Fells Point Festival 2014

I will once again be at Fells Point's Privateer Festival the 19th and 20th of April 2014!

In addition to the usual living history encampment, children's crafts and beer garden, the battle of 1812 still rages and select sailings on the Pride of Baltimore II will participate in the ship-to-shore battles.

For ticket information and sailing times check out the Historic Ships of Baltimore website.

Pindows are coming!

I am home from a week's holiday that included a Sashiko stitching class, a few days at the beach, and some excellent seafood.  I am back home to my woefully untidy basement and looking forward to the next adventure. 

There are still spaces available for the Pindows Quilt class - two days, Saturday 10 & 17 August, 2014.  This class will be at the B'more Threadquarters and class fee includes complete kit (including pattern, fabric for top, batting and backing).

AMTA Mid-Atlantic Conference this weekend!

Privateer Festival was a blast!  Literally, since we're still celebrating the war of 1812 'round these parts each evening featured a ship-to-shore cannon battle.  Sadly, I have no pics of such, but here's a pic of Cap'n Flint and Hoppin' Tom to make you smile:

This weekend I'll be at the annual AMTA Mid-Atlantic Conference in Ocean City, which may be a thinly veiled excuse to go to the beach.  Anyway, I will have a variety of suitable items for massage therapists, including wall hangings, throws and table scarves, for those who are only a little chilly in just a sheet and knickers:

Pirates are coming!

Fell's Point Privateer Festival is this weekend!  Music, Grog Garden and the War of 1812 all happen 4/19 20 - 4/21.  Check out the schedule linked above for concert and cannon times.



Just a quick update - Friday 4/19 events are cancelled due to the rain!

Events update 2013

Hello, again!  I have a fairly exciting Spring Season Scheduled, including:

The 9th Annual Fell's Point Privateer Festival: 

 

The Privateer Day Festival is a fabulous event - and is not just rum and pirates!  The event takes over Admiral Fell's point and events include:  a War of 1812 discovery area at the Broadway Pier, Family Friendly urban pirate treasure hunt and free children's craft areas at Ann Pier, and (my personal favourite) a Golden Age of Piracy - roughly 1700-30 living history encampment at Thames Street.  (Please note both the encampment and all areas of the Privateer Festival are weapons-free events and no smoking is permitted at the encampment or in the vendor booths - even replica weapons and pipes are not allowed!)

I will, of course, be vending my altered Pirate Flag quilts at Privateer Day.  Calico Jack will be there and I'll be debuting new quilts featuring the standards of Ed Lowe and Captain Jack Sparrow, the most famous pirate who never lived.  A limited number of quilts will be available at the show, orders will be taken for quilts to be shipped beginning May 8th.

In June I am fortunate to be invited back to Art Park, the inaugural weekend of LakeFest in Columbia, MD, June 14-16!

I love LakeFest and, for me, it is the unofficial herald of summer.  All the usual suspects will be there: quilts, bunting and a selection of needlework folios in my Well-Versed Purse collection.

See you there!

5th Annual Hyattsville Arts Festival

It's that time again - the 5th Annual Downtown Hyattsville Arts Festival!  I simply cannot say enough great things about this event - great artists, great musicians and performers, great location . . . It makes for an absolutely brilliant day for artists and attendees alike.  Click the image above for more information about the event, including directions and a list of performing and visual artists and participating designers.

Strawberry Season is upon us!

I've not posted the farm report this year - we stopped weighing strawberries at 70 pounds, so it woud not be at all accurate if I started again now.  This was about thirty pounds worth spread out on a 4.5' table:

Weather for the spring shows so far has been fabulous - and it looks like an awesome Father's Day Weekend for the Columbia Arts Festival Lakefest, as well.  If you've never been to Lakefest, it's great fun - and if you can time it to be there for a performance of the MarchFourth Band you won't regret it - I can't imagine anyone being disappointed with them!

Oh, yes, and I will have plenty of Calico Jack pirate quilts available!

Hyattsville Arts Festival

It's that time again! The 4th Annual Hyattsville Arts Festival is coming Saturday, September 24. Great live music and dance exhibitions and some pretty fabulous artists (if I may say so myself!)

