spring bada-bing

hi folks, happy monday! wanted to let you all know about a great event coming up in the richmond area. openhouse is sponsoring The Richmond Craft Mafia's Spring Bada-Bing. this fabulous shopping event takes place Sunday, April 19th at Plant Zero from 11am-4pm. Some of the best crafters around will be in attendance, includig openhouse family members, ByCary and Weehah. Last year was a blast. m and i were seriously impressed. so much so that we signed on to be a part of it this year. so, mark your calendars, clear out your savings (or what's left of it) and come on down to plant zero in 2 weeks. see you there! k&m

openhouse at the 2009 spring Ivy Market

hi folks! openhouse will be at the ivy market tomorrow night and all day wednesday. come see us and check out a bunch of great new itemsfor spring that we haven't even had in store yet. new ceramics from perch!, textiles from pacific and rose, candles from kobo and much more!

details for the event are as follows:

Tuesday, March 31st from 5pm - 9pm. Girl's night out! So grab your friends, put on something nice and enjoy shopping, snacks and a cash bar. $5 at the door goes to ASK.

Wednesday, April 1st from 9am-4pm.

Located at the Jepsom Alumni Center on the campus of the University of Richmond. You can get directions here: uronline.com

we're excited about it and hope to see lots of openhouse shoppers out!

k&m

SCAN event at 5807 tomorrow!

Hey ladies! and gents...(if there are any out there) wanted to let you all know about a very cool fundraiser going on tomorrow morning at the Shops at 5807. it's a ladies morning out to Stop Child Abuse Now. bring your friends and indulge in Party Delights, Mimosas, Mini Massages, Music, Wine Tasting & Exclusive Shopping Discounts. we'll be offering 20% off for the day as well as similar discounts from Verve Home, Frillseekers, Lucky Lillibet, Occassionally and more!

Check out the 411:

Wine Tasting

12:00-1:00 P.M. AT BARREL THIEF

15% off coupon for your purchases that day including lunch

Trunk Show -- Gorgeous Jewelry by Vienna Cobb-Anderson

Fabulous Door Prizes:

BIRTHDAY BASH -- EVERYTHING YOU NEED FOR YOUR CHILD'S NEXT BIRTHDAY PARTY.

ROMANTIC GETAWAY -- TRIP TO SANTA FE FOR 2 NIGHTS AT THE INN OF THE GOVERNORS AND A FLIGHT VOUCHER.

PAMPERED MOM PACKAGE -- SPA TREATMENTS AND THINGS TO PAMPER THE AMAZING MOM.

DESIGNING WOMEN PACKAGE -- HOME ACCESSORIES AND DESIGN CONSULATATION TO UPDATE YOUR HOME.

BABKA IS HERE FOR THE PARTY & CAN BE ORDERED FOR EASTER!!

Tickets are $15 each and ALL proceeds from ticket sales go to SCAN.

It should be a great morning. Please come out and support SCAN and local businesses. Bring your friends and have lunch at Barrel Thief or any number of great little lunch places in the area.

Have a great weekend and happy shopping! k&m

handmade holiday preview party tonight!

the rain is subsiding and Christmas is inching ever closer. so get out to the Visual Arts Center tonight for the Richmond Craft Mafia's Handmade Holiday Craft Show. it's sure to be a hit. Tickets can be purchased at the door. so grab your friends and head out for wine and snacks and fabulous crafts! see you there! k&m

buy local, buy handmade

so openhouse isn't the only gig in town to get handmade goods by local artists. of course we want you to buy from us, but if you're out and about on broad, stop by the fawn shop and check it out. the shop is only open this week at 201 west broad street, so catch it while you can! happy shopping! k&m

[photos courtesy of richmond craft mafia]

momentum resources forum in richmond

hi folks! happy friday. for those richmonders that follow the blog, we've got a great event to pass on, sponsored by our friends and fellow 5807ers, momentum resources.

check it out:

Detours & OnRamps, a forum supporting women on their quest for work-life balance.

this one day event will address the needs and issues of mothers, especially those grappling with their decisions to work-- full time, part time, or from home.

through networking with fellow working mothers, discussions with the companies leading the way, expert panels and sessions on the most common challenges working mothers face, the Detours & OnRamps Forum provides an opportunity for women to meet and explore a variety of choices.

visit www.onrampsforum.com for a complete agenda and registration information.

the event will be held at the University of Richmond on october 28, 2008, from 8:30am - 3:00 pm. register today and receive $25 off the $125 registration fee.

enjoy! k&m

reminder: openhouse at the ivy market tomorrow

just a quick reminder that we will be at the ivy market at the jepson alumni center on the univeristy of richmond campus, tomorrow night, wednesday, october 1st, from 5-9pm. it's ladies night with cocktails and shopping. if you can't make it out then, try back on thursday, october 2nd, from 9am-4pm.

click here for directions and parking information.

we couldn't be more excited about our new arrivals debuting at the market: raw silk, woven pillows from john robshaw, brand new colorful serving bowls just in from mud australia, tables and lighting from roost and great gift items from susy jack papers and beautea organic.

see you out there! k&m

openhouse at the ivy market

just a quick note to let everyone know we will be at the ivy market, october 1st and 2nd. wednesday's hours are from 5-9 with shopping and a cash bar. it's ladies night out, so dress your best! thursday we'll be there from 9am-4pm. the jepson alumni center is located on the university of richmond campus. visit www.ur.edu for directions. should be such a nice time and we'll be debuting some great new lines: placemats and napkins from india rose, tea towels and makeup bags and other great textiles from flowie, a new line of soaps and lotions from beautea organic and great new arrivals from old favorites like john robshaw and mud australia.

back later this week with some highlights of the new arrivals as well as details on the forthcoming website which is actually making some progress!!!!

hope to see you all out there! happy shopping! k&m

white elephant sale this weekend in richmond

i promise we'll be back in full swing shortly, but the spring/summer is still keeping us going non-stop and leaving no time for blogging. did want to let you know about a great sale for a good cause going on in richmond this weekend.

the viriginia chapter of asid is hosting the designer white elephant auction and sale this weekend at noland company (2101 staples mill road). there is a silent auction on friday night from 6pm-9pm. $10 admission. and a free tent sale saturday morning from 8am-1pm.

come out to see what they've got: furniture, fabrics, crafts, art, accessories and more.

proceeds support the local chapter and habitat for humanity. hope to see you out there!

k&m

byrd house market today

thought i'd send a shout out to oregon hill and the byrd house farmer's market today. o.h. is the birthplace of the openhouse concept and the market is a fine example of how that community is so supportive of the local economy. the selection is great, the market is small and quick and easy to get in and out of. you can swing by after work and get chicken, eggs, bread, veggies and fruit in half the time it would take at one of the local grocery stores. open 3:30-7pm this afternoon. see you there! k&m

nancy blum today in richmond

nancy blum will talk this afternoon at the FAB Gallery at 1000 west broad street from 4-6pm. i've long been a fan of her work. nancy makes drawings, sculpture and installations that explore pattern and the architