PoppyTalk Handmade

I just got back from my whirlwind East Coast tour very early this morning and am still adjusting back to California time. I'll have many, many photos to share from my trip, which had me in Philadelphia, New York City, Queens (my hometown), Providence, and finally Martha's Vineyard. My first night was spent touring around downtown Philadelphia with Vanessa and Doug, who gave me the full historical tour of his hometown via tandem bike. Thankfully I got to sit in the back and just coast as he did most of the pedaling. What a way to see a city!


Also, check out our new wares at the PoppyTalk Handmade "School Days" market, which opens today. We have apple boxes, egg sets, lunch bags, and many more things to help you start the school year off right! Many thanks to Jan & Earl for their awesome support of Miss Natalie. PoppyTalk is such a wonderful blog and highlights a wide array of artists.

Lots of Love

I'm still recovering from the madness that was Renegade. It was, by far, one of the best and most fun shows I've ever done! The crowds were amazing, the vendors spectacular, and there was a great buzz of energy the whole weekend. Thanks for all the blog love we've been receiving this week--SFgirlByBay, Apartment Therapy, PoppyTalk (scroll to 7/14 posts) to name a few.

Speaking of posts, we finally have the Don't Forget Me lunch bags in the shop!! Check them out and snatch yours up soon, as we only have a handful in stock right now. I'm busy working on a huge new batch, but those won't be up until mid-August.

I like to hang mine directly on the front door knob so I don't walk out without it. Best of all, I never have to sort through the plastic bags in the office fridge, as this beaut always stands out!

Wooden Eggs

We're getting ready for Renegade Craft Fair SF next weekend, so this weekend has been filled with busy studio time. I'm excited about launching a new line of hand painted wooden eggs at next week's show, along with a bunch of new wooden apple boxes. Here are some photos of the process, which is wonderfully meditative for me. I love seeing patterns take shape across a real object (instead of just a computer screen).

Halfway done...

Almost there...

Soon in the shop! If you'd like to see them in person, make a date for next weekend at the Fort Mason Festival Pavilion from 11am-7pm. Renegade's done a fabulous job of pulling together some great vendors, and I'm really excited to have a booth close to one of my favorite shops, Mahar Dry Goods.

Renegade Craft Fair SF

With the Capay wedding wrapped up, I'm back in the studio getting ready for the 1st annual Renegade Craft Fair SF. I'm so excited for this 2-day show! I've been following Renegade for a few years now, and am always envious of the great booths and crowds. My studio is going back into crazy mode--I didn't even have time to clean up from the wedding prep. Oh well. In my book, a cluttered studio with tools laying about is the sign of a studio in good use.

Capsule Design Show, May 2008

Hawkeye served as the welcome wagon for the Miss table @ Capsule. He did pretty good for the first couple hours, until some big poodles started to invade his space. He got sent to work in the back room after that. I think he has a bit of a Napoleon complex.

Our orange zest oatmeal raisin cookies were a hit (and cheap lure) with customers. Never underestimate the power of a cookie to make someone walk towards you. This show was of particular importance because it marked my one year anniversary of launching Miss Natalie. Capsule SF was the very first show I did with my good friend Jocelyn (of Nous Savons), and man, oh man, have we come a long way since then. Thanks to all our new and old friends for the support and encouragement to start this wild adventure. Ok, end of my oscar speech, I swear.

Craft Maddness

It's Monday night and I'm just now recovering from the madness that was Maker Faire. It was my first 2-day event, and from now on I'm scheduling a vacation day after 2-day shows. It was beyond amazing, but non-stop from dawn 'til dusk the entire weekend. We launched several new products this weekend and had amazing feedback. Our dresses and growth charts were flying, and hankies made a comeback with the Maker crowd.

We only have a few onesies left after our crazy "It's almost Summer" sale. After much love and thought, I've decided to put Miss Natalie onesies on hold to focus on toddler clothing.

Speaking of, here are some shots of our new hand crocheted summer dresses. They are the perfect dress for long summer days, with a hand stenciled pattern and red ribbon along the hem. Made of 100% cotton, and back in the store soon.

We met lots of wonderful folks, and can't wait to visit the amazing Molly & Ashely of Ambatalia Fabric Society at the Mill Valley store. Thanks to all our new and old friends for coming out to the show. For those of you interested in the field recordings, check out Walker Mettling's site The Pedestrian. For info on Strange Encounters, the book we were selling on Sunday, contact Ben Lau at elixir356@gmail.com.

Maker Faire this Weekend

It's total madness in my studio right now as we get ready for the 2-day bonanza that is Maker Faire! We can't wait to set up tomorrow morning at Cypress Hall at the San Mateo Fairgrounds. We'll be there both Saturday and Sunday, from 10am-6pm, as part of the Bazaar Bizarre. Lots of new products launching, plus special booth guests who will provide entertainment, music, and stories. Stop by and say hello! We'll post photos soon. Find directions to the event here.

Maker Faire, May 3-4th

Come visit Miss Natalie at this year's Maker Faire in San Mateo! We'll be part of the Bazaar Bizarre show on both Saturday and Sunday, May 3rd-4th, at the San Mateo Fairgrounds Cypress Hall. To purchase your tickets in advance, check out the Maker Faire site. Workshops, crafters, and some crazy demonstrations are promised. More info coming soon.

Miss Growth Chart sneak peek

Our show this weekend at Babes & Babies went really well! Thanks to all our new friends for stopping by--we had a wonderful time meeting you all. We launched our new product, Miss Natalie's Growth Chart, which sold out very quickly! I'm busy working on creating many more of these kits and will post shortly when they are available. You can see the growth charts on the far right of the above photo, and a detail shot below.

We'll be posting photos soon with more details of the kit in action. I'm really excited about these little treasure chests and had a great time designing and crafting them.

Babes & Babies show, 2/10

Things are super busy here in the studio as we gear up for our next show, Babes & Babies, on Sunday, February 10th in San Francisco. It's one of the biggest and best kid's shopping events in SF, according to 7 x 7 magazine. I'll be debuting some amazing new products--sneak peeks to come this week--along with selling my handmade quilts, embroidered onesies, hankies, and tea towels. Hope you'll mark your calendars!

Babes & Babies
Sunday, February 10th, from 9:30am-2pm
Jewish Community Center of SF, Kanbar Hall
3200 California St @ Presidio

Tickets are $5 at the door, or 2 tickets for $8 online at www.appelandfrank.com
Get FREE tickets ahead of time by RSVP online with promo code: DESIGNER