Blog

Read about our first art show of the season- Glenside Art Festival in PA. Click here.

Well where might I spend my free weekend last Spring when not off in the Cape Mobile... a craft festival of course! Left my trusty sidekick at home and ventured off to the Maryland Sheep and Wool Festival at the Howard County Fairgrounds in western Maryland. I happened upon a magical booth filled with felted gnomes and other woodland critters.

Going Gnome began quite by accident in 2008 by two sisters, Jennifer and Melissa VanSant. They had been running their bead and scrapbook store since 2005 and frequently spent time needle felting in the shop. They grew up knitting, sewing, crocheting and had a lifelong love of fiber. Jennifer and Melissa's love of gnomes seemed to want to manifest itself in needle felting. How well gnomes and wool go together! People would come into their shop and ask if they could buy our gnomes, could they teach them how to make them, and could they carry felting supplies in the shop.

On a whim Jennifer and Melissa applied to the NY Sheep and Wool festival in Rhinebeck, NY and managed to get a booth! They designed 3 kits, made a whole bunch of gnomes – and sold out what they brought! They were so excited and energized - they moved the shop, dropped the scrapbooking supplies and moved the felting supplies in.

Over the past 10 years Jennifer and Melissa have expanded their line of needle felting kits to 25, they offer 2 limited edition kits each year that change in October, Gnome of the year, and Holiday of the year. Going Gnome attends 15 retail and wholesale shows around the country each year, wholesale our kits to yarn, toy and gift stores, and spend many evenings and weekends teaching.

It has been exciting for them to introduce so many people to needle felting thought these channels. Three years ago they closed the doors of their brick and mortar store to focus exclusively on Going Gnome from their studio. These two talented sisters feel so honored that people have embraced this sweet and sometimes scary world they have created.

Going Gnome is active on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Find their kits for sale at http://www.goinggnome.com 

I'm so happy to bring another superhero into the family! Come by this weekend and visit the Bizarre Bazaar, Christmas Collection. Details below. 

The Bizarre Bazaar - Christmas Collection

November 29 - Dec. 2, 2018, Thursday - Saturday 10 - 7pm, Sunday 10 - 5pm
The Richmond Raceway, 600 E Laburnum Ave, Richmond, VA
www.thebizarrebazaar.com

With Christmas right around the corner it was a clear what artist should be featured next. Several years ago at the Herndon Festival, I met the artist behind Life Scooped, Amanda Mahon. Her booth was across from Creative Capes, giving me a great view of her colorful pennant banners. What melted my heart was her burlap Santa Sacks topped off with a vivid red satin ribbon. Needless to say I am a proud owner of several which get used each year during the holidays.

Life Scooped started as an ice cream blog, but symbolically meant so much more to Amanda – about scooping up life’s challenges and creating beauty and fun with them. Life Scooped grew from an ice cream blog to a craft business making festive pennants. She started playing with color and fabrics while her husband journeyed all over the world on a deployment with the US Navy, and she was home caring for their two young children.

Amanda continues to grow Life Scooped as she balances being a mom, wife and artist. She started designing and creating Santa Sacks the year she hosted Christmas for her extended family as a special touch for that gathering. It was so well received the Santa Sacks have become a mainstay of her business, each one created with her unique stencil design. The rustic look of a decorated burlap bag with an oversized red satin ribbon makes your gifts look like were delivered right from the North Pole, and the best part is, it can be used year after year.

The Santa Sacks are the perfect piece to start a special family Christmas tradition, a unique touch to delivering that special gift – or simply a lovely decoration to flank a fireplace or a tree as we decorate for the holidays. 

Visit Amanda's Etsy store to order your Santa Sacks, holiday wine bags and banners for the holidays.

Strolling through the Haddonfield Fine Art and Craft Festival on a hot July afternoon I was stopped in my tracks as I came upon "Here's to Ears". I am always on the look out for creative thank you gifts for the wonderful kids who model for Creative Capes. The ears and unicorn horns done by Lori and her husband Jeff were unexpected and so cheerful they brought a smile to my face.

"Since it's inception, 'Here's to Ears' has had only one goal...To make people smile!" - Lori Persa, Owner of Here's to Ears.

"Kids adore wearing our loveable, furry ears. Yet, they are actually worn by more adults than children.  Doctors, Nurses, Teachers and a host of other professionals wear our ears to bring happiness to others.  Just clip them in your hair, or on a hat, and you're ready to transform into your favorite animal or character."

Everything about this fuzzy product is 100% U.S. made. The hand-crafted and hand-sewn faux fur always maintains a realistic look. Even the clips are sewn on by hand, maximizing the ear's durability.

Here's to Ears also offers a full line of matching faux fur tails, as well as banded Unicorn Horns. As Lori always says, "Whether you are young or old, these creative accessories will brighten everyone's day!" You can find your own ears on their website, herestoears.com

The 37th Annual Takoma Park Street Festival will take place on Sunday, October 7, 2018 from 10am-5pm in Takoma on Carroll Avenue in Takoma Park, MD to Carroll Street, NW in Takoma, DC.

The festival will once again host a talented mix of local artists offering paintings, photographs, pottery, silk-screening, bath and body care, stained glass, jewelry, woodworking, textiles, ceramics, kids’ items and much more. Creative Capes booth will be close to the farmers market area. 

Non-profits, local companies and a variety of food vendors will also participate. Takoma’s indie businesses will be open and welcoming visitors. Kids love the festival with crafts, face painting, inflatables and FUN!

Three stages with 18 bands will play all day. Don’t miss the fun!

Everyone has childhood experiences that help shape who they become. For me it was family togetherness, staying off electronics which was easy since so few existed back then, and spending lots of time outdoors. Being a fan of "The Hobbit", I credit J.R.R. Tolkien for igniting my imagination and love for magical world.

Fast forward... Yes, I am over 50 and still get unbelievable enjoyment out of creating an artistic fairy garden. I came across Garnette, the artist of Petal Echo, at Del Ray's Art on the Avenue which happens the first Saturday in October. Garnette's organic fairy sculptures drew me into her whimsical booth and now several pieces reside in my own magical garden. 

Fairy gardens foster wonder and curiosity, initiating pause in our gardens and inviting us to consider what exists beyond the space that we see with our human eyes. Petal Echo began creating fairy garden sculptures out of a desire to create lasting and beautiful sculptures that were durable for the elements AND for her daughters to play with. Each sculpture is hand cast in marble from her originals and painted with a weather-resistant oil paint. They are perfect in both an indoor and outdoor fairy garden.

Treasures include fairy doors, leaf hammocks, mailboxes, shoes--even a tiny tea set! You can find her sculptures at several local festivals in Maryland and Virginia, as well as at petalecho.etsy.com

The Zebra Press - Good News in Alexandria, VA has published the top ten must see artists at Art on the Avenue and Creative Capes is honored to be included. Over 350 artists are juried into this long standing arts festival which runs along Mount Vernon Ave. Mark your calendar for Oct. 6th, 10 to 6pm, to attend this family friendly event in Del Ray neighborhood in Alexandria, VA. See the full page here: http://digital.thezebra.org/?issueID=29&pageID=30

Be sure to check out our full show schedule here: https://creativecapes.com/pages/show-schedule