Today my friends is a big day. We got two advance copies of our book in the mail from Princeton Architectural Press, one for me and one for Cortney. This is the first time that we have held or seen the book in physical form. When I saw the UPS truck pull up I almost puked, it's true.

We also got news as of today that the book is doing so well with pre-sales that there will be a second edition printed already! Thanks everyone. We are so looking forward to getting our book tour all scheduled and sharing this project with you!

Sneak Peek:


That's all you get for now. More news soon!

Silent Art Auction = Success!

Bidding
Originally uploaded by Handmade Nation!.

We are home from Los Angeles in one piece, 46 pieces of art lighter!

The event was a huge success and there will be more details to come soon. I just need a day or two to recoup!

Photos are up here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/indiecraftdocumentary/sets/72157606304733940/

Silent art auction this Saturday! Click HERE for detailed information!

"I think I’m so drawn to hand-made type (and hand-made anything) because it really points towards a spirit of individualism that seems to be fading fast as an important characteristic in our society."
-Andrew Wagner of American Craft (guest blogging on Design*Sponge this week)

Andrew Wagner is the Editor in Chief of the newly designed American Craft Magazine. I have had the pleasure of spending time with him on trips to New York and even got a chance to interview him for Handmade Nation last Fall (pictured left). He also wrote the introduction to our book- needless to say, I am a fan. Andrew is the guest blogger over at Design*Sponge this week. You should take some time to read his posts because he has a fantastic eye and is a true lover of beautiful, interesting, innovative work. I am especially fond of the entry about the handmade typography in recent American Craft issues. So amazing.


Included in his post is this page from the upcoming August/September 2008 issue, and I was pretty surprised to see my quote used on the main page (super small on the left bottom corner), how exciting!

Off to Los Angeles tomorrow morning. Flying with a crew of 5 (including me), I've never done that... too bad we will all be catching up on our sleep instead of hanging out in the air.

I've posted tons of screen shots on flickr of all the blog attention the art auction has been
getting. This event is going to be great, the only heartbreaking thing is I can't bid on any of the art and there is SO much amazing work.

This is via SuperNaturale

Holy awesome!

Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco, 2008

Renegade Craft Fair San Francisco, 2008
Originally uploaded by Handmade Nation!.

Renegade Craft Fair in San Francisco was a huge hit. The space was amazing, fantastic turn out and the band that played was super!

Tons more photos on our flickr account!

See you in Los Angeles next week!

x Faythe

Check out the great article in the LA Times about the documentary, book & art auction fundraiser this upcoming weekend!

OH! I almost forgot to mention that the Look Book for the Silent Art Auction Fundraiser happening next weekend in Los Angeles is up!

Check out all the amazing work that will be available to bid on if you are lucky enough to live in the Los Angeles area! Event details are HERE and remember the first 50 people to show up receive an amazing gift bag (see below)

This weekend is San Francisco time!

Thursday:
Swing by Rare Device from 7-10pm for the opening of Julia Rothman and Caitlin Keegan












Saturday & Sunday I will be at this:


Find me & say hi!

x faythe

Things to do & apply for

Applications for the 3rd annual Strange Folk Festival are being accepted at strangefolkfestival.com now thru July 6th! Our 2008 show will be September 27th and 28th, Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. and Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

This event is juried, and we will be choosing 120 vendors. There is no fee to apply. The vendor fee will be $65, and they have the option of renting a table or bringing their own tent. Last year, we hosted 100 indie artists and crafters from across the country in a one day event that attracted over 5,000 attendees from the St. Louis area

YarnCon is Chicago's own yarn-centric exhibition -- a place to promote, sell, and celebrate the yarny arts.

We are two Chicago knitters and otherwise crafty gals who love supporting local artists and businesses. In the last couple of years, we found ourselves seeking out local producers of yarn and other supplies to feed our growing habit and simultaneously satisfy our desire to promote the local economy.

In the course of our day-trips to fabled spinning supply shops and meeting friends of friends with alpacas, we had an idea: to bring these producers, crafty folk, and other fiber fiends together under one roof in the heart of the city. And so YarnCon was conceived.

Inspired in part by fantastic local shows like the DIY Trunk Show, Renegade Craft Fair, and DEPART-ment, YarnCon aims to be the premier market for independent producers of yarn, knitted/crocheted objects, fiber for spinning, tools, gadgets, books, patterns, instructions, and gifts related to spinning, knitting, crochet, and weaving.

Whether you're buying, selling, or just want to come hang out and knit, crochet, or spin in a great Chicago park fieldhouse for the day, YarnCon has your number. Come by and check out the goings-on on October 4, 2008, or contact us at info@yarnygoodness.com for more info.

