SNEAK PEEK: Bang to a Different Beat!

Flint Handmade wants to see YOU at Bang to a Different Beat on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 7:30pm!  We're gonna have music, fashion models, dancing, and vendors galore!

Here's a SNEAK PEEK at the models during rehearsals!  The venue is spacious and beautifully decorated in pink, black and white.

And here's a pic of our Executive Director, Crystal, rockin' a brown and cream shirt (under the green jacket) made ENTIRELY by hand by one of our vendors at the show, Always the Forest (http://www.alwaystheforest.com/)!

Our other Flint Handmade vendors at Bang to a Different Beat will include:

Made With Luv (http://www.madewithluv.com/)

Aisle 3 (http://www.aisle3.etsy.com/)

beautiful JUNK (http://www.beautifuljunk.etsy.com/)

TiLT Creations (http://www.tiltcreations.etsy.com/)

CLKcreative (http://www.clkcreative.etsy.com/)

The Heathermonster Creations (http://www.heathermonster.etsy.com/)

Unseelie Designs (http://www.unseeliedesigns.com/)

Amanda's Creations (http://www.luthiensingollo.etsy.com/)

Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories (http://www.mschrista.etsy.com/)

Admission is $10 and all proceeds benefit the Breast Cancer Research Foundation.  We hope to see you there!

The Return of Aisle 3!

You can usually find her evocative, brightly colored, upcycled goods on Etsy and in various Flint Handmade and Creative Alliance events, but since the birth of her son last fall, Aisle 3's creator (and Flint Handmade's Director of Technology) Michelle Stolz has been on one-year crafting hiatus.

Well people, wait no longer...she's back! And back she is with these warm and cozy wool coasters and crisp, clean diaper changing pads. There's more, oh yes there is...but you'll have to wait for the Flint Handmade Holiday Craft Market on Saturday, December 5th to see it!

Upcycling Crafts at the Flint Public Library!

Posted by Crystal

First, lemme just say that I am a library junkie. I am a HUGE fan of the Flint Public Library (FPL)! I love checking out classic movies and new books and vintage cds. I love going to the books sales and concerts and special events. And, now, I love crafting at the FPL!

The Cody and West Flint Branches of the FPL are hosting a special series called Around the Branch Table: Lean and Green. They are conducting FREE workshops on ways to be creative while saving money AND the environment. :) How cool is that?!?

So, I went to the Upcycling Craft workshop at the Cody Branch...and had an AWESOME time! Mercedea was an excellent instructor and we made three different crafts in just an hour and a half. I made...

...a cassette tape change purse...

...a t-shirt tote bag...

...and a record bowl!

For instructions on how to make these nifty crafts, visit http://www.fpl.info/fpl/gogreen/ OR come to the FREE Upcycling Crafts Workshop at the West Flint Branch on Monday, October 19, 2009 from 6pm-7:30pm. Maps and directions are available at http://www.fpl.info/about/branches/index.shtml.

All materials are provided at the workshop, but if you had a specific cassette or t-shirt or record you wanted to use, you could just bring it along. Hope to see you there! :)

No Sew Tote Bag Workshop!

Wow! We had an AWESOME No Sew Tote Bag Workshop! Amy was an EXCELLENT teacher and all of the participants were so happy with their FREE totes!

Thanks again to Flint Club for the Opportunity Knocks grant that is allowing us to host the Handmade for the Holidays Creativity Workshops. :)


MaKenna, Tanya and Frances (l-r) smiling for the camera!

Beth (l) and Dawn are ready to make a No Sew Tote Bag!

Shelby (l) and Joy are excited for the FREE workshop!

Instructor Amy irons a pillowcase while Michelle looks on.

Becky (l) and Sarah melt the ends of their straps so they don't fray.

Amy demonstrates setting the snaps!

Such serious faces! LOL Everyone really wants to learn how to do this!

Look at all these hard-working crafters!

Everyone was helping out!

Becky was the first one to finish her No Sew Tote Bag! Too cute!

Karen shows off her BEFORE craft tote (an old paper bag) and her NEW No Sew Tote Bag which fits all of her supplies!

Katie, Becky, Jennifer, Susanna and April (l-r) and their adorable bags!

Tanya, Sarah, Nayyirah, Maureen and Karen (back, l-r) hold up their finished totes. Instructor Amy smiles in the front at a job well done!

THANK YOU: The Lunch Studio and El Charrito's Restaurant

Posted by Crystal

Flint Handmade loves ALL crafters! But, we especially love crafters who use reused, recycled or reclaimed materials! Eco-Friendly = Awesome!