Craftiest Bastard 2011

Crafty Bastards is coming October 1st to Adams Morgan, and it's time for me to do that annoying thing where I ask you to vote for a friend of mine who's work is showcased at the event.

So if you would be so kind to vote for a woman who's both an incredible teacher and quilter and friend, I would appreciate it (although given the onslaught of crafty skill, I understand if you get distracted). Thanks!

Patriotic Pinwheels

I really have been doing more than making piles of boxed lunches and dinners these last few weeks. One of my bigger projects has been this: . . measuring in at 54" square, quilted with a stipple effect, this is just the right size for your Fourth of July beach picnic or Memorial day break. With a white backing, I wouldn't recommend it for the park!

. . and because I'm a dork and really do make all my quilts with love, there is a tiny heart somewhere in the quilting:

This piece will be with me this weekend at the Greenbelt Green Man Festival.

Greenbelt Green Man Festival - This Weekend!

Greenbelt Greenman Festival - about forty-five minutes southwest of Baltimore in Greenbelt Maryland, this is a celebration of the earthy, the natural and the fun (with free music!):

I heart Art: Baltimore - and you do, too!

The ACC is in Baltimore this weekend, and tonight is your chance to check out the show for a discounted price ($6 after 6pm) and meet members of the Baltimore Etsy Street Team, Etsy corporate (the people behind the site) and MICA. Tonight's events include a bookbinding workshop and polymer clay with BEST's own Yummy and Company.

Columbia Art Park this weekend - June 12-13

There's going to be wine, cheese and gourmet treats in addition to a curated arts festival where I shall be this weekend. Which makes it highly likely that my husband will spend all of my profits by 3pm on Saturday.

Of course, it's not just me:

Leslie will be there, with her collection of recycled Wino creations - for those unaware, these are accessories crafted from recycled wine bottles. There are few things I enjoy as much as drinking for Leslie's art!

And Allison, glorious Allison from TigerLilly - whose pressed relief jewellery is created from whatever bits of nature she can gather up in her little hands and drag into the studio.

Okay, so it's possible I might buy a few things, too. (*wink*)

Mother's Day in Baltimore

This is a particularly busy weekend, down Baltimore way, so let's just get started shall we?

First up, the Maryland film festival - started yesterday, ongoing through Sunday. Oooodles of free screenings:

Then there's the 10th squidfire artmart - all sorts of fabulous people will be there, including the incredible Bette of Bette's Bags and the indomitable Katie Jean of See Katie Sew:

And, last but not least, the Greenbelt Greenman Festival - about forty-five minutes southwest of town in Greenbelt Maryland, this is a celebration of the earthy, the natural and the fun (with free music!):

As usual, click the links for more info, including event times and directions.

Friday, May 1st

It's time to get out of the house! Well, for me anyway, I'm starting the spring show season late this year, but better late than never!

My first show is going to be the From Scratch Market in Allentown, PA, Saturday May 1st from 10am to 4pm. Bonus - there will be incredible baked goods on site to go with my coffee!

In addition to some fabulous Pennsylvania artists, I will be in the company of the ever-inspiring TigerLilly (aka Allison, as seen on CNN):


and Lana Bella (aka Jenni), bringer of the luxurious tomato soap.*

*You do know if there's actually any left after the show, it won't actually be there by the time we get back to Bawlmer!
Oh yes, and me!

New Quilts

I put two new quilts up in the Etsy shop over the weekend and somehow missed putting them up here. My apologies!

They are:

A bright white reversible, featuring random strips of delicate florals. This looks much better in person than I was able to achieve with the digital image:




The first to be posted of my new 'Welcome Home, Little One' collection. I have a few more of this style ready to go and am working on a rowhouse design to come as well.

It never fails that when I hang a quilt on the line, the wind picks up. And, since it is March, I may well be photographing indoors for the next several weeks!

The Welcome Home collection will be at Hyattsville this year.

Roller Derby - Go Mutiny!

