2011 Crafty Chicks

What a great show #12 was! Neither pouring rain or cool temperatures kept our wonderful shoppers away! The quality of items for sale by the 'Chicks' was incredible. :)
Now on to next year lucky # 13!

4 days until the show!

Cheryl Graham and Gretchen Finch

Cheryl and Gretchen are two of the original chicks and they also are the organizers of the show. They are great friends who share a LOVE of buttons!!

Cheryl will have her 'Letter' painted canvases, unique little address books, one of a kind frames, vintage button collages and journals.

Gretchen will have vintage button collages, sterling silver button bookmarks, and button bracelets. This will be her 9th year to create a sculpted folk art creation. These 'Merry Mates', a sweet Penguin and his Cardinal friend capture the spirit of the holiday.

Cheryl and Gretchen have both created unique 'Treasure Boxes', their new item this year. Each small, metal, embellished box is one of a kind and comes with a surprise inside. A perfect gift for someone you treasure!

Counting down...7 more days till a GREAT SHOW!!!

Don't miss it!

Toni Roper

This is Toni's fourth year with the Chicks. She makes delicious dip and cheese ball mixes that she labels with vintage postcard images. After tasting the samples, you'll want to pick up several to take home. Mmmmmmm good! Stop by and see all the wonderful treasures she will be offering.

Carole Reeves and Sabrina Stodgell

Leo & Lyla by Carole Reeves & Sabrina Stodgell became 'Chicks' last year !! These two talented and devoted mothers offer a variety of hand-made modern children’s clothing. Although they specialize in appliqué shirts and onesies, they have several other adorable products for your modern miracle!

Mindi Ogden

This is Mindi's third year in Crafty Chicks, she is a production designer at Hallmark who loves to design handcrafted beads and make them into wearable artwork creations. Her small business "Wonderfully Made," is taken from the bible verse—I am fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14). Mindi makes every design perfect for any girl—each piece has a little whimsy...they are colorful, funky, unique, and totally you...Wonderfully Made!

Elise Ray

Elise's current sewing manias are MySnazzyBags, which are purses, totes and handbags, in a wide range of fabrics, from elegant to funky. Sizes vary from wristlets to iPad Hobos. She's also having a blast making polar fleece jackets in fun prints and patterns (MySnazzyRags). Custom sizes and designs are welcome.

Cool Stuff Event

Our friends from "Cool Stuff" are having their show this weekend, so make sure to get there early and add new cool stuff to your old cool stuff.

Their address is: 2300 Fayette Street, North Kansas City, MO. 64116

Phone: 816.842.8765

Julie Reed

Julie grew up in Pennsylvania, but now lives in Kansas City along with her boyfriend and two Scottish Terriers. By day she works for a scrapbook, craft company as a graphic designer/art director, by night and lunch hours, she makes things. Julie loves to knit, crochet, felt, create jewelry and make paper objects. This is Julie's 12th Crafty Chick show! Visit her blog to see and read more about her and what inspires her. www.bricolage-julier.blogspot.com

Tara Smith

Tara has been working on the shrines since her dad's death about 7 years ago. It started with a couple of fabric boxes in remembrance of him and grew from there. Now she likes creating little stories about the people in the pictures that she uses when she creates. Most of the people are family members long past. She also uses various religious icons and symbols in her work.

Julie O'Dell

Business professional by day and artist by night, Julie is the creative force behind Plum Road Studios. “Making things” is her passion; color and pattern provide inspiration; sewing is her favorite creative expression. Time spent in the studio, mainly at the sewing machine, is a connecting thread to Julie’s past. Her grandmother and mother sewed and quilted; Julie was taught how to use a needle and thread at an early age. Her family also owned and operated a small ceramics studio where Julie learned to paint and explore other mediums. While she has dabbled in all sorts of projects, quilting remains a constant and focus of her creative energies.

Karen Reeves

Karen is so happy to be back with her Crafty Chicks! This year, she is offering beautiful jewelry handmade with a wide variety of materials, each piece with it's own personality. Scrabble tile ornaments will be for sale along with some great button ornaments. She hopes you'll stop by and say Hi...it will definitely be 'Time Well Spent'!

Kristie Jeffers

Kristie Jeffers started sewing dolls and toys for her two small boys. She has always been a crafter and is constantly creating whether it's a knitted scarf, a painted Christmas gnome, or a hand sewn doll. She uses natural fibers whenever possible, wool felt being her favorite. Kristie can't wait to share her creations with you and your children!

Sharman Lang

Necessity is the mother of invention. Standing on the bus stop in the dead of winter, you look for any kind of cover or warmth you can find. One way to keep warm is to cover your head and neck with a scarf or hat. Sharman was not happy with the apparel being offered in the high or low end fashion departments, so she decided to make her own. Keep That Head and Neck Warm !

Diane and Madeline Tompkins

"Tag Team Tompkins" spent time this summer developing some of their first 2-color work to be printed by Skylab Letterpress. They have tried to keep the simplicity of their early black on white work, but have added some color accents. A few of the original designs appeared in Better Homes and Gardens Halloween special interest magazine recently. Debbie Dusenberry, of Curious Sofa, produced this 10 page spread in her amazingly creative fashion. They were honored to be included in her "Mad Tea Party" feature.

