Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Tigerlillyshop

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Tigerlillyshop. I take collected nature things that I collect around Baltimore like budding branches, acorns, leaves, feathers and preserve them with metal.  I make one of a kind metal jewelry and preserved elements cast from nature or encased in copper using the electroforming process. I also make a line of button jewelry using kimono fabrics. 

Where do you find inspiration?

I collect specimen around Baltimore, seeking out spaces where urban life meets the natural landscape in parks and city gardens. I find oak trees that drop the tiniest acorns, maples that throw giant "helicopters", and secret places in Patterson Park's natural treasures.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

You can find my work locally at Emporium Collagia in Fells Point or in my etsy store: tigerlillyshop.etsy.com

Raffle Sneak Peek!

Wondering what amazingly awesome goodies you can take home as the winner of this years Crafty Raffle Basket?? Here is a sneak peek at some of our donations!

Check out this adorable cup from Foxfire Pottery! Fired to cone 10 in a gas reduction environment.  There is a layering of multiple shino glazes with one of a kind underglaze illustrations. It is dishwasher and microwave safe.

 This little fishy cup calls for a chilled beverage ocean side!.....or you could just pretend to be at the beach while watching the snow drifts from your couch this winter. Hand made by Cephalopod Ink Ceramics.

Remember that that 100% of this years raffle goes to support Arts Every Day in Baltimore City. Arts Every Day has as its mission to strengthen learning by making arts education and cultural experiences an integral part of the education of all Baltimore City School students, with an emphasis on middle grades, through the facilitation of collaborations among the arts, educational, cultural, and leadership communities. Learn more at http://www.artseveryday.org/.

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Bmore Papercuts

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

one of a kind papercuts, made form mailing envelopes and exacto knives

What is your favorite thing about Baltimore during the holiday season?

The Hampdem Christmas Parade! Hands down!

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

I will have new prints of my papercuts available made in collaboration with Common Seed Press

Other than javascript:void(0)Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases?

Trohv in Hampden

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, greenstarstudio

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

greenstarstudio is a collection of decorative and functional art pieces, prints, wearables, dolls and more, designed with children in mind & using ecologically responsible methods and materials. Starting January 2011, I'll be officially launching *might, the new home of my work for kids. 

Where do you find inspiration?

I am currently sharing my life with my 13 month old. We spend most of our days pretending to be the dog, painting in the bathtub & tearing magazines into teeny tiny little pieces. You can't get more inspiration than that!

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

I'm VERY excited to be premiering two new fabric games--- super soft, portable & guaranteed to entertain little hands and minds for a long time (or at least long enough to let you get dinner started or go to the bathroom by yourself... which is all any of us can ask for!). 

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases?

greenstarstudio.etsy.com
mightMIGHT.etsy.com

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Holland Cox

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Holland Cox (www.hollandcox.com). I design and make by hand fabric fashion accessories for people who make their own rules! I love using fabric rather than leather because of the endless possibilities of combining color and pattern. All my handbags are one-of-a-kind.

Where do you find inspiration?

I am inspired by the individuals I see who make an effort to put together their own look. My customers don't like looking like everybody else, and are not inspired by shopping at the mall. Bright color and bold patterns thrill me, and finding ways to create accessories that are stylish and sophisticated but still *fun* is what I love the most!

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

I have new belts in several widths that are perfect ways to put your personal spin on any outfit, even boring work-appropriate ones.

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Bee's Knees Studio

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Bee's Knees Studio is my creative outlet for all things cute, bright and silly. I create my original paintings using acrylic or watercolor paints and then publish them as digital prints, cards, and stationery.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

As a kid, I always loved the cross-stitch advent calendar my mother made. It was a big tree with a tiny cross-stiched ornament for each day and I would get very upset if anyone else got to hang my favorite ornament (Rudolph!).

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

Brand new for Holiday Heap I have hand-painted owl ornaments which are super cute. Hoot hoot!

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

You can find me online at http://ericavess.com or http://beeskneesstudio.etsy.com

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Articipe

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Articipe (art + recipe = articipe) I create hand lettered recipe prints to decorate your kitchen or any little nook in your home. They make great gifts to any cook in your life and are also a great way to memorialize Grandma's best recipes for the whole family. When I make the prints, I hand draw each letterform on my computer with the help of my trusty tablet. The fun part is that I never know how a print will turn out until I'm done. I have to play around with the type and words to get everything to feel just right or convey the right idea, and am always surprised with the results!

