Today, I'll share as much of the show as I had the chance to photograph. It was really huge this year! I had a chance to speak with a bunch of really talented and creative folks and peruse their wonderful handmade goods. In fact, it was so amazing that I have more than enough folks to cover my next series just in time for the holidays...
25 Days of Handmade Gifts!
For all of the details on the amazing shops involved, interviews with the creators, and giveaways, read on. But first, on with the (Patchwork) Show!
First of all, can I make you guys jealous? The walk up to the festival is along the beach, which was only made better by the perfect weather we had!
About ready to enter the show, there were tons of people shopping and more than enough handmade goods to go around!
Located at different spots were all kinds of fun things. I totally missed the kids DIY, but I'm sure I didn't meet the age requirement. :)
Here's one of the music tents with an awesome band that had the crowd rocking out.
The ukulele group was so cute!
As for the food, I did a terrible job of documenting what I ate that day. I had an Avocado Taco from the vegan Seabirds Truck and more tacos from Piaggio on Wheels! It's the perfect street food. :) I was tempted to get a potato from Tornado Potato, but I had some shopping to do!
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Mini-Disclaimer Time: There were sooo many awesome vendors and it was impossible to visit all of the booths. I made my way through almost the entire space and these are the ones that I handpicked to share with you. They're not giving me anything in return for the features, I just really wanted to promote the handmade movement with some amazing shops where you can get a unique and creative gift. Show them some love by visiting their stores and stay tuned for the "25 Days of Handmade Gifts" series for posts dedicated to my favorites plus some extras for y'all!
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Besides the food trucks along the side offering delicious treats, there were plenty of food artisans with delicious items for sale. Lucky for me, there were samples of everything and I put together a few of my favorite items to share with you!
Want to give a deliciously perfect gift?
Pernicious Pickling Co: Have you tried Sour Garlic pickles? How about Pickled Cauliflower or Pickled Red Onion? No? You have to try them! These guys had so many varieties of pickles to try that I was in heaven. :) *Feature & promo here!*
Peppered Up Foods: Griselda introduced me to Peppered Up Foods' entire line of sauces and seasonings. These sauces, some of them straight from her grandmother, are so awesome that she uses them at her restaurant Sliced and Diced. *Feature and giveaway here!*
P.O.P. Candy Co.: Maybe this is a little unfair, but I bought this candy at one of my first Patchwork Shows and have been buying it ever since. I knew this was one of my features before I even arrived! They have so many great flavors from Pecan to Rosemary Almond and even had two new ones this time: Hot Curry and Carrot Cake. Yum! *Feature and giveaway here!*
Front Porch Pops: I had to stop by again! I had my first pop a few years back and even visited them during the SoCal Social!
Get ready for some pampering!
Smell Swell: Brooke's all natural bath & beauty supplies have been featured in the Orange County Register, and she receives orders from all over the country now! Check out her wonderful line of lip balms, body butters, deodorants, and sun screens. *Feature here!*
Soap Farm: There were so many beautiful bars of soap, fragrant bottles of lotion, and cute gift sets to choose from. Head on over to see the whole lineup!
Do you like your jewelry modern?
Bless the Theory: These simple, understated, and modern pieces are simply beautiful! The designer Charmaine used her love of clean lines to inspire current line, which uses gold, sterling silver, brass, and copper to make gorgeous necklaces, earrings, and rings. Head over to her shop to say hi to this sweetheart and buy a gift for a loved one or yourself! *Feature here!*
Rewind Jewelry: I don't know why, but I have an obsession with watch jewelry. I love repurposing items and steampunk style, so it was a no-brainer to feature this shop. The range of styles with their necklaces, earrings, rings, cuffs, and other pieces are best expressed through pictures. So, you'll just have to wait until their feature or feel free to check out their store in the meantime! *Feature here!*
2ndwnd: These wood and vinyl creations are made with mostly wood repurposed from flooring. How awesome is that! To see the designs that have been previously made, check out their tumblr and e-mail here to request your favorite design or ask for something custom made!
Delusions of Grandeur: I'm a HUGE fan of geometric jewelry, and the best part is that Keren makes so many different designs with just the right pop of color! I had the hardest time figuring out which pieces to photograph because they were all so different and unique. Also, she does custom work, which means the options are endless!
Or do you like your accessories sweet?
