Event Sponsor: Cabbage Rose Quilting & Fabrics

Cabbage Rose Quilting & Fabrics has generously sponsored every indie art & craft event Funky Finds has hosted in Fort Worth, Texas. Considering we will be hosting our seventh event in Fort Worth on November 10 & 11, that shows how owner Karen O'Neill is extremely supportive & generous towards the handmade community. 

Founded in 1997, Cabbage Rose is a beautiful brick & mortar store located at 3000 Montgomery Street. The store is filled to the brim with gorgeous fabrics ranging from Moda to Benartex. They also offer patterns, kits and books for endless projects to keep your creativity flowing. The large space features a terrific in-shop classroom where they host a variety of workshops, classes and space for sewers to spread out and share their treasures.

Following the Cabbage Rose blog, Cabbage Corner, is a great way to stay informed of new products, store happenings, giveaways & more. And, if you do not live in the Fort Worth area, never fear! Cabbage Rose offers tons of fabrics & other products online! Check out the Cabbage Rose Quilting & Fabrics Facebook page for more info, as well.

Event Sponsor: The Artful Bead

The Artful Bead stores are the most popular retail bead stores in North Texas. Their stores are your one-stop shopping destination for a wide variety of Czech glass beads, seed beads by Toho and Miyuki, Chinese glass novelty beads, pearls, semi-precious stones, and much more. Most importantly, The Artful Bead's staff is experienced & able to answer all of your beading questions. There are two Artful Bead locations - 5304 Trail Lake Drive in Fort Worth, Texas; 2501 N. Josey Lane, Suite 116, in Carrollton, Texas.

The Artful Bead also offers a wide array of workshops & classes ranging from jewelry making techniques to silver soldering 101. If you aren't already a subscriber of their newsletter, I suggest you sign up regardless of where you live because they always provide helpful information for those who make jewelry. For example, they recently shared The 411 on Clasps, an amazingly creative & helpful guide to the what/where/when of clasps, from For The Makers.

Another great way to stay connected is to follow The Artful Bead's Facebook pages - one for each location, Fort Worth and Carrolton. If you plan on attending Funky Finds: A Holiday Shopping Experience, be sure to visit The Artful Bead's booths (#201 & #202) where they will be offering tons of beads & other jewelry making supplies, as well as doing various demos. You never know what the creative gals are going to surprise us with, but we can guarantee it's never disappointing!!!

Event Sponsor: Madtosh Crafts

Madelinetosh has been producing high-quality hand-dyed yarns since 2006. Today their colorway selections exceed 104 different shades & hues! The yarns are created in Fort Worth, Texas, and have for years been shipped to stores worldwide. However, there were not any local businesses carrying their products. This is what inspired the opening of Madtosh Crafts, a beautiful yarn & craft supply store located at 4119 Camp Bowie Blvd. in Fort Worth, TX.

The shop, which opened earlier this year, is very zen-like. Its minimal decor makes all the beautiful yarns & fabric the focal point. In addition to offering Madelinetosh yarns, they also offer a wide variety of yarns & supplies from various indie companies.

Many locals have already had the opportunity to enjoy in-store events, such as a knit-along during the Olympics. Also, every Thursday night is knit night at Madtosh Crafts. Upcoming events include the appearance of the Yarn Harlot, Stephanie Pearl-McPhee, who will be presenting her lecture "This is Your Brain on Knitting" on September 25th. Stephen West of Westknits will be in-store on September 29th. Although his workshop is sold out, there may still be a few tickets left for the after party featuring cocktails after the workshop. Stephen will also be signing copies of his book and showing off his awe-inspiring trunk show.

Want to learn about upcoming events? Be sure to subscribe to Madtosh Crafts' email newsletter. Their Facebook page is also a great place to receive real-time updates. You can meet the great staff behind Madtosh Crafts at Funky Finds: A Holiday Shopping Experience on November 10 & 11, too! See more photos from our recent visit on Funky Finds' Facebook page.

Upcoming Event: Woolfest

Woolfest, the UK's biggest celebration of natural fibers, will be held June 22nd and 23rd at Mitchell's Lakeland Livestock Centre near Cockermouth, Cumbria. The event will feature a variety of demonstrations & workshops, as well as rare-breed sheep showing the story of fleece to garment. In addition, a wide variety of crafters & designers will be set up selling their wares. One of the stallholders is Victoria Baker of Little Wren Pottery. She will be displaying her full collection of yarn bowls. Little Wren Pottery has been producing hand-thrown ceramics in the city of Sunderland since 2009. The studio focuses on producing everyday objects which are both elegant & functional. You will find all the details regarding Woolfest on the event website, as well as Facebook. (Photo from Woolfest Gallery)

Funky Finds Spring Fling Sponsors

We are always so blessed to have generous sponsors that support our events. Below are the generous businesses that are sponsoring the 3rd Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling. Please visit their websites & show them some love for supporting the indie art & craft community!

