The Big Thaw is Today! Come join us…

Hear ye, hear ye!  The Big Thaw arts, crafts and vintage sale is happening TODAY (Saturday, May 12) from 10am to 4pm at 10 Mayo Street, which is where the lovely Mayo Street Arts Center is located.  If you’re not familiar with it, it’s very easy to get to off of I-295 N or S.  Check out this technology map:

The Big Thaw features 30+ artists, crafters and vintage sellers occupying two floors of the Mayo Street Arts Center.  Artists who have studios at Mayo Street may open up for the event, too.  Refreshments are available at the snack bar upstairs, including beer and wine for the daydrinkers among you.  Our doors open at 10am sharp, but please no early visitors while our vendors set up their spaces!  We look forward to seeing you – buy and make local!

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Vendor Spotlight: Lofted Designs

Here is a peek at the beautiful work you’ll find from Lori Dennis of Lofted Designs!:

Carrot Necklace by Lofted Designs

Pet Tags by Lofted Designs

Awesome Secret Swear Ring by Lofted Designs

Stacked Vintage Button Earrings by Lofted Designs

Spiral Necklace by Lofted Designs

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Vendor Spotlight: Kris Johnsen + Meagan Anderson

Kris and Meagan at work

Hey, guys!   The Big Thaw arts, crafts and vintage sale is TOMORROW:  Saturday, May 12 from 10am to 4pm.  We will see you at 10 Mayo Street (Mayo Street Arts Center) – come by, grab a beer, browse the merchandise and leave with something excellent for your mom!

We are featuring Kris Johnsen and Meagan Anderson, the two inspired minds behind our gorgeous Big Thaw Poster.  You never know what these two will show up with, but whatever it is you know you’re gonna want it.  Check it out:

by Meagan Anderson

by Kris Johnsen

by Meagan Anderson

by Kris Johnsen

by Meagan Anderson

by Kris Johnsen

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Vendor Spotlight: Bon Appetit Petites

Cookie pendant and post earrings by Bon Appetit Petties

It’s no secret that we Forest City dwellers are, to put it lightly, incredibly obsessed with food.  For a population size this small, we sure have a lot of kick-ass restaurants doing excellent things with edibles.  If you’re skeptical that you could get just as excited about food you can’t eat (or shouldn’t without a serious choking hazard) then let me convince you:  when you hold Gabrielle Stevens’ Bon Appetit Petites creations in the palm of your hand you’ll be mesmerized by the accuracy and yes, the ‘cuteness’ of dollhouse scale food that has been made wearable by the additions of rings, posts and other jewelry things.

Tuna Sushi by Bon Appetit Petites

Little Eye sat next to Gabrielle at a very quiet craft show some time back, and spent the time pretty much just ogling all of the TINY FOOD that was presented on the table next to me!  Hamburgers, hot dogs, cake, sushi, cookies, bacon, eggs – you name it, she made it.  Art on a small scale takes such dedication and precision, each item I picked up to look at I could spend five miniutes getting lost in the construction, execution and aesthetics of each little one.  Plus, who doesn’t love a tiny hamburger?!

Pop Tarts by Bon Appetit Petites

Gabrielle Stevens of Bon Appetit Petites will be joining us on Saturday May, 12 from 10am to 4pm (the day before Mother’s Day!) at the Mayo Street Arts Center at 10 Mayo Street in Portland.  You should join us, too!

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Vendor Spotlight: filia.

Poplin Skirt from filia.

Evening, kittens!  We’re happy it’s the weekend, too.  We’re brightening it up even more by featuring Kate O’Toole of filia.  You can find her on Etsy here, or if you’re more of the continual narrative type, her blog here.  Check out the before/after picture at the bottom of the page of an ottoman she reupholstered that was featured on the blog!  Ooh, ballsy!  We loved you and yer work already, Kate, but now we’re just jealous!

Geometric Print Cotton Sundress from filia.

BT:What does filia make and sell for Big Thaw shoppers to fawn over?

Kate O’Toole:  filia is a collection of modern, feminine apparel and small personal accessories that I design and sewn from my home on Munjoy Hill. The collection ranges from casual, brunch- or farmer’s market-ready skirts, tops and tunics to flirty, floaty party dresses, and includes many one-of-a-kind items. The filia aesthetic is distinguished by classic, stylish shapes updated with of-the-moment details and vibrant colors.  I work mainly with natural fibers like wool, cotton and silk and finish each garment with special detailing, such as grosgrain ribbon facing, hand-stitched hems, and pockets in nearly everything (they’re so useful!). Each filia design is produced in limited quantities and custom orders are always welcomed. Accessories include small bags, zipper pouches, envelope wallets, yoga mat bags, and iPod/tablet sleeves.

