V-day #craftchallenge winner

Yesterday, Jenni of Jenni20 Designs challenged her fellow Etsy Dallas members and Etsy Dallas lovers to a craft challenge: create an artistic interpretation of e.e. cummings "i carry your heart with me" by the end of Valentine's evening.  

A handful of intrepid crafters were up to the flash craft challenge and tweeted pictures of their entries. 

As they were all pretty darn awesome, Jenni was unable to pick a favorite, so she had to resort to the random number generator. 

And the winner of a $15 gift card of her choice is..... @CocoandCocoa

@CocoandCocoa

The runners up, in no particular order:


@woowoo76

@cheesivore

@mrserinjewell

Etsy Dallas Member @ferrochie

Check out the poem if you haven't and follow Etsy Dallas on Twitter to keep up with our daily shenanigans and our special events! 

--Jenni

A Valentine's Day Contest and Giveaway

Whether you have a sweetie or not, let's celebrate l-o-v-e today with a classic poem and a fun giveaway!

Jenni, our sometimes blogger and Etsy Dallas Tweetheart, is an admitted word nerd and today she issues the following craft challenge to all crafters, lovers, and lovers of craft out there: 

By 6pm 8pm CST tonight, February 14th, create an artistic interpretation of e.e. cummings "i carry your heart with me" (click on the link to find the full text of this poem). 

Tweet a photo of your doodle, illustration, creative photo, yarn art, pasta necklace, or any other original craft project; make sure you at reply @etsydallas so we see it.

The winner will be selected by an algorithm that takes into consideration such things as: use of poem, interpretation of the poem, random phases of the moon, how much do you make Jenni and her friends smile when viewing the picture, and possibly a random number generator.   (If you don't tweet, email jenni20designs at att dot net with your submission.)

The prize will be your choice of $15 gift card to retailer of your choice: Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, or Target--three mass-market establishments that Jenni loves and frequents, and, since she is donating the prize, these are the choices she names for you. 

Show us the love, people!

xxoo
Jenni and all the Etsy Dallas crew

Fantastic Deals on Fabric and Sewing Notions!

If you love fabric and sewing supplies, Laura of childsPLAYdesign is having a sale that you do not want to miss! She is liquidating her entire stash of fabrics, patterns, and notions. Just one peek at her Etsy shop will tell you just how good her stash is, and just how amazing this sale is going to be! 

 


Charm packs…just $3, layer cakes…just $8 & jelly rolls…just $10!
Books…just $4!
Patterns…just $1
Pillow forms…just $3
Pre-selected bundles
Remnants
Laminated cotton & vinyl
Notions
Rulers
Batting
Interfacing
Dupioni & Shangtung Silk



Date: Saturday, Feb. 25th and Sunday, Feb. 26th
Time: 10am-2pm
Location: 3039 Selma Lane, Farmers Branch  75234

Etsy Dallas Membership - OPEN!!



Etsy Dallas, the original Dallas team and the first city team in Texas, is a cooperative, all-volunteer group of artists, crafters and designers living and working in Dallas who sell their work on Etsy.com. The team boasts talent from a range of mediums and crafts, and is independently run by its membersBecause of the determination of the original members, Etsy Dallas has become a force in the handmade movement, both locally and beyond. 


Etsy Dallas is looking for approximately 50 dedicated artists and crafters to join the team in 2012, who have the passion and commitment to continue and promote Etsy Dallas' mission and goals.  


If you or someone you know is interested in joining the Etsy Dallas Team, please click below to read the membership information packet for 2012 and learn how to join. 


Thanks to everyone who made up the 2011 team!!! We heart you because you're awesome!!

 BUTTER Design Lab @ the 4th Annual Jingle Bash

  Seen Studios @ the 4th Annual Jingle Bash 

 Regal Cottage  @ the 4th Annual Jingle Bash

 Dowdy Studio + Tefi @ Etsy Craft Party 2011

Back row: Haute Hardwear, childsPLAYdesign, La Alicia, Modest Ambition, Loop and Lil, Paper Beats Rock, Silla Soup

Front Row: Cut Out and Collect, Dowdy Studio, Tefi, DC Imaginations, Bonnie Beads

Lap: maggie may i

@ Supplies Me! Sale 2011
Hi-Fi Jewelry, Modest Ambition & Cut Out and Collect 
@ Etsy Craft Party 2011

New Year's Resolutions...

