Tender Loving Empire Interview + Giveaway

The name Tender Loving Empire feels like a warm cup of soup on a cold rainy Seattle day (which today is not, thank you!) and learning about this awesome vendor was just as internally warming. What started as a record label, Tender Loving Empire has become an oasis for Indy craft art and music. They are one more beautiful reason to visit Portland. At 4 years old, TLE has a brick and mortar location that features their T-Shirt line, albums and the work of over 250 other independent artists and musicians. Wowee! Take a look at their Etsy store to get an idea of what you'll be seeing at UCU this summer.

We welcome you, TLE to your second time at Urban Craft Uprising!

What are you offering up to our readers as a Giveaway?

1 "Rainy Beardy City" Tee in Mens Medium. It's our Northwest tribute shirt. From one rainy city to another. If you win this shirt and would like to exchange it at our table while supplies last, please feel free to stop by and we'll get you the correct size!

What sets your company apart from others who offer similar products?

The Tshirts and Music we sell at Craft Fairs is only a fraction of what Tender Loving Empire does. TLE is a Record Label, Brick and Mortar Consignment shop in Portland, Screenprinting Shop, and Tshirt Line. All purchases made at our table indirectly help support the hundreds of other independent artists we work with throughout the year.

Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU? We're always looking for new treasures for our store...the main goal is to make more than we spend...

Good luck guys!

Comment below to get your name in for this awesome shirt!

Devout Dolls Interview & Giveaway

Long-time UCU vendor Devout Dolls will be coming back for more fun at this summer's show. Owner Sara was naturally pre-disposed to crafting growing up with her seamstress/doll making mother. She got started making dolls as a hobby, absolutely loved the process and results and was encouraged by positive feedback to launch her business.

UCU: What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising and other large-scale craft shows?
DD: I love seeing my customers (old and new) in person and getting feedback straight from them. Seeing their reactions to my work makes it all worth it. I also really love the excitement involved in doing big shows. There's a lot of unknowns, so it can be really scary, but it can also be exhilarating. Plus, being surrounded by all the amazing vendors who do so many wonderful unique things, it's really inspiring. It's a great community to be a part of.

UCU: What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?
DD: I love the process involved in creating something from start to finish. To be able to make a sketch and turn that into a pattern and use that to make a flat piece of fabric into a 3-D shape, it's still amazing to me. Sometimes it feels like doing magic. I think I might go crazy if I weren't able to do something with my hands, the fact that I can use my creativity to make things for people that give them happiness and makes them laugh, I feel like it's the best gift I've ever been given.

UCU: What kind of snacks will you have in your booth to survive the long but exciting hours of Urban Craft Uprising?
DD: Definitely some delicious vegan snacks! Mixed nuts and water for sure and my favorite pretzels from Trader Joe's. I'm sure there will be some chocolate making an appearance as well!

Thanks for answering our questions Sara and thanks for donating this cute drinky pink elephant doll for one lucky reader to win! Want to be that lucky reader? Leave a comment below. We will select one winner at random and announce on Friday. The doll will be available for pick-up at the UCU booth at the show July 10-11.

Texture Clothing Interview + Giveaway

Teresa, from the Bellingham-based Texture clothing is starting our week of Giveaways off right. Combat this cold “summer” weather with her knit mitts! Check out her soulful designs here.

An old pro at UCU, she’s been a vendor for 5 years. Texture is “clothing with a conscience” Teresa developed a line of clothes and began selling to shops and festivals, which was a different path than her intention to make costumes for theater. Very cool when success comes unexpectedly. Here are Teresa’s thoughtful answers to my questions. I loved hearing from this truly earth conscious business owner.

What sets your company apart from others who offer similar products?

We are ‘towards zero waste’ company. We recycle everything we can, even finding old boxes to ship out our orders…

I design clothing, accessories + home décor to fit into the scrap pieces that we create when we cut our clothing out. After that, the smaller scraps are donated to other local businesses in bellingham, to local schools for craft projects and to people who like to create + craft. After that, our smaller bits can be sent to bellingham’s industrial compost!



What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?

I enjoy choosing the colours for the season and for the displays. I enjoy sketching out and designing clothing that will flatter the bodies of curvy ladies. I enjoy hearing from customers how much they love the clothing and how good they feel in it. Texture clothes are meant to make women feel beautiful!

