Detroit Urban Craft Fair

Handmade Detroit has experienced a baby BOOM and we decided a fun way to celebrate this is would be moving our Spring craft show Craft Revival to May!

The show will be the day before Mothers Day, Saturday, May 12th once again at The Loving Touch in Ferndale! Applications are going live next week Friday, February 24th and will be open until March 18th, so please help us spread the word to any and all crafty friends that would like to apply!

This is a pint size event compared to Detroit Urban Craft Fair - it’s only one day and spaces are few, but we love our Spring event and seeing local crafters latest designs and work!

There will be other features to reveal,  super cool poster design and news in the coming months but in the mean time call your Mama, mark your calendars and we look forward to all getting together!

Photos by The Handmade Gift Guide

Another year of the Detroit Urban Craft Fair is on the books and we couldn’t be more thankful to the visitors, vendors, volunteers, sponsors and everyone who helped make year six happen with a bang!

This year saw record attendance, with over 3,500 people coming through the door! Vendors and shoppers were digging the spacious Drill Room at the Masonic, too. We owe a special thanks to our Chow, our knight in shining food truck, who not only stepped in last-minute to save us from our food dilemmas, but also provided some kick-butt and Tweetable fare! If you missed picking up a gift, or are wondering about a certain artist, head over to the DUCF 2011 vendor page.

Our official show photographer, Anne of the Handmade Gift Guide, has posted her favorite shots in this DUCF 2011 Flicker set. If you post or link to them, please make sure to give her credit!

We’d also like to call out our sponsors, each who gave generously to our venture — and some who have been with us since the very beginning and continue to offer tremendous help and support (Naka and Dan, we’re looking at you!). Please give them a visit and help us return the favor!

Photo by Reware Vintage

Thank you to our 2011 sponsors:

• AIGA Detroit
• Bellyache Candy Shoppe
• City Bird
• CRAFT
• Craft Sanity
• Einfach
• The Handmade Gift Guide
• Jason Smith of Jazz Hands
• Klever Design
• Moving Beauty
• Naka
• Open Skate
• The Rust Belt Market
• Trumbullplex Zine Library
• Yelp
• and last but certainly not least, our tireless “web guy” Dan aka Turboclaw.

Photo by Reware Vintage

Thank you from the Handmade Detroit crew! (L to R: Bethany, Stephanie, Amy, Carey and Lish)

p.s. Interested in applying to be a vendor for 2012? Please friend us Handmade Detroit on Facebook or watch this space in late summer (you can always add us to your blog roll, too) of 2012 for more details.

Are you getting excited for DUCF yet?! You should be! I kid, I kid. But seriously, DUCF is tomorrow and our crafters are working hard finishing their lineups to share with our shoppers first thing tomorrow morning. Here’s just a bit of the buzz going around about the event, including my visit to Fox 2 Detroit this morning.

Detroit Urban Craft Fair Happens Dec. 3-4: MyFoxDETROIT.com

Five Things You Need to Know - Canton Patch
Live Holiday Shopping Blog - Detroit Free Press
In Brief… - Northville Patch
BLAC Detroit
Low-Dough Xmas - Metro Times
Metro Parent

1UP Gallery

All Things Grow

Clay Lab Detroit

Jodi Lynn’s Emporium of Doodles

little gold poppy

Tourist Park

Bettula

chain chain chained

Courtney Fischer Jewelry

Ellie Rose Designs, LLC

Hannah Hoffman

Mimi and Ferne

Mitten Metalworks

Pretties by Meg

Re-Zip It!

So Very Charming

Three Birds Jewelry (LLC)

Time flies! The 6th Annual Detroit Urban Craft Fair, or DUCF as we locals call it, is this weekend! Here’s what to expect, the when and where, and even how to get there!

What is it?

The 6th Annual Detroit Urban Craft Fair is an indie craft fair hosted by Handmade Detroit featuring over 80 local and national handmakers. Check out the entire 2011 DUCF vendor list.

The fair serves as an alternative to typical holiday big box store shopping, showcasing local and national independent artists. We’re celebrating our sweet sixth anniversary the traditional way — with a candy theme and tons of makers!

You can also:

• Learn to weave with demos from Craft Sanity.
• Meet the folks from Yelp Detroit, The Rust Belt Market, The Handmade Gift Guide and Open Skate.
• Learn about AIGA’s Pinewood Derby.
• And check out a ton of zines at the travelling Trumbullplex Zine Library.

Read on to get all the details of the 2011 Detroit Urban Craft Fair.

When is DUCF?
Saturday, Dec. 3
10 a.m. to 7 p.m.
and
Sunday, Dec. 4
11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Where is it?

The Detroit Masonic Temple

500 Temple Ave, Detroit, Mich.

Who can come? How much does it cost?

DUCF is open to all ages. Admission is a $1 for those 12 and up.

Where do I park?

Parking is available all around the Masonic. And — bonus — this year we do not have to contend with a certain major team’s game on Sunday raising the prices of parking!

What about food?

The Chow Truck from Chow Catering will be parked outside the Masonic with a variety of food ready to temp your taste buds. Vegetarians and vegans — we’ve got you covered with a variety of options for you, too! Snacks and beverages will also be available inside the Masonic.

I’m coming!
Awesome! Please take a minute to RSVP on the official DUCF Facebook event page.

Did we miss your question? Post them in the comments!