Cabbage Rose Fabrics & Quilting is a beautiful shop in Fort Worth that has tons of fabrics, notions, patterns & more. They recently moved into a new larger building at 3000 Montgomery Street that has workspace where they now hold various classes. This is THE place to visit when you are in the Lone Star state!


Yelp is a great source featuring reviews posted by users around the world. If you're looking for restaurants, watering holes, events or hot spots to shop, Yelp is a great place to begin your search. You'll read unbiased reviews posted by people who have been to such places. And, while you're there, sign up for a free account & begin posting your own reviews.


Two Buck Tees is a family-owned business that has great customer service & excellent products. They screen print t-shirts, bags, and other merchandise at an affordable price. Two Buck Tees also offers banners & other materials that will come in handy when promoting your business or event. The Funky Finds staff and vendors will be sporting tees screen printed by Two Buck Tees, so you can see the high quality up close & personal!


Sublime Stitching is very well-known in the world of crafting. In case you aren't familiar with this awesome brand established by Austin resident Jenny Hart, Sublime Stitching offers edgy iron-on embroidery patterns & supplies. This is NOT your Grandma's embroidery! I have tons of Jenny's patterns & they are so easy to use. You simply iron them onto whatever fabric you have chosen & get to work stitching up a work of art.



Unanimous Craft is a great resource for crafters, artists & indie business owners. Whether your own a crafty business, or just enjoy crafting, Unanimous Craft will help you discover tons of great sites. It's kind of like Yelp for the crafty community in that users can post reviews of resources. Another great aspect is that users can also curate lists of favorite resources. This is a great way to promote your business & discover other great resources.

Sunday Afternoon Housewife - Giveaway

Martha Latta of Sunday Afternoon Housewife has been crafting since she was a teen. Having used the moniker Sunday Afternoon Housewife to cover a variety of ventures, Martha now creates fun (and funky) jewelry, screen printed apparel, and, as I mentioned last week, is now offering helpful online blogging workshops.

*GIVEAWAY - Closed - Congrats Cheryl! Sunday Afternoon Housewife is giving away a fun prize pack (pictured) that includes a candy sprinkle pendant, a scrabble tile pendant, a Sunday Afternoon Housewife magnet & a spot in the December Blogging Workshop. There are three ways to enter this giveaway!

1. Visit Sunday Afternoon Housewife's website & leave a comment on this post noting your favorite product.

2. "Like" Sunday Afternoon Housewife on Facebook, then leave a comment on this post noting you have done so.

3. Subscribe to Sunday Afternoon Housewife's newsletter, then leave a comment on this post noting you have done so. (Scroll down - under upcoming events)

Giveaway ends at 9pm EST, Sunday, November 7.

Sunday Afternoon Housewife - Blogging E-Course

Martha Latta of Sunday Afternoon Housewife recently began offering online workshops and the November e-course will cover blogging. If you feel you may be in a blogging rut or have a bit of writer's block, this workshop is for you. The month-long blogging e-course is designed to help make it easier for you to gain the experience needed to run a successful blog in a shorter amount of time. There are only 20 spots available and the $25 course price deadline is 11:55 pm on October 31st, so don't miss out. Beginning November 1st, you will learn how to drastically improve your blogging in one month for less than $1 a day! Learn more about what all the e-course includes on the Sunday Afternoon Housewife website.

Home Ec - Online Sewing Course

Home Ec is an online sewing class perfect for beginners (no sewing experience needed) and those wanting to develop their sewing skills and create 26 awesome projects! This is a "take it at your own pace" class beginning August 10th that includes three Guides, 26 step-by-step Projects with at least one new Sewing Technique in each, and a tips post on How to Invent & Adapt projects of your own! Take a look at all the projects!

Along with daily sewing projects posted on the private class blog, you will have the opportunity to participate in live chats with your classmates and enjoy Q&A time with your teachers. Click here for full details and registration information or e-mail Leigh-Ann Keffer at FreckledNest@gmail.com with questions.

Funky Finds Spring Fling Vendors Continued

I am still working on featuring the many talented artists, crafters & designers that participated in the 2nd Annual Funky Finds Spring Fling!

