an old fashioned barter

One of the things we love most about the growing DIY scene/mentality is its good old fashioned barter system!  There is something fantastically primal about two people bartering with what they have made with their own two hands.   A simple & timeless system that leaves all involved happy! Recently, benny and I did a fantastic trade with Amber over at Bolla Soaps by BSoaps for a few of our recycled fleece shawls.  Amber, who lovingly hand makes bath products using 85% Certified Organic ingredients (the highest percentage possible in soap production) with no artificial additives, sent us these amazing anxiety relief bath salts and a cedar citrus sage bar soap...check em out!

The Bazaar

Don't forget, saturday is the day Pretty Penny and the Parlour Gallery present the Craft Bazaar!!  We are soo excited to be participating and can't wait to see all your smiling faces tomorrow.  And to make things even more enticing we kindly donated one of our one-of-a-kind beer cozies to the bazaar's one dollar raffle!

So come to shop or come to win the raffle either way we would love you to be there!



When:  Saturday!!
Where: Pretty Penny  5488 college ave, oakland

Participating Artists:
Wonderwear , bennykelly , Crooked Sister , It's Scrap , Queen of Hearts Apparel , Volta Press , kittinhawk , Pollyannacowgirl , Salvaged Beauty , Abeo Bestia Design , BirdversusBird Design

one dollar RAFFLE!
we will be having a raffle where you can win all these awesome prizes...
$25 gift certificate from SLASH DENIM
$25 gift certificate from VOLTA PRESS
custom made beer cozy by BENNYKELLY
fabric flower hair piece by CROOKED SISTER
leather earrings by IT'S SCRAP
handmade coin purse by BIRDVERSUSBIRD
Handmade brooch by SALVAGED BEAUTY

[caption id="" align="aligncenter" width="298" caption="you could win this at the raffle!"][/caption]

TOMORROW!! TOMORROW!! TOMORROW!!!

can you tell we are excited?

Only 3 left to gather up those swappables..

we just hit up goodwill yesterday to pick up some extra goodies for the clothing swap!  we can't wait to swap and stencil with you all!

SAVE THE DATE: oakland DIY Spring Craft Show!

We are stoked to announce our participation in oakland DIY's Spring Craft Show and we are sure it is to be bigger and better than the holiday show!!  The show will be taking place on saturday May 9th in this amazingly awesome abandoned factory turned into artist living/show space.  This place even has a kitchen where oakland DIY will be whipping up some fantastic treats!  So mark your calendars...we'll see you soon!

When:  Saturday May 9th  doors open at 6pm

Where:  Sunshine Biscuit Factory  851 81st ave, oakland

*To make this show just a bit sweeter benny & I are offering 10% off one item of your choice if you use the code word "stenciled geese"!!

Chruch of Craft

We are loving this new movement and we just had to let you in on the awesomeness that is the Church of Craft!  The church is a collective of people coming together to create an environment where any and all acts of creation have value and simple satisfaction.  The Church of Craft maintains no dogma or doctrine beyond what every member believes for themselves.

These churches have begun popped up throughout the US, Canada and now the UK!  We are lucky to have one of these great churches locally meeting in the always crafty Rock Paper Scissors Collective!  This month's Sunday School will be teaching embroidery basics on refurbished and recycled fabrics.  Come and spread a little crafty goodwill!



When: Sunday, April 19th, 12-5pm (always the 3rd Sunday)

Sunday School from 12pm - 1pm

Craft On from 1pm - 5pm  (craft whatever you like, open house style)

Where: RPS Collective 2278 Telegraph Ave, Oakland

What to bring for Sunday School: Embroidery Basics
Needles, thread and fabric scraps will be available for use in the class. Bring clothing or household items (such as pillowcases or napkins) to begin or discuss an embroidery embellishment project now! OR use the fabric scraps to master some of the basic stitches. A hoop and a highlighter is helpful but not required.

Recycled Magnets!

Now that Earth Day and Mother's Day are just around the corner we thought we should bring you some nifty ways to use recycled goods for a crafty gift!  Besides, what is more fun then gluing stuff together?

Benny and I are reluctant to throw out anything. So when we first sat down to decide what gifts to create, we really wanted to use up some of our stock piles.  Our first thought was of our growing collection of used spray tips from our spray paints.  They have a nice multicolor quality that we love and we have a ton of them!  So after a little deliberation we settled on a gift that is simple, quick and totally customizable....RECYCLED MAGNETS!

All the how tos after the jump...

show & tell: WhatTheCraft

WhatTheCraft.com is the ultimate resource guide for the DIY fashion obsessed!  Started in 2005 by an aspiring fashion designer named Alexis, this site is a forum for fashion tutorials, resources and promotion!  One of the reasons we love WhatTheCraft is their great selection of sewing and craft tutorials, useful for the beginner to the advanced.  You can also find guides to learn what is needed to find success in selling your designs.  The site even has a sewing machine troubleshooting guide and reviews of select sewing machines/accessories!!  What crafter would not find that useful?

Stop on by the site...share a tutorial, learn a new pleating technique, or show off  your own creations in one of WhatTheCraft's frequent contests!  You might even get the itch to bookmark this one.  We did!!

Indie Sacramento this Sunday!

Here is another crafty one for those locals whom are a bit more inland then us.  Enjoy and send pictures if you get the chance!!

Nostalgia’s No Good at L'Keg Gallery

We recently heard of this show and subsequently L'Keg Gallery so we just had to share.  "Nostalgia's No Good" is a show featuring flier art, video and photography that has helped perpetuate the DIY movement in the indie art and music scene, mostly focusing mainly on the punk movement.  The show will highlight art from groups/collectives such as The Smells, PPM, Sean Carnage, Videothing, Club Ding-A-Ling, Part Time Punks, and more.

"Nostalgia's No Good"  will only be up for the next (4) days so be sure to make sometime if your in the la area.  In honor of its closing, there will be a show reception on Feb 20th.  Be there or miss out on music by Pizza, drinks and nourishment.When: NOW thru Feb. 20th,   closing reception Feb 20th at 8pm (cost $5)

Artist descriptions by L'Keg Gallery after the jump...

Save the Date: Mission Indie-Mart

Mission Indie-Mart just announced their next show, so mark your calendar and tell a friend!!



We will bring you more info on the artists and designers as it is released...