

Dowdy Studio Wagon @ Bolsa Cafe

Time: 8am to 5pm
Location: University Park Elementary, 3505 Amherst Ave.
Cost: $7 at the door, $5 in advance


Dowdy Studio Wagon @ Bolsa Cafe

So how did Laura get started? “A little over a year ago after a long retail career, I decided to go into business for myself. I call myself a repurposed hippie because my first job out of college (where I was a modern dance major) was at a local mom & pop crafts supply shop. I taught needlepoint & macramé & learning weaving, eventually going into business with the weaving instructor. Unfortunately that didn't pay the bills. Skip to present day & thanks to a past wonderful home ec teacher (do they still even teach that in high school any more?) & an inspiring quilt teacher, I am pursuing the fun of sewing. My purpose for crafts has been reborn!” We sure are glad you returned to the craft world, Laura!
Like her shop name implies, she focuses on fun, playful, and bright colors and patterns in her work. When asked about what inspires her, she states “I am constantly ripping pages out of magazines or catalogs that have interesting shapes and/or colors. I take my little digital camera with me on my daily walks with my dogs & am constantly taking environmental shots that I see can be reinterpreted with fabric somehow.”
She currently lives in Farmers Branch with two dogs (she spreads her love of dogs with donations to Best Friends Animal Shelter in Utah) and an enviable collection of fabric… I would love to raid her closets! You will see her focusing more on quilted items and art quilts in the future.
Catch childsPLAYdesign at the upcoming Spring Bash and online at childsplaydesign.etsy.com (free shipping to the continental US!)


For the third year in a row, the Etsy Dallas Spring Bash will offer up the very best in handmade apparel, bags, jewelry, housewares, accessories, art, pottery and more from nearly 60 hand-picked artists, crafters and designers, featuring the work of:
About the Bash - Since 2007, Etsy Dallas has hosted nine independent art shows in support of the handmade movement in Dallas, winning the enviable title of Best One-Stop Shop by Dallas Observer readers in 2009. The twice-annual Bash events are organized by Pamela Dowdy and Stephanie Hindall (under the umbrella of Handmade Bash Inc.) and presented by Etsy Dallas, the city's original independent all-volunteer local craft collective.Congratulations, Julie!
Thank you so much to everyone who entered, and don't fret if today was not your lucky day, because really it kinda is. Let me tell you why, Etsy Dallas is going to do more giveaways! Stay tuned. We are planning to do a Treasury Giveaway every month! I know, catch your breath, cause what could be better than that? Hope to see you back real soon.
Not only are the products Stephanie makes absolutely to-die-for, but she really places an emphasis on unique, sustainable materials. “I work with rare, designer and vintage scraps of fabric that were destined to be thrown out. Repurposing them, I create new pretty things such as necklaces, hair clips, brooches and wall art. I also still do some beading with a focus on natural materials such as felted wool (I needle felt all my own beads), nuts and seeds my mom brought me back from the Colombian rainforest, and Ming dynasty pottery shards - broken pieces of old pottery repurposed into pendants.”
Stephanie is also an expert at infusing each item with its own unique personality… her necklaces will have you dreaming of Cabo, Japanese zen gardens, and everything in between. And while you are dreaming of your island in the sun, feel good knowing that a portion of all Tefi’s proceeds goes to local animal rescue groups.
Stephanie is an animal rescuer herself – her pup Oliver and cat Zoe both found a home with Tefi! She lives in Oak Cliff with absolutely adorable 2-year-old son Ian and supportive baby-daddy Jason. (One of the many awesome things about being her neighbor: Ian used to wear these shoes with squeakers in them, and every so often I’d hear a little squeak-squeak-squeak toddling up the street… still makes me giggle!) A professional grant writer and fundraiser, she does not know the meaning of the word ‘sleep,’ but in her limited amount of free time enjoys watching BBC movies, writing, martial arts, and dancing to Kool + the Gang with Ian. Steph, can we make that happen at the Spring Bash?
You can shop for your own Tefi originals online at www.tefi.etsy.com, at her booth in Oak Cliff at Indie Genius, or at the upcoming Spring Bash.
twitter - @tefidesigns
Starting off our new weekly series of member spotlights is Bee Things! I’ve always been a fan of their bright, happy prints and modern design sensibility, but when I started to learn more about them for this post, man, was I totally wowed!
Husband and wife team Shay Ometz and Jeff Barfoot started their shop back in 2007, turning their shared interest in illustration and screen-printing into more than just a hobby. They have a successful Etsy shop and product in several local and national stores, they have been featured in many publications and blogs, and – oh yeah – they both work full time! Jeff is a designer at RBMM and Shay is a photo art director at Fossil.

So what keeps them going? “We are inspired by each other and our surroundings. We create everyday, all day. When we get home from our day jobs we get the kids fed and to bed and then we collaborate on bee things,” says Shay. “It’s a wonderful creative outlet for us and we love working together as a team.”
Not only is their work full of creativity and color, but check out their Mid-Century Modern house in East Dallas! Oh, the bookcases…. and all the gorgeous prints…. be still my heart! Their home has been featured in ReadyMade Magazine, DHome, and design*sponge. They have two adorable boys, Calder, 4 and Milo, 2; as well as two weenie dogs Bumper and Juno.
Bee Things specializes in art prints, cards, tees, and snack/gift sacks and totes. They plan on adding printed tea towels and a new line of prints soon!
Want to get a ‘Bee Thing’ for yourself? Check out their etsy shop for prints, tees, snack sacks and even wallpaper for your iPad! My fave is the Weiner Dog limited edition print… heehee!



Bee Things is also going to be selling their wares at the Spring Bash – yippee! They also have items available at We Are 1976. Happy shopping!
twitter.com/beethings


White Rock Local Market
3rd Annual Funky Finds Spring FlingThis Giveaway is now closed. Thank you so much to everyone who entered.
The Etsy Dallas team has joined up to offer a Texas sized giveaway in celebration of Spring. One lucky winner will win this entire Treasury of fabulous handmade goodies. All 16 items are going to be shipped to our luckiest reader! The entire package is valued at more than $260!
Tell your friends, and they will love you for it. And the more you share the love, the better your chances of winning all of this handmade goodness.
Ways to Enter:
1) Sign into your Etsy Account and comment on this Treasury.
2) Share the love on your blog, facebook page, or twitter account.
3) Then, post in the comments below all the places you shared this giveaway.
Our lucky winner will be chosen through random.org and announced on March 22, 2011. Sorry, this giveaway is only open to US residents.
A Texas sized thank you to the Etsy Dallas shops who generously contributed to this giveaway. Please stop by their shops to see all of the other fabulous goodies they have to offer:
* DCImaginations * therufflyowl * beethings * oneupdesigns * sillasoup * redtilestudio * threeyellowstarfish * tefi * YellowBugBoutique * CutOutAndCollect * majoiepress * LaAlicia * ThePigAndThePeacock * muttsywonder * Karmacrochet * RegalCottage *
And thank you to JaneJoss for curating this lovely collection.