Pile of Whaaa?

Oh yeaaah.

To take a little travel away from my recent marriage-engagement and the fact that I live in suburbia now, let's talk crafts. I am a vendor in the Charm City Craft Mafia's PILE OF CRAFT, or as a few of my friends said: Pile of WHAAA?

The Craft Mafia is a crafty group that started in Austin, and have "mafias" in cities across the US and internationally. They are known for putting on some of the most well-attended craft shows in the country, and I am super thrilled to be included in one of their shows. I can only hope that this will open me up to getting a spot in another Craft Mafia show sometime in the future, but I wouldn't want to jinx it by assuming.

So what am I planning for this awesome show? Oh baby! A whole new display, some great new bags, and a bunch of awesome new products (like recycled vegan belts!) As almost anyone who has read this blog before knows, I make pretty cool stuff, but I suffer from what I call dis-play-ability. I try to make something great, but the merchandising never looks *quite* right to me. Maybe I am too harsh, but I feel like a crappy display really kills your chances of getting invited back to a show, and I've never felt like my displays are anywhere near as good as my pieces.

Sooo in an attempt to remedy my lame displays Mr. SmartGuy and I made a trip to Lucketts Va for Lucketts Antique Market. It's no where near as big or great as my beloved Brimfiled, but it served it's purpose. I purchased some printers trays, an antique suitcase, some old hardware drawers, a vintage step ladder and drooled over the astonishingly ugly antique chickens that were abound. Add in some overcast skies (so my translucent skin wasn't crispified) and it was a perfect day!

My spoils from the day are still in the trunk of the car, but in coming weeks I'll post some pictures of my display, and maybe you can offer suggestions about how to make it even better!


*oh, and blogger is being cranky, so I can't throw any links or pictures in this post, so get creative and use google*

The Engagement

So the question has been asked many times, and this is the general outline of how it goes with people who don't know either one of us very well.

Them: So did you know?

Me: ummm know what? That I was going to marry this guy as soon as I met him? Well, not exactly as soon as I met him, but it didn't take too long...

Them: No, silly! That he was going to ask you!

Me: Well, yeah, we talked about it a whole lot, and we planned to go out for an awesomely memorable dinner in Chicago and get engaged. It was perfect. He gave me my Grandmother's ring, I gave him this super cool ring I bought online *which seems appropriate* and it was totally perfect. I am the happiest girl alive!

Them: Oh, you knew? So I guess that's modern

Me: Well I wouldn't want to marry someone I couldn't talk to about our engagement. It seems silly.

Them: Well I guess if you feel like you're engaged, then you are.

Me: (on the inside) Fuck You.



The way it usually goes with our closer friends is something like this:

Them: Holy Shit! you are wearing a diamond!

Me: Yeah, it was my Grandma's, look you can see the groove her wedding band wore into the side of it. Cool huh? Oh, and I got him this really great ring online, and he is totally excited, and I am totally excited, and it's great.

Them: That is freakin' awesome, so when was the wedding?

Me: We aren't sure yet.

Them: You mean you didn't elope?!?, Wow you really must love this guy and want to start this out right.

Me: yup.


So there you have it. We talked about it, and decided to get married. I shopped for a ring for him (because I'm not the only one getting engaged) and we decided to go out for an awesome dinner, propose to one another and drunk dial almost everyone in our cellphones from the top of the Hancock Building in Chicago. It was awesome. It was perfect. It was totally modern, and totally us.


Here are a couple of pictures of the view that night. It was amazing.

Blog, resurrected

Remember when I used to write in this thing on a weekly, sometimes daily basis? Remember when I used to tell you all about my crazy crafty life? Well, I am working on getting back to it, because I have a big announcement, but before I tell you, here is a little update.

The skinny on the past year: I moved to the suburbs (I live in Mr. Smartguy's condo), and now I commute about 30 miles to and from work. You might say, Katie! That's not so bad!! Everywhere in the country people commute that much. Except here in the DC metro area, that translates to anywhere from 90 minutes to 4 or 5 hours depending on traffic- each way. Let me say that again. EACH WAY. I have a part-time job as a commuter. I am going to try to harness that time and whatever creative energy I have left to work on blogging, and also my big news:

We got engaged! I'm marrying Mr. Smartguy. Yes! the very one who's giant brain made me swoon. The very one I met on the internet! The very one who is the only man that could ever drag me kicking and screaming out of living in a city! That one!

It just happened last weekend, but it seems to be important enough that I'm resurrecting this blog to tell you all about the upcoming nuptials. As you might imagine, it's not really going to be a traditional wedding, so hang on! because it might be a bumpy ride.

So here is my promise, oh readers of this blog (if there are still any) I promise to write to you about what is bound to be a crafty, if not crazy event.

xo
Katie