Rainy Dawn in April: April and her shop had really fun items! She is inspired by nature and loves using natural materials such as stone, shell, pearls, and wood. I particularly loved her jewelry display tree of metal gear earrings, which could have doubled as Vintage Zest's logo! *Feature & promo here!*
Little Things Happen: How adorable are these button earrings? These certainly caught my eye, but if you are into something a bit less crafty, Loren makes beautifully dainty geode necklaces and bracelets. While we chatted, she confessed that she used to raid her mom's button stash for the cutest buttons. You and me both! *Feature, giveaway & promo here!*
Sachi Love: I was immediately drawn to Sachiko's beautiful line of earrings, necklaces, and headbands because of the beautiful colors. As we chatted, I knew I had seen her work somewhere before, which was true because she is located in boutiques all across Orange County and L.A.! Pop on over to see more of her pretty designs! *Feature here!*
Petite Santore: To tell you the truth, I was ready to feature Santore Company based on the women's hair accessories she was featuring at her booth. Then, I saw these perfect little accessories for babies and kids! With all of the baby gifts I have had to buy recently, it's so nice to find something unique. Make sure to check out both stores! *Feature and giveaway here!*
Ready to get dressed to the nines?
Little Gents in Training: I was ecstatic to see these adorable onesies handmade by Kristy! She had such a cute display of different styles for your little man to look his best. She does tons of custom work and uses men's shirt fabric to both inspire and use in her pieces! *Feature and giveaway here!*
Third Palace: I could not walk by this booth without noticing this perfectly feminine dress! If pink and frilly aren't your thing, Lilian has both relaxed and ultra-glam designs in her shop. I'm sure that even though you can find the perfect gift for someone else, in reality you'll end up shopping for yourself! *Feature & promo here!*
Maiden Voyage Clothing Co.: You know those awesome vintage-inspired illustrations that are slightly weird and wonderful? These men's shirts are the perfect combination of just that! In addition to these unique shirts, the store also has great leather wallets that would be a perfect gift for your man! *Feature & giveaway here!*
Maiden Voyage Clothing Co.: You know those awesome vintage-inspired illustrations that are slightly weird and wonderful? These men's shirts are the perfect combination of just that! In addition to these unique shirts, the store also has great leather wallets that would be a perfect gift for your man! *Feature & giveaway here!*
Reverie: The beautiful Bri was kind enough to show off some of her pretty pieces like this crocheted vest and printed kimono. I can see why local boutiques have her gorgeous garments in stock! My favorite might be the piece that she was wearing. :) Visit her store to see more of her fabulous creations! *Feature & giveaway here!*
Max Love: This amazing organization gives 100% of its profits to fund resources to support children fighting cancer and life-threatening illnesses. They carry all of types of headwear from knit caps to fedoras. I was lucky enough to talk to the father of Max, the 6-year-old boy who inspired this line, and find out about this great cause. Visit the store and show Max some love!
Let's talk bags!
Salvageshop: The lovely Teresa remembered me from a few years ago when I bought a pair of her earrings! She sells some beautiful cuffs and gorgeous blouses, which I was seriously lusting after. However, I thought the stars of her booth were the gorgeous purses, including these "crumpled" clutches. Fun!
520 Handmade Creations: When I learned how to sew, I thought I could start making all kinds of pretty purses, pouches, and tote bags. Soon after, I realized that my sloppy work was far from professional-looking. On the other side of the scale, these purses are impeccable! I loved so many of the happy prints and color combinations that I had to choose this as an upcoming feature! *Feature here!*
Point A 2 Point B Designs: These happy little bags are ideal for anyone with a bicycle. Why? They have a convertible design that attaches to your handlebars. Genius, right? I love that an ugly fannypack wasn't good enough for the creator of these cute bags, so she made her own for herself and you! *Feature and discount here!*
Keeper Goods: These purses are soooo on my wishlist right now. I adore anything mint green of course, but my favorite just might be the chocolate brown color. Everything about these purses is wonderful: the construction, the details, and the fact that it converts from a clutch into a handbag and a crossbody. I love multifunctional items! Phyllis has other items that are just as pretty, which I can't wait to show off in their upcoming feature! *Feature coming soon*
Ready for some crafty crochet & sewing gifts?