I resolve to celebrate me! (via Modest Ambition)


I resolve to be more nurturing! (via Signifying Not)


I resolve to spend wisely! (via K8 Made)


I resolve to go beyond my borders! (via Tefi)


And I resolve to Drop it like its hot....every single day! (via BUTTERdesignlab)


Click on these images to grab your New Year's Resolution from these Etsy Dallas artists. What do you resolve to do in 2012? Share it with us on our Etsy Dallas Twitter, @etsydallas! - Posted using BlogPress from my iPad

Weekend Guide - Dec 17-23


Date: Saturday, December 17th
Time: 11am - 8pm
Location: Bolsa Cafe's Parking Lot
614 West Davis Dr. Dallas, TX
more info: click here
Participating Etsy Dallas members: Dowdy Studio


Date: Tues - Friday, Dec. 20th - 23rd
Time: 7am-3pm
Location: Parking lot of Good 2 Go Taco + Goodfriend 1146 Peavy Rd,
Dallas
More Info: click here 
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: Dowdy Studio Wagon 

Or shop Etsy Dallas Online anytime, click here.

You've got mail!

I'm one of those people that just can't seem to get things done in time for the holidays... I'm just now getting holiday cards mailed out! If you're one of those lovely procrastinators like myself, here are a few card ideas to speed along the process, courtesy of our talented Etsy Dallas members!









Weekend Guide: December 9 + 10 + 11 + 12


 
etsy817 Handmade Holidays 

Date: Friday,  Dec. 9th and Saturday, Dec. 10th
Time: 12noon-7pm (Friday), 10am-4pm (Saturday)
Location: UTA - Maverick Activities Center (MAC), 500 W. Nedderman Dr., Arlington
More Info:   http://etsy817.blogspot.com/ 

Etsy Dallas Member Participating: childsPLAYdesign



White Rock Local Market 

Date: Saturday, Dec. 10th
Time: 9am-3pm
Location: The Green Spot, 702 N. Buckner, Dallas
More Info:  http://www.whiterocklocalmarket.com/ 
Etsy Dallas Members Participating: Dowdy Studio, La AliciaRegal CottageReGEARED  



AIGA DFW's 1st Annual Creative Flea 

Date: Saturday, Dec. 10th
Time: 4pm-8pm
Location: Oil and Cotton, 837 W. 7th Street, Dallas
More Info:  http://aigadfw.org/2011/10/25/the-first-annual-creative-flea/ 
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: Dowdy Studio Wagon 



The Pig and the Peacock Trunk Show

Date: Saturday, Dec. 10th and Sunday Dec. 11th
Time: 9am-1pm (Saturday) and 11am-2pm (Sunday)
Location: Abundance Boutique at Move Studio, 17062 Preston Rd., Dallas
More Info:  http://movestudio.com/ 
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: The Pig and the Peacock 


Dowdy Studio Wagon at Good 2 Go Taco 

Date: Sunday, Dec. 11th
Time: 7am-3pm
Location: Parking lot of Good 2 Go Taco + Goodfriend 1146 Peavy Rd, Dallas
More Info:  http://dowdystudio.blogspot.com/2011/03/wheres-that-wagon.html
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: Dowdy Studio Wagon 


PRINT HAPPENING at Oil and Cotton 


Date: Monday, Dec 12th
Time: 6pm-9pm
Location: Oil and Cotton 837 W. 7th Street, Dallas
More Info: http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=266846413364484&set=a.12491237...
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: Dowdy Studio Wagon

(Almost) Instant Gift-Wrap

(Almost) Instant Gift-Wrap: a festive tutorial brought to you by Jenni of Jenni20 Designs

Poms are everywhere right now--and with good reason.  They're awesome!  This tutorial will teach you how to make awesome mini poms to adorn an array of holiday awesomeness, from trimming the tree, to wrapping gifts, to frosting yourself.

Materials:
about 3 or 4 yards of yarn
a pair of scissors
a business card
manual dexterity
about 45 seconds to make the pompom
a gift to wrap
and someone to give it to. 

There are quite a few methods of pompom making, but the business-card pompom is my favorite because I love the size of pom you get—and everyone has a business card hanging around. 

Here’s how to make magic happen:

1.      Cut about 6” of yarn off your skein and set aside. 

2.      If you’d like to use some yarn to wrap your gift, measure out an arm’s length or so to set aside. 

3.      Wrap and wrap and wrap and wrap the long piece of yarn around the height of the business card (this will give you a cute mini size pom—about an inch when all is said and done.)  The more you wrap, the fuller your finished pompom will be. 

4.      Once you’ve wrapped all the yarn around the card, gingerly slide the loops off the business card. (I typically let the 6" piece keep it all together so it doesn't unravel when I'm sliding it off, but this is optional.)