I’ve always been really enamored with the art of weaving. The construction of fabric — and all the materials you used in the process — is fascinating and meditative. That’s why we’re really geeked to announce that  Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood of Craft Sanity, a Detroit Urban Craft Fair 2011 sponsor, will be demonstrating peg loom weaving all weekend long at the Craft Sanity booth.

Jennifer will also be offering two free make and take workshops (one each day of the fair) to a limited number of shoppers. To be one of the lucky make and takers, you’ll need to sign up during the morning at the Craft Sanity booth.

Read on to learn how you can win a copy of Craft Sanity Magazine.

Both the demos and the workshop are a great way to introduce yourself to weaving — and who knows, maybe you’ll be inspired to make some woven holiday presents.

All About Craft Sanity

For those of you who may not be familiar, here’s a little Craft Sanity 101: Craft Sanity started as a podcast in 2005 by West Michigan resident Jennifer Ackerman-Haywood. Since then, Craft Sanity has blossomed as both a blog and magazine for “people who love handmade.”

Craft Sanity introduces readers to new skills and makers, as well as provides inspiration and projects to more seasoned handmakers. The magazine in particular is full of tutorials and projects. The resulting effect is a inspirational portal of makers and make-ables. We’re excited to have Craft Sanity as one of the 2011 DUCF sponsors because the project really embodies the promotion of creativity and makers.

Win a Copy of Craft Sanity’s Fall Issue

Craft Sanity was kind enough to donate a copy of the Fall 2011 issue to one lucky Handmade Detroit reader! You can learn to make apple butter, sew an apron, knit fingerless gloves, crochet vintage inspired potholders — and tons more. There are 20 projects in total, along with handmade stories and Q&As with emerging and established artists.

To enter to win copy of Craft Sanity’s Fall 2011 issue, just leave a comment telling us about your favorite craft (to make or buy) on this post. One entry per person.

If you’re reading this post on the DUCF site, you’ll need to come over to the Handmade Detroit post to comment.

Make sure to include you email address so that you can be contacted if you win! Deadline to enter is Wednesday, Dec. 7 at noon. A winner will be selected at random shortly thereafter.

Good luck!

Art

enamor

Kill Taupe

mywireempire

Paintings by Jason Gibner

Bath Products

Cellar Door Soap Co.

DressGreen

Candles

JKM Soy Candles

Children’s Items

bem & gene

bioME 5

Sandwichseat Puppet Shop

Slightly Smitten Kitten Designs

What Good Have I Done Today?

Etsy’s Seller Education Coordinator Danielle Maveal shared these helpful reading links in the Etsy Success Team last week. There’s some great ideas in here, so with the holiday selling season coming up (and DUCF, too!), check out these links:

So a few of you have asked for me to resurrect the Etsy Success Reading List (the best recent small business advice from the blogosphere). I might not be able to do this on a weekly basis, but I am happy to do this every few weeks! Here are some great posts I bumped into this week:

Last week was social media week! Don’t miss Etsy’s Guide to Twitter and Facebook www.etsy.com/blog/en/tags/egtsm I really enjoyed this post as well:

4 Steps to Selling With Social Media

The Relevance of Sales < Deep Thought Thursday

The 3-Step Cure for No-Sales Syndrome

How to Re-Invent Yourself

We’ve got a great lineup this year and can hardly wait for Dec. 3. Here’s who you’ll see at the show. For all up-to-date news, make sure to keep an eye on our DUCF vendor page:

1UP Gallery
ASTA
Alisa Bobzien Design
All Things Grow
Always the Forest
Aromaholic
AusGerCo. Paper Action Figures
Barrel of Monkeys
bem & gene
Bettula
bioME 5
Brazen Cosmetics
bx ceramics
Cellar Door Soap Co.
chain chain chained and
Cheryl Oz Designs
City Bird
ClayLab Detroit
Colorbug Yarns
Courtney Fischer Jewelry
dang argyle
Deets
Defiant
detroitGT
DressGreen
Einfach Skate
Elevated Press
Elf Letterpress & Design
Ellie Rose Designs, LLC
enamor
Glass Action!
Handbuilt by Mary
Handleber
hands + notions
Hannah Hoffman
Hip To Piece Squares
Jam by Hand
Jennifer Joy Creative
JKM Soy Candles
Jodi Lynn’s Emporium of Doodles
Kelly Mitchell Fine Art & Illustration
Kill Taupe
Knitter Who
Kyla Renee - Unique Handmade Purses and Accessories
La Femme Monkita
LishKits
little gold poppy
Madpixel Art And Design
make-out goods
Mimi and Ferne
Mio Dio Collection
Miss Alison
Mitten Metalworks
Mosaic Geek
Moving Beauty
my marigold
mywireempire
nic.NIKKI.Nicole
Noonday Textiles
Oh Sew Betty!
Paintings by Jason Gibner
Perfect Laughter
Phantom Limb
Potholder Pocket Pinnies
Pretties by Meg
Re-Zip It!
Reware Vintage
Sadly Harmless
Sandwichseat Puppet Shop
Shawn K. Knight
Slightly Smitten Kitten Designs
Sloe Gin Fizz
So Very Charming
Solidio
sparklepants industries
Squidfire
Team Librarian
Three Birds Jewelry (LLC)
Tourist Park
Vintage In Retrospect
VONNANOUVEAU
What Good Have I Done Today?
WoollyMammothDesign
YLDtoys

Calling all volunteers! If you’d like to help out at this year’s Detroit Urban Craft Fair, here’s your chance! We’re officially on the hunt for volunteers. Check out our form to sign up now.