Black and Tan Skirt from filia.

BT:  How has your own mother (or mother figure) influenced your art, craft or endeavor? 

KO:  My mum has always been a huge inspiration in my creative endeavors. In the most literal sense she provided the foundation for my business by teaching me to how to sew as a little girl, but more importantly, as I watched her pursuit of several different types of crafts and creative expressions through the years, she instilled in me the fun and satisfaction of making things with your own two hands. When I decided to turn my love of sewing and creating clothing into a business in May of 2011, I named it filia (which echoes the Greek word for family and friendship) to honor the influence my mum all my loved ones have on my work. My mum occasionally helps me with the finish work on some garments if I’m finishing up a big order in a time crunch, is an invaluable consult on fabric choices or working out the construction of a item, and is generally one of my biggest cheerleaders and supporters. If I end up as a vendor at The Big Thaw, she will probably be with me at my table as my right-hand woman!

Tank Style Dress in Purple Floral from filia.

BT:  What new products or finds will you have available for shoppers at The Big Thaw that you would like featured on our blog? Please write a little about them and attach pictures (or links) if you’d like!
KO:  I’d hope that at The Big Thaw shoppers would find great gifts for their mothers and the special women in their life among my clothes for women of all ages and fun, stylish accessories. This spring I’ve got a ton of new fabric in bright spring and summer colors and patterns, ready to be turned into fun, warm-weather fashions! Designs will include drawstring-waist tunics, gathered skirts, blouses, and a variety of dresses in different styles.  For accessories, I have useful little linen zipper pouches, embellished with ruffles and geometric designs and lined with patterned cotton. I also have a line of stargazer linen zipper pouches that are hand-embroidered with different constellations – a fun gift to personalize with someone’s zodiac sign or for someone that loves looking at the night sky! I also have my popular yoga mat bags in a variety of colorful new patterns. I use a lot of the extra cotton from my yoga mat bags to sew cute little envelope wallets, which are great for holding small gifts like jewelry or gift cards, and iPod/iPad sleeves, which are lightly padded and make fabulous gifts. I’m always working on new items, so more would probably be added to this list!

Before

After

Come see Kate from filia at The Big Thaw on Saturday, May 12 from 10am to 4pm at the Mayo Street Arts Center at 10 Mayo St.  Happy weekend, jellybeans for everyone!

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May 2012: Vendors Announced!

It’s official!  The 2012 Big Thaw vendors have been announced and listed right here.  Before you get going browsing these talented people while you should be doing real work at your desk (guilty as charged) I’d like to let y’all know that each vendor is featured once on the blog between now and the Big Thaw (Saturday, May 12 – the day before Mother’s Day!)

If you enter your email and click ‘Sign me up!’ at the bar on the right hand side you won’t miss a thing.  We promise to pack the spotlights full of big, beautiful pictures and not too much of the babbling.

Like what you see in the collage above?  The vendors (from left to right, top to bottom) are:    Bowerbird Handmade, Judy B Designs, Kris Johnsen, One Woman Studio, Meagan Anderson, Lilleputt Studio, Makings of Shanna Tice, Lillianka and Lofted Designs.

Get excited, Portland, Spring is coming soon!

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The Big Thaw will be held on Saturday, May 12, 2012 from 10am-4pm at the Mayo Street Arts Center at 10 Mayo St. in Portland, ME.  Can’t wait to see you there!  It’s the day before Mother’s Day – hard to forget!

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Vendor Spotlight: Purplebean Bindery

We ❤ Anna Low of Purplebean Bindery!  Not only did she help us plaster Big Chill posters all over Deering, but her handmade journals and other bound beauties are just excellent gifts, and probably the most perfect place to put your important ideas and to-do lists that you don’t want to forget.  Here’s a peek!

Irish Spring Notebooks - Priceless!

Scary Face Funhouse Journal

Haiku-For-You Three Pack (closed)

Haiku-For-You Three Pack (interior!)

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Vendor Spotlight: dappermonkey

Salvaged Material Canvas Backpack by Dappermonkey

We’ve already brought you the great finds from Monkivintage, today we introduce another Big Chill monkey, the creations of Jared Desimio at Dappermonkey.  High school teacher by day, sewing master by night and vintage-awesomeness seeker on the weekends.  Or, at least we’re presuming from the rustic, rugged and functional finds in his Etsy shop.

MASH Tee - Our favorite was Hunnicutt!

We know you’ll find something you love if you even have the remotest inkling of how badass lumberjacks, woodsmen and Mainers are.  We suggest stuffing a couple extra $20s in your wallet before you come to The Chill, just for this greatness alone.