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

My favorite holiday tradition is cooking! Go figure. I love cooking at any time, but around the holidays there is just something extra special in the air that makes it so much for fun to cook for people I love.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores)?

I can also be found online at Etsy.com: etsy.com/shop/articipe

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Catherinette by Katie Stack

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

My name is Katie Stack and I am the owner and maker of Catherinette by Katie Stack. Because my pieces are made of cast off remnants from the garment and accessory industry (and therefore the pieces I get are sometimes odd shapes and very small pieces) I often have to stare at a piece of leather for a few days before I am ready to cut into it.

Where do you find inspiration?

When I am deciding what I want to make I think of my own life as a person who commutes for 3+ hours a day to my day job is as a costume craftsperson and milliner for a large Shakespeare theatre. I ask myself what might make that commute easier and a little more fashionable? can I fit a book, a laptop, and a bottle of water into that bag? Will this look nice as a wallet and a clutch bag? Would I carry that bag for more than one season? Since I am often surrounded at my day job with European military research many of my designs reference those classic and utilitarian details- nice topstitching, riveted corners, double buckles, an open body of the bag so it can be used for many purposes etc.

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

This season I am working on pieces that are affordable (around $20-$40), useful- belt clips for transit cards, different wallet styles, and fun! No one has a ton of expendable income right now, so I think it is nice to spend that money on something that will make you smile.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases?

My work can be found in a few locations. Most notably on etsy.com at www.Catherinette.etsy.com at ArtSpring in Takoma Park and at www.Lovefeasttable.com

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Foxfire Pottery

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process:

Patty Bilbro/Foxfire Pottery. High-fire functional stoneware with a layering of shino glazes and brushwork illustrations. I will also be selling new narrative sculptural work.

Where do you find inspiration?

My background in psychology, humor, human interactions, animals and our relationship to them.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Eating good food with my family.

What is your favorite thing about Baltimore during the holiday season?

I'm new to Baltimore, so I'm looking forward to discovering the city during the holidays.

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

I'm debuting some new sculptural work.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

Online at www.pattybilbro.etsy.com, Constance Williams Gallery in Asheville, NC, Over the Mood Gallery in Floyd, VA, Mudfire Gallery online and in Atlanta, GA, The Society for Contemporary Craft in Pittsburgh, PA or you can always contact me directly.

Two Great Local Craft Fairs this weekend!

BAZAART
American Visionary Art Museum
Saturday November 26 FREE FOR EVERYONE - 10am-5pm
also!
Preview Party Friday November 25- 5:30-8:00pm
Lite fare, beverages, music & first dibs!

American Visionary Art Museum's Annual Holiday Marketplace of original creations by over 50 regional artists and craftspeople. Painting, sculpture, paper crafts, metalwork, jewelry, textiles, mixed media, and other work that simply defies categorization! FREE ENTRY & open to the public!
More info: HERE



Final Fridays - Station North!
November 25th 3:00PM – 8:00PM
North Avenue Market & Load of Fun

This month, Final Fridays will transform the North Avenue Market and Load of Fun into the ultimate Black Friday shopping destinations. Some of Baltimore's most unique gifts will be available for purchase between 3:00pm and 5:00pm at these two locations! More info: HERE

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, The 50/50 Company

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process:

The 50/50 Company specializes in highly detailed black and white line-art. All original art is created with pencil, pen, and ink. We produce silk screened apparel and prints that can be found by visiting www.the5050company.com or www.etsy.com/shop/the5050company.

What is your favorite thing about Baltimore during the holiday season?

We’re super excited to set up shop in Baltimore and really looking forward to getting some natural inspiration from the Aquarium! See you soon!