2enju features beautifully hand-crafted apparel & accessories by Julie McCollough Kim. Her handbags are chic, yet durable, and I have enjoyed mine immensely. Julie's clothing designs are gorgeous and are sure to make anyone stand out from the crowd. In addition to being a talented designer, Julie owns Make Shop & Studio in Dallas. She offers a wide variety of workshops, including stamp making and screen printing. I took a beginner sewing class at Make that was very easy to follow and I walked away with a beautiful handbag I created! Julie also produces several great events in Dallas, such as The Pin Show and Urban Street Bazaar.

Alicia Snow, aka AJSnow, offers many cute items that make perfect gifts - for yourself or a loved one. I love the dress form journal that is hand-sewn and hand-bound. The appliqued hand towels make perfect housewarming or bridal shower gifts. And the Beach Towel Totes are perfect for summer. Check out Alicia's blog for more information and updates.

Cindy Willingham of Revel Designs is an endless source of inspiration. She frequently posts helpful information on her blog, as well as the Etsy Fort Worth blog, such as how to reuse old frames and the science of craft show displays. Cindy designs a wide array of items, including jewelry and beautiful patchwork notebooks.

At our spring event, we enjoyed live music by Tahni Handal and Vance Abeyta. Their performances throughout the day really added something special to the event. I hope you'll take some time to listen to the music on Tahni's MySpace. She also has a calendar notating her upcoming performances around Texas.

Mahar Drygoods Holiday Gift Guide

To aide you in your holiday shopping, Mahar Drygoods has compiled a holiday gift guide. You will find Festive Decor, Personalized Gifts, and DIY kits and patterns. Also helpful are the four sections with gifts sorted according to price, making it easier to shop within your budget. The majority of the handmade items fall into the reasonable $20-$49 price range. Also, if you are in the Los Angeles area don't miss Mahar Drygoods' ornament workshop on Friday evening, December 4th from 7 to 10 p.m. at Home Ec in the Silverlake neighborhood. Attendees are in for some crafty fun creating not just Sugarplum Fairies, but yetis and reindeer and elves and polar bears - your choices are as big as your imagination! They'll look great on your holiday tree or make thoughtful keepsake gifts. To learn more and to register (adults only please), please visit HomeEcShop.com.

The Altered Muse - Big Sale!

Pam Grayson of The Altered Muse recently made a big announcement: The Altered Muse is going "on the road". Pam has been very busy due to estate liquidations and large antique venues as of late. This has had a significant impact on her retail location; therefore, she has decided to take things on the road. In the future, everywhere Pam goes for a show, The Altered Muse goes with her. All of her mixed media, ephemera, assemblage and altered supplies will be sold on location & she will continue to host workshops at various locations. Until December 1, Pam will be having a massive sale at her store, including some displays and furniture. Angela Burks will also be teaching soldering workshops on November 14 and 21. All workshop information, along with some photos, are posted on The Altered Muse blog. Reserve your spot now as they are quickly filling up. The Altered Muse's physical location is at 4318 West Vickery Blvd. in Fort Worth, Texas.

*See Pam's blog graphics? I created those & will be happy to do the same for you! Pricing can be found on our Right On Graphics website.

Upcoming Events

WHAT: Candystore Collective Presents Prairie Underground Trunk Show & Party
WHEN: Tuesday, November 3; 6-8:30pm
WHERE: 3153 16th St., San Francisco, CA
ETC: Raffle offering Prairie Underground best sellers as prizes. Everything in the store will be 15% off during the event, as well as yummy fall-inspired cocktails.

WHAT: Buffalo Indie Market
WHEN: Thursday, November 5; 6-10pm
WHERE: Pearl Street Grill & Brewery, 76 Pearl St., Buffalo, NY

WHAT: Adelaide Craft & Quilt Fair
WHEN: Thursday, November 5 through Sunday, November 8
WHERE: Goyder Pavilion, Adelaide Event & Exhibition Centre at the Adelaide Showground, Wayville, South Australia

WHAT: Sugarloaf Craft Festival
WHEN: Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8
WHERE: Greater Philadelphia Expo Center, Oaks, PA
ETC: Under 12 & Parking Free

WHAT: The Girlie Show
WHEN: Friday, November 6, 8pm-Midnight; Saturday, November 7, Noon-5pm
WHERE: Farmers Public Market, 311 S. Klein, Oklahoma City, OK

WHAT: Made in the 216 Holiday Shoppe
WHEN: Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 29; 5-9pm Daily
WHERE: Room Service, Cleveland, OH

