Join Us for craftLAB on Sunday, April 3, 2011!

Flint Handmade is hosting a FREE

Upcycled Wrist Pincushion Workshop

THIS Sunday, April 3rd at craftLAB

from noon-3pm at The Lunch Studio!

All supplies will be provided,

but if you have a special fabric that you would like to use,

please bring it!

2011 Cool City Art Auction Recap

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

Thank you so much to everyone who attended the 8th Annual Financial Plus Cool City Art Auction on Friday, March 25, 2011!  

Flint Handmade sold over $1,000 in auction items, tickets and knuckles merchandise.  We appreciate your support!

Tracey of The Lunch Studio served up a delicious menu of shrimp tartlets, bruschetta and lots of other goodies.

Steph (l) and Sarah donated their time and worked behind the counter serving beverages.  Thanks, ladies!

My little sis, April (l), drove up from Ann Arbor to help work the registration table! 

We're grooming Milo to become one of the next generation of creative folks revitalizing downtown Flint!

Lots of great auction items!

Our super top secret project was wood photo blocks decorated by local crafters.  Our gratitude to Anne, Jeanette, Mary and Sherry!

We had a Flint Handmade Knuckles Prize Pack in the auction!

Carie (l) and friends enjoyed the tasty wines from d'Vine Wines!

DJ Pale Ale (aka Al of Arlow Xan) played some awesome classic rock 'n' roll!

  

Special thanks to Russ (l) for selling Knuckles merch and helping clean up at the end of the night!

Also, much love to our Location Sponsor...the Flint Downtown Small Business Association! We didn't get a photo of your banner outside, but it looked great!

We can't wait to do it all again at the 2012 Cool City Art Auction!  :)

Second Saturday Giveaway: March Winner!

We want to thank everyone who commented on our March Second Saturday Giveaway featuring Christa Irons of Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories!

The awesome commenters for March were Abhishek Duggal, Hayley, Pili, Michelle, Jan, Jill @ Barrel of Monkeys, Mah Hemp, kalliope kreations, sarah and Jeniel. 

Just for commenting, all of you will receive a FREE Flint Handmade button in your choice of red, blue or yellow! Ask at the Flint Handmade table at any of our events and we'll make sure you get your button.

And now, the moment you have all been waiting for! The randomly selected winner of the Monkey Fabric Accessories is...

...Michelle!!! Congratulations!

Michelle, send us an email at flinthandmade@hotmail.com and we will make arrangements for you to receive your Monkey Fabric Accessories! You have 30 days to claim your prize. :)

We want to encourage everyone to participate in the next Second Saturday Giveaway to be posted on April 9, 2011!

Sneak Peek 4 at Flint Handmade Items for 2011 Cool City Art Auction!

Did you enjoy Thursday's Sneak Peek 3? Here's #4 for you!

Upcycled Necklace by Dragonfly Vibes

Owl Print on Canvas by Designs by Ty

Purse by Snazzy Scarlet Handbags

Cameo Brooch by Blackened Ruby Jewelry

Sterling Silver Emerald Green Earrings by Real Treasures

Penguin Toy Photo by Basement Art Creations

Hand and Booties (6 Months) by HATS ALL CAPS

Handmade Natural Perfume by Good Stuff...Naturally

At the 2010 Cool City Art Auction, Flint Handmade raised over $1,000 to support the FREE handcrafting events and workshops that we bring to the community!

If you have a handmade item that you would like to donate to Flint Handmade, please comment here, email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com or just drop off the item to The Lunch Studio during their regular business hours. In exchange for your donation, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the Auction valued at $25!

Join us on Friday, March 25, 2011 from 5pm-10pm for the 8th Annual Financial Plus Cool City Art Auction at The Lunch Studio and five other locations downtown! Food, beverages and live entertainment at all locations!

Purchase your tickets in advance for $25 at The Lunch Studio or d'Vine Wines at the Flint Farmers' Market to benefit Flint Handmade. Tickets will also be available at the door for $30.

Sneak Peek 3 at Flint Handmade Items for 2011 Cool City Art Auction!

Did you enjoy Tuesday's Sneak Peek 2?  Here's #3 for you!

Three Masked Birds Print by Sloe Gin Fizz

3 Soaps by Aromaholic

Doctor Doolittle Photo Coasters by Chicaloo Photography and More

I Heart FLINT Upcycled T-Shirt Bag by Random Noise Bursts

Handmade Pottery Coasters

Embroidered Wall Hangings

And, for our special Wizard of Oz themed table...

Game Board Notebooks By Heaven Sent Crafts 

Game Piece Necklaces by Heaven Sent Crafts

 At the 2010 Cool City Art Auction, Flint Handmade raised over $1,000 to support the FREE handcrafting events and workshops that we bring to the community!

If you have a handmade item that you would like to donate to Flint Handmade, please comment here, email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com or just drop off the item to The Lunch Studio during their regular business hours. In exchange for your donation, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the Auction valued at $25!

Join us on Friday, March 25, 2011 from 5pm-10pm for the 8th Annual Financial Plus Cool City Art Auction at The Lunch Studio and five other locations downtown! Food, beverages and live entertainment at all locations!

Purchase your tickets in advance for $25 at The Lunch Studio or d'Vine Wines at the Flint Farmers' Market to benefit Flint Handmade. Tickets will also be available at the door for $30.

Sneak Peak 2 at Flint Handmade Items for 2011 Cool City Art Auction!

We posted our first sneak peek at the 2011 Cool City Art Auction items back in January.

Now, it's time for Sneak Peek 2! 

Record Bowl by Chicaloo Photography and More

Rubik's Cube Watercolor and Vintage Rubik's Cube in Original Box!