Faythe Levine and news of upcoming Handmade Nation book and documentary are featured in the cover story on Handmade Design!

Also featured is author/designer of Handjob, Mike Perry who is also published by our publisher Princeton Architectural Press
www.midwestisbest.com/work.php

Buying In: The Secret Dialogue Between What We Buy and Who We Are, by Rob Walker.

I read the end first, it is on the DIY Craft movement and features Jenny Hart, Tina Sparkles, Etsy.com, Betsy Greer and me (Faythe Levine) to name a few.

When I met NY Times writer Rob Walker at the first Craft Congress in Pittsburgh in 2007 I was pleasantly surprised at his demeanor and genuine interest in the DIY Craft movement and think it is fantastic that he included it in his amazing book.

After reading the end first, I then started reading from the front, and I will just say, get this book- BUY IN!

www.amazon.com/Buying-Secret-Dialogue-Between-What/dp/140...

Earlier this month, Jan the lovely lady behind the fantastic blog Poppytalk, did an extensive interview with me HERE. It's one of my fav's I've ever done. Thanks Jan!

Also, Handmade Nation was mentioned in one of my favorite magazines Modern Painters, for the screening we did in Brooklyn a few weeks back. I'm pretty hyped about it!

6 days in the big apple is too much for this lady! Man, I don't know how you New Yorker's do it. So many people, places, sounds and hot summer smells.... ew.

The screening last Tuesday at Light Industry went fantastic, the heat in the gallery was stifling but a solid 60+ people stuck around for the 20 minute work in progress cut of Handmade Nation.

I have more news to share but have to go off to work tending bar.... SO, for those of you who haven't checked out our pictures from our trip they are all up on flickr right HERE.

More soon!

Just arrived in the sweltering heat wave of NYC to find an email in my inbox from Sabrina Gschwandtner who is the curator of the "No Idle Hands" screening tonight at Light Industry. She passed along this little write-up in the New York Times about it that ran today.

Back from Atlanta. But only home for less than 12 hours until I'm off to NY for our screening of the 20 minute short at Light Industry tomorrow! Don't miss out if you are in the area!

Ooooooh DANG it was a hot one for the Indie Craft Experience! A whopping 95 degrees outside but people came in hords to shop from the fantastic selection of vendors at this years event.






Our table!


Look how cute Jenny Hart is in her new Stitchmouth mini crown!

The event was a blast and so was the pre-party at the new location of the Young Blood Gallery & Boutique where we did a screening of the 8 minute clip.






I stayed at the Highland Inn, which was great- if you ever stay there on a weekend make sure to request a room that doesn't face the courtyard because it's super loud at night. My room faced the parking lot, but I got a heads up from Kurt.

Check out the rest of the pictures are HERE.

June Raffle ticket available online and at Renegade Brooklyn!

The June Raffle package is worth over $175 and includes:

• Sew Bettie button ring kit
• Honeydoux bon voyage locket necklace
• 4 Sublime Stitching patterns
• Happy Owl Glass Rooster Badge exclusive to Handmade Naiton
• Matt Cipov Lioin print
• Zeichen Press CD letter press mixpack
• dang argyle mini butterfly pouch
• The Pillow Book by Shannon Okey published and donated by Chronicle Books

The May Raffle winner is:
ARRRT!

Thanks for all the support, we are taking June off while we travel and will be back in July with a mega package!

Winner selected at random by the Random Number Picker

I want one!

HOLY awesome gift bags for our silent art auction raffle! This is what you will find in the bags we are giving away to the first 50 people who come to the silent art auction in Los Angeles!


Gift bags include work from: Apenest, Art School Dropout, Bubble Roome Soap, Cara Taylor Designs, Cursive Design, Dog & Pony Show Designs, EKRA Recycling Artist, Ex Libris Anonymous, Foxy & Winston, Handmade Nation, Happy Owl Glass, Matty 8080, Pearl & Marmalade, Poketo, Princeton Architectural Press, Supermaggie, The Great Lakes Goods and Zeichen Press.

Read more about the Silent Art Auction happening in Los Angeles on Saturday July 19th HERE.

Hot off the press!!!

These posters are hand numbered and printed in an edition of 100.
Lemon drop paper with chocolate shimmery ink, 19" x 19"

$12 each

The Craftifesto was written by Cinnamon Cooper and Amy Carlton who started the Chicago DIY Trunk show.

Illustrated by Kate Bingaman-Burt for Handmade Nation the book.

* Currently only available in person at craft fairs, but I will put them online shortly.

I will be in Atlanta, Brooklyn and SF in the next month.

A special thanks to Melissa of the little friends of printmaking who made this possible.