New Blog Feature: Second Saturday Giveaway!

We're soooooo stinkin' excited to announce a new monthly feature on the Flint Handmade blog:

SECOND SATURDAY GIVEAWAY!

On the second Saturday of every month, we will feature the bio and etsy of a local crafter with workspace and project photos.  AND...we will give away a FREE handcrafted item made by our featured crafter!

If this feature proves popular enough, we will expand it to a bi-weekly or weekly post...which means more crafty content and giveaway items for you!

You may be asking, How will FH know if it's popular enough?

Excellent question, you clever, crafty folks, you!

Well, you will be required to enter the giveaway following these 2 simple steps:

1) Follow Flint Handmade via the blog, twitter, Google Reader or whatever newfangled "following application" tickles your fancy.
2) Post a comment in response to the giveaway blog by the given deadline letting us know how you followed us and answering a crafty question that we include with each giveaway.

That's it!  That's all you have to do!  So easy, right?

Our first ever Second Saturday Giveaway will post THIS SATURDAY, September 11, 2010!  Be sure to check it out!

July 2010 ArtWalk in Downtown Flint

Posted by Crystal

Lemme tell you straight out: THE SPARK IS BACK IN FLINT!

In the past 5 to 10 years, Flint has seen a HUGE amount of revitalization and reinvestment on the part of residents, nonprofits, businesses, foundations and arts organizations.

Downtown Flint is now home to several art galleries, restaurants, cafes and businesses.  We have a yoga studio, hair salon, bookstore and tshirt shop.  We host dozens of art shows, music festivals, car and motorcycle shows, road races and other large events.

One monthly event that you MUST check out is ArtWalk!  Hosted on the second Friday of each month by the Greater Flint Arts Council, ArtWalk features exhibitions and vending by local artists and crafters in multiple locations on Saginaw Street.

The July 2010 ArtWalk was outstanding!

A painting in the Rowe Building.

"Knock the Cans" and win a FREE Art Battle shirt!  More info on the Art Battle to come!

Cutie fish made by Steph of Frankenstitch Productions at 625.

Gotta have a busker outside The Lunch Studio at ArtWalk!

Crocheted earrings by Nayyirah of Crochet Science at The Lunch Studio.

Dangerous Lee and her book "Keep Your Panties Up and Your Skirt Down" at The Lunch Studio.  Dangerous Lee will be one of the featured authors at Book Bizarre at the Greater Flint Arts Council on Friday, July 23 from 7pm-10pm.  Be sure to check it out!

For more pics, visit our July 2010 ArtWalk Set on Flickr.

Upcycling Love: Spare Metal Car Parts into Home Decor!

Posted by Crystal

What do you do when you are an automotive engineer and you love cars and you have a ton of spare metal parts laying around?

Well, if you are my friend Tom, you bust out your welding gun and make some sweet ass candlesticks and a toothbrush holder!

The bases of the candlesticks are spider gears from a rear axle.  The stems are exhaust valves from an engine and the candle holders are valve springs.

The toothbrush holder is a large intake valve from an engine with two valve springs welded to it.

Close-up of the toothbrush holder.  The metal can get a little rusty in the moist bathroom, so make sure to apply lots of layers of clear coat!

How cool is it to take something you love and bring it into your home in creatively upcycled ways?!?  

So, blog readers, do you have any nifty upcycled projects made from things you just adore?  Are you a bibliophile and make purses/lampbases/shelves out of books?  Or maybe you love vintage china and use it to make trays/wall decor/mosaics? 

Email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com and we'll post your upcycled projects on our blog!

Fantastic Craftiness Photo Tour: 2010 Baar Bazaar!

Posted by Crystal

May I just say...Baar Bazaar at The Majestic Theatre was freakin' awesome!  I saw soooo many of my favorite vendors and lots of new crafters with really innovative products.  Plus, there was TONS of good stuff for guys! 

Allow me to take you on a photo tour of the fantastic craftiness:

Liz of Random Noise Bursts makes the coolest drawstring bags out of old tshirts.  She accepts donations of tshirts, so feel free to send some her way!

