Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Typsy Gypsy Tees

TYPSY GYSPY TEES

Typsy Gyspy tees is a family run screen printing company that specializes in hand draw designs. We started printing tee shirt for two reasons. My job as an art teacher at Moore Collage of Art and Design lead me to screen printing. When my boss called me and asked me if I could teach a screen printing class, I had to say yes even though screen printing was not something I had done before. With little time to learn, my husband and I set up a studio in our basement and began practicing. Soon we were working as a team; I was designing the work and He was perfecting the art of preparing the screens and printing.

At the same time, my five year old son was in desperate need of some cool tee shirts that would express his love of natural history and bizarre sea creatures. The average retailer only offered cutsy designs for kids his age. The ferocious beasts that he obssessed over in ocean textbooks were no where to be...


Typsy Gypsy Tees on Etsy

Typsy Gypsy Tees will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday this Saturday!
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Metropolis Soap at Crafty Balboa This Saturday!

METROPOLIS SOAP
Metropolis soap comes from simple ingredients. First we select 100% vegan oils like vitamin-rich coconut oil, luxurious sunflower oil, and moisturizing shea butter, which all are a part of our time-tested recipe.  We choose our oils for their skin-loving properties, as well as their ability to create a hard, durable soap that will last. Next the oils are mixed with a carefully measured amount of distilled water and sodium hydroxide, which causes the chemical reaction that makes soap! The oils and water are blended together and once the ingredients have officially made soap we add our own specially formulated essential oil blends. These blends are created for their aromatherapy properties as much as their scent abilities! The soap batter is then poured into our handmade wooden molds and colored with mica powder. After 36 hours the soap logs are released from their molds so that we can cut each bar by hand and set them on our curing racks. After a 4-6 week cure process we test each batch to ensure quality and safety (we have a lot of soap in our home!). Once the batch is proven up to our standards, we release it for sale.

Metropolis Soap Co. is not only vegan-friendly, but eco-conscious, too! Our products contain no palm oil, which contributes to deforestation and causes many orang utans to become homeless! Metropolis Soap Co. takes a strong stand against animal cruelty. Our products are NEVER tested on animals…just Mr. Metropolis! We are proud to be certified Cruelty-Free by P.E.T.A.


www.metropolissoap.com

Metropolis Soap will be at Crafty Balboa December 4th, 2010.
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Girls Can Tell at Crafty Balboa Holiday!

GIRLS CAN TELL

Girls can tell is a Philadelphia-based creative illustration and screenprinting business run by Sara Selepouchin. Every item features Sara's original illustrations and diagram designs, and most items are printed by hand, one at a time, in a smoke-free studio. Any items not printed in-studio are printed by independent artists with responsible business practices who are simply amazing at what they do and the services they provide. You can learn more about the girls can tell printing process here.

Sara's degree in architecture and years of mechanical drawing experience, along with her love of nice useful things, are the primary inspirations behind girls can tell. The belief that surrounding yourself with things that make you smile is totally important what it's all about.

Girls can tell is proud to offer hand screenprints. It is important to note that each has slight variations, to make one of a kind awesomeness. Due to the nature of hand silkscreening, lots of factors effect how each individual print turns out. The aim of girls can tell is to make lovely, amazing prints and only ship the best, but not every print is exactly alike or completely legible - that's what makes each one awesome and one of a kind.


 www.girlscantell.com

Girls Can Tell will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday this SATURDAY!
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street 

Monday, November 29, 2010

Phea Jean at Crafty Balboa Holiday!


PHEA JEAN

phea jean was created to cater to the fashion forward customer. Each piece is handmade and one-of-a-kind. By combining non-traditional fabrics and unique designs, rocking a phea jean original allows you to stand out in a crowd. phea jean incorporates vintage and upcycled materials- taking the old and mixing it with the new. As we all know and have experienced, our day-to-day moods are ever-changing; whether you are feeling edgy and rock 'n roll, or feminine and sophisticated, there is a style to suit you. phea jean takes pride in pleasing our customers. Our willingness to listen and work with our customers to create custom pieces sets us apart. It is our hope that each phea jean customer will feel inspired to experiment with her (or his!) own fashions and lead an exciting, creative lifestyle.

