in a great part of Northeast Texas. Funky Finds will be in attendance & we hope to see you there! If you'd like to participate as a vendor, applications are being accepted through June 1st. All details are listed on the event website and on Facebook.

Sawdust and Bullets

Sawdust and Bullets features one-of-a-kind vases, pens & other items that are hand-turned using various woods & other materials. The results are interesting & unique pieces that are sure to impress any recipient. We had the opportunity to view some of the listed items in person & my father-in-law, an avid pen collector, fell in love with the bullet casing pens. Ladies are sure to enjoy the bullet casing pen that is adorned with a colorful acrylic topper. If you're looking to spruce up your home with some eye-catching items, be sure to check out the mango bowl and the bubinga wood Confetti lamp. (pictured: Ligum Vitae 4 in 1 Screwdriver)

This Week's Events

Monday, May 9 through Saturday, May 14
Cincinnati Fashion Week
Cincinnati, OH

Thursday, May 12
Confectionique's Monthly Craft Market, 5-8pm
Middleton/Morey Airport, 8300 Airport Rd., Middleton, WI

Friday, May 13
The Urban Growers Market, 4-8pm
One World Merchants, 2315 Main St., Vancouver, WA

UncommonThread Wearable Art Show: Transmogrify, 8pm
Old Governor’s Mansion, 502 North Blvd., Baton Rouge, LA

Friday, May 13 through Sunday, May 15
Make It!, (F) 4-9pm, (Sat) 11am-6pm, (Sun) 11am-5pm
Alberta Aviation Museum, 11410 Kingsway Ave. NW, Edmonton, AB

Saturday, May 14
Arts Goggle, 3:30-10pm
Near Southside, Magnolia Ave. - S. Main St., Fort Worth, TX

Soulard Market Park Arts & Crafts Show, 9am-3pm
Soulard Park, 9th & Lafayette, St. Louis, MO

The Gypsy Wagon Spring Handmade Markets, 10am-6pm
The Gypsy Wagon, 2928 Henderson Ave., Dallas, TX

Movies & Makers, 11am-5:30pm
Fox Theatre, 2236 Queen St. East, Toronto, ON

Ballston Arts & Crafts Market, 10am-4pm
Welburn Square, btwn N. Stuart & N. 9th Streets, Arlington, VA

*broke- The Affordable Arts Fair, 10am-4pm
33 Concord St., Peterborough, NH

5th Annual St Johns Bizarre, 10am-6pm
N. Lombard St. & N. John Ave., Portland, OR

A Taste of Oakland, 11:30am-3:30pm
Central Oakland Business District (Forbes & Fifth Ave.), Pittsburgh, PA

2nd Saturday, 6-9pm
State St., Media, PA

Craft Candy May Mini Fair, 1-5pm
Bungalows & Bears, Division St., Sheffield, UK

Saturday, May 14 & Sunday, May 15
Confectionique's Monthly Craft Market, (Sat) 10am-5pm,
(Sun) Noon-4pm
Middleton/Morey Airport, 8300 Airport Rd., Middleton, WI

Art Star Craft Bazaar, 11am-6pm
Penn's Landing Great Plaza, Philadelphia, PA

Eco Chic Craftacular, (Sat) 10am-6pm, (Sun) Noon-5pm
Whetstone Community Center, 3923 North High St.,
Columbus, OH

Buckhead Spring Arts & Craft Festival, (Sat) 10am-7pm,
(Sun) 11am-6pm
Chastain Park, 4469 Stella Dr., Atlanta, GA

14th Annual Downtown Stuart Craft Fair, 10am-5pm
26 SW Osceola St., Stuart, FL

Sunday, May 15
Patchwork Indie Arts & Crafts Fest, 11am-5pm
Marine Stadium Bayshore, 5255 Paoli Way, Long Beach, CA

North Park Festival of the Arts, 10am-6pm
University Ave. & 30th St., San Diego, CA

Downtown Open Market, 11am-4pm
Royal Palm Place, 308 South Federal Hwy., Boca Raton, FL

LAKEWOODSTOCK
Lakewood Village Shopping Ctr., 6300 La Vista Dr., Dallas, TX

Uptown Trolley Stop Market, 11am-4pm
MAC parking lot, 3120 McKinney Ave., Dallas, TX

Spring Trunk Show, Noon-5pm
The Workroom, 1340 Queen St. West, Toronto, ON

love+bash, Noon-5pm
Leapin Lizard Lounge, 726 Main St., Covington, KY

Giveaway: Book-Inz

Book-Inz are one of the handiest creations I've come across in some time. These magnetic fabric bookmarks ensure you will never have to search for something to mark your place in your current read. We've all done it...grabbed an old receipt, a popsicle stick or something we'd rather not mention, all in the hopes of saving our place. But now, thanks to Ky and Pat, you will never again have to demean your favorite book in such a way! The Book-Inz site has a photo demonstration showing how this little contraption works. You can buy your Book-Inz "off the rack" or customize your own. Exclusive designs are also available through The Shops @ Funky Finds.

If you're in the DFW area, visit Book-Inz in person on May 14 at Central High School in Keller or on May 21 at Bray Elementary's carnival in Cedar Hill.

* * * GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Trixie Dotson and Micki! * * *

PRIZE: Two lucky winners will each win two Book-Inz!

HOW TO ENTER:

1 Entry: Visit the Book-Inz website or The Shops @ Funky Finds & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite Book-Inz design.

1 Additional Entry: Like Book-Inz on Facebook & leave a comment on this post noting you have done so.

Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Saturday, May 21.

Take Ten: How-To

1. Make a Living Wreath via Hostess With the Mostess

2. Greens, Feta, and Phyllo Tart via Indie Fixx

3. Make a Spring Card via A Million Memories

4. Stitch a Pink & Black Bow Top via Sublime Stitching

5. Beautiful Handmade Bookmarks via Skip to my Lou

6. Make a Mail Organizer via noodlehead

7. Vertical Storage via Sew Many Ways

8. Seeded Paper Bookmarks via Kaboose

9. Create a Fridge Pocket for Small Storage Items via The Idea Room

10. WhipUp.net will soon be releasing Issue 3 of Action Pack, a mini-mag for kids who want to do stuff. This will come in quite handy this summer while the kids are home! Issues 1 & 2 are also available.

Valentina Ramos, Artist

Valentina Ramos has been working as a graphic designer since 1994. She says that during her spare time she used to try almost any sort of artistic expression, such as doing craft works, painting, or drawing. But, over time, she's been switching from being a graphic & web designer to make a living out of what she most enjoys doing...making art. Her original artwork section is filled with stunning pieces that are so detailed it's unbelievable! I am an avid animal lover, so I love that Valentina's subjects are so often various animals. Some of her artwork is also available in the form of home decor items and fabrics. I would love to have a pink owl pillow! Visit Valentina's blog for more information & inspiration. (pictured: Aaron the elephant print)

Funky Five: My Hometown

1. I Love My City Tote Bag by APE MADE

2. Modern Colorful Maps by These Are Things

3. My State Can Beat Up Your State Tee by Shirt Girls

4. Locale Totes, Tags & More by Maptote

5. Zip Code Tees by Sunday Afternoon Housewife