WHAT: Contemporary Crafts Market
WHEN: Friday, November 6 through Sunday, November 8
WHERE: Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Santa Monica, CA

WHAT: Over & Under Opening
WHEN: Friday, November 6 - Show runs until December 6
WHERE: Yard Dog Art Gallery, Austin, TX

WHAT: Art Studio Tour
WHEN: Saturday, November 7, 10am-5pm; Sunday, November 8, 12-5pm
WHERE: Pennsylvania (Map here)

WHAT: Oddmall
WHEN: Saturday, November 7; 10am-6pm
WHERE: Clarion Hotel and Conference Center, 240 East Hines Hills Rd., Hudson, OH

WHAT: For The Love Of It
WHEN: Saturday, November 7; 6:30-9pm
WHERE: Redeem, 1734 14th St. NW, Washington, DC

WHAT: 2009 Local Bounty Barter Fair
WHEN: Saturday, November 7; 11am-7pm
WHERE: Elizabeth Anna’s Old World Garden, 2825 8th Ave., Fort Worth, TX

WHAT: Hip Happening Autumn Fair
WHEN: Saturday, November 7; 11am-6pm
WHERE: Sellwood Masonic Lodge, 7126 SE Milwaukie Ave., Portland, OR

WHAT: Pinpricks & Papercuts
WHEN: Saturday, November 7; 9am-12am
WHERE: Hilton Garden Inn at Raritan Center, 50 Raritan Center Parkway, Edison, New Jersey

WHAT: Indie Mart
WHEN: Sunday, November 8; Noon-6pm
WHERE: Thee Parkside, 1600 17th St., San Francisco, CA

Jay McCarroll's Class @ Spool

This Saturday, September 26, Jay McCarroll will be teaching a Mystery Bag Class at Spool in Philadelphia. You may remember Jay, a Philadelphia native, as the first season winner of Project Runway. Spool currently carries Jay's fabric lines Garden Friends & Woodland Wonderland and his third line, Germania, is due in the shop in early October. When you come to class, Jay will hand you a "mystery bag" full of materials to make a top secret project. He will then guide you in creating a one of a kind piece, sharing his methods of color and fabric selection. It promises to be a wonderful class in creativity and color, so come prepared to experiment and have fun! Class size is limited, so call the shop to reserve your space.

Spool, 1912 South Street, Philadelphia, PA; (215) 545-0755
Saturday, September 26: 2-6PM. $80
Mystery Materials included. You will need to purchase or bring one yard of fabric & thread.

Claudine Hellmuth

Claudine Hellmuth is an extremely talented mixed media artist, author and illustrator. Her quirky collages, or Poppets, are a fun way to have your own custom artwork. Claudine recently teamed up with Feterie to offer mommy cards, calling cards and greeting cards created from custom artworks. This allows the client to have both the artwork, as well as functional cards. Another affordable & fun way to have your own custom artwork are the new custom magnetic paper dolls for just $25. These make the perfect novelty gift for friends and family! In addition to all this goodness, Claudine also teaches workshops around the country AND she has a great line of artist products called Claudine Hellmuth Studio. Stop by her blog for tips, techniques, & more. And tell her Funky Finds sent ya!

Indie Business Online Workshop

Leigh-Ann Keffer of Freckled Nest and Jill Munro of Lune Vintage are slated to teach an Indie Business online workshop beginning on September 3. These successful business owners have been involved in both the online and local small business market for a combined total of 16 years. The course will consist of 25 sessions related to Starting, Surviving and Succeeding in a Small Creative Business for both local and online companies. There will also be lots of great giveaways throughout the course that will enhance your business. Complete details can be found on Freckled Nest.

Workshop includes:
1) 25 Topics to Develop your Small Business from Start to Success
2) 1 on 1 Brainstorming Chat with Each Student
3) Live Online Interview/Q&A with Leigh-Ann and Jill
4) Pre-Recorded Videos Augmenting some Session Topics
5) Ongoing Q&A thru out the Workshop
6) Business Building Giveaways

Deb Taylor

Deb Taylor is a Texas gal that is very talented in the way of photography. Born & raised in Fort Worth, Texas, Deb has lived all over the world only to return to her roots. She now enjoys her life as a Bed & Breakfast owner, artist and photographer. She hosts a variety of art retreats for women at Heritage Haus Bed & Breakfast and her work has been published in several magazines. Deb's blog showcases her wonderful photographs, as well as details of her crafty endeavors and upcoming workshops. One of my favorite projects posted on her blog is the Pockets of Dreams dress featuring Deb's photographs of young girls in Isla Mujeres where she lived in Mexico. The dress pays homage to innocent victims that were murdered and did not have a chance to grow up. View more of Deb Taylor's photography on Flickr.

