My New Favorite Thing

This past weekend I had a booth at the Ballard Seafood Fest.  I had the good luck to be placed next to an artist named Augusta, who makes woven pewter thread and reindeer leather bracelets in the Indigenous Scandinavian Sami tradition.  Her company is called Nomadic Artistry and she has some lovely photos of the many varieties of bracelets that she creates.  I had to have one. You can see why.

Augusta is originally from Petersburg, Alaska.  This town on Mitkoff Island in the Southeastern part of the state is known by most as "Little Norway".  It's full of fishing folks and beautiful scenery, judging from the photos I saw. Someday I'd like to visit.

To make the bracelets, Augusta weaves or braids fine pewter threads and attaches them to strips of tanned reindeer leather.  She uses reindeer antler or pewter buttons as a clasp.  The leather softens and molds to your wrist over time and is extremely comfortable to wear.  

Judging from the condition of the one Augusta has worn on her own wrist for many years, they are extremely durable as well as looking delicately refined. I would have taken a picture of one on my own wrist to show you the scale, but then you'd all see my blue veins, scars and freckles...and no one really needs that, right?  Just take my word for it.  My Sami bracelet holds its own against the David Yurman torque that I've worn for the past 20 years.  Now it has a friend on my wrist to keep it company.  :-)

Salmon Days

Autumn is truly in the air! This weekend is the annual Issaquah Salmon Days festival which celebrates "the annual return of salmon to our lakes, streams and historic downtown hatchery."

Did you know that there are seven indigenous salmon and trout from the genus Oncorhynchus in Washington and Oregon? They are chinook, coho, chum, sockeye, and pink salmon, and steelhead and cutthroat trout. Salmon are vital in the transport of energy and nutrients between the ocean, estuaries, and freshwater environments. As a seasonal resource, salmon indirectly affect the entire food web. They are super important and so have an entire festival dedicated to their return!!

The celebration includes all sorts of salmon education opportunities as well as a golf tournament, fun run, parade, orienteering event, international food booths, children's "field of fun" and a HUGE craft fair. Festival volunteers are called "Ohfishals" and the entire event is free thanks to "Spawnsors". Tee hee. I will be particiapting this year as a vendor at booth #65. So plunge into the event and soak in the sights and sounds of the season!

photo credit: Issaquah Chamber of Commerce

Custom Display Racks

A couple years ago I built myself some display racks for craft fairs and such. I did a pretty good job, if I do say so myself. However, I am not trained in fine woodworking and joinery, plus I don't really have the proper tools to produce the highest quality racks. So they fell apart from overuse and transport. Well, one of them did. The other one still works OK, but I needed more than one.

Constructing the display racks fell into the same category as sewing the couch slipcover that I made a number of years ago: loved doing it, was totally proud of myself and my craftswomanship, but would sooner be eaten by a mountain beaver than do the project again. Once is enough.

Consequently, I was thrilled last December to meet a gentleman with all the skills, tools and patience that I lack. His name is Jerry and he made me some BEAUTIFUL new displays, so I wanted to share. Maybe you need some display racks too?

Jerry had a look at the displays that I had already made (he thought they were pretty good, considering) and we discussed my overall needs: they needed to be portable, durable, collapsible and sturdy enough to not blow over with a big gust of wind. This is what Jerry came up with...

This is what they look like totally collapsed, with a decorative carrying "handle" at the top. The two side wings have wooden pegs that fit into holes on the underside of the shelves and then are secured with latches, which locks the whole thing in place for easy transport.

Once the sides are unlatched and opened, the bottom shelf flips down (on hinges) and locks into place with two little tab/groove thingies. This prevents the sides from flaring out too far.



Then the other three shelves can be easily flipped down into place to rest on the wooden pegs, making a stable, awesomely brilliant display stand. Can you tell that I like them?




Jerry paid lots of attention to details. The joinery is excellent and they are nicely finished in black. They are easy to open and close and fit flat in my garage and car for storage and transport. This is his contact info, in case you live in the Seattle area and are in need of some custom displays yourself.



And here they are being put to use. They've made my set-up and take down at shows SO much easier and pleasant. Thanks Jerry!

Redmond Town Center

Come on over today to Redmond Town Center and enjoy the Saturday Market as well as the Sidewalk Sale and Craft Fair. I have a booth today from 10am-7pm and again tomorrow from noon-4pm. I'm in the mall area at booth #19...between The Body Shop and Bath and Body Works. Seriously. I don't know who thought that was a good idea. I could see that the employees of both chains were quaking in fear as I approached with all of my natural, biodegradable products. Smiles.

Phinney Winter Festival

I will have a booth (with the help of my Mom...thanks Mom!) this weekend at the 29th annual Phinney Winter Festival at the Phinney Neighborhood Center in Seattle. The event runs from 10-5 on Saturday & Sunday (12/5 & 12/6). We will be located in the lower building in the Dragon room. I will also have a selection of awesome razors available from RetroRazor, a great company here in Seattle. Come on down and check it out!

North Beach Arts & Crafts Fair

Next Saturday, October 10th is the 30th annual North Beach Arts & Crafts Fair here in Ballard. It's a great event. This year, in addition to the craft booths, there will be a raffle, hot kettle corn, a bake sale, a kids' carnival with a bouncy house, and great food vendors: Gabriel's Fire BBQ, Dante's Dogs & Skillet Street Food.

I will have a booth selling soap in the lunchroom, near the stage and our 4-H club will be right next to me selling dog biscuits, book marks, greeting cards and...wait for it...soap! All items were made by the young entrepreneurs themselves. The club is raising money to donate to charity (last year we donated half of our profits to the Seattle Animal Shelter) and to support club activities like our summer camping trip. Come out and join the festivities!