Shawna Stobaugh

Shawna Stobaugh is a creative artist whose illustration subjects are greatly inspired by her own life and things that surround her. Among all the things she illustrates, her favorite things are the ones that she sees daily. The style of her art is playful and almost child-like. She has a variety of items to share such as; prints, illustrated baby blocks, rub-ons, iron-on transfers, baby cloths with illustrations, illustrated wood plaques, pattern covered decorative boxes, cards, decorative letters, frames, tile magnets, pin-back buttons and assorted illustrated paper items.You can see more of Shawna's art & illustration at her website www.nonnaiandd.com

Tabitha Todd

Tabitha and her husband Brandon get creative together to make screenprinted pillows and onesies. Each design is original and screen printed by hand with lots of time and love. Once designs are crafted, much time is spent mixing emulsion and ink colors, cutting fabrics, drying screens, burning impressions, pulling the ink, and sewing the final products! Tabitha also began sewing clutches recently, and she is always looking for new ways to expand her creativity! This is the couple's first year as a Crafty Chick, and they look forward to finding homes and bodies for their unique designs.

Sharon Milleret and June Brock

You never know what these two chicks will be bringing for the show. They have the most wonderful antiques and pre-owned treasures. To round it all off, June adds to the mix charming ornaments that were created using small antique butter molds. Come by and see what they have new this year!

Shelby Olexa

Shelby's love of handmade clothing is clear in her crocheting. Two years ago she began making hats for family and friends and then began selling her creations in a local vintage shop. This is her first year at Crafty Chicks. She'll be featuring unique hats, fingerless gloves and scarves. Be sure to stop by to see her owl and sock monkey hats!

Linda Maloney

Linda has fallen in love with working in resin!! From the yummy colors to the tactile feel she has enjoyed every project. The colors are bright and cheery and will add pizazz to your winter wardrobe. Wear one necklace at at time or wear in multiples!

Alicia Thomas and John Brogden

Alicia Thomas and John Brogden started out 2 years ago working together to create birdhouses and feeders from gourds. Bootheel Gourds are grown by their father on the family farm in southeast Missouri.This is their first year at Crafty Chicks, and they will be offering much more than birdhouses and feeders. All made out of gourds, of course!

Cherish Pageau

Cherish has been working in ceramics for 8 years. Her current work focuses on simple, functional and decorative forms created by using both wheel-thrown and hand-building techniques with interesting, textural, surface design motifs inspired by nature. As always, she will be selling an assortment of wares; mugs, bowls, vases, etc. Each piece is unique, 100% hand-made, and perfect for eating, drinking, gifting or adding that unique decorative flair you've been looking for to your own home or office.

Rachel Porter

Rachel owns 'love is rising', an outpouring of love that originally sprung from their journey to adopt their third child. Rachel has wanted her own handmade shop since college, and...years later finally got up the guts to try it and LOVES it. She love the process of creating (start to finish), meeting new friends and funding their adoption in a fun and new way. This is Rachel's first year as a 'Chick'!

Lynda Dureka

Lynda was was sewing and making fabric items at the age of 8! She has made wedding dresses, men’s suits, curtains, king size quilts, quilted dog beds; you name it and this girl believes she can make it. Her menu for the November’s show will be quilted items: Table runners, make-up or personal bags, eyeglass cases, a variety of purses in styles that she has created. Lynda’s objective is to use vintage fabrics and trims. Items that remind her of her grandmother. Should you not find something you cannot live without be sure and let her know. She’s always willing to take orders and create that special something for you.

Christy Cater

Christy Cater is a Ceramics/Mixed Media artist who creates artwork full of whimsy, humor and funk. From wearable pieces, functional works, or reliefs that hang on the wall, you'll be sure to find something that tugs on your heartstrings! She's so excited to share her Crafty Chick creativity with you!

Anne Medley

Anne initially started making beaded collars for her own three dogs. The demand quickly increased to family, friends. acquaintances and nearly everyone who saw them. Requests began flowing in. especially from people at the dog park resulting in a large group of very well dressed dogs. An animal lover, Anne decided to give 100% of all proceeds to Operation Wildlife (OWL), a group of amazing people who are dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured and orphaned animals. Remember dogs need Christmas gifts, too!

Julie Day

Julie Day loves to create with a vintage flair. Her felt flowers

can adorn a headband, jacket label or top off your shoes. Miniature

decoupaged journals crafted from old books and papers help express your personal style

(and keep you organized!). Other specialties include cloth tissue holders from retro

fabrics, picture frames from wrapping paper of long ago Christmases, and other vintage

surprises. Julie is so excited to be a crafty chick!

We are so pleased to be featuring the particpants in our 2011 show! In the next few weeks you will see why we think this may be our best show ever!

Laura Hudson

Laura Hudson is a graphic designer by trade and a lover of all things paper! Laura specializes in handmade journals and notebooks, as well as paper products including cards, gift tags, and calendars to name a few! Her newest creation has been the addition of handmade fabric flowers to her journals. Laura is so excited to be a part of Crafty Chicks for the first time this year!

(and we are so glad to have her!)

Ruth Donikowski

Ruth has always had a passion for mixed media and repurposing everyday objects into unique one of a kind art pieces. In addition to her wonderfully scented felted wool soaps, there are unusual pieces hand crafted from vintage bottles using crystals, shells, jewelry, buttons, epherama, etc. What will she bring this year? Stop by and find out!

Check out the list of participants! Aren't you impressed? What a show it is going to be! :) Look for our articles about the featured artists in the next weeks.

It is that time again. We are in the planning stage of Crafty Chicks #12! We will be posting the 2011 participant list soon. It is going to be a be a great line-up!