An Original by Thea Starr Interview & Giveaway

Seven years ago Thea Starr started making bags and items for babies out of vintage fabrics. One dog year later the vintage fabric is still in use but being turned into flower hair accessories. Whidbey Island native Thea has relocated to the Continental United States (that's a joke for all the Island folks) and has taken a moment to answer some questions for us.

UCU: What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising?
AObTS: Getting to meet all the vendors & appreciators of handmade goodness. I love to chat it up with people who make the stuff they are selling and can tell me all about it. I love to do the same for my own customers too!



UCU: What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?
AObTS: I love to play with my fabrics. I really love "saving" all the vintage kimonos from becoming part of a landfill and giving them new lives.

UCU: Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU?
AObTS: I am always on the hunt for the ultimate t-shirt. I've always had good luck finding the best ones at UCU in the past.

UCU: If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
AObTS: Ability to breathe under water. I grew up on an island and I always wished that I could be a mermaid. I still think it would be cool.

UCU: Its summer vacation time. Beach or the mountains?
AObTS: Toes in the sand at the beach for sure!

Thanks Thea! We've got a vintage kimono fabric flower brooch to giveaway to one lucky reader. Leave a comment below to be eligible. We'll select the random winner and announce on Friday.

SEATTLE SQUARE Pioneer Square Outdoor Market

Alert Crafters!

Seattle's local and independent business community is at it again! The latest addition to the outdoor market trend is Seattle Square, located in Pioneer Square. It brings me great joy to see our neighborhoods come together to put on their own marketplace.

"A New Outdoor Market Launches in Pioneer Square
The SEATTLE SQUARE to feature locally designed apparel, vintage goods,
mobile food, and headliner DJ’s

Seattle, WA (June 29, 2010) – Kicking off on Saturday, July 17th, Pioneer Square will feature a new outdoor market from 11am – 5pm every Saturday for the rest of the summer. What once sat empty and overlooked will soon be filled with local designers, mobile food vendors, public art and music. The Seattle Square will feature a mix of Downtown restaurants like Delicatus, with mobile food vendors including Skillet, Ram & Rooster Dumplings and Parfait Organic Ice Cream--to name a few! The market will also host a wide range of vintage and craft vendors; selling everything from locally designed clothing, to handmade housewares and accessories, to mid-century modern furniture. To top it off, local and national DJ's will be providing a soulful, upbeat soundtrack each afternoon in the park.

For all info on how to become a vendor go here:
http://www.theseattlesquare.com/ "

-Amanda

Tomonster Interview + Giveaway

I am a collector of leather boots, and the one thing that peeves me about storing them is having to stuff them with cardboard so they don’t flop over and wrinkle. I may search no more.

Not after I’ve found these adorable boot stands from the brilliantly creative mind of painter Tomoko a.k.a. Tomonster. This summer is Tomonster’s first ride on the UCU bandwagon. We wish her and her plushies all the best!

Briefly describe how you got started doing what you do?

I've always loved drawing and painting and one day my friend bought my painting and I was like "really???" after that, I haven't been stop painting since! I just love that people like my paintings and make them smile and that makes me smile. :)

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

I just love to paint and again, I love to make people smile and that makes me smile. My paintings are cartoon-ish and funny and colorful, so people seems to like them and characters are silly and cute, so they smile!!! Also My favorite plush is my own boots stands. They make your boots stand up and protect them when you aren't wearing them! And they protect them while they are hugging each other!!!

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

5 different Cards from my paintings. Check out the lovely paintings here.

Leave a comment below to participate in this giveaway. See you in July!

-Amanda

Laura Bucci Handmade Interview & Giveaway

The eco-friendly coffee cozy marks the clear distinction between the amateur urbanite and the professional commuter. Laura Bucci Handmade takes this functional heat filter and turns it into an aesthetically pleasing art piece to brighten any morning. Laura's art extends beyond the cup as well to buttons and textile wall art pieces. She's hopping the border from her home in Vancouver, B.C. and bringing her fresh style to UCU's second annual summer show. Let's get to know her better, shall we?

UCU: What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising or other large-scale craft shows?
LBH: This summer will be my first time at UCU! It's great to see a large variety of work from different mediums! Vendors benefit from the exposure and the feedback! It's a wonderful opportunity for vendors to make new connections with like-minded peers, or to finally meet names that you know of through online surfing. It's great to meet store owners and be able to talk about your work face to face!


UCU: What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?
LBH: I enjoy the thinking stage and then the designing stage. Coming up with ideas and bringing them to fruition is very rewarding.

UCU: Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU?
LBH: I just discovered Dinah Coops work (http://dinahcoops.com/) through the vendor list on your website and I would love to have one of her tea towels or a set of napkins. Her modern aesthetic is refreshing and fun!

UCU: If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
LBH: I wish I could function on 5 hours sleep?! (Eight meets my needs better.) I would have more time for the constant buzzing of ideas in my head!