5.      Take the 6” piece of yarn and tie it in the middle of the loop bundle.  I suggest tying multiple knots just to make sure everything stays in place.  A word of warning, don’t pull too hard or you run the risk of snapping the delicate yarn fibers.  Mom’s square knot (left over right, right over left) is a good one here. 

6.      Once your loop bundle is secure, take your scissors and snip the loops. 

7.      Give your pom a little shake; shape it if you want, maybe give it another little hair cut and voila!

8.      Use the 6” tie to attach your pompom to the gift wrap and give your charming package with pride.    




What else can you do with your pompom? (And, let’s be clear, there are those among us who insist it is spelled pompon.) 

Attach a safety pin to the back and wear it as a festive brooch (bonus points if you take a cheesy mirror picture after a long day at work and a hard workout).

Bobby pin it to your head and wear it as a charming hair ornament—on the side a la Frida or as a sassy ponytail pretty. 


Want more craft ideas?
Click on this tutorial like and make an array of poms and adorn a wreath, make a festive garland, festoon your roller skates.
Or how about this fun floral project?
a vase of pom flowers via
 Let's not forget the sassy scarf of poms:
via


This tutorial originally published at All Things Fabulous.

West Elm + Etsy Handmade Holiday Workshop Recap




You know that person whose house looks effortlessly modern and put together, yet livable and cozy? Chances are she shops at West Elm. And what modern home would be complete without a few handmade touches? West Elm has teamed up with Etsy, the online marketplace for handmade goods, to create a one-night shopping experience featuring five hand-selected local Etsy vendors situated in the store in 37 cities around the country on Dec. 1.

Etsy Dallas volunteers led shoppers in making holiday ornaments for a tree to be donated to the Family Place. You could make one for the tree, one for yourself, and take a template home to share with a friend. We had a great time meeting folks, folding paper, and getting in the holiday spirit.

Thanks to Etsy for providing the supplies for the craft and to West Elm for hosting us. Thanks to our awesome Etsy Dallas volunteers: The Paper Nest Co.Regal CottageReGEARED, and Seen Studios, Modest Ambition. Thanks to the participating Etsy shops: Redtile StudioFifi du VieParty PomsRivalry Time, and Red or Gray Art.










Red or Gray Art

Fifi du Vie

Redtile Studio

Party Poms


Rivalry Time
 * More photos coming to Flickr soon!
Posted by Anne, Modest Ambition

Weekend Guide: December 1 + 2 + 3 + 4

Handmade Holiday Workshop and Mini-Market with West Elm and Etsy

Date: Thursday, Dec.1st
Time: 6-9pm
Location: West Elm, Mockingbird Station, 5307 East Mockingbird Lane, Dallas
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: Red Tile Studio
Etsy Dallas Holiday Workshop Assistants: Modest AmbitionThe Paper Nest Co.Regal Cottage, ReGEARED, and Seen Studios 
Dallas Flea
Date: Saturday, Dec 3rd
Time: 9am-4pm
Location: South Side on Lamar, 1409 S. Lamar, Dallas
More Info: http://thedallasflea.com/index2.php#/home/

Etsy Dallas Members Participating: Dowdy Studio Wagon, Signifying Not


LD Bell High School Craft Fair 
Date: Saturday, Dec. 3rd
Time: 9am-5pm
Location: LD Bell H. S.,1601 Brown Trail , Hurst
More Info: 
http://tinyurl.com/7blb2m6
Cost: Bring Canned Goods 
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: maggie may i 


Keller Indianettes Christmas Craft Bazaar 

Date: Saturday, Dec. 3rd and Sunday, Dec 4th
Time: Saturday 9am-5pm, Sunday 11am-5pm
Location: Keller High School, 601 Pate Orr Rd., Keller
More Info: http://www.indianettes.com/
Etsy Dallas Member Participating: childsPLAYdesign 

West Elm & Etsy Handmade Holiday Workshop


One of my favorite things about the holidays is the opportunity to make things. From cookies and cakes to ornaments and scarves, there are so many holiday traditions that use our hands. If you're itching to get your holiday crafting started, come by this Thursday night, 6-9 p.m., December 1, and make ornaments with us, Etsy Dallas, at West Elm at Mockingbird Station in Dallas presented by Etsy and West Elm.

We'll have supplies, templates, and friends on hand to help you make amazing Christmas ornaments. You can make one to keep and one to put on the tree we'll be donating to The Family Place. There will also be a mini-market featuring local Etsy sellers in the store, including Redtile StudioFifi du VieParty PomsRivalry Time, and Red or Gray Art.

Click here for more information about Etsy and West Elm teaming up for the holidays with the support of local teams, like Etsy Dallas!