Small and Great: Kate had so many cute items that I really, really can't wait to share with you guys. Besides this cute little princess bear, there were all kinds of crocheted goodies, like adorable pieces of fruit, octopi, and scarves. Her favorite item? You'll have to wait until the feature! *Feature & giveaway here!*
Sew Country Chick: If you sew and blog like I do, then you will definitely know Justine from Sew Country Chick! She had pretty sewn items of all kinds: beautiful girls clothing, sassy fabric garlands, fun pencil pouches, and even some plastic bag dispensers! She was so nice that you have to go check out her store and show some love! *Feature coming soon*
Traditionally Unique: If you are in the market for a cloth napkin, Jennifer will have the perfect design for you! How do I know? Her booth had every kind of print possible: floral, geometric, holiday, animal, and of course traditional and unique! She also sells pretty aprons and offers sewing classes! *Feature here!*
Hallo Jak!: Sisters Jen & Kris have this super cute and crafty shop complete with Mason jar mini sewing kits perfect for a stocking stuffer! They also have so many cute necklaces, barettes, and jars of washi tape, just to mention a few items. Pop on over to browse their wares! *Feature and giveaway here!*
Pretty Paper Products! (I love alliteration)
Warren Tales: If you need a quirky, clever card, look no further! Not only would these be great cards to accompany your gifts, I would love to receive one of her card sets as a present. If you visit the shop, make sure to check out the "About" page for the story behind the bowler hat-wearing rabbit! *Feature, giveaway, and freebie here!*
Lettre Sauvage: This shop has beautiful handmade paper products made by letterpress and offers custom work. Even more unique about this shop is that you can schedule a class to learn all about printing on a real letterpress and then you can walk away with something beautiful for yourself or as a gift! Being the crafty person that I am, I would love to receive the lessons myself! *Feature here!*
Atiliay: The lovely cards at this store are even more beautiful by the fact that a portion of the proceeds are donated to a non-profit organization with a worthy cause. It's a wonderful reminder that during the holidays we should give back, so head over to buy some cards and check out this season's cause. *Feature here!*
Paper Pastries: Not only does Margaret have pretty cards, stationery sets, and art prints, she customizes just about everything! I had a really tough time selecting just one picture for this round-up post, so I can't wait to share the rest on her featured post! I adore these custom stamps, which would be a great gift or for you to use on all of those pretty cards you'll be sending this holiday season! *Feature & promo here!*
Vintage-Inspired & Upcycled Gifts
Foxboxes: When you head over to the Foxboxes shop, you might notice that they're based in Atlanta, GA. While they started off down South, one of the lovely co-owners makes her home right here in California! Check out all of the California map-inspired flasks for sale! There are even more designs, which I'll get to share in their feature post! *Feature and giveaway here!*
Whose Woods Are These?: The tagline for this shop is "Hand-poured soy candles in rescued Relics of Whimsy." How could you not fall in love with that! My favorites were these teacup candles and the vintage tins. They were popular, so make sure to head over and buy one soon!
Cattle Headquarters: This booth was just like walking into a country store! There were bags made from old quilts, tote bags made from feed sacks, and the pillows and aprons you see here. The owner not only repurposes vintage textiles, he designs some of his own amazing vintage-inspired artwork! You should definitely head over to order a custom product in time for the holidays.
Reclamation Dept.: The lovely Casey is modeling one of the awesome bags from this shop. I could have stayed here for hours hearing about every bag and its story! So many of them were repurposed from Swiss military bags, German ration-bread bags, and even recycled tire rubber. There was jewelry, Edison lamps, wall art, bicycle panniers, and so much more! I love their mission of "bringing new life to old or discarded items" and they really turn out beautifully handmade items. Besides all of the amazing goods, Casey told me about some local Stitch and Bitch sessions that I may have to drop in on soon... *Feature, giveaway & promo code here!*
Unique Gifts for the Home!
Kheel's: This was one of the first shops where I stopped to talk with the artist and I'm so glad that I did! I found out the inspiration behind these colorful pillows are from L.A. strip mall signs and local street art! His mens hats inspired by the L.A. skyline and bears (!) are awesome, as well as his "Profane Pennants" that I'm sure your hipster college bud would love. :) *Feature & promo here!*
33 Stewart Avenue: Also inspired by California, Sean's work is totally fresh and relaxed. He had tons of wonderful wall art with that same relaxed, west-coast, rustic feel. You have to check out his store to see the wood prints, because they were probably my favorite items there in addition to these cute succulent planters! *Feature & giveaway here!*
Tricia Ree Ceramics: Last Patchwork Show, I shared a post with these beautiful ceramic items that I was kicking myself over not being able to share the store link with you! Lucky me, Tricia and her pretty handmade wares were here with more fun items. She individually builds each mold with found objects ranging from trash to family heirlooms. The results are completely amazing and I can't wait to share more in her feature! *Feature here!*
Junk Art Gypsyz: I love a pretty light-up sign! I passed this shop near the end of the day and it's like the store called out to me, "Come here! Come here!" It may have been the bright arrow, but the signs were all around fun and funky. They do custom work, so I may see my name up in lights pretty soon... :)
I know that I only shared a bit about each shop, but believe me, there was so much to see. If you made it to the end of this post, you'll love my "25 Days of Handmade Gifts" series with interviews and more pictures of each store and their goods!
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You might be wondering which of the items I purchased. Well, I knew that my football crowd was still going strong, so I brought back a couple of yummy items from Peppered Up Foods, which everyone loved!
Well, I hope you enjoyed my round-up of just a few of the amazing shops, food artisans, and sights of the day! I'm super-amped for the upcoming series and even more excited to check out the Patchwork Show in Santa Ana on December 1st.
Are you planning on going to Patchwork Santa Ana or your local craft festival for holiday presents? :)
What a wonderful list! I am addicted to homemade soap myself. Thank you very much for sharing! :)
ReplyDeleteOf course! Make sure to subscribe because we have a bunch more features coming up that you'll definitely enjoy! :)
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