Every so often, we want to say THANK YOU to local businesses or people who help support crafters by supplying unwanted materials for us to use. :)

We have two businesses to thank today! I personally want to express my gratitude to The Lunch Studio and El Charrito's Restaurant for so generously donating your old bottle caps to me for my beautiful JUNK crafts (http://www.beautifuljunk.etsy.com/).

I donate 1/2 of all my profits to The Humane Society of Genesee County (http://www.geneseehumane.org/) and the bottle cap magnet sets are currently my best-selling item. That's a lot of puppies and kitties who are benefiting from bottle caps that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill!

Please, show your support for these local businesses! They are kind to crafters and the environment and we want to be kind to them!

The Lunch Studio

444 S. Saginaw Street

Flint, MI 48502

810-424-9868

El Charrito's Restaurant

2804 Richfield Road

Flint, MI 48506

810-736-9950

Are you a crafter who uses recycled or reclaimed materials from a local business? Send us an email at flinthandmade@hotmail.com! We would love to post your THANK YOU on our blog!

CALL FOR VENDORS: Bang to a Different Beat Fashion Concert!

Call for Vendors: Flint Handmade at Bang to a Different Beat Fashion Concert
Date/Time/Location: Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 7:30pm near Guitar Center in Flint
Contact: Crystal Pepperdine, Flint Handmade Executive Director, flinthandmade@hotmail.com


We are extremely excited to announce that Flint Handmade has teamed up with Somerset Salon Day Spa, Guitar Center and Beauty and the Beat to bring you an opportunity to vend at the Bang to a Different Beat Fashion Show in Flint on Saturday, October 17, 2009 at 7:30pm!

We need vendors to sell their handcrafted fashion accessories, clothing, jewelry and beauty products.

6ft of table space is available for $10. We have approximately 15 tables available. This a FIRST COME, FIRST SERVE application process. The first 15 applicants will automatically be granted a table provided their wares fit with the fashion and beauty theme. Payment MUST be received by October 7, 2009 to reserve your table or it will go to the next applicant in line.

If you are interested, please complete the application below and email it to us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com. We look forward to hearing from you!


Flint Handmade at Bang to a Different Beat Fashion Show
Vendor Application
1. Your name:
2. Email:
3. Address:
4. Phone number:
5. Company name:
6. Website (etsy, blog, etc.):
7. A short description of the items you plan to sell and a price range for goods.
8. 3-5 separate photos of your work as attachments to the email. All applications MUST include photos.
9. Do you have a display rack that requires floor space in addition to your table space? If so, please provide the dimensions of the rack.
10. Is there anything else we should know?

ROAD TRIP: Ann Arbor Sunday Artisan Market!

Posted by Crystal

I went to the Sunday Artisan Market (http://artisanmarket.org/) in the Kerrytown District of Ann Arbor to meet all the awesome vendors and tell them about Flint Handmade!

Michigan Independent Crafters on Etsy aka MICE (http://miceetsy.blogspot.com/) had a special vending area organized by Kate of Chicaloo Photography & More (http://www.chicalookate.etsy.com/). She invited me to come down and say hello!

This is Kate of Chicaloo! She rocks my socks with her nifty magnets and notebooks! I bought a set of her flower coasters at the Flint Handmade Spring Craft Market. :)

Lori of Basement Art Creations (http://www.basementartcreations.com/) had AWESOME photography jewelry!

Carla of cjkoho designs (http://www.cjkoho.etsy.com/) was actually spinning yarn! Too cool. :)

Theresa of TiLT creations (http://www.tiltcreations.etsy.com/) surrounded by all of her awesome bags! I use one of her pouches for all my makeup. Love it!


Marcy's prints are amazing! Check her out at http://www.allthingsgrow.etsy.com/. :)

Kelly! Kelly! I didn't pick up your card! Email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com so we can post your etsy on our blog! Kelly has the most original painted crockery I have ever seen. :)


And, the Flint Handmade Favorite of the day...Jade of Stick Nymph (http://www.sticknymph.etsy.com/)! Jade's prints (like Jade herself) are beyond cute. Even the birdies like to talk to her! lol I bought a card for my aunt's birthday. I love you, my most beautiful Aunt Anne!

NOW AN ANNOUNCEMENT...

All you vendors out there! If you are vending in a show in Michigan that you think Flint Handmade should visit, please email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com. We would love to hear from you!