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Pidge Pidge

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process:

I run pidge pidge out of a cozy old train station apartment in Pennsylvania with my grumpy cat, Pigeon. My old floor loom and I are sandwiched between my sewing machine and a giant stack of fibers. Here, I hand weave scarves playing with patterns and texture and create fun, unexpected color combinations.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration anywhere I spot unique color combinations- in nature, magazines, online and at craft shows! I try keep a notebook with me (more likely the backs of envelopes and scraps) to jot ideas down to interpret later.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

I love cooking in the kitchen all day with family to make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner- any excuse to be warm and cozy and come up with elaborate dishes (probably with cheese or cream..) together.

What is your favorite thing about Baltimore during the holiday season?

Visiting family when we are in town and holiday heap!

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?

I have recently handsewn a collection of purses and clutches incorporating my woven designs!

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

I will be selling my wares December 4th at Merry Mart (at the Patterson) and have an etsy shop: www.pidgepidge.etsy.com.

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Dandelion Blu

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.
"Dandelion Blu" is a handmade jewelry studio specializing in kiln fired enameling and metal smithing. I like the combination of glass on metal and the opportunity to include color and images into my pieces. Enameling is a process where powdered glass is applied to metal in layers and fired at 1500 degrees till it fuses. The process can be unpredictable, and no 2 pieces are ever exactly alike

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?
New for 2011 are enameled wine charm sets! 6 different enameled charms on wine rings. Perfect for hostess gifts! New Reversible Graffiti Necklaces, contrasting color combinations, hung on colored cable necklaces. Also new styles of enameled hair pins, and mirrored Acrylic Dandelion Pendants.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).
Dandelion Blu can be found at www.dandelionblu.etsy.com, Doubledutch Boutique in Hampden and The Delaware Center for Contemporary Art.

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, five8ths

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

five8ths garments are crafted one at a time from high-quality natural fabrics, handmade with attention to detail in design, construction, and finishing techniques. They are polished, yet comfortable and suitable for casual occasions. Available in standard sizes, semi-custom, and bespoke, five8ths clothes allow the wearer to look their best.

Where do you find inspiration?

I find inspiration from a simple lifestyle, in which the environmental and social impact of the items we acquire is carefully considered. I am also inspired by the process of designing and sewing itself--I take pleasure in extended periods of concentrated work, and the experience of growth as I work towards mastering my craft.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

The Thanksgiving feast! Thanksgiving combines 2 of my favorite activities--vegan cooking and get-togethers!

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Open Eyes Press

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Open Eyes Press is a screen printing and hand sewn crafts business that focuses on making eco-friendly housewares. I do all of my own printing in my in-home studio here in Baltimore.

Where do you find inspiration?

I get a lot of inspiration from vintage advertisements and fabrics. It's always interesting to look at the combination of graphics and colors that were used during a specific time period. I actually have a small collection of magazines that I look at from time to time, some of which date back to the 1920's.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

You can find my products online at openeyespress.etsy.com, or locally at Paradiso in Hampden. For a full list of my retail locations in the US, please check out the sidebar on my blog.

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Wooly Baby

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.
Wooly Baby. I'm Josie Marsh, the designer behind Wooly Baby. My slippers and hats are handmade in Pennsylvania from upcycled wool sweaters and leather jackets. When I was unable to find wool, high-topped, leather soled slippers for my baby, I made my own from thrift store clothing. Simply styled in a variety of colors, Wooly Baby slippers are available in newborn through adult sizes.

Where do you find inspiration?

Having my daughter was my initial inspiration to quit my corporate day job and figure out something that I could do at home with her. My design inspiration comes from vintage clothes and shoes and the designs in the sweaters that I find. I am inspired to use only recycled materials when I learn about the astonishing amount of trash (and used clothing in particular) that this country creates. My inspiration to grow and improve my business comes from my background as an industrial engineer and also from my finance-minded husband. And finally, my customers are wonderful inspiration and support; without them would not exist!

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

You can find my slippers here: www.woolybaby.etsy.com

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Vaya Bags

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Vaya Bags: Queens, NY. We make handmade bike messenger bags and accessories out of recycled bike tubes and scrap sailboat awnings.

Where do you find inspiration?

A lot of the color inspirations I get from nature and national geographic magazines! Some of the most unique color combinations turn out to be the most striking.

What is your favorite holiday tradition?

Eating!

What is your favorite thing about Baltimore during the holiday season?
Holiday Heap of course!

