The Sampler - Contributors: September 2005

Super Mega 200+ Item Contributions - September

Altar Magazine
Button Arcade

Altar Magazine believes that problems are not monolithic, and neither are solutions. It is imperative to have socially progressive women and men fighting on all fronts of the movement whether that is anti-racist work, feminism, anti-heterosexism, economic justice or any other political action. Altar Magazine exists within a community that is fragmented, but not broken. It exists in a time when coalition is crucial and must be implemented. We believe that the personal is political; therefore, all forms of creativity are inherently political. We want to create a space where critical thought and understanding happen simultaneously. This is important because before we can create social change we must be able to re-imagine communities that foster difference. We must be able to take ownership of that which we do not claim in order to effectively critique this oppressive system that we know and perpetuate. Social change is not momentous. It is a process. Our hope is that each individual recognizes his or her place within this system of change.

www.altarmagazine.com

Button Arcade

New buttony goodies coming in September, including Irked Pincushions, felted mirrors, and felty monster pins!

www.buttonarcade.com

Eidolons.org

Eidolons.org was born of a great love of books. Melissa Polk began hand binding books as a way to pass the time. It soon became an obsession. Her friends urged her to start selling her creations online and at local art shows. Each book is created with love, care, and meticulous attention to detail. Melissa spends a great deal of time searching for fabrics and embellishments that are both pleasing to the eye, as well as to the touch. Melissa firmly believes that a life without books would be too dull for contemplation.

www.eidolons.org

Erin Elizabeth

I have a great love for teeny tiny things. Growing up on Cape Cod I spent many hours on my knees in the sand looking for the teeniest tiniest sea shells I could find. Six years ago I moved to Washington DC and discovered beads - teeny tiny shiny things! This began my love affair with beads…and I’ve always had a love affair with jewelry. And so, Erin Elizabeth Jewelry was born.

www.erinelizabethjewelry.com

Feed Your Head Books

www.feedyourheadbooks.com

FeTO
FeTO

FeTO is a husband and wife team from Cincinnati, Ohio. Todd is the brains, Rachel is...well, Rachel sits in their living room thinking up new hats and costumes for fetuses to wear. Todd brings Rachel back to reality when she begins drawing up plans for the fetus-themed amusement park. They are expecting their first child in August.

www.fetopia.net

Fishcakes Designs

Fishcakes Designs is where the underdog animals come to eat cake. Slugs, squids, bumpy toads, and other friendly creatures are waiting, forks at the ready.

www.fishcakes.net

Fork 'N Spoon Mail Order

Stephanie, a former night-shift baker, started Fork 'n Spoon in July 2003 as a zine distro dedicated solely to food-themed zines because she's a total food geek, but over time it has blossomed into quite the behemoth. Fork 'n Spoon now carries earrings, stationery, accessories, kitchen gear, one-inch buttons, cookbooks and so much more. We have a lot of stuff now, as well as food zines, all of which are made by Steph or by other independent artists and zinesters.

www.whammyindustries.com

Glamscience

Glamscience began when Daria Penta decided that she'd rather glue sparkles to stuff than go back to grad school ever again. Now Daria lives in Seattle, draws tiny pictures of everyday objects, & spends a lot of time arranging her glitter according to color. See more of her work at www.glamscience.com.

www.glamscience.com

india*romeo

www.indiaromeo.com

Share the Care Buttonware

Share the Care Buttonware exists to provide hip people like yourself with hip (and quality) pins at a fair price. It is a one-girl operation through which I aim to share my care for humanity, the Earth, and art by creating and distributing one inch expressions of circular love, to be shared and worn with care. Visit www.sharethecare.net to peruse my catalog of uniquely hand-crafted little metal candies, or have your own custom-made. At Share the Care you will find excellent, friendly service, competitive prices, free shipping, and an outstanding turnaround time- I generally made orders on the same day I receive them. Also, 10% of each month’s profit goes to a reputable non-profit organization.

www.sharethecare.net

Wrong Number Distro

Wrong Number is a distro that's been up & running, by two ladies Sara & Sarah, since the summer of 2004. Our main goal, in bringing about this distro, is to connect diverse zines, crafts, (& more!) into one central spot for distribution. We have over 40+ zines in our catalog to date that range from vegan, personal, how-to, technology, & more! We're just a vein in the community & hope to give back to the DIY scene.

www.wrongnumberdistro.com

75+ Item Contributions - September

4 Square

4square was established in November 2004 by a graphic designer who loves to craft! After finding 2 lonely sheets of print and shrink inkjet paper--it then became totally addictive! A ton of print and shrink paper was purchased and the design madness began. All designs are original and are created using an ibook G4, Adobe Illustrator and an Epson printer. At the beginning of 2005, 4square launched it own line of sewing buttons, along with lots of new computer illustrated stationery and home decor items.

www.buy4square.com

A Minor Thread

www.minor-thread.com

blissen / A Minor Thread collaboration

the blissen and minor-thread co-lab presents "li’l bits limited edition pin sets" for your enjoyment! a minor thread is a tiny crafts label with big ideas, while blissen is an only slightly bigger crafts label with big dreams for small things. both are based in the san francisco bay area, and use recycled and reclaimed materials whenever possible. visit blissen.com and minor-thread.com to see more of our handmade goods!

www.blissen.com and www.minor-thread.com

Chebang!