What kind of snacks will you have in your booth to survive the long but exciting hours of Urban Craft Uprising?

Raw veggies (in the form of a salad…), fruit, nuts…and COFFEE (with honey + cream).



Thanks for your time answering questions, Teresa. Looking forward to seeing your beautiful designs in July!

Comment below to be considered for these lovely gloves! Winners will be announced Friday! Woot woot!

Amanda

Emze Designs Interview & Giveaway

Happy Solstice dear readers! On this first day of summer let us take this opportunity to introduce you to Bay Area pottery maker Emze Designs. Owned and operated by Chanda who has been selling her work in California since 2007, our 2nd annual summer UCU will be her first show out-of-state. She's also gotten bitten by the giveaway bug and is offering up a handmade ceramic catchall dish! Perfect for holding keys, soap, soy sauce, rings while washing your hands, or anything.

UCU: What is your favorite part about large-scale craft shows like Urban Craft Uprising?
ED: People, people, people. I love meeting fellow vendors, sharing business tips and stories, seeing their amazing work and spending some of my earnings expanding my amazing collection of handmade art. Meeting my customers and getting to talk to them face to face is so much more gratifying than just having someone faceless purchase your work through a store (even though that is great too). You can get pretty hypercritical about your work and lonely when you are in a dark, dusty ceramics studio working solitary for months.

UCU: Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU?
ED: Anything that I find will become a memory of my trip for me. I have so many amazing memories from when I lived in Seattle that I am sure twenty years from now I will remember "Oh yeah, I bought that at that awesome UCU show!" That is one of the reasons you buy handmade, right?

UCU: What kind of snacks will you have in your booth to survive the long but exciting hours of Urban Craft Uprising?
ED: I am gluten intolerant so I have to make my own food -- usually a sandwich and I love carrots and hummus. Also lots and lots of water and after the show I always look forward to that first glass of red wine.

Thanks for answering our questions Chanda! Now about that giveaway... Want to win this cute dish? Leave a comment below and we will select one winner at random to be announced this Friday. The winner can pick up their new catchall dish at the UCU booth at the show July 10-11.

See Inside the Home of Slow Loris

Hi, I'm Alexa, and I'm an addict. I am a fiend for Etsy's "Get the Look: Home Decor" Storque articles. Every Sunday morning I lay in bed with my beloved iPhone, slowly waking to the day and getting more drool on my pillow as I covet the homes of other Etsy designers.

Today's article featured the gorgeous home/studio of Guemes Island artist/screenprinting duo Jessica Lynch and Arlo Rumpff. Better known to you as UCU vendor Slow Loris!

You can read the blog article here: http://www.etsy.com/storque/spotlight/etsy-finds-decor-mellow-sea-8885/
And be sure to check out the Flikr pool showing the project from start to finish!

To preview the sweet shirts Slow Loris will be offering at the 2nd annual Summer UCU on July 10-11. check here: http://slowshirts.com/

Congrats on the feature!

Giveaway from LaRu!

For all of you how salivated over LaRu's original art and resin jewelry featured last week you'll be glad to hear that we got this cute "bird on a wire" necklace to giveaway!

For the specs on the necklace check the listing on Etsy: http://www.etsy.com/listing/45419750/bird-on-a-wire

To be considered for the giveaway, leave a comment below. We will select one winner at random and announce on Friday. The lucky winner can pick up their new treasure at the UCU booth at the show July 10-11.

Giveaway Winners!

I am so excited to see a huge bump in our followers this week. I wish we had a prize for every one of you. Look forward to next week, we'll have more Vendor introductions and special stuff to give away!
I wrote every readers name on a slip of paper and picked at random, like charades! :) It felt special!






Maluhia "Apple a Day" Pinafore- Good Karma
Secret Stash Sea Salts Chorizo Salts- Alysson O
Rebe Pocket Purse- Aubrey
HOOT Organics Baby Hat- Katie
Schmancy Pouch- ZanneQ
Ilfant 5 pack Library cards- Jeanne
Altered Designs Bottle Cap Necklace-Barrie

You lucky ducks can pick up your prizes at the Urban Craft Uprising Booth at the summer show. Or they can be mailed or made available after July 11th.