Iron Cupcake Madison!

Iron cupcake Madison is coming up SOON!

In case you are not hip to this lovely event, let me fill you in. Here are the basics: 8 bakers create 1 unique cupcake featuring 1 common ingredient or theme. YOU come out and pay six bucks (which is donated to a charity - proceeds from the last event were donated to Porchlight Foundation) and get to taste 8 delicious mini cupcakes and vote for your favorite. It's a seriously delightful experience. I highly recommend it.

Iron Cupcake is a newish event for Madison but the events have been popular in Milwaukee for awhile. The first Madison event took place in October 2010 in Madison at the Washington Hotel Coffee Room. I found out that there was immediately more of a buzz about the event than I expected. I showed up about 2 hours into the event and completely missed out on tasting. All of the cupcakes were gone! By the time the next event rolled around in December I planned ahead and came early so I could be sure to get in on the cupcake tasting/judging fun. The December theme was "filling" and the bakers did an amazing job coming up with some super yummy cupcakes.

The upcoming Iron Cupcake event will be held at the High Noon Saloon and will feature a citrus theme. I am excited to tell you that I have signed up to bake for this one! I am not sure what I will be whipping up just yet but I will be busy testing some recipes over the next few weeks. My sister-in-law and my friend Katie are also baking for this one so it will be triple the cupcake fun! I love love love citrus and can't wait to see what all of the bakers come up with.

The next event is on January 23rd, 1-3 p.m. (this is the correct time! it is no longer starting at 3pm!) at the High Noon Saloon, 701 East Washington in Madison. You can find more information about the event HERE or check out the main Iron Cupcake Madison facebook page. Hope to see you there!

And of course I will leave you with some fabulous cupcake goodies from some of my favorite etsy shops. Enjoy!

 Photo Postcard Mystery Pack by SharynShoots

 Pink Frosting Upcycled Cupcake Trivet by EKRA

Kawaii Cupcake Cocktail Ring by TheApple

It's the most wonderful time of the year.

Our last craft show of the season is THIS weekend, Saturday December 11th. Hope you can make it! The Craftacular is always such a fun show. Admission is free and the first 50 shoppers will get a goody bag stuffed with samples, coupons and more from vendors and sponsors!

We will have pocket mirrors, magnets, art prints, clothing for kids and adults and more! Plus tons of goodies from over 40 other awesome vendors. You can see the full list of vendors HERE.

Hope to see you on Saturday!

Thanks for supporting local and independent artists and crafters this holiday season! 

xo

Andrea

Make Your Own Stocking Stuffers! Saturday December 4!

If you're looking for a fun little gift that you can customize, this Saturday, December 4, is your chance! Stop by The Glitter Workshop, 6138 Mineral Point Rd. in Madison anytime between 12-3 to make your own pocket mirrors, magnets or pins while sipping cocoa and snacking on a holiday treat!

We will have pocket mirrors, small and large magnets and buttons available to create with prices ranging from just $1-7! Feel welcome to bring something special to customize your item - a photo (printed on copy paper weight paper,) a fun paper or gift wrap, old magazine or book pages, etc. OR use pre-cut images and papers we'll have available to create something unique on the spot. We'll have everything from vintage comics and classic books to sparkly papers with holiday themes for you to choose from! This is a project that would be suitable for younger kids, as well. You could have the kids customize a gift for a teacher or grandma and grandpa (maybe a magnet from their own drawing?) or make buttons for holiday party favors!

I had such a fun time at the Holiday Craft Lounge last weekend and wanted to offer one more opportunity before the holidays for locals to craft up something special. Hope to see you there!

If you have specific questions about this drop-in workshop, please feel free to comment here or contact me at space.odditiesmail@gmail.com. 

          

                                                     

Next up: Holiday Craft Lounge!

I am back from a lovely Chicago weekend spent with my fantastic sister-in-law! We had a great time at the DIY Trunk Show, visited the awesome Bleeding Heart Bakery, ate some yummy Thai food and other assorted goodies and had lots of time to chat and chill in the big city and the 'burbs. Such a nice weekend! Serious thank-yous are in order to my sister-in-law for helping me with the show and to the trunk show organizers and volunteers for thinking of every detail and making the show so smooth!

My next show is coming up on Saturday, November 27, right here in Madison! The Holiday Craft Lounge is the perfect spot to find or create the perfect handmade gift! I will have a craft table where you can make your own custom pocket mirrors and/or small (1") or large (3") magnets or buttons. Feel welcome to bring something special to customize your item - a photo (printed on copy paper weight paper,) a fun paper or gift wrap, old magazine or newspaper clipping, etc. Or use pre-cut images and papers we'll have available to create something unique at the event. This is a project that would be suitable for younger kids, as well. You could have the kids customize a gift for grandma and grandpa (maybe a magnet from their own drawing?) or make buttons for holiday party favors!

