New Mutineer - 8th Street Soap Kitchen

And the Mutiny grows....

Our newest member is 8th Street Soap Kitchen!

Check out the website here.

"8th Street Soap Kitchen soaps are handcrafted with quality natural ingredients. Painstakingly made from scratch in small batches, these soaps lather richly, are naturally colored and carefully scented, and clean delightfully."

We started as a small collective but we get stronger every day.

Our winter craft show is in the works! Details TBA.

Spontaneous Body Modification - one year and two months later

I got two more tattoos today - on my lunch break. The first and last time I did this was Monday, May 15, 2006.





The art means something to me. Both sets. The first set - the plus signs on my wrists - represent duality and symmetry. I wanted very bold shapes that would require lots of ink. Lots of pain. Happily/sadly, testing my pain threshold proved that they did not hurt, not like some piercings. I was ready to get more, but instead I got poor.

I got paid today and decided between lunch and the ink I have always wanted - ink was better. Today's tattoos are "the endless knot". I have wanted these designs for 15 years, exactly half my lifetime. in 1994, I bought a record by one of my fave Dischord bands, IGNITION. The record is entitled Complete Services and I was tranfixed by the pic on the record cover. I knew I would get it as a tattoo someday.





Cutting out all the religious crap or hope for the innate innocence of humanity (for which I have no use) here is one meaning;
The endless knot (Skt. shrivatsa; Tib. dpal be'u) is a closed, graphic ornament composed of right-angled, intertwined lines. It overlaps without a beginning or an end - continuity as the underlying reality of existence. The intertwining of lines represents how all phenomena are conjoined and yoked together as a closed cycle of cause and effect. Thus the whole composition is a pattern that is closed on in itself with no gaps.

I got into Crafty Bastards 2007!

Yay, weeks of worry are over - DC CityPaper announced the line-up for this year's show. I am honored to be one of 100 crafters chosen from 400 applicants. Come find the best in local, regional and even natioal DIY goodies.



The annual show is Sunday, September 30, 2007 at the Marie Reed Learning Center (18th & Wyoming) 10am - 5pm in Adams Morgan.

The other Mutineers will be there and we will have lots of fun surprises for all!

Details here!

Mutineers in CityPaper - Beth of magpie dc

Last week the Craft Mutiny members met to review our upcoming crafty plans. Can't spoil the surprise, but it's gonna be big.

For the first time, I met our newest collective member, Beth of magpiedc and she was super rad and excited and ready to take over the DIY world.

No wonder she is CityPaper's Craftiest Bastard of the week for, among other things, her Baddie Dolls. Like this scary/cutie Fun Gus:

Crafter in need

I posted this to the Craft Mutiny blog, but it bears repeating:

I just got an email from the super rad people of Wonderland Retreat - started in early April 2007 to help alleviate the medical bills of a fellow crafter extraordinaire Alison Gordon.

Good news - she is doing much better thanks to the crafty community who contributed and supported the etsy shop raising funds on her behalf.

Now the shop is dedicated to raising funds for another crafter in need - Elijah Wyman, who has a rare kidney disease. All of the proceeds from this shop will benefit Elijah and his recovery expenses.

Please visit the etsy shop here and buy lots of stuff! You will find lots of cool DIY items and give something back to your community. Like these absolutely beautiful fridge magnets.



More info about the cause
here.

I just bought this. Yay!

Bachelor Pad Items!

So, all my guy friends have requested stuff for them. My new line is actually unisex, but appeals (apparently) mostly to guys: ID/money cases, cig/money cases, key ring flasks and coasters.








"

Pin-ups and Compact Mirrors

Pin-up girls and compact mirrors seem like a natural fit to me. So, here is a batch super sexy (and sometimes REALLY seXXXy) pocket mirrors that I made recently.

First pic is only the front cover...




Second pic shows the actual mirror dealie...

Craftiest Bastard of the Week!

City Paper has honored me as the CRAFTIEST BASTARD OF THE WEEK!

Hooray! I love the DC City Paper and how they support the DIY community.