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?
I have a new Pannier / Messenger bag hybrid that hooks onto your bike rack and also converts into a messenger bag.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

www.vayabags.com or at my store in Queens!

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Yummy & Company

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.

Yummy & Company . My studio is based out of Hampden, one of Baltimore's quirkiest neighborhoods. It's here, that I create every piece of jewelry by hand, individually, no stamps or molds are used in the process. Most of my designs are inspired by nature, texture, and architecture. My work is intricate and time consuming and I love every minute of it!

Where do you find inspiration?

I’ve always loved jewelry, and can remember making necklaces, crowns, bracelets and rings out of clovers and twigs as a child. Growing up, I spent many hours playing in the creek and exploring the woods behind our house. To this day, I am still charmed by the intricacies and beauty of nature, and do my best to express that love, connection and admiration of the natural world in my work.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).

A complete list of my stockists can be found here! If you want to shop online, my work is available at www.yummyandcompany.etsy.com If you'd rather shop in person, and live in the area, my work can be found at .925 The Silver Store in Fells Point and at the Gift Shop at the Baltimore Museum of Art!

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Recycled Rowhouse

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.
Recycled Rowhouse is a project that is interested in continuing the stories contained in old and unwanted things by recombining them into functional objects that encourage environmental sustainability.

We roam the streets on garbage day and hit garage sales looking for our next piece. We transform unwanted desks, tables, doors, moldings and much more into functional and unique objects for the home and garden.

Where do you find inspiration?
We are inspired by the pieces that we discover. The more chipped and falling apart it is, the more we love it. We also look to the architectural diversity of the rowhouses of Philadelphia, where we live, for inspiration.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).
Our work can be found at our website, and throughout Pennsylvania at Heirloom Home and Studio, Greensgrow Farms and Anthropologie (online and Philadelphia Center City location).

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Cephalopod Ink Ceramics

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.
Cephalopod Ink Ceramics. Brightly colored handmade pottery with ocean graphics.

Do you have anything new that shoppers can look forward to?
Every Jan. and Feb. I create new graphics to put on my pottery and retire old ones. Images come from my own drawings and scientific drawings from the 1800's.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).
www.cephalopodink.com

Meet Holiday Heap Vendor, Anschtecka & Hillery

List your shop name and give a brief description of your work and process.
Anschtecka & Hillery is a collection of handmade goods by Annika Blomberg and Hillery Sproatt.
Hillery Sproatt's collection of lovingly hand painted etchings and hand embroidered dolls & mobiles is reminiscent of folk tales and cave drawings. Her interest in symbols, narrative, and smallness lend each of her special handmade objects a sort of history and whimsy. Hillery's artworks are made with careful attention to detail and much care.


The Anschtecka collection by artist, Annika Blomberg is made from reclaimed materials and cutting room scraps. The Anschtecka collection includes handmade backpacks, braided pins and pouches, jewelry and accessories. Annika spends a good part of her time searching for interesting objects and materials and she is passionately dedicated to the process of re-examining the function and form of her materials. She has a beautiful ability to see past what things are, into what they can be. Annika’s work is just as much about breathing new life into discarded and forgotten things as it is about making beautiful and interesting objects.

Other than Holiday Heap, where can we find you for purchases (online or stores).
You can shop both Annika and Hillery's special handmade objects year round at Specks & Keepings.

Countdown to Holiday Heap!

Only 20 days until Holiday Heap, and we can hardly wait! We have so many talented artist and designers hailing from Baltimore and beyond!

This year's fair will have 60 of the best local and national crafters (be sure to check out the many newbies), as well as a yarn-spinning demonstration by Three Ravens and a raffle to win a huge basket full of goodies by supporting Arts Every Day! Check the vendor page to see if your favorite vendor will be there!

GrrChe, a local food truck, will be outside for lunch and snacks.

Stay tuned for vendor interviews and raffle basket sneak peeks.

Learn to Letterpress for $40!

Our pals at Baltimore Print Studios are holding some very affordable workshops this weekend to get you ready for the holidays.
Join in the fun as everyone learns to print on a letterpress this Saturday, making DIY greeting cards with fun customizable phrases. Be witty, Get in the spirit, and have a blast!
$40 - No experience necessary - You'll go home with 30 greeting cards of your own design!

Registration & More info HERE.