Sponsor Profile: blogTO

Who are you? blogTO

Where are you located? We're everywhere in Toronto. But if you want to pin us down we just moved into an office space near Queen and Bathurst.

What do you/your business/your product do? We cover Toronto. If you haven't discovered us, just click here or download our free iPhone or iPad app.

What gets you pumped about doing what you do? We love writing about things in Toronto that will surprise and delight people. And readers send us awesome tips like these Toronto etiquette cards that a local designer just created.

Now, we're really excited about out mobile apps. We've been getting great feedback about our just released iPad app and new iPhone app and will be coming out with an Android app very soon.

What does your sponsorship for the show entail? We're helping promote the show. We want all our readers to know about it so they can show up and take a look at the amazing crafts being created by local designers.

What are you crafting this holiday season (festive beverages & baked goods count)? We're waiting for readers to send us their favourite spiked egg not recipes (hint hint) so we can taste test them in our new office.

When City of Craft (and other awesome indie shows) is not on, where do you go for your crafty fix? We go wherever our readers tell us. We get lots of craft events, pop-up shops and other design events submitted to our events section and we're always scouring local shops including these notable ones for awesome finds.

Sponsor Profile: Soak Wash

City of Craft is super lucky to have an amazing crop of sponsors again this year generously providing incredible loot, services & fun at the show. We'll be introducing them to you as the show approaches so you can meet the folks that turn the show up to 11 and learn more about their contributions. Sponsors, we salute you!

First up, Soak Wash, first choice of discerning textile launderers:

Who are you? Jacqueline Sava, Visionary Leader at Soak Wash Inc.

Where are you located? Our office is in a very sexy industrial strip mall, just outside the big city (Mississauga).

What do you/your business/your product do? We make Soak. Modern care for the laundry you love. Soak is a rinse-free wash formulated for your laciest lingerie, softest sweaters, swimwear, quilts, even baby and vintage clothes. My job is to spread the Soak love, identify designers and products that are Soakworthy and ensure everyone has the chance to try Soak on the delicate items they love most.

What gets you pumped about doing what you do? Breaking new ground, bringing ideas to life, and changing the perception of a product or industry. We revolutionized hand-washing creating a delicate detergent people love and brag about using.

What does your sponsorship for the show entail? We’ve included a mini-soak single use sample in every goodie bag and volunteer bag. We’ve also sent our new temporary tattoo sheets and some gift sets for prizes!

What are you crafting this holiday season (festive beverages & baked goods count)? I’m quilting up a storm, I have a few full-size quilts on the go. I look forward to days, alone, in a room with my sewing machine. I’m finishing off a few knit scarves, I’m baking cookies (biscotti is my go to favorite) and I’ll likely throw in a beading party with my sister.

When City of Craft (and other awesome indie shows) is not on, where do you go for your crafty fix? My favorite part about the Soak family is that it extends to crafty people in this and other cities. So, I tap into my social network to secure crafty delights straight from designers, makers and creative crafters whenever possible. Alternatively, I invite over some friends for a home-made crafting night.

Nutso!

Photo by Ian Phillips

Raffles are so 2010, right? That's why we are incredibly excited to have this 'NUTSO!' board on loan from the cuties at Chevaux de Bois (Ian and Alexx). Every ball is a winner! With prizes from Coldsnap Bindery, SOAK, Sublime Stitching, Sweetie Pie Press, Omiyage.ca, Bespoke Uprising, rc boisjoli & more!

Who is as excited as I am?

Guest Blogger Picks: Serena McCarroll.

This was a tough assignment. Tough but fun! Like when you enter a shopping spree contest and then spend days meticulously planning out exactly how you would go about it should you win (but you don't win. YOU NEVER EVER WIN). So, here we go, if I won the chance to pick out eight things at City of Craft I would end up with something like this:

1: Julie Moon makes me swoon! Isn't this beautiful? Seriously, stunning.

2: All or nothing! Go big or go home! This hard-carved brass pendant is all in, yo. It references Kierkegaard which is totally dope. Not dopey, D-O-P-E. From the "Protect Ya Neck" collection by Old Weston.

