Last Chance Holiday Craft Show is Today!

Come on by today for our juried show featuring 30 of our area's best indie crafters peddling their wares for your holiday shopping needs. Free parking, free admission, and free craft activities for the kids.  Live music by QueenEarth from 2-4.  Santa stops by at 1:00 p.m.  Our excellent food vendor specializes in locally sourced food and offerings will include pulled pork sandwhiches, vegan Asian coleslaw, chicken corn chowder, desserts (some gluten free), and locally roasted Zeke's Coffee.  The food alone is worth stopping by!


December 8, 2012
11:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Faith Community Church
5315 Harford Rd
Baltimore, MD 21214

Hope to see you there!

Posted by Baltimore Soaps and More www.baltimoresoaps.etsy.com

Get Your Five Dollar Photo at the Craft Show

Melika Carr Photography

Stop by the "$5 photo booth" tomorrow, Dec. 8th, at the Last Chance Holiday Craft Show to get a professional and fun holiday portrait of you and a friend! Take your photo Saturday, and look for it online on Sunday @melikacarr.zenfolio.com/photobooth. From there you'll be able to download a "web ready" version to share with friends and Facebook, or order prints. 

Posted by Melika Carr Photography www.melikacarr.etsy.com

Turtle Jewelry: What I've Been Working On

Having a great time in the studio making new bracelets, rings, necklaces and pendants.  My favorite work is bezeling unusual stones for pendants such as this boulder opal (Australia) on reticulated silver with wire embellishment.

Turtle Jewelry Designs

I've also been busy making these popular and affordable necklaces using silver and gold bead wire.  Many colors of semi-precious stones are available including the Ametrine I've used here

Turtle Jewelry Designs

and the cherry & rose quartz used here 

Turtle Jewelry Designs

 Each of the necklaces have earrings coordinating earrings but none of which are overly match-matchy.  

Posted by Turtle Jewelry www.turtlejewelrybyleslie.com

Earrings: What is the Best Look for You?

When you are faced with the selection of earrings at a craft show or jewelry counter how do you know where to begin? Start with thinking about your face shape. If you don’t know your face shape, stand in front of a mirror and trace the outline of your face on the mirror with a sliver from a bar soap. Once you finish the tracing, step away and look at the shape that is on the mirror. That is your face shape. Oh yeah, now you have to clean the mirror too!If your face is round, that means it is as wide as it is long and so you want earrings that add some angles and length to your face. A long narrow earring with something at the bottom to draw the eye downward is a great choice. Oblong, rectangular or square earrings are also good options. Avoid earrings that are circular in nature. Leave the button and tiny studs for your friends with a square or angular face.

If your face is oval (probably the most common face shape) that means it has width at the cheek bones and tapers smoothly in either direction, with a chin slightly slimmer than the forehead. This shape can handle most styles of earrings, but don’t select incredibly long shapes as that will drag your face down. Try classic studs, button earrings, or go wild with more elaborate, dazzling looks with lots of movement. 

If your face is heart shaped, that means it you have a wide forehead, stunning cheekbones and a tiny, cherubic chin.  You require earrings that mimic your face's shape, but upside down.  Look for earrings that have a tapered point ant the top, this shape can be found in chandelier and teardrop earrings, as well as triangular earrings.  The tapered point at the top can give the illusion to broaden the chin and narrow the forehead.  Circular and oval earrings will work with your face shape as well as long as they don't taper as they descend.  Avoid earrings that mirror your face shape such as those that come to a point at the bottom.

If your face is  square or angular, that means you have a  strong, square jaw line and an angular forehead that are close to the same width. You need earrings that will soften your features. Look for a pair that will soften your features.  Start with hoops and curved edges that will add the necessary roundness. Drop earrings, tear drops or multi-tiered dangling earrings will give a square shape some length. If your face is rectangular then it is best to avoid much length and instead try wider, circular shapes or thicker earrings that give your long face some width. Avoid square, rectangular or harshly angled earrings that echo your face shape. As long as you avoid harsh angles and square shapes, you can wear just about anything in the earring category.

Posted by J. Beads www.jbeads.net

Jewelry Making as Craftivism

During this holiday season, I find myself reflecting on the new word in my lexicon - "craftivism" and on what I have always called "meaningfulness." I'd like to share my thoughts with you.

Several years ago, I found myself out of a job after many years of working with young children, families and teachers in what I considered to be a very meaningful way. Work had always dominated my life and unemployment was very difficult. Being unable to readily find a new job hit me even harder. After a while, however, I realized that I was being given a gift—the gift of time. So I dug out all the tools and materials that I had collected over years but never used and began to make jewelry.  Immediately I felt a shift in my being. Some long dormant part of me was being awakened. I was a woman possessed, making one embellishment after another.

Jussie's Jewelry

At first, making jewelry was a guilty pleasure. Throughout my career I had always felt that my work was a meaningful contribution to society. Making jewelry was just for fun. Whenever I was asked what I was doing, I answered, almost apologetically, that I was “just” making jewelry. 

Eventually a friend of mine expressed, “What are you talking about? Jewelry brings great joy to people. People love jewelry.” That simple statement reframed my thinking completely.

I’m now back to work full time again, this time in a job where I'm teaching teachers. I derive great satisfaction from what I do but now I make jewelry on the side too and I feel more in balance than I ever did before. So to all you craftivists out there I say, “Thank you.” Thank you for your efforts to improve the world and thank you for all the joy you bring to us through your crafts and your creativity. 

Posted by Jussie's Jewelry

QueenEarth to Perform at Last Chance!

Singer/Songwriter QueenEarth

Baltimore based musician QueenEarth will be performing from 2:00 - 4:00 p.m. at the Charm City Craftivists Last Chance Holiday Craft Show on Dec. 8th, 2012. From her bio on her webpage www.queenearth.com, "QueenEarth has performed throughout the Mid Atlantic, including Philadelphia, PA, Washington, DC, and Brooklyn, New York. She has multiple influences across diverse genres from India. Arie, Dave Matthews, Aretha Franklin and Sublime to Talib Kweli, Run DMC and Rascal Flatts. QueenEarth recently released a solo EP, Introducing . . . QueenEarth. This album is a preview of the upcoming full length debut, Adult Contemporary. QueenEarth creates an acoustically soulful sound, rich with hip hop influences. In March 2012, she released a second musical compilation, QueenEarth & Friends: Live and Acoustic."  We are very excited to have her join us for our show!

Announcing the Last Chance Holiday Craft Show Vendors!

We have a great lineup of vendors for this year's Charm City Craftivists Last Chance Holiday Craft Show! Need some custom printed holiday cards? How about a lumberjack pillow or a hand painted pet tag?  How about a "five minute photo" of yourself or your kids which you can later order online to send out with your holiday cards? We've got all that covered and much more!  Here are our participating vendors for 2012:

Art of Crafts
April Alayne
Kellie Creations
Tilted Tops
El Tejano Studios (pottery)
Baltimore Soaps and More
Rosso Stamp Co.
N.Fallon Design Studio
Wear Your Voice
Silver's Reign
Doxallo Studio
Misty Morning Prints
Jussie's Jewelry and Crafts
Kate's Cauldron
Wood Art for Living
Desired Crochet
Charms City Company
J.Beads
Turtle Jewelry Designs
Greenwood Creations
Squishaus
Austin Wayne Designs
K Wear Designs
Renewed Intent
Stitchery Designz (tote bags)
Designs by Dale
NotJustPartz
Melika Carr Photography
Pet Tag Creations
Creative Crochet (DAnna Designs)
Nature Place