Vendors announced for 2009.

Photo by greasy chicken face

Phew! What a month. Our exhaustion is well expressed by the knit doll up there by 2009 vendor, greasy chicken face.

Speaking of vendors, notifications have gone out, confirmations have come in and (barring any unforeseen catastrophe) we are ready to announce out 2009 line-up.

Here it is, in no particular order:

Old Weston
Apa Design
nanopod: Hybrid Studio
mynta
Bettula
Lucas Baker
Anna Zygowski
Lee Meszaros
Sweetie Pie Press
Ray-Min Shoulderware
The Sea Within
Mr. Skona
Pin Pals
TalkingSquid
Hand & Shadow
RCBoisjoli
Patrick Fisher
Ella's Botanicals
Sigrid Natural Skin Care
Bespoke Uprising
Fidoodle
Le Petit Pig
Coldsnap Bindery
Misanthrope Specialty Co.
Nightjar Books
Deadweight
Genevieve Jodouin
Katie Muth
snap + tumble
Lunar Craft
Damned Dollies
ATAW Illustration and Design
greasychickenface
Operation Sock Monkey
Cosmic Latte
Holly Handmade
Shannon Gerard
Two Toques Design
Toronto Craft Alert
Clandestiny
Kukucaju
Fiona Bailey
Kim's Suitcase
Lines by:Davis
Pleasurecraft Fibre Studio

Of course, this is just a list of names (some familiar, some new). For a prettier and more link-laden display of vendors, go look here. Ooooooh. Aaaaaaah.

Were We Ever So Young?

Photo by city of craft

Just a little note attached to an old picture from two years ago when we were all less weathered by the storm of crafts. This picture accompanied the print version this 2007 article from the Globe and Mail (which gave us a huge starting boost, by the way).

Up there are (left to right) Jen Anisef, Becky Johnson and Leah Buckareff, the goons who founded this whole thing. Our staff was smaller two years ago but even then, we were not really a three-person show. And while the three of us have remained at the helm (through tours and other jobs and heavy metal fame, respectively), the team that helps make the show happen has grown and strengthened over the past three years. This kind of makes me want to arrange a big group shot for this year. If nothing else, I know I am going to want to have it in my virtual scrapbook (read: wistful hard drive).

Thank you to Anne Garber for scanning the image and to the currently unknown-to-us photographer (when someone finds a hard copy, let's fix this). Also to the Sewing Studio for letting us use their space to be photographed.

Love and hugs,

Becky

Announcing the 2009 Swag Bag Design Contest!

Photo by city of craft. 2008 Tote Bag Artwork by Shannon Gerard.

This just in from Anna at Swag Bag HQ:

City of Craft Wants You to Design the 2009 Swag Bag!

For the first time ever, City of Craft is inviting craft enthusiasts to submit imagery for this year’s Swag Bags!

City of Craft Swag Bags are handed out to the first lucky 100 attendees and we pack them full of fantastic goodies from local and international craft artists and indie publications. People line up before we open our doors in the freezing cold to receive them, so we want to give them something special this year to take home.

If your design is chosen, you will be rewarded handsomely with crafty prizes and fame via our website, blog & other press outlets.

Cotton totes will be printed with your design on the front and are printed with one colour. Designs should be no more than 8.5 by 11 inches at 300 dpi. We accept jpegs and pdfs. If you aren't sure what sort of line thickness is needed for silkscreening or you have any other questions just send us an email.

If you think you have the winning design, let us know by sending your application to swagbag [at] cityofcraft [dot] com

The deadline for submitting applications is November 1, 2009 and the winner will be announced November 15, 2009.

buildings!

hi friends!

so, now you've seen the new City of Craft 2009 poster and you're like, is there a crafty history for each building in the poster?? the answer is: mostly, kind of.
this beautiful water tower is in my old hood, Bloordale, around Bloor + Lansdowne. this is my favourite water tower ever + it's right behind 224 Wallace Ave, which is home to all sorts of craftspeople (wicker weavers!) and designers (trip print press! best!) and the studios there are gorgeous.
oh look, it's OCAD, that arts + crafts school (they do have craft classes kind of, like bookbinding!) that is everyone's second fave building in the city (next to the cn tower, of course).
this is the most perfect storefront in east chinatown. they sold me bookbinding needles when I broke my last one, + the thread for this poster!
this is everyone's third fave building, the flatiron, over on wellington + front, and you probably think I can't make a art/craft connection here but: have you ever noticed the huge mural painted on the back of this building? it has this effect to make it look all fluttery, like it's coming off of the building. you can thank Canadian artist Derek Michael Besant for that (+ I can thank you, wikipedia).
this is a storefront from an imagined Toronto which sells craft supplies, zines by Tara Bursey, those cat pillows that everyone wants, and pancakes. AKA perfectshop.

there is also a drawing of the theatre centre on the poster, but you all know what that's about. home to the 2009 version of City of Craft!

xo
amy b.
(aka nightjar books)

New look, new year, new blog and other NEWS.

Phew!

It has been a big day around the City of Craft campfire. First of all, our 2009 notifications went out. We are really excited about our line-up but equally saddened that we had to turn away 5/6 of our applicants. Don't get us wrong, we know that the group of declined applications is dripping with genius and talent. We only wish the world was less finite so that the space afforded our little show was endlessly malleable. Thankfully, we live in a huge and vibrant city wherein City of Craft is far from the only show on the go. We recommend the vendor call section of the Toronto Craft Alert to anyone and everyone looking for more shows to do over the holidays. Our deadline is earlier than most, so it is not at all too late to get cracking on a jam packed holiday craft season.

We have also given the website its 2009 makeover, with the help of the brilliant Amy Borkwood. Amy should be doing some writing around here to explain herself and the choices she made for our 2009 graphics (that's write, Borkwood, explain yourself). Until that happens, feel free to bask in the vellumy goodness of her work.

You can also stay up-to-date on our 2009 vendors as the vendor page grows and spread the word with Amy's excellent poster.

That seems like enough of a bombardment for now. Happy crafting, citizens!

Our doors are open.

Photo by sweetie pie press.

Welcome one and all to our swanky new blog.

This is going to be the place for all late-breaking news on the City of Craft front. Check back (or better yet - follow, bookmark, RSS us) for all sorts of tidbits pertaining to the big December show and other pop-up programming. Interviews, features, exposées, gossip - we have it all lined up.