Chebang! is run by Silvia Chenault, a stay-at-home-mommy who loves crafts to the core. Her work is inspired by indie crafters, folk art, and nature. She is really into sewing and embroidery, but has been painting and writing for several years. Immersing herself in creativity is priority and she tries to keep her imagination fresh and strong. She finds the new craft movement a brilliant statement about the younger generation's intelligence, sensitivity, and optimism.

www.chenaultchebang.zoomshare.com

cheep! cheep!

www.cheepcheep.org

DeMarco Designs

www.livejournal.com/users/drawingtrees

Fern House Studio

Fern House Studio is the home of fun and inventive paintings, puppets and cards... and sometimes other creative surprises. My artwork is known for its bold, cheerful colors and inventive design and is part of my Master Plan to help bring some more happiness, beauty and fun to the world.

www.fernhousestudio.com

The Fruit Salad

www.thefruitsalad.com

Hopeful Monsters

Hopeful Monsters was born nearly two years ago on my parent's dining room table and, ever evolving, now follows me around in a pair of matching Sky Queen suitcases as I split my time between Colorado and Oregon. I design and handprint each item with images featuring wonders of nature, marvels of technology and great feats of beauty. I hope that these items make you as excited as they do me.

www.hopefulmonstersapparel.com

Lauren Urban

www.lauren-urban.com

MaryJane's Attic

MaryJane's Attic is a webtique offering hand spun yarn, handmade art, jewelry, and accessories. Many of our items are limited edition and one of a kind. Most items are made by the shopkeeper Jamie Chan in San Francisco, CA. She has an obsession with color, texture and giving vintage materials a new purpose. Drop on by MaryJane's Attic, you never know what you treasures you may find!

www.maryjanesattic.net

Monster Fashion

www.monsterfashion.net

Paper, Scissors, Soul

Hope started collaging in January 2005 when a friend took her to a craft club meeting and loaded her down with paper scraps. She quickly developed a love for working with antique and vintage papers, and can often be found roaming antiques shops for old photos, paper and other ephemera. Hope works in both cut and paste and digital collage (both using vintage and antique elements), depending on her mood and the piece. She currently resides on the East Coast, and can be visited at www.thesoulofhope and www.paperscissorssoul.com.

www.paperscissorssoul.com

Sabrina's Charm

Sabrina of "Sabrina's Charm" is a newlywed from Massachusetts who's constant gluing, hammering and asking the question "How does this look?" drives her husband crazy, but he's learned to love it and wouldn't have it any other way. Sabrina has a way of taking things and turning them into the unexpected. To someone they see a scrap of paper to Sabrina she sees endless possibilities of what to do with that paper and it's usually not to use it for a grocery list. Self taught and learning along the way she combines her offbeat style with her love for the unconventional and has managed to create unique pieces for the like minded and for people who say "Wow I would have never thought of that!"

livejournal.com/users/sabrinas_charm

Spicey Creations

www.spiceycreations.com

Sprout Studio

handmade lovelies and art goods.

www.sproutstudio.net

Stephanie's Soaps

www.stephaniessoaps.com

Stinky Lou Lou

www.stinkyloulou.com

Wrong Number Distro

www.wrong-number.net

Yatta
Yatta

www.yattabags.com

50+ Item Contributions - September

All This is Mine

www.allthisismine.com

bara
bara

www.ohbara.com

Bean-dip and Eddy

bean-dip and eddy is a one girl and one dog operation. the girl likes all kinds of crafts, but her favorites right now are embroidery, knitting and making charm bracelets. the dog likes vegetables, french fries and naps.

www.beandipandeddy.etsy.com

Bonnin Designs

Bonnin Designs is a Southern California based jewelry and accessories line founded in 2000 by designer, Shari Bonnin. Also a Flamenco dancer, many of Shari’s designs are inspired by this art form as well as her unique sense of combining bold colors.

www.bonnindesigns.com

Carmela Preciado (formerly red pug)

website pending

Designed by RJ

Classics with a fresh funky twist! Designed by RJ Jewelry uses a mix of bold colours and classic styles to create easy to wear jewelry that adds a bit of pop to any outfit!

www.designedbyrj.ca

Dying Breed

Lorrie Mae, the designer definitely bases her designs on the things she loves: hardcore music, pin-up girls & pin-up art, rockabilly/psychobilly art, vintage/retro, and the kitsch! Steering away from the conglomerates tainting our communities, we try to make great, one-of-a-kind items just for our customers who are supporting us in the DIY community.

www.lastofadyingbreed.net

Eclectic Elements

Shop online with Eclectic Elements for fun, indie jewelry designs and funky game piece fashion accessories. Chunky Mahjong Mah Jong bracelets for a great retro look. Also featuring rockabilly dice jewelry, rock and roll guitar pick earrings and high quality, handcrafted charm bracelets. All of our items are individually handcrafted. We offer unique and unusual gifts. Custom orders and special requests are welcome.

www.eclectic-elements.com

Faerygrrrl

Proprietress of Faerygrrrl.com, Miss Erin Fae creates artistic mischief. Purveyor of ephemera and finery, she sends letters, makes little books and zines, and travels long distances with her typewriter and dollish companions. Miss Fae’s desk is cluttered with her sewing machine, old transit passes, scraps of times gone by, tubes of paint, and Letterpress dreams. A velvet hair ribbon that has lost its match, a misplaced pearl button, a page torn from a dusty old novel set in forgotten type: these items while special in their own right are given new life by the mischievous little faery who makes wonder out of their mysteries. It is difficult to separate Miss Fae from her creations. She creates a seamless line that takes the imagination on a journey, sometimes overseas and through time. She hopes to surprise you.

www.faerygrrrl.com

Heather Joy