Potholders by Grasshopper Handmade

Buttons by Barrel of Monkeys

Roller Derby Christmas Stocking by Dazey Destroyah

Vintage 7 Up Ad Resin Bottle Cap Magnets by beautiful JUNK

And, for our special Wizard of Oz themed table...

Wizard of Oz Game Card Notebooks by Heaven Sent Crafts

Collectible 50th Anniversary Wizard of Oz Plate

At the 2010 Cool City Art Auction, Flint Handmade raised over $1,000 to support the FREE handcrafting events and workshops that we bring to the community!

If you have a handmade item that you would like to donate to Flint Handmade, please comment here, email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com or just drop off the item to The Lunch Studio during their regular business hours. In exchange for your donation, you will receive a complimentary ticket to the Auction valued at $25!

Join us on Friday, March 25, 2011 from 5pm-10pm for the 8th Annual Financial Plus Cool City Art Auction at The Lunch Studio and five other locations downtown!  Food, beverages and live entertainment at all locations!

Purchase your tickets in advance for $25 at The Lunch Studio or d'Vine Wines at the Flint Farmers' Market to benefit Flint Handmade.  Tickets will also be available at the door for $30.

Second Saturday Giveaway: Win Monkey Fabric Accessories from Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories!

Posted by Crystal Pepperdine, Founder and Executive Director of Flint Handmade

For our March Second Saturday Giveaway, we are featuring Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories by Christa Irons!

This is Christa in her dedicated craftroom.  I asked her about her workspace:

"My room is 12x12.  I have 2 sturdy tables for sewing, a large cutting table that folds down to about a foot.

If I am working on a project that needs more table space I use the 6ft table I have for craft shows.  I'm really hoping to get a shelving unit to display all my fabric soon but for now I have it in 3 bins and 2 boxes in my closet."

Christa's "2 sturdy tables for sewing" are home to her sewing machine and serger.

I was pleased as punch to Flint Handmade and Flint City Derby Girls stickers on Christa's sewing machine! 

Flint Handmade sponsored a Valentine's Day bout for the FCDG in 2010.  We love supporting other local organizations.

Christa told me that her serger is her favorite craft tool:

"I love my serger. I bought it from Cindy of Attack of the Craft. She sold it to me for a steal. I only paid $100 and it's Janome. The reason I got such a good deal is because she won a Husqvarna from a What the Craft contest."

In addition to her regular sewing machine and serger, Christa has a vintage Viscount sewing machine.

Does this machine look familiar?  It reminds me of our Amy's vintage Kenmore which was featured in our October 2010 Second Saturday Giveaway.

You may have noticed the mannequin head in the picture of Christa's serger. She actually has two.

This one is from when she attended cosmetology school.  She uses it to display her hair flowers.

Christa keeps her "in-process" hair flowers in a priority mail box.

I asked her how she got into crafting:

"When I was in third grade, I would make friendship bracelets, necklaces, chokers, lanyards and do hair wraps.  After high school, I started doing simple t-shit reconstructions.

When I was 24, I got my first sewing machine. I was 27 when got into selling  I wanted some hair flowers and knew I could make them better and cooler then the ones I seen online."

Christa showed off some of her "better and cooler" hair flowers, bags, pouches and wrist warmers with her adorable dog, Pocky.

She has quite an impressive collection of scissors, pliers and other tools to create all of her rockin' accessories.  I asked Christa how she came up with her company name:

"My name is Christa. I rock and make awesome accessories."

Love how she keeps it simple!

I snapped this pic of Christa with her company banner and dressform. I found out that she plans to put her dressform to work soon when I asked her what projects she would like to work on in the future:

"More clothing for myself. I've made myself a bunch of skirts and a few shirts. I need to work on pants and shorts." 

Well, Christa has a thick bunch of colorful zippers (in a melted record bowl, natch) that she can use to make all kinds of clothes for herself!

Finally, I asked Christa a question that's new to Second Saturday Giveaway: What do you listen to/think about/watch while you craft?

"I love to watch reruns of Gilmore Girls or Scrubs. When I listen to music, my taste is all over. I will listen to just about anything. Death metal, rock, new wave, old school rap, country. I like just having something in the background."

Well, we at Flint Handmade just like having Christa as a member of the local craft scene and we are so excited to have some of Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories for our March Second Saturday Giveaway!

Christa had a great story about her giveaway items:

"Heather of Re-Zip It gave me the cute monkey fabric at the last Flint Handmade Craft Supply Swap. I wanted to continue paying it forward by making something with it to give away!

The bag is approximately 10 inches wide and 7 inches tall with a 3 inch gusset and a snap closure.  The pouch is 8 inches wide and 4 inches tall.  The hair bow is 5 inches long and 3 inches tall."

For YOUR chance to win the Monkey Fabric Accessories from Ms. Christa's Rockin' Accessories (valued at $33), just complete steps A and B:

A) Follow Flint Handmade via the blog, Twitter, Google Reader or whatever newfangled "following application" tickles your fancy. Or, if you don't do the whole following thing, email us at flinthandmade@hotmail.com and we will add you to our email list.

B) Leave us a comment in response to this blog post by 5pm on Saturday, March 19, 2011 answering the following 2 questions:

1) How do you follow us?

2) What do you listen to/think about/watch while YOU craft?

Please be sure to answer BOTH questions to qualify for the drawing.

The winner will be selected at random and posted on the blog within one week after the deadline. The winner will have 30 days to claim the prize.

We hope to hear from YOU and we hope you enjoyed our February Second Saturday Giveaway!

P.S. Christa is giving our blog readers a very special discount to her Etsy shop.  Enter coupon code "imbeautiful" to receive 25% off!