UCU: Vacation time. Beach or the mountains?
LBH: I think mountains. I dream of hikes in the woods, happy isolation with nature, swims in lakes, camping, silence, and no technology!

Grazie Laura! We've got 2 re-usable coffee cozies to giveaway to one lucky reader. Leave a comment below to be eligible to win and leave those biodegradable coffee sleeves behind. We'll select one winner at random and announce here on the blog on Friday.

Ugly Baby Interview +Giveaway

This morning, after a very busy but fun weekend, I was standing in the shower still half-asleep and wishing it wasn’t Monday. I realized I was all clean and so logically I got out, but what if there had been more to do in there? Imagine it, what if there was art to look at in the shower! Crazy idea, right? No, only half right. It’s a crazy awesome idea! It’s the idea from today’s featured summer show vendor Ugly Baby. They are the masters of unique shower art, waterproof art that can hang by a suction cup. This will be their 4^th time at UCU and I’d say its time we got to know these lovely people a bit better.

Where are you from?

I am originally from Minnesota and Doug hails from New Hampshire but neither of us talk funny anymore.

What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising or other large-scale craft shows? They are just so exciting. I'm excited just thinking about it. Knowing that hundreds of people who make things are going to all be in the same place. It's just neat. There's a really great energy at these shows and it's always great to see the huge crowds of people supporting the handmade movement. It just makes me like people more in general.

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

I can honestly say that no one offers similar products. We invented Shower Art and we're the only ones who make it. So......if you want some...yer gonna have to deal with us.

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

I like that Doug and I are just basically trying to crack each other up in the process of making these. We create them upside-down and backwards to when we go to pop them out of the molds, there is always a big reveal where we're rolling on the floor laughing at each other.

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

A set of nine postcards based on our favorite Shower Arts: This Goat Hates your Butt, Meet the Zombies: They Love each other and BRAINS, Ours is a love that Shall Not be Named, Zombie Love is Eternal, When I Grow up I Want to be Bacon, I Believe in Super Safe Sex, This Zombie Earned His Wings, I Support Gay Ninja Marriage and Double Hugz.

Hear that? You can share the shower art phenomenon with postcards! So fun, I might need a few. Leave a witty comment below for your chance to snag this awesome giveaway. Same as before, winners will be announced Friday and the lucky duck can pick up their prize at the summer show July 10 & 11

-Amanda

Citizen Robin Interview & Giveaway

The earliest known examples of mosaics made of different materials were found at a temple building in Mesopotamia, and are dated to the second half of 3rd millennium BC. Flash forward a couple thousand years and you'll find Citizen Robin here in Seattle hard at work turning a pile of beads into evocative mosaic jewelry. She's taken a few minutes to answer our questions and has given us a little something to giveaway as well!

UCU: What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising or other large-scale craft shows?
CR: Absorbing all the creative works is inspiring and exciting. The support for an alternative culture proves we don't have to live by manufactures alone, I am grateful for the facilitators.

UCU: What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?
CR: Watching the image appear in the beads, like a photograph appearing in the darkroom.

UCU: Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU?
CR: Go Robot! Jewelry for weirdo's. His work is amazing!

UCU: If you could have any super power, what would it be and why?
CR: As a kid of the 60's I always wanted Samantha Stevens Bewitching power. She used it for good, as simple as a clean home to peace for people, all with a twitch of her nose.


UCU: Its summer vacation time. Beach or the mountains?
CR: Mountains, if I had to choose.

Thanks Robin! And thanks for offering up your Space Needle Beaded Ring for one lucky winner to take home. Want to be that one lucky winner? Leave a comment below! We will select the winner an random and announce on Friday,

Hello Again Monsters Interview & Giveaway

Back in Aught-5, Seattle native Romie of Hello Again Monsters turned a graffiti character into a plush monster and made a wonderful discovery. She discovered that not only was she good at making the stuffed creatures, but they were a hit. For instance, who wouldn't want to win this little charmer? Best of all; you can!

UCU: What is your favorite part about Urban Craft Uprising or other large-scale craft shows?
HAM: I love craft shows because it is the perfect way to meet all the cool people who like the things I make!

UCU: What do you like best about crafting/creating your product?
HAM: I love to sew. And I love make believe. Sewing monsters!?!? Its like the greatest thing on the planet. Now if I could only figure out how to do it full time....

UCU: Is there something you are hoping to shop for, a treasure you'd like to find at this year's Summer UCU?
HAM: I'd definitely love to meet some other plush vendors and maybe swap something cool. I'm also really into finding some cool jewelry, maybe an awesome big fancy ring or necklace.

I'm thinking that can be arranged. Thanks for answering our questions Romie! For a chance to win the Red Monster then leave a comment below. We will select one winner at random and announce on Friday, here on the blog.

P.S. Hello Again Monsters abbreviates to HAM. I love that.