3. Wood is good! This wood belt buckle is made of recycled off-cut scraps. Eco-fantastic! By Broundoor.

4: Blinging it up is totally cool but it's also nice to have jewelry you can wear on casual Friday. Here we have a hand-tooled, hand-painted, hand-dyed and finished leather necklace in a primitive pyramids design. By Scouts Handmade.

5. Stamps! These ones are hand-carved out of rubber and mounted on a piece of salvaged wood that's been sanded and lacquered for a durable finish. I love the impossible cube and penrose triangle designs but I'm also generally a big fan of crystal configurations. By Stephanie Galea.

6. Learn To Multiply. Yes, please!

7. The Misanthrope Specialty Company never fails to amuse and astound.

http://misanthropespecialty.blogspot.com/

8. And finally, something practical! I really like this. I like it aesthetically but also it is a useful postal tool. And made from wood! By Sweetie Pie Press.

Serena McCarroll is a visual artist. She recently received her MFA in Documentary Media from Ryerson University. You can check out some of her work here. She maintains a blog called "What a Deal!" about, you guessed it, D-E-A-L-S.

Guest Blogger Picks: Rosalyn Faustino.

i. bunny tote made by morico

ii. wooden sugar bowl made by offcut studio

iii. pins made by sweetie pie press + sarah mcneil

iv. mini blackboard pennant banner made by killside krafts

v. anchor pill bottle made by rcboisjoli

vi. rabbit outfit, mixed media made by selena wong

vii. uncorked, print made by laura george

Rosalyn R. Faustino is a maker and the lady behind art attic. She's been involved with the Toronto Craft Alert since 2008 and is always interested in connecting with local craft and design artists. if you don't find her at the workroom, she's either experimenting on textile explorations, eating and/or dancing.

Bird of a Feather.

Look what just flew into my inbox, mere days after the pom pom party, from 2011 vendor Claire Louise Milne. I was joking about the perfectionism of crafters at the party, but this takes the cake. Claire figured out how to make a chickadee pom pom! My mind is currently boggling. And it was a welcome surprise amid all the show details I am usually dealing with. Amazing.

Guest Blogger Picks: Hollie Pocsai.

The thing that is so great about craft shows is the tactile nature of them. The internet is a wonderful tool for being able to hunt down incredible works by incredible artists that you've never seen before, but there's nothing quite like actually being able to see those works in person, with your own eyes, holding the work in your own hands, and getting the chance to meet the maker behind the whole thing. I'm getting really excited about this year's City of Craft because there are so many local artists whose work I've admired for many years, and also those who I was introduced to through the jurying process this year. There's just so much g-d talent out there.

The Century Farm tea towel set by Bespoke Uprising has been on my wishlist forever. It should be on yours too. If you stop by the Bespoke Uprising booth, you'll be blown away by maker Roisin's undeniable charm.

Oak Savanna is just appearing on the crafting scene. City of Craft will be her second craft show ever! So show her some love, it's well deserved. Melissa comes up with all of the patterns for her knit shawls and kerchiefs herself, using antique patterns as inspiration. Made with superfine merino wool and/or silk, these delicate pieces are like nothing you've seen before.

Embroidery is a soft spot of mine. Especially when an artist can make it into a conceptual piece of art. I have long looked to Hillary Webb's work as inspiration, and I am very much looking forward to seeing these meticulous pieces in person.

I love Selena Wong's delicate imagery. Her work is exquisite, done in soft colours, and possessing a little bit of magical imagery, and a little bit of darker undertones.

I was recently introduced to Knitdown SVP when Jen (a City of Craft co-founder) pulled out her amazingly fun and whimsical keychain. I immediately coveted it, and am so happy that I'll be able to pick one up (and maybe a brooch, and maybe a necklace) for myself this December from the lovely Hazel Meyer herself.

And there are so many more makers that I am thrilled to check out. Gosh, I just can't wait. I'll be able to do the handmade pledge this holiday season no problem with the help of City of Craft. It's going to be SO good.

Hollie Pocsai is co-owner of White Elephant and a founding member of The Beehive Craft Collective in Hamilton, Ontario. Her hands are never idle and her heart is always bursting with love for the crafting community.