Amber Zaraza is the designer behind phea jean. She is first and foremost an artist and has been designing and sewing for over 10 years. phea jean came to life in 2004 while Amber was obtaining her BA degree in Fashion Design in Los Angeles, CA. Having brought phea jean back to the East Coast, Amber is currently continuing to work passionately on making her business a success.



Phea Jean will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Mushmina at Crafty Balboa Holiday!


MUSHMINA
 The dream of creating Mushmina, a company with a social mission, began with two sisters living and traveling in Morocco and Mali. In these countries artisans often work in their homes and have very few opportunities to generate income. They also have limited bargaining power in the local market and limited access to international markets. Despite these challenges, the artisans are full of ideas, spirit, and vision. They are the reason we started this company.
Our mission: Through the design and promotion of beautiful artisan products Mushmina creates a way to employ and empower people, particularly women. By purchasing our products you are adding a beautiful piece to your wardrobe and at the same time you are helping to support artisans and their livelihoods.

How we work: Mushmina focuses on building relationships and collaboration in order to promote mutual benefit. As Mushmina grows so do opportunities for women and artisans to promote their craft and support themselves and their families.

Our model: We believe that creating a profitable business is a sustainable path to economic development. We also believe in supporting capacity building through training and development. Mushmina is part of the international association, The Soukna Design Collective, and donates 5% of our profits to creating design workshops in the developing world. 



Mushmina will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Five days 'til Crafty Balboa Holiday! Check out vendor Nicole Rae Styer!

NICOLE RAE STYER
I am a Philly based designer!
All my items are one of a kinds made by me.....every item is unique, embellished with funky vintage lace...layers of frilly girly lace to add depth to the garment!  You will be the talk of the party for sure in ONE OF A KIND N.R.S WEAR!


Nicole Rae Styer will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Friday, November 26, 2010

Two Paperdolls at Crafty Balboa Holiday!

TWO PAPERDOLLS

A colorful nod to the neighborhoods that make up the City of Brotherly Love!
We are letterpress lovers and designers who work and play in our studio in suburban Philadelphia.


C'mon, you know you want to sing along!
Two Paperdolls 

Two Paperdolls will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Meet Stevie Lynn Jewelry at Crafty Balboa Holiday

STEVIE LYNN JEWELRY
This brilliant red balloon pin was inspired by one of my favorite 80's songs. It is hand cut,filed, and fashioned with a red a white striped string.

I am a fun loving jeweler who likes to experiment with all types of materials. All my designs are original and come from my imagination. Each piece is cut, filed, and assembled by hand.

This pink plastic deer is the miniature version of the original "Oh Deerie Me" deer necklace.
 Stevie Lynn Jewelry on Etsy

Stevie Lynn Jewelry will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Hoodwink at Crafty Balboa Holiday

HOODWINK
This is a beautiful scarf that has been hand dyed on 100% silk twill. There are many layers of amazing subtle color and designs. One of a kind!
Hello! I am graduate of Tyler School of Art with a major in Fibers. I am also currently a graduate student at Drexel University to receive my Masters degree in Fashion Design.

I make many handmade items including bags, clothing, accessories, and housewares. Living in the city has made me focus on styles and designs geared towards the city life but can also be used everywhere. Lots of comfy hands free bags; Great for biking, shopping, or an everyday carry-all.
Lots of my clothing is made from scratch, but I also make reconstructed clothing out of clothes that would otherwise never be worn again. (Reduce, Re-use, Recycle!)
So adorable! Children size slippers based on All Star sneakers
Pastel Pink, Yellow, and Blue with Orange detailing. Acrylic and cotton.
Hoowdwink on Etsy

Hoodwink will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Wednesday, November 24, 2010

Overdue Industries at Crafty Balboa Holiday

OVERDUE INDUSTRIES

These 4x6 inch planners feature about 80 weeks of hot, planning action - which for all you math-magicians out there, is roughly a year and a half if you use it non-stop. (Or if you are like me, it should last you a good 5 years or more - because I always put them somewhere dumb and don't find them again for a few months.)
We take discarded old storybooks (lots of the ex-library copies) and give them new life as journals, jewelries and other fun gifts. We use as much as we possibly can from the books we chop so that they can be enjoyed for years to come, just in their new guise!