Posted by Anne, Modest Ambition

Holiday Sales!

Hey y'all! Hope everyone had a very wonderful Thanksgiving, full of family, friends and good food! We wanted to spread the word that a few Etsy Dallas members are running holiday sales in time for the infamous Cyber Monday shopping extravaganza... check 'em out!

Regal Cottage is offering free shipping today and tomorrow - use code 'REGALSHIP'

Butter Design Lab is offering 25% off your entire order through the end of November - use code 'THANKYOU2011'

Bee Things is offering free shipping through Christmas - use code 'HOLLYDAYS2012'

The Pig and The Peacock is offering free shipping starting midnight tonight through 11:59 pm tomorrow - use code 'CyberMonday'

Modest Ambition is giving 50% off Rosette Barrettes on Monday only, found here, and free shipping until Dec. 31 using code 'freeshippingJB11'

Happy shopping!

Etsy Dallas Photo Booth at the Jingle Bash!


Thanks to all who came out to the 4th Annual Jingle Bash and played in our toasty fireplace themed Etsy Dallas Photo Booth designed by Rosemary from Paper Beats Rock!! The photo booth helped raise $450, which we donated to DFW Rescue Me to aid in their efforts to find dogs new loving homes. You are all so beautiful! CLICK HERE to see your pics, photographed by the talented Nicole Durbin.


  
How to download your own pics: 
1) Find your photo in our Photo Booth Set - HERE

2) Click on the thumbnail to view the photo. If you're having a hard time finding your photo in the thumbnails, choose one at the beginning and you can manually scroll each photograph until you find your pretty face!

3) If you find a photograph you'd like to download, click the "all sizes" icon above the top left corner of the photograph. You can then choose the size of the photo you'd like to download and save to your computer. (see below screen shot if you're not finding the button).

4) Save 'em! Get 'em printed! Put em on your facebook! Use them as your desktop background! They're all yours!

Want to edit your photo but don't have the software?
Picnik is a great, free photo editing website online. You don't need a flickr account to download your photo - but we totally recommend the site for all of your photo sharing needs. Come join the fun!


Jingle Bash Recap



Do you hear that distant jingle? That’s the sound of the Jingle Bash wrapping up for another year. Etsy Dallas’ fourth annual Jingle Bash this last weekend was a huge success!


Thanks to everyone who came out to support handmade. This was our first year to offer VIP treatment for those with Bash Passes. We sold out of the 70 passes the week before the event and gave out 6 Bash Passes to lucky winners online. Bash Pass VIP'ers cut in line, in front of the hundreds of people waiting since 8 a.m. to get in to the show, and shopped their favorite artists before anyone else. We also hooked them up with a handprinted Bash Tote to carry their goodies and a free drink on us!


If looking at arts and crafts put you in a creative mood, there was plenty for you to try with block printing at the Make and Take Table with Oil and Cotton Creative Exchange, fabric ornaments and gift bags at the Etsy Inc. table, and photo alterations at Foto Fuze. Shoppers kept energized by the beats of DJ Juan Solo, kept hydrated with available beverages, and kept rested in shopper’s lounge areas. With over 60 booths spread over two rooms to take in, there was plenty of oooing and aweing, and so much more room for shopping without elbowing your way through crowds.


Besides offering the best shopping, art, and handmade experience, the Jingle Bash included the opportunity to give back and help the furry friends that mean so much to us. Outside of the Palladium, DFW Rescue Me had dogs available for adoption, while inside, the Etsy Dallas photo booth raised money to support the group. With the help of our awesome shoppers posing beautifully in the photo booth, we raised $450 and we able to send two happy pups to new homes.



It is so exciting to see all of the booths come together and watch the transformation from empty ballroom to fully decked out shop, art, craft, party! Mark your calendar, the Spring Bash will be at the Palladium (for the first time) on May 5, 2012.
 

Thanks again to our sponsors and thanks to you, for making this such an incredible event every year.


Photos by Morgan, Etsy Labs on Flickr
Story by Anne, Modest Ambition

The Bash Bag: Full Reveal

It’s the most wonderful time of the year (the Etsy Dallas Jingle Bash), and, for the first fifty people in line for the Bash, it’s even more wonderful.  Why?  Because the first 50 people in the door of the Bash walk away with an awesomely-designed- and terrifically-crammed-full-of-awesome-goodies-so-cool-your-eyes-will-water wonder called the Bash Bag.  Yes, Etsy Dallas Bash Bags™ are stuff of legend.  In 2009 shoppers arrived three hours early to stand in line.  And this year, two sweet ladies arrived at 8:30 with their lawn chairs. That’s right.  8:30am. 

