Wichita Handmade

Friday, April 16, 2010

CRAFT EXTRAVAGANZA is Tomorrow!!!

Ahhh!! I am still hustling to get myself ready for our Craft Extravaganza Spring Parking Lot Sale, which is TOMORROW!!!!

Please join us on Saturday, April 17th for some great crafts-- ALL handmade here in Kansas, absolutely no sweatshop labor. There will be pottery, sculpture, paintings, jewelry and accessories, and more. And I can also tell you that these artists' works are unique AND high quality.

So come by and see us tomorrow from 9am till 1pm at the Secret Gallery in Wichita, Kansas, located on the northeast corner of 2nd and Meridian (street address is 300 N. Meridian.)

xo,

Leanne

folk.etsy.com

Monday, March 1, 2010

Be Sure to Wear Your Green!

Ooooh, it's MARCH!!!!

Do you know what that means?

Daylight savings time begins. More light. The first day of Spring--which hopefully means warmer weather. Gardening. And of course, St. Patrick's Day...

ST. PATRICK'S DAY!? YES!

And along with St. Patrick's Day comes Historic Delano's 4th Annual St. Patrick's Day Parade! I am completely crazy about parades. I don't know why. They never fascinated me when I was a kid, really, but in recent years, I have grown to love them.

So does this really have much to do with us? Of course! We at Wichita Handmade will be marching in the parade on Saturday, March 13 at noon, and showing off our crafty pride. Come see us! We will be handing out a variety of giveaways and goodies to the crowd! The parade travels down Douglas, between McLean and Walnut.

Tuesday, February 16, 2010

Joys of Spring, Part One

I've got Spring Fever and I don't care who knows it!!

Okay, so technically, it' not spring yet. And it's still bitter cold out. But hey, we all know it's coming!

And with it comes the gardening season, my absolute most favorite time of the year. I not only love to garden myself, but when summer comes, I also love going to farmers' markets and buying what I don't have, but need, from other local growers.

Some may think this doesn't have a whole lot to do with "handmade," but it really does. Growing local, organic food means self-sufficiency, sustainability, independence...a lot like crafting! By producing your own food, you create more options--no more scavenging through the produce bins at Walmart hoping to find the least-damaged tomato. The tomato you grow in your backyard hasn't traveled 2000 miles to get to you. And YOU can control what chemicals are--or, more importantly, aren't--used in its cultivation!

As much as I love gardening, I still consider myself a novice and rely on my mom for a lot of information. So I may wait until a later post to tell you HOW to garden. (And since we do have a weeee bit of time left before market season, I do hope to have more posts on this.) But for now, here are some markets you should definitely visit when summer is here!! {Click each link for more information}

Kansas Grown Market: this is one of my favorite markets. Selling lots of produce and some nice crafted goods, as well. They hold market in both west and east Wichita, and in Derby.

Delano Community Farmers Market: opening for the first time this year! (I am really looking forward to seeing how this does!)

Old Town Farmers' Market: this cozy little market downtown has a fabulous atmosphere! Fresh produce and other food, along with more handmade goods than most markets in the area. I have found quite a few treasures here!

These are the major ones in Wichita. But there are MANY more in Kansas! Please check this website for a large listing:

KS Farmers Markets

And if you're on facebook, become a fan of Savor the Season: Eating by the Calendar in Kansas

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Whitney West Bags!!

I was recently introduced to these great burlap purses and I just ADORE them!

I love when items are re-purposed into something stylish and functional.

Whitney is a local artist who up-cycles authentic burlap coffee bags into unique purses, pillows, and home accessories. Most items are accented with the softest of leathers.

So go and check out her Website or her Etsy shop!

You can also find her treasures locally at
The Spice Merchant and Douglas Photo.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Pincushion Swap!

Lovebird Pincushion by feltmates

Red Zinnia by TheDailyPincushion

Red, Yellow and Teal Bottle Cap Pincushion by upthecreek

I've been collecting pincushions since I bought my very first one back when I discovered Etsy over three years ago. So far, I've only collected handmade ones, and frankly, it'll probably stay that way! I love the way that these essentially utilitarian objects are adorned and decorated so beautifully. There are such a variety of styles and looks. I could keep collecting them for years and not get bored!

To help grow my collection and, hopefully, add some variety to it, I'm hosting my very first Pretty, Pretty Pincushion swap over on Swap-Bot! I'll make a pincushion and send it off to my partner, and I'll be the lucky recipient of a handmade pincushion from my partner! If you're a pincushion lover, you're welcome to join us!