Our slogan is Renew Your Books! So inside each journal, you will find our own 'check-out card' just like in library books of days gone by. We've stamped it with the date the journal was made and we will stamp it for you on the date you purchase it.

Set of FOUR awesome matching coasters made DIRECTLY from the pages of a vintage story book!   
Overdue Industries on Etsy

Overdue Industries will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Bathtub Jungle at Crafty Balboa Holiday!

BATHTUB JUNGLE
Hilarious elephant head-n-butt post earrings! Be the coolest cat in town with this fantastically sassy fashion trend. I always get a ton of comments whenever I wear my cow butt earrings :)
Bathtub Jungle previously known as Maggie Wood Designs.
Maggie is a Philadelphia based jewelry designer. She takes inspiration from everyday and antique objects, with the mission to glorify the ordinary and add a little spunk to the jewelry world. She enjoys making people smile. On a life's mission to extract beautiful objects from their everyday settings, changing ordinary to extraordinary in a wearable way.

Watch out for what's in your bathtub! Bathtub Jungle presents a new line of layered silhouettes in celebration of our new etsy shop name!             
Bath Tub Jungle on Etsy

BathTub Jungle will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday! Be sure to stop by and say hello!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Crafty Balboa and Ann Torockio

Ann Torockio
I made this hair clip with natural green feathers from free-range peacocks, a plastic yogurt container and felt made from recycled bottles.
My name is Ann. I am using natural feathers, vintage buttons and recycled plastic to make chic eco-friendly accessories. I am inspired by the rich colors in feathers and the special character of vintage findings.

I made this hair clip with natural striped black and white feathers from a silver pheasant, a plastic yogurt container and felt made from recycled bottles.
 
Ann Torockio on Etsy

Ann will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!!
December 4, 2010 11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street 

Rogue Theory at Crafty Balboa Holiday!

ROGUE THEORY
Protect your favorite Tech Devices with a fashionable Tech-ee Sleeve! No more worrying about your iPod Nano clanking around in your bag. Each Tech-ee comes with an stiffened interfacing to keep your goodies safe.
 Rogue Theory is a creative team of two, Kim & Christina.
We are a handmade business currently located in the heart of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.

With a huge passion for design, we spend most of our time either working on current projects or talking about future projects. We love the idea of combining Beauty AND Function.
There are far too many knick-knacks in the world, we want to create things you can actually use everyday.

Give your Digital Reader a snug new home with RT Techee designed to fit!
Rogue Theory will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday! 
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street


Monday, November 22, 2010

Volta Organics at Crafty Balboa Holiday!

VOLTA ORGANICS

Vanilla and Black Pepper essential oils create a warm, full bodied scent; sweet with a little bit of spice. Mineral rich Rhassoul clay conditions the skin, and has been shown to reduce dryness and improve skin elasticity and clarity. Activated charcoal exfoliates and absorbs excess oils on the skin's surface.
Volta Organics soap and bath + body is handmade in small batches in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.   We are seriously committed to a simple idea:  providing high quality bath and body products that are made from organic and all-natural, eco-friendly ingredients.

A deep floral face and body mist for normal to combination skin types made with aloe, vitamin e, and essential oils.  
Volta Organics

Volta Organics will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday selling their amazing bath and body products! Vanilla and Black Pepper, need I say more?
December 4, 2010
11am -5pm
315 South Broad Street

Crafty Balboa presents Modern Virtue!

MODERN VIRTUE
The Slouchy is a blow up! So comfy and soft, warm...yet breathable. Life is good in this simple hat that matches everything. Go ahead and put it on!
These hats and scarves are great quality for the winter weather!
Everything is made with natural fibers for extra warmth and durability.