This week they are featuring my "Jacks Earrings" in a color ad in the paper on page 78 (paper hits the streets today!), online in the Crafty Bastards Arts & Crafts section of the Classifieds, in City Paper's weekly html newsletter, and on the Crafty Bastards Blog.

Here is a pic of the featured item.




The online ad is up and running. You can view it: here!

The blog post is:
here!

3pm-3am is one BIG Art Show

It was a long day for the Muntineers at Big Art Show DC. Tina of ilikeseamonsters rode down with me at we met up with Sean of Scenic Artisans, and Rania of goshdarnknit. Basically, we arrived at 3:00 pm and stayed until about 12:30am. After strike, dinner at Tastee and generally vegging out, it took me until 3:00am to begin to gather my thoughts.

I never figured out who was in charge of the Big Art Show, but big ups to them! So generous and helpful! I have been to many shows where you get a tiny space, zero direct lighting and no guarantee of electricity (even if you pay for it).

The Big Art Show peeps provided grids and hooks for us to hang our wares and even brought clip lights (with cords long enough to reach the wall outlets.) This is above and beyond what I expected. It was a free, non-juried show. What an amazing thing to do for local artists.

Their website says that their mission is to give "local, unknown, and independent artists an opportunity to perform and display their work to their peers and to the public." And they mean it. No bullshit. I wish I had the chance to meet the organizers and thank them for their generosity and inspiration.

Sean and Rania had a great spot right inside the doors on the first floor. Once the bands started playing, it must have sucked to be on the first floor, but they had a great setup. Tina and I were gonna join them, but space was tight. Tina suggested moving upstairs and I hesitated because the upstairs bar is "21 and over" only. Well, she was right and we got decent spots with plenty of lighting. The upstairs became all ages shortly!

I met a ton of staffers from the Rock & Roll Hotel. They have an admirable comraderie and are not cliquish at all. Yeah, they are total hipsters and all super cute and cool. But no one seemed the least bit jaded or impatient with the somtimes rowdy Saturday night crowd. These people made me smile: Damian, Trevor, Kristen. And thanks to all the other RNR people who helped make the event a success.

The best part of the show was the fact that I managed to pack all my supplies into a single rolling suitcase. (Other than the shadow boxes that I made just for the show). I got a fantastic response for my new line of necklaces and wallets. It only took a few square feet of space. Check it:





I am used to big shows with absurd setup and helpers galore. This experience taught me how to "pack light" and maximize the space I am given. My new goal is to pack everything into one rolling cart that doubles as a chair and holds both stock and a table. As Seen On TV - get to it!

Crafter in Need

Alison Gordon, super crafty gal (WonderlandQ, Bazaar Bizarre and the Sampler) recently faced a medical emergency and is without health insurance.

Members of the Crafty community are raising money with an etsy shop, check it: here!

I am planning to donate these two asymmetrical necklaces:

Treasure Trove of Mutiny Shows

Check out the Pirates at these shows:

Artomatic
Apr 13 - May 20
[see web site for hours]
2121 Crystal Drive
Crystal City, VA

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Big Art Show
The Rock And Roll Hotel
April 28 :: Saturday, 7pm-2am
1353 H Street, NE :: DC

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Squidfires Spring Art Mart
May 12 :: Saturday, 11am-7pm
Mt. Vernon Square :: Baltimore, MD.

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Open Studio Party
May 19 :: more info soon
Mount Rainier, MD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ballston Arts + Crafts Market
June 9 :: Saturday, 10am-4pm
Ballston Metro :: Arlington, VA

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Open Studio Party
June 16 :: more info soon
Mount Rainier, MD

. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .

Ballston Arts + Crafts Market
October 13 :: Saturday, 10am-4pm
Ballston Metro :: Arlington, VA

.......................................
Art Star in Philly.

http://www.artstarphilly.com/ascb/ascb2007.html

The show will take place June 2nd, from 11-7pm & June 3rd, from 11-5pm. Vendors will be set up along The Liberties Walk (1030-1040 N 2nd St.) & Germantown Avenue (which runs between Hancock St. & 2nd St.).

