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Omaha, Nebraska, USA

June 20, 2017 by Tara Gentile 3 Comments

This week’s Shop Local post stops in Omaha, Nebraska. Below you’ll find my favorite picks from the Omaha craft scene. If you don’t find something that fits your fancy, check out the Omaha Craft Mafia website for more fabulous Omaha artisans. When you’re in town, you’ll want to visit the Hot Shops Art Center where you’ll find “over 80 studio artists, as well as four gallery spaces, in [the] building complex located in downtown Omaha.”

The crafter behind Stash comes to Omaha from Finland by way of Great Britain. She’s been sewing since she was tiny, making her own clothes in elementary school, as her mother was a textile designer. Now she makes chic bags out of vintage fabrics! The wristlet above is constructed from a chocolate & red vintage fabric, red canvas, and leatherette trim. Don’t you love the strong shape juxtaposed with the floral pattern & feminine pleats? Fabulous!

Continuing with the strong shapes, Bren Duvall, of BrenDesign, created these sterling silver “Building Earrings” in the image of a city skyline. She says has an “obsessive quest of building an eco-conscious small business from nothing more than a pile of recycled metal bits.”

Shifting gears a bit, when my baby girl gets a bit bigger, she must have one of these skirts! Many children’s boutiques do pillowcase dresses, cute hats, or leg warmers, but Bustle has crafted this flamenco skirt for your tiny dancer. Ellene Mcclay, the proprietress of Bustle, is inspired by vintage fabric and historical fashions. She also creates jewelry, accessories, and clothing for ladies of a more mature age at her other shop, Deciduous Soul.

Last but not least, this clever little idea caught my eye and couldn’t be passed by! September House creates embroidered flower pot wraps that are sure to add a nice touch to even the prettiest plant.

Derringer Friday

June 20, 2017 by Valerie Williams 2 Comments

Derringer Friday is a duo of transplanted southern gentlemen who like to wear nice things. Like so many independent designers I know, Scott Permar and Lukas Smith got started because they couldn’t find anything in stores that satisfied both their style and quality requirements.

Derringer Friday is about neckties, because that’s what Scott and Lukas like to wear. Although neither of them come from a design background, they know what they like, and they know what looks good. “At the end of the day, it comes down to taste rather than any specific skill,” says Scott, and he’s right. After all, many of the most successful menswear designers never set foot in fashion school.

I first noticed Derringer Friday ties at the Temporium, where their unusual colors and interesting shape caught my eye. As always, I noticed the fabric first: high quality wool, linen and seersucker in bold plaids and florals. The combination of texture, color, and pattern was really interesting, and a far cry from the boring “power ties” on the collars of most men in DC.

The most interesting feature, however, is the guillotine tip, a design detail that really sets Derringer Friday ties apart. They are constructed using an unlined, four-fold technique that Scott and Lukas devised themselves, after some research and trial and error. Their goal was to create a tie that would drape nicely and hold up well over time, all while looking stylish, and of course, not like everybody else.

The company came about as sort of a happy accident. Scott and Lukas have been friends for years, and have always been interested in clothes and style. After talking about starting something together for a while, they took the plunge by experimenting with necktie designs, and Derringer Friday was born. Their first collection debuted in April 2010.

All the ties are handcrafted in Washington, DC by Derringer Friday’s talented local production team. The most popular ties, not surprisingly, have been the brighter, more colorful designs, which also happen to be the ones that Scott and Lukas enjoy designing the most.

There are plans to add cufflinks and tiebars to the collection in 2011, but for now you can find handmade Derringer Friday neckties at their online shop, and at Alter Brooklyn in New York City.

Interview with Jessica of Grace Inspired

June 19, 2017 by Erika Jurney 2 Comments

What is your craft / art / creative endeavor?

I started out creating my own line of felt designs. But as I became more and more concerned about the chemicals in every skin product we use, I’ve also begun my own line of all natural skincare products. So now I do both!