Tefi revealing Dowdy Studio's Bash Bag design at the Deco Party
There are so many goodies in the bag this year, I couldn’t fit them all in one picture!  So take a peek below at the awesome generosity of our Bash Bag sponsors.  Even if you didn’t score a bag at the Bash (or, gasp!, weren’t able to make it to the Bash), you can maybe, just maybe, score some of the same awesome gifties. 

This year's bag is bursting at the seams!
Dowdy Studio—design and screen printing of Bash Bags

Karmacrochet—flower rings

Etsy—pins, DIY cards, bumper stickers, stickers

Nest Design—fabric gift tag

Sublime Stitchin—discount post card


Chet Phillips Illustration—illustrated cards and bookmarks

Green Couch Design—cork buttons

fuzzy hippo—recipe cards

Homework Designs—strawberry plush and DIY appliqués

The Ruffly Owl—mystery sack of fabulousness

For the Love of Joy—fabric square

Striped Feather Co—feathers

Blue Eye Brown Eye—discount card and gift card pouch

Craft Chi—rubber stamps

Sheepish Knitting & Crochet—Crochet bow pins

Made by Rori—holiday greeting card

Yellow Bug Boutique—THINK embroidered bookmarks

Ello Lovely—2012 year at a glance calendar

tefi—jewelry (rings, bracelets, yoyo pins)

Modest Ambition—reindeer scarf bookmark

Lauren Allen Photo—animal crackers + fun things

The Pig & the Peacock—scented soaps in a pillowbox

YLK Photography—photo magnets

Amula Designs—earrings and rings

PaperBeatsRock—gift enclosure cards

K8 made—glass magnets

Fleegal Farms Soap—gossamer bags of soap chips

HOUSEofLOVELY—lace hair clips

Taylor2U—bottle cap charm

Circle Prints—stationery set

childsPLAYdesign—gift card holder/ornament

Midnight Snack—plush ornaments

maggie may i—confetti game piece jewelry

Christie Cone Ceramics—ceramic Christmas ornament

Honeycomb Print Shop—stationery set

Humble Bee Project—hair bobbies and rings

Seen Studios—t-shirts and prints

Jenni20 Designs—instant gift wrap + tutorial

La Alicia--stickers







PS--Check out Morgan's pix from the Bash: there are some great shots of the Bash Bags in action. 

Flash giveaway on Twitter!

Early birdies, carpool moms, 9-5ers, and everyone in between: you're pretty special. You deserve some VIP perks in life, don't you think?

Perks of being an early bird: tweet about what you're looking forward to seeing/doing at #jinglebash4 before 9:30am to win 2 (sold out!) VIP passes!





Winner will be selected at random from all tweets with @etsydallas and #jinglebash4 by 9:30am central time today (11.17.11). Good luck!!


- Posted using BlogPress from my iPhone

Daily Discovery: Unique gift ideas!

One of the many awesome things about buying handmade is that you are buying something totally unique... which makes for an awesome gift! This Saturday at the Jingle Bash you can stock up on gifts for everyone on your list (plus a few for you!) Here are some highlights from a few of our bash artists:



Handmade Glycerin Soap Guns by The Pig and The Peacock - $4.50/set of 3


Tin Man Keychain by Maggie May I - $15


Knit Wrist Warmers by Sheepish Knit Crochet - $27


Crocheted Award Ribbon Badge by Modest Ambition - $6


Oilcloth Passport Cover by Jenni20 - $12


Oven Roasted Turkey Plush by Midnight Snack - $25


See you Saturday at the Jingle Bash!

VIP Bash Pass and Bash Bucks Extravaganza Winners Revealed

Thank you so much for your entries (remember, treasuries counted 5x each). The random number generator selected munchkin and JO as our winners.  Please take a look at these awesome treasuries.




Winners, please email jenni20designs {at} att {dot} net to claim your prize!

Congratulations to all who won our blog giveaways this year! Take a peek at our Twitter--more exciting things could be headed your way!



Sponsor Spotlight: Yelp


One of the greatest things about Dallas is the wealth of locally owned restaurants, stores and small businesses. The only bad thing about that? It's really hard to choose where to go! Yelp.com provides actual customer reviews to help you decide - and many of these reviews go into detail about what to order/not order at a restaurant, parking tips, and funny stories. You can also search local events (such as this one!), lists of top bars/salons/mechanics/you-name-it and where to find the best of anything in the city, whether you are in the mood for a margarita or craving some fried chicken.

Sign up for the Weekly Yelp to be updated about local business openings and other cool new stuff - and go explore all this city has to offer!