This Week's Events

The San Luis Valley Folk Arts and Fiber Festival kicks off its third year on June 23, in Monte Vista, with an exhibit of fiber artists whose work spans the globe. The SLV Fest is a celebration of the handmade and traditional arts. The opening reception for the exhibit is 5:30-7:30 PM, June 26th at the Monte Vista Information Center in historic downtown Monte Vista. The festival begins Friday, July 10 with a day of workshops in Marsh Park and an evening launch party at the Monte Vista Information Center from 6-8PM. Saturday and Sunday convene with two full days of vendors, food, music, demonstrations, exhibits and contests—including wool spinning races. Admission is free.

Paper Cowgirl, an altered art retreat, will be held in Waxahachie, Texas, June 26 & 27. The event will feature local/Texas artists & will include two days of classes, as well as vendor night on the 26th that is open to the public.

On Saturday, June 27 (Rain date: June 28) the City of Attleboro will celebrate its first annual Expo for the Senses in the center of Attleboro’s downtown district. Area artists, crafters, jewelry merchants, restaurants, caterers, performers, musicians and others will fill the streets from 12 – 6pm for this colorful, family-friendly festival. The event is open to the public – admission and parking are free. The Expo will feature over 40 artists, artisans and community members participating in the Attleboro Arts Museum’s annual Craft Fair and Art Sale. This Museum tradition offers original, hand-made creations, showcases area talent, and supports regional culture.

Make Shop and Studio

Make Shop and Studio is a gem that can be found in the Bishop Arts District of Dallas. The studio offers a wide assortment of classes ranging from sewing basics to screen printing. I bought a sewing machine over two years ago & cannot for the life of me use it. So on May 19 I will be attending the Sewing Basics course and hope to come out with a new love for my machine! The store is owned and operated by Julie McCollough Kim who produces the Urban Street Bazaar, The Pin Show, AND creates her own line of beautiful clothing and accessories. So, even if you are not in the Dallas area, you can still purchase Julie's work online! If you ARE in the DFW area, I urge you to visit Make and take a class and/or shop the boutique that is full of funky products created by various local artisans.

313 N. Bishop Avenue, Dallas, TX 75208

Monday & Tuesday - Closed

Wednesday - Saturday 12p - 8pm

Sunday 12-4pm

The Altered Muse

Less than a year ago, Pam Grayson opened an eclectic and funky shop in Fort Worth. The Altered Muse is a great place to find unique pieces created by various artists, as well as vintage ephemera. Pam also invites different artists to teach an assortment of workshops. All classes are held on Tuesdays from 7-9pm. Below is a run down of the upcoming workshops that will be held at The Altered Muse. I will be attending Renea Hipp's wood block class & hope to see you there!

All Classes are $30 & include all supplies (with one exception below). You may bring anything that you want to personalize your art with (especially paper). Pam's healthy snacks and adult beverages always included.

May 19 - Renea Hipp - Workshop will include collaging altered blocks (2). One 2" and one 1-1/2". She will also deemonstrate how to do embossing and stamping on the blocks. All images, glue, blocks, embossing powder and use of stamps is included. You may want to shrink some personal images to the block size to add, but if not she has plenty to choose from.

May 26 - Carrie Gunning - Carrie's first class was a tremendous success. Her workshop on this date will be mixed media collage, but on a bigger canvas. Because of the multitude of supplies and the larger canvas, this class will be $40. You will not be disappointed. Carrie will be in Chicago in June presenting her art to Country Living Magazine as an entrepreneur.

June 2 - Michele Mayfield - Michele is an Altered Book teacher. She is going to do a class on altered crosses. Included in this class will be the cross, beads, jewels, ribbon, images, and other supplies you will need. You need not bring a thing to this workshop.

June 16 - Michele Mayfield - Altered Books. Several people have already signed up for Michele's two classes, so please let Pam Grayson know asap if you are attending.

In the very near future, The Altered Muse will be hosting a workshop where you can color and pour your own soaps. You will be able to choose from birds, seashells, or robins egg soap. Also, for all of you that attend at least one of the workshops up until June 16, Pam Grayson will be giving a FREE workshop on June 23. All goodies will be included!

The Altered Muse, 4318 W. Vickery, Fort Worth, 817-319-0112, Open Monday - Saturday 12-6pm