Rachel (l) and Jennifer of The Funky Eye Patch are the cutest crafty sisters ever!

I am madly in love with the Boh Bon Soap Company packaging.  You rock that paper, Chrissy!

Krystal of White Lily Jewelry is my new favorite jewelry artist!

Jill's Barrel of Monkeys buttons and magnets are always clever and hilarious.  I had to get a True Blood magnet for my little sis.  :)

Christina (l) and Dennis with their gorgeous Perfect Laughter screenprinting.  Crafty couples rock my socks!

Who can resist a tough guy selling baby gear for his girlfriend?  Justin watches over Butter Bean Inc. while cutie patootie Ashley shops the Bazaar.

Amber of Woolly Mammoth Design makes the most adorable sweater creatures.  The squid is just perfect!

Deanne of by deets was selling these nifty radio tube critters.  Deanne, I saw a bunch of radio tubes for sale at an antique store in Northville!  I'll email you the info.  :)

Jason (l) chucks the deuces...and paints the most adorable pictures!  He sells as Paintings by Jason Gibnerd on Etsy.

Chris of Detroit GT had THE BEST automotive/Detroit apparel.  I still need to get one of those Detroit Vette shirts, Chris!

I didn't meet you at your Paper a la Mode table, Ashley.  But, your mom really held it down!  Email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com when you get your Etsy up.

These nerdy lovebirds (and their Scrabble tile crafts) were so stinkin' cute!  Check them out at Double Nerd Score.

Two of the lovely ladies of Handmade Detroit: Amy (l) of My Marigold and Bethany of Reware Vintage.  Great job putting together Baar Bazaar, Bethany!

This is Leann.  Leann works at The Majestic Cafe.  Leann is my new best friend because she totally gave me a bag for all of the stuff I bought at Baar Bazaar.  I gave Leann a Flint Handmade Follower Card and took her picture for the blog.  This is that picture.

My haul (l-r): Wellies Notecards by Sloe Gin Fizz, Aqua Flower Hairpin by ttishbite, Black and White Button Ring by The Funky Eye Patch, Green Owl by Woolly Mammoth Design, Black Flower Ring by White Lily Jewelry, True Blood Magnet by Barrel of Monkeys and Scrabble Tile Keyring by DoubleNerdScore.  All of my stuff is displayed on vintage fabric I bought at Baar Bazaar from Justin.  :)

For lots more pics, check out our 2010 Baar Bazaar set on flickr.

June craftLAB Recap: No Sew Duct Tape Bags!

At our June craftLAB, Amy (FH Director of Sales and Merchandising) taught us all how to make no sew bags with fabric, duct tape and staples.  You may recall that Amy previously inspired Becky to make a similar bag.

Well, Flint Handmade decided to give everyone the opportunity to make these awesome bags! 

Lorraine and her daughter Sophia taping their bags.

Nicole shows off the very straight edges of her bag after she trimmed off the excess tape.

April creates one of the handles on her bag.

Jenny is the first one to finish her bag!  Amy strikes a crafty superhero pose!

April's finished bag!

Desere got fancy and added a ribbon closure tie to her bag.  Clever girl!

Laura and her daughter Jamie have cute bags and cute smiles!

Nicole is beaming with her rainbow bag!

"Oh, yeah, check out my bag!" says Jennette.

Tina is already using her bag...which would make a great lunch tote because of the water resistant duct tape lining!

Nayyirah looks so sweet carrying her new no sew bag...and wearing the adorable poncho she crocheted!

If you make a no sew duct tape bag, email photos to us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com.

NOTE: The first Sunday in July is Independence Day, so there will not be a craftLAB.  Join us on Sunday, August 1 for the Craft Supply Swap!

'Cause there ain't no party like an Etsy b-day party!

The lovely ladies of Handmade Detroit are hosting one of many international birthday parties for Etsy! 

The party will take place at Toast Birmingham in Birmingham (Metro Detroit) on Friday, June 18. 

Click here for more info!