Ballston Arts + Crafts Market

Yay! Another show with Mutineer Tinaseamonster of ilikeseamonsters.com!

The Ballston Arts+Crafts Market is held every second Saturday from June-October from 10am-4pm and Tina and I will be there in September and October (9/8 + 10/13). Come check us out at the Ballston Metro in Arlington, VA. Besides handmade art and crafts, there will be live music and food.



Details here!

PS - The first 100 people each day will get gift bags with coupons and treats from local businesses! Yay - free goodies!!!

ROCK AND ROMP! YAY!

I cribbed this from my friend's site, but here goes:

Rock and Romp is featuring a a very special CD release show and listening party for the awesome new children’s compilation PLAY. We are SO excited about this show, rompers! This is the CD we indie rock music-loving parents have been waiting for, with incredible tracks by Mudhoney, Supersuckers, Ben Davis, Channels and more. DC darlings Georgie James and The Cassettes have also contributed songs to get you and the kiddies moving, and they will be at the show to rock and romp with you! We’ll have CDs and limited edition posters designed by the totally rad and insanely talented El Jefe Design for sale and fun giveaways, too. This will be one Rock-n-Romp you won’t want to miss!




Sunday April 22nd 3:00 - 5:00 pm

Adults $5, kids under 12 FREE
Adults MUST be accompanied by a child for admission

The Spanish Ballroom @ Glen Echo Park
7300 MacArthur Blvd, Glen Echo, MD
Presented in cooperation with the Glen Echo Park Partnership for Arts & Culture, Inc., the National Park Service and Montgomery County, MD

Go Rania - Craftiest Bastard of the week!

Yet another Mutineer is the DC CityPaper's latest artist/crafter honored. Details here!

My friend and collective member is Rania of goshdarnknit and she makes lovely and unusual items. I am lucky to have done several shows with her and always find her work inspiring. It's both lovely, twisted and unusual.

Interview with Caitlin & other Mutiny stuff

Mutineer Caitlin of Rebound Designs got interviewed here!
and totally talked up the Mutiny! Go check it out.

Big Art Show @ Rock And Roll Hotel

Various Mutineers are participating in the travelling

BIG ART SHOW DC #1:
Saturday, April 28th
@ The Rock And Roll Hotel
1353 H Street, NE,
Washington, DC 20002

Check their site here: here!

THEIR "MISSION STATEMENT":

BIG ART SHOW gives local, unknown, and independent artists an opportunity to perform and display their work to their peers and to the public. Run by a collective of artists and volunteers based out of the greater New York area, BIG ART SHOW is driven by a passion to create an environment devoid of the pressures and insincerities of the public media.

BIG ART SHOW creates community both locally and nationally by having traveling art events which invite visual artists from any location to display their work, attend the shows, and network with other artists. Similarly, BIG ART SHOW provides an opportunity in which lesser-known
musicians can play in front of larger and more varied audiences."



This is a great opportunity to showcase local talent. Please join the Charming Vices blog & Craft Mutiny in promoting this event.

Another Mutineer is the Craftiest Bastard of the Week!

From this week's citypaper email!
CRAFTIEST BASTARD OF THE WEEK

Mixed media painting/Gocco print by Sean Hennessey, member of D.C.'s CraftMutiny.com. Craft Mutiny is a collective of local crafters and artisans that think mass-produced culture deserves to walk the plank. Reject the conveyer belt! Buy handmade.

Check out his Etsy shop here!

Making Prom Jewelry for Katrina Survivors

On Saturday, I am volunteering to make prom jewelry for Katrina survivors.

Thanks to ALCHEMY in Silver Spring for this opportunity.

More info if you want to help out here!

Wallets

New Line - Necklaces First

I have a new line of necklaces. They will be featured at next seasons' shows, in addition to the new men's lines (which right now features wallets and will soon include belts & buckles).

So here are some preliminary pics of the jewelry:

Back on track

I haven't blogged in forever because I have been crazy busy at work. But, I have two new lines of necklaces and a new line of wallets. They are rad and the boys will love them. This is my first line for guys (although it really is unisex). Gotta get some pictures up.

More to come!