Wichita Welcomes The Onion Tree!

Yesssss!!! I am pleased to present to you Wichita's very first ALL HANDMADE store--The Onion Tree. This is...awesome. In my midwest world of Wal-Marts and mass-produced imports, this is the stuff that dreams are made of....all handmade. All quality, all beautiful!! Located at 120 N. Hillside in Wichita, this lovely boutique features many artists from Kansas and some from other states, as well. Some of my Kansas favorites include the funky, eco-friendly jewelry of iamthemandy, Madame Scodioli's (the bearded lady's) goat soap, and some great glam threads byMountainscreamer.

But truly, there are so many fabulous handmade things to choose from. (And boy was I disappointed that I didn't have any cash to spend that day! Next time....)

ALSO, once I get some other projects taken care of, I plan to take my own items down to The Onion Tree! Stay tuned.

xoxo,

Leanne

Art Pride Parade 2010

What's better than a parade?? A parade about ART, of course!!

On Saturday, May 29th, members of Wichita Handmade marched in the Squirrelly Girl's Art Pride Parade in the Delano District. Dressed in fabulous (and somewhat freakish!) finery, we strutted our stuff down Douglas Avenue, handing out giveaways to the crowd and carrying our banners.

Not only was it great to be having fun and representing the group, but it was wonderful to see other artists and local independent businesses! Some of my favorites were Lucinda's, Tribal Reflections Bellydance, and the peeps who make Chicken Poop Lip Junk!! (Which, by the way, contains no poop.) ;)

Enjoy these pics--since I was actually IN the parade, I only got one or two of us in action, but here are some images of us having fun before and after. :)

Oh....and be sure to come see us next year! xoxo

Hand-Make with Handmade Supplies!

Sometimes--not ALWAYS, but sometimes--I can be a little stubborn. I have been known to see a piece of clothing or jewelry or whatever else, and think, hey, why buy that when I could make that myself!? (Of course, it's a little different when we're talking about handmade goods, every one of which I consider a work of art, and I am more than happy to actually purchase something that a craftsperson has actually made, from his own creative genius and with his very own hands!!) But anywaaaayyy.....if you're stubborn like me, and want to d.i.y., (do it yourself), and yet STILL want to support other makers, gaze upon these handmade supplies and let the inspiration take over!

Let's start things off with some spinning!! Lovely wool by hedgehogfibres

Cute as a button...by aimoobaroo

Gorgeous glass beads, created for you by RoaLampworkBeads

Silk cord for that next jewelry project... ericawalker

I looooove mushrooms! And I love fabric! How great is this?! By cicadastudio

Luscious yarn, by artisanacre

Isn't this little guy precious? Baby gnome stamp, hand carved for you by Corrabelle

This could be used for so many things! Pencils, knitting needles, crochet hooks.....by BellflowerTextiles

This darling apron from momfetti should keep you neat!

Hope you've enjoyed my Etsy finds today!

Craft on!

Leanne

folkcraft.blogspot.com

Folk Craft Giveaway! or, Win a Sweeeet Clutch!

Tomorrow is my day to blog, but I wanted to let everyone in on the giveaway Leanne is having down at Folk Craft! Entering is easy, and the prize is super neat. :)

Click here for details!

Happy 1st Anniversary, FOLK!

{ Or, as I often call it, Shameless Self-Promotion... }

I am so sorry that I have missed TWO weeks, now, of blogging for Wichita Handmade. I'm terrible, I know. Forgive me! And forgive me also for not having much more substance than an ad...but hey, any port in a storm, right? You need an entry, and this is what I got. (I've been on "vacation," you know!) ;)

Next Wednesday, July 22, 2009 is Folk's 1st Anniversary! Yay! And in honor of that anniversary, I am having a big sale! Some "Anniversary Sale" items are priced ridiculously low. There are also other items in the shop that have been on sale for a while, and still a bargain. Help me reach 200 sales by next Wednesday, and own some adorable, lovingly handmade folk gear as well! :)

Here are a few of the lovely, low-priced items:

Whipped Cream Ruffled and Reclaimed Top, $30

Ms. Green Jeans Clutch, $7

Lemonade Coasters, $6

Mexican Parrot Silk Cuff, $12

Orientale Clutch w/Vintage Buttons, $16

Ella Steampunk Cuffs w/Organic Cotton Lining, $17

Gretel Folklore Pouch w/Silk Strap, $9

Down the Rabbit Hole...and Out Again!

For my post today, I am offering up some sweet Etsy finds.  (I am too lazy to write, and plus I will use any excuse to virtually window shop!)  ;)  However, I thought I'd try to make things a little interesting; there will be no theme, per se, but each find will be in some way connected to the previous....let's see how things go!

My inspiration for this all begins with Alice in Wonderland...

...a red and black Mad Hatter painting by RW2Gallery

...leads to this red and black bracelet by lupin

...and a search for more bracelets lead me to this fabulous, reclaimed/recycled/repurposed crochet bracelet by fantasticplastics!

...so I searched for more "reclaimed" items, and found a mini zen garden by aimeesarmoire; (what a cool concept!)

...which leads up to lovely and unique yard art!  by steelknightdesigns

...so in connection with the Asian theme, I found this gorgeous "Opium" bracelet by lilikoicottage.

searching for more "drug-related" items, I stumbled upon this adorable little necklace by starsprinklez!

...and this brings us full circle. :)  a sweet print by thepoppytree.

Hope you enjoyed!!!

CRAFT ON!

Leanne

folkcraft.blogspot.com

People Who Aren't in the Group (YET...) ;)

Naturally, the first thing I think of when I want to buy something locally handmade is--say it with me--Wichita Handmade!!

But...there isn't anyone in the group yet that offers local wool.  (Or any wool, for that matter.)  Then I realize that there are other craftspeople in the area who may not have an etsy shop, and therefore, aren't in the group...yet.  

Here are some Kansas goodies that you haven't seen at Wichita Handmade...YET!!!

Head down to Historic Delano and there you will find a lil' yarn shop called Twist; inside, the walls are lined with skein after skein of magically delicious yarns!  And there, you will also find bags of lovely, unspun wool, waiting to be made into lovely, knittable filament, courtesy of Naked Pines Ranch.  [I am currently working through a bag of luscious brown alpaca...]

If you're looking for something new, check out the Mosley Street Market.  This hidden gem is located at 312 N. Mosley; the format is similar to a flea market, and the shops are varied.  There are a few sellers who deal mainly in mass-produced wares, but there are also quite a few who sell their handmade items.

This is the first lovely I bought from the market, and I am so sad to say that I did not find out the name of the lady who makes these cute wallets, pouches, and purses.  But she was sewing when I purchased it!

I also bought a soy lotion candle [scent: Cool Rain] from Good Stuff Inc., and my mom found some great hand cream there, too.  (And this cream--it works soooo much better than anything from a department store!)

These are just a few examples of the sweet handmade things you can find here in Wichita.  There are many more, and I will no doubt keep you updated on the crafty goodness in posts to come.

Peace out!

Leanne

{Folk.etsy.com and SugarPickle.etsy.com}