There will be lots of other crafting options - paper star ornaments, crochet scarves from t-shirts, and crayon pendants to name JUST a few! You'll also be able to shop handmade from lots of local crafters. Find more details on Anthology's website. Come out and make something with us!

Holiday Craft Lounge
Saturday, November 27, 10 AM - 3 PM
Downtown Madison Holiday Open House
Overture Center, 201 State St.


Admission is a can of food or a $1 donation for the Second Harvest Foodbank.

It's all happening! I feel like I don't even know which way is up lately but I am mostly good busy so I can't complain. This week I am in frantic pre-craft-show panic trying to get things made and ready to go before we leave for Chicago on Friday. 

These pendants are one of the projects I've been working on this week.  Now I just have to decide on a display so I can actually take these with me!  

I've also been working on new cards and magnet sets for this weekend and will be adding new items to my etsy shop often as well.  If you're in the Chicago area this weekend, stop by and visit us the DIY Trunk Show!

vinyl wallets: take one!

I wanted to try making some vinyl wallets using old comics and book covers. I prepped a few of them up to the point where I needed to stitch and because I am not very sewing machine savvy, I decided to hand stitch the first one. The sheer pain that came along with stitching through 2 layers of vinyl, cardstock and paper quickly made me realize that the sewing machine is really the way to go.

So yes, this is a very rough first wallet/card holder. It was made in a flurry of excitement and determination and although it's not perfect and sort of looks like my 4 year old made it, it makes me happy! I am having sewing machine issues but as soon as I figure it out, I plan to attempt to finish the rest of the wallets I started. Looking forward to sharing the next (hopefully much more awesome looking) wallet project with you!

Chad doesn't seem to mind that this thing is as rough as it is. He's already making good use of it. I had to steal it out of his pocket to sneak these photos!

Sometimes just making something new, regardless of how fantastic or ridiculous it turns out, is so rewarding and inspiring. 

What new projects are you working on? Is there something you've been wanting to try for a long time that you've been putting off? 

xo

andrea

Holiday Craft Shows!

Apparently the time for making time to make is RIGHT NOW, because holiday shows are coming up FAST! We are participating in several events in November and December and while I was (and still am) tempted to apply for a couple more shows, I just know that it would be too much. I am already trying to figure out how on earth I am going to be able to be ready for one show or get a batch of inventory ready for one shop. It will all come together, though. It always does, right?

So here are the shows you can find Space Oddities at for the rest of 2010! 

November 20 we will be heading to Chicago for the DIY Trunk Show! The event is at Pulaski Park Auditorium from 10AM to 5PM and will feature close to 100 artists and crafters from the Chicago area and beyond. We participated in this event in 2008 and absolutely loved it. We met so many fantastic people and had a great show. I'm really looking forward to this one and I'm sure it'll be a great first show of the season! 

On the same weekend, November 19 & 20, while we'll physically be in Chicago, we'll also have some items for sale at Lapacek's Orchard in Poynette where Kim from Kim's Crafty Apple will be hosting her annual Handcrafted Hoedown for the Holidays event. There will be items for sale from several local artisans as well as a mini quilt shop, freshly baked goodies from Lapacek's Orchard and fun tarot card readings from Sass Mama Arts on Friday November 19th. Another great chance to shop handmade for the holidays! 

The following weekend we will be back in Madison at the Holiday Craft Lounge hosted by Anthology. This super fun event will be held downtown Madison at the Overture center on Saturday, November 27 from 10AM - 4PM. You can stop in and find make & take craft activities, demonstrations and handmade items for sale from local crafters. We are planning to have a make & take button/magnet/mirror table (personalize a gift or make something special for yourself!) and will also be selling our wares. Actually, this one will be all me. Chad is sitting this show out and I am dragging a friend along. Total girly craft day!  

 And finally, on December 11 we will be at the Sixth Annual Holiday Craftacular! This show is very special to me because my first real show was a Valentine Craftacular in 2007. The energy of this local show is one of the things that got me so excited about crafting when I was first starting and that is still true today. This event will be held at the East Side Club, which is a new location from the past couple of holiday shows. 

We have been working with the fantastic Naomi of Glitter Workshop to design this year's Craftacular posters/postcards/etc. I hope you like the design! 

 

Okay, seriously: Time to focus, Andrea! I truly do not know where to begin. My lack of time combined with my distraction with all things crafty is making it difficult for me to build inventory. I plan to do some supply ordering this week so that I will have what I need to get as much ready as I can in the coming weeks. Wish me luck! 

And as always: Make time to make! I will, too. I really will.