This beanie is for the lady who wants to stand out from the rest. Not only is it so sweet the way it sits on your crown, but it is embellished with a lovely little bow! This hat can also be customized in color and size of bow, not to mention you can add a sweet vintage button if you like. That would make it one of a kind! Stand out in the crowd...                
Modern Virtue on Etsy

Modern Virtue will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday!
December 4, 2010
11am to 5pm
315 South Broad Street

Miss Millie at Crafty Balboa Holiday

MISS MILLIE

Miss Millie is a porcelain line of functional ceramics, sculptural ornaments and jewelry made by Melissa Crotty in her studio in South Philly.

All of my work is hand built and slip cast porcelain. I like to work thin and add silly things like legs or bugs to my functional pieces.  I love when people tell me they use the cup  I made every morning, or that the creepy leg ornament they purchased around christmas time but let hang around all year makes them laugh.
 Miss Millie on Etsy
Visit Miss Millie at Crafty Balboa Holiday on December 4, 2010 from 11am to 5pm!
315 South Broad Street

Friday, November 19, 2010

Rotorcaps

ROTORCAPS

Rotorcaps are made with materials from everyday life that would normally end up in the trash. My aim is to transform these materials into jewelry for adornment and quirky personal expression. It is also to get people excited about recycling and the idea that we can look at these items in a different way and see that there is beauty and value in them. I collect bottle caps from local bars here in Philly. I save cans and tins - pretty much anything that is printed on metal will do. Most importantly though, Rotorcaps are about fun!



Stop by Crafty Balboa Holiday on December 4, 2010 from 11am to 5pm to check out Rotorcaps!

Be Frank Studio Answers Crafty's Questions!

Be Frank Studio


What do you make and how did you get started?
Papergoods including cards, gift tags and notebooks. We also specialize in custom graphic design projects.

Be Frank is a recent venture launched by graphic designers Jenny Yip and Marcy Zuczek. As a contrast to our day jobs as print designers, Be Frank gives us the opportunity to design and create with a hands-on approach. Be Frank believes in simple, straightforward designs. We provide carefully crafted items, made with a ‘lil love and a lot of attention to detail. Our designs can be described as fresh-&-funky meets sweet-&-homey. Inspired by typography, patterns, textiles, nature and all things vintage, Be Frank designs use a blend of materials to achieve a unique look.

What are you bringing to Crafty Balboa?
This holiday season Be Frank features items that are layered, stitched, and metallic-- along with plenty of patterns and textures. In addition to our signature cards, notebooks, and 'i love list' notepads-- we'll have items for you to wrap and give your gifts in style. Look for our handmade tags, cards, mini gift enclosures and unique garlands.


You can find Be Frank Studio here:
http://blog.befrankstudio.com/

Be Frank Studio will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday on December 4th, from 11am to 5pm.
315 South Broad Street Philadelphia PA.

Thursday, November 18, 2010

Melo Studios

Melo Studios

Melo Studios, located in Ardmore, PA is owned and operated by Olivia Lotz and Liz MacDonald-Aldinger. We strive to live sustainably, and enjoy the challenge of applying this philosophy to our products. We buy domestic soy wax from a local distributor, use almost all recycled materials, and spend our weekends trolling yard sales and thrift stores for our coveted vintage glass. In keeping with our all-natural spirit, we use essential oils and cotton wicks, and hand-pour all of our candles.

Melo Studios

Melo Studios will be at Crafty Balboa Holiday December 4th, 11am-5pm. Be sure to stop by and check out their candles!

Handmade by Angela at Crafty Balboa Holiday

Handmade by Angela

I'm a graduate student at University of the Arts in Philadelphia. I've created obsessively since I was a child. My mom taught me how to crochet when I was little, and it's been one of my favorite things to do ever since.

All of my patterns are original, and no two pieces are exactly alike. These are not your ordinary stuffed animals. They are made to last and be loved for a lifetime.

Handmade by Angela on Etsy 

Stop by Crafty Balboa Holiday on December 4th, from 11am to 5pm to see all of Handmade by Angela's crocheted curiosities!