How did you get started? Have you worked in other creative areas before the kind of work you’re doing now?

When I became pregnant with our first daughter, my husband and I became more and more aware of the chemicals and drugs we were inundating ourselves with. It became a big concern. So I started to look for alternatives and began making our own skincare products.

Do you work alone? With a team? Do you engage your family or friends in the work? What is your process? How do you ensure you get your work done yet still have a life?

I work alone. It’s pretty much my escape. I’m a stay at home mom and wouldn’t trade being home with my daughter for anything. So when she’s asleep or playing, I’ll pull out the sewing machine or mix up a batch of moisturizer or shampoo.

Where do you sell your work? Which venues are your favorites? Do you prefer selling online or in person? Do you attend shows or fairs? Is your work in a gallery or brick-and-mortar store?

I sell both product lines at my etsy store and also am part of an artist co-op in downtown Sanford (north of Orlando, FL) called Fawn. I’ve done a few shows, but haven’t sought them out as they’re so much more work for me and with a family it’s hard to put that much time commitment yet.

What do you wish I had asked you?

“Where do you hope this takes you?”

I really have a heart to help women in need. I would love for my sales to reach a point where I need to expand. When that happens, I want to seek out at-risk women looking to make a change in their life but don’t know where to turn. I’d love to be able to provide jobs for them, a hope and a future.

That’s a beautiful goal, Jessica. I hope you can make that happen! And if *you* would like to be interviewed on Try Handmade, just fill out this form :)

Papaver Vert

June 19, 2017 by Erika Jurney Leave a Comment

Papaver Vert: Patty Benson started Papaver Vert in 2007 making her small apartment shared with her husband, into a small creative studio in Northern California. Based on form, function and bold color, Patty’s work utilizes the time consuming technique of crocheting and wet felting wool to create tactile pieces with a contemporary twist.

Learning how to crochet a few years ago, she immediately found a medium that combined her love of wool with her love of home decor. Feeling that home accessories shouldn’t just be limited to ceramic or glass, and that felted wool doesn’t have to mean something old-school, she loves the idea of taking the ancient technique of felting to design something entirely new.

Patty loves that wool is a renewable resource and she stands behind a non-mass produced sensibility. Each piece is lovingly handmade in her studio and she figures the more attention put into the craft, the better the quality, the longer it will last and the less need to buy more, more, more.

Leopard Print

June 18, 2017 by Sarah Safranski 14 Comments

The new fall trends have been announced, and animal print is in this season with leopard print leading the pack. Living in Hawaii, I typically miss out on the fall and winter fashion trends, but this one may be a little easier to incorporate into my wardrobe. Adding a small touch of animal print with the right accessories will instantly make a simple outfit chic and exotic.

A leopard print purse is a quick way to add a little sass to your little black dress, or any dress for that matter. This envelope style option from Hmmm…by Melanie includes a black chain strap, magnetic closure and is lined in black sequined fabric.

A leopard print hat may be a bit fashion forward for most, but this vintage-style cloche hat by The Millinery Shop is just too good to pass up. It is hand blocked, made from long haired felt leopard print fabric, and completed with a Bakelite buckle and hat pin. This would look amazing with a fall cape or winter coat.

Using black, brown, tan, creme and white yarn, this scarf is hand-knit by Crickets Creations to create the look of leopard print. Paired with a fall blazer or winter coat, it is sure to keep you warm and make a statement well beyond this fall’s animal print trend.

This turban-style headband from ChiChi is the perfect get-your-attention accessory for girls who love to be glamorous. Perfect for a night on the town or just pulling your hair back while running errands.

As the weather becomes cooler, embrace this year’s fall trend and incorporate a little bit of leopard print into your wardrobe! I’ll have my eye out for a leopard print bikini!

**The Leopard Shoes fine art print featured at the top of this post was created by Karcharz Photography.