Editor’s Note: Crafting is bigger than ever, it seems, and the bug has certainly hit Phoenix. And yet we’ve been to far too many craft fairs and other events that, well, sucked. Poor attendance, crappy crafts — we’ve stopped believing the hype. Which is why, frankly, we skipped this thing…
Thread, a one-day-only, indie-centric retail fashion show and sale, is posting up in Phoenix for the first time. Founded by London-born Lara Matthews in Los Angeles in 2003, Thread showcases wares by emerging DIYers from spots such as San Diego, Seattle, Miami, and the United Kingdom. The Phoenix show plans…
Yes, it’s that shopping-crazed time of year, and to be honest, we’re a little nuts about shopping, and especially writing about shopping. Our latest fix: Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art and Scottsdale Center for the Performing Arts are hosting a two-day Holiday Jewelry Trunk Show on Friday and Saturday, with…
With the holiday season upon us, it’s time for giving and receiving gifts. Not all of us are made of money or crafting skills, but with a little of both, it’s possible to make gifts for everyone on your list. Take it from Colin Lecher, who has been taking a…
Ashley Nicole Grobmeier is a walking fashion tip; when she enters a room, it’s hard not to stop, stare and begin taking some serious mental notes. At 25, Ashley Nicole has made a name for herself around the valley as a hairstylist extraordinaire and fearless trendsetter. We assume Ashley’s impeccable…
It’s OK to admit — everyone loves a dose of flowchart every now and then … and today we’re starting a little variation of our own. We’ll start easy (come on, you should know what vajazzling is by now), but be prepared to find out where you really belong in…
Some people are crafty, some aren’t (i.e. me). It’s the way of the world. But taking a cue from Mantastic Crafter Patrick Murillo, I’m training in the art, and hoping to work my way up to something truly mantastic, all while trying to avoid what Murillo calls a “craftastrophe.” I…
Somewhere around twenty four hours after National Novel Writing Month officially ended for the year 2010, my writing partner sent me an instant message. It started with bad news. He’d been let go from his job. There was, he explained, a silver lining to his plight. He is listed as…
Art walks are more often about people watching and shenanigans and less about the actual art. We’re here to guide you through both. Presenting our very own Field Guide — an evolving guide to art walks around town. From time to time, we’ll introduce some of our favorite spots and…
Like we needed another reason to love SeeSaw Designs. The team’s 2011 Letterpress Calendar received Martha Stewart’s (double embossed, beautifully designed) stamp of approval in her 2010 Holiday Gift Guide. We learned how the three SeeSaw girls letterpress and how they find their vintage treasures … and now we know…
We’ve been geeking out about the Crafeteria for a few weeks — blame the 40-something vendors selling handmade goods, promises of Urban Cookies and Pumpkin Soup, or the simple excuse to hang out at Frances, Smeeks, Stinkweeds, Halo and Red Hot Robot all night.And then we saw a few previews…
If you’ve ever met Elisa O’Hagan, you’ll believe her to be an adorably innocent little thing. She loves animals, eats vegan, and is happily married to Mr. John O’Hagan, owner of Golden Rule Tattoo.But this gentle lamb also sports some pretty dang tough tattoos and has a hilarious blog where…
Traci Nelson co-owns Butter Toast, a vintage gem in downtown Phoenix. And when she’s not busy thrifting, crocheting and exploring old-timey yachts, she’s sharing her latest finds and photos on her blog, Toast. Her Butter Toast partner-in-crime Jasmine Jarrett also contributes; together, the two know a bit about what makes…
Call us wusses, but there was a “freeze warning” last night and everything seems just a little chillier than normal. So just in time, the brain trust behind Snuggie has announced a product that can go beyond the front door. Snuggie Outdoor (online for $29.99) has a “nylon exterior shell…
The a.ware girls claim that the suitcases pictured (aren’t they cool?) are filled with crafts by local artists for a big move to a Central Avenue store.We’re excited to hear that. And we dig the photo they chose for their flier … so much that we snagged it for this…
Some people are crafty, some aren’t (i.e. me). It’s the way of the world. But taking a cue from Mantastic Crafter Patrick Murillo, I’m training in the art, and hoping to work my way up to something truly mantastic, all while trying to avoid what Murillo calls a “craftastrophe.” Meeting…
Thanksgiving (and Christmas, on some accounts) arrived early this year at Hurricane Bay. The Phoenix nightclub hosted its second Thanksgiving Eve Gravy Bikini Wrestling Party last week. We stopped by to check out the action, and have a few notes to share. The Good’s above, the Bad and the Ugly…
Roosevelt Row’s at it again — this time with an artist-run boutique, Grow-Op Collective. If we had to describe Grow-Op Collective in one word, we’d break the rules and use three — collaborative, growing, and original. Collaborative because the boutique’s inventory is primarily work by local artists such as…
The day after Thanksgiving usually means waking up at 1 a.m., running to the nearest big-box store and schlepping your discounted finds back home (bruises included) before sitting down to a recycled turkey sandwich. Lucky for you, we have some alternatives. We’re big fans of local business, so if you’re…
No really, we’re happy you’re here. We’re actually eating turkey, tofurkey, or whatever the hell they’re calling it … and we’re using a ton of the Thanksgiving tips our foodie sister blog, Chow Bella’s been dishing out for the past week. We thought we’d dish out a surprise of our…
Dayvid LemMon started calling his house the Downtown Phoenix Museum of Gentrification a few months ago (he even registered it on Google Maps and Foursquare), and has been receiving curious visitors and phone calls ever since. “I get random ASU students coming to check the place out for their latest…
Tomorrow’s Thanksgiving. Which means the dreaded Black Friday is upon us. While we do believe there’s nothing like a healthy round of bargain binge shopping to help chase away post-Thanksgiving woes, the idea of going to a mall on Black Friday makes us want scratch our own eyeballs out.Lucky for…