Canvas Tote, Small, Made of Recycled Materials by dappermonkey

And just in case those photographs and descriptions weren’t enough to entice you, when we asked Jared what his favorite winter comfort food was he responded:  “Buttery grilled cheese with chunky tomato soup and a bold, red wine.”  Yes, Jared, me too!

Come visit dappermonkey and all the other great vendors at The Big Chill Arts, Crafts and Vintage Holiday Sale on Saturday, December 3rd from 10am to 4pm at Mayo Street Arts, 10 Mayo Street, in Portland, Maine.  Yahoo!

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Vendor Spotlight: pig + fish

Happy Black Friday, everyone – we hope you’ll be scouting out the deals at local shops instead of waiting in long, crazy lines at the mall today!  And we hope even more that you’ll be joining us on Saturday, December 3rd at the Mayo Street Arts Center (10 Mayo St., Portland) to find some great, local products handmade (and hand selected) by your neighbors.

Today we feature pig + fish, the brainchild of Nanako O’Donnell and Deb Gill, two Mainers with a knack for stylish organization.  We were so excited when their application arrived in the mail – being able to bring these gorgeous key holders, clocks, bud vases and coat racks to Portland (even if just for a day) was too much to resist!

It's about time you bought this gorgeous clock from Pig + Fish - click to view listing!

The selection of colors, patterns, found imagery and clean lines in the items from pig+fish provide accents for any home.  Boy, oh boy, that clock up there would look great in my mustard yellow and rust orange living room.  Where would you put it?

Modern Wall-Mounted Flower Vases

Deb and Nanako wanted shoppers to be sure their flower vases are great pieces for your home all year round:  “Flower vases aren’t just for the summer – fresh flowers are welcome any time of year!  Our cheerful flower vases uplift year round.”

Who doesn't love airstreams?

And perhaps, most functionally, these key holders (which come in many patterns + colors) are a dream come true for someone like me – I think it’s genetic, but we are constantly losing our keys in my family.  If you have a gorgeous place to put them (like, say, the airstream key holder above or the bright and cheery one below) then how can you possibly resist putting them in the same place every time?  Favorite.

Gorgeous Colors/Lines for this one of a kind key holder!

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Vendor Spotlight: Purplebean Bindery

Good morning!  Ok.  24 more hours then The BIG THAW is on!  Yessssss.   🙂  This morning we’re talkin’ with Anna Low from Purplebean Bindery whose journals, sketchbooks and more are functional, colorful and affordable.  Check it out!

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Anna Low from Purplebean Bindery

How did you start making books?

I bound my first book in kindergarden but the obsessive binding really started in college with a great book arts class. I started working my way through all of the bookbinding instructions I could find and had to give away my little book experiments to make room for more. It’s grown from there into a nice ‘job’. I love making functional art. Every book I make is different and I think of all of them as collaborations between myself and whomever the book goes home with. I like that a hand-bound blank book might inspire someone to fill it’s pages with amazing sketches or writing…or something completely banal in a colorful cover.

Funhouse Blank Journal

What kind of goodies can our customers expect to see at your table at The BIG THAW?

I’ve got all kinds of funky and colorful goodies for The BIG THAW. I’ll have my customary Buttonhole Journals – nice books for journaling, list making, note taking, general musings. I love this binding because it’s both decorative and the books lay open flat. The binding also allows for lots of decorative paper and embellishments, so the books are cheery and user friendly. This winter (it was a long winter) I’ve been a recycling fiend in the studio, so I’ll also have a nice stack of books made with reused material, including some old school flash cards that I’m in love with and manilla paper that still smells of grammar school.

A Selection of Purplebean Notebooks

What textures/colors inspire you most?

One of the reasons I keep making books is because there is so much cool paper and fabric out there. I love colorful. But I also love black and white. And cheesy kitsch. It’s hard to narrow it down. I guess I should say, the next beautiful piece of paper is the one that inspires me the most?

What’s your favorite thing about Spring in Maine?

I love winter and snow but this year I’ve been antsy, antsy for mother nature’s big thaw. I love spring in Maine because it means gardening season is ON. I’ve got my veggie seeds started inside, I prowl the yard for signs of the bulbs I planned last fall, and if I owned a hair drier I’d be using it to melt the last chunk of dirty snow under the lilac. I also love that all the windows are open because 55° feels warm.

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Right on, right on!  55 DOES feel warm and hopefully we’ll feel that tomorrow, Saturday April 16th, the day of The BIG THAW Arts, Crafts and Vintage Sale.  10am-4pm at Mayo Street Arts Center, 10 Mayo St. in Portland’s East End (off Cumberland Ave between Franklin and Washington).  Look out for the signs!  Can’t wait.  🙂

Now we're talking!

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