I went to see the local Chesapeake Roller Derby team this evening. I didn't stay for the whole game (my companion was more than a little antsy and bad-tempered), but it has a lot going to recommend it - and not just because it's Roller Derby (although it is):

- They have purple 'jerseys'

- They have skullies on random garments, advertising and memorabilia

- They have women in tights

- They have men in kilts

- They have fun names like Dramanatrix and A-killa the Hon

I forgot my camera, a faux pas for which Iggy is not speaking to me. Apparently he really, really wanted to get his picture taken at the after party with the members of the team.

There was also a carnival aisle of vendors that ran the gamut from RawRevolution's vegan snacks to the NRA sports hunting club. I'm serious.

There were also a couple of artists there who had a lot going for them, but hands down, my favourite was Man Eating Flower. If I were not unemployed, I would have bought one right there, but I don't have a job at the moment, so I didn't. I will, however, be employed by huggy-bear's birthday and my filthy sailor will be getting this to hold my rum:

Actually, I'm quite taken with the lino-cut squid, but was unable to snipe a picture of that one. Stupid forgetting my camera and being hostage to the whims of the internet.

The best parts: the flasks are stainless, the images are individually printed from handcut stamps and the leathers are recycled from old clothing.

One of the other vendors was the local chapter of the Wilson Parrot Foundation. Long time visitors to my world know that I adore tropical birds, particularly macaws, and was ecstatic to see more than a dozen birds there - including three Petes! (for those new to my world, Pete is the blue and gold macaw I use for my avatar)

I made my donation and kicked myself again that I did not have my camera, because they would have gladly taken my picture with one of the birds.

HollyFest - This Weekend in North Baltimore!

Hollyfest will celebrate its 25th anniversary this Saturday and Shelly Daly will be there for her fifth year!

The Friends School show is a big, bustling family oriented show that takes place in two gymnasiums and the new cafeteria as well as outside for the sale of, you guessed it, Holly...as well as other greenery and potted plants!

It offers lots of handmade crafts, music and fun events for kids. Besides the crafts which include some amazing ceramics, jewelry (of course there’s lots of that), fiber art, photography and fine art, there is Gourmet to Go packed with yummy donated home baked goods which are sold as a fundraiser for the Parents Association.

The kids can enjoy the Elf Booth where they can make inexpensive “secret” do it yourself gifts for their parents while they’re off doing some shopping. One of my favorite things every year is the holiday wreaths and plants which sell at great prices. There’s even lunch available in the cafeteria, usually pizza or hot dogs with drinks and chips. Maybe this year with a brand new cafeteria that just opened, the lunch menu will get a little healthier!

The hours are 11-4. The event is in the gymnasium and cafeteria at the back of the campus. There are traffic guides all around the campus and plenty of parking.

There is a $5 entry fee as the event is a fundraiser. This is a great place for kids to feel comfortable roaming and looking for inexpensive gifts.

Sorry no website for the event, but you can visit www.friendsbalt.org for directions.
Post written by Shelly daly

P.S. FuzzyMug will be there, too!

Sunday, November 15, 2009

A grande event, if you are in the Philly area this Sunday. I may well be outclassed, but I am putting my best effort on the block - The show runs 10a - 4p.

Leslie Brown will be there, too

Colorfest! 3 days and counting

Obviously Catoctin Colorfest is high on my mind right now. It is generally my biggest show of the year (being two days with a great regional history), but may be a little better this year, as suggested by the map detail.

I was a little bummed when I got my space assignment because I am not near the LambBurger stand this year. I like being near food, because life revolves around food and it makes for some seriously great people watching.

This year, I have discovered, I am four spaces down from the apple-dumpling and ice cream stand. Should I be dismayed at the thought of all those ice-cream sticky children's hands touching my dollies? Yes.

Should I be equally excited about my proximity to apples that probably came out of a Catoctin orchard the day before - sweet, crisp and baked in a crust with a scoop of chilled pasteurized cream squeezed from a cow? He!!, yes!

I didn't get a boardwalk funnel cake this year and the universe is obviously making amends by putting me that close to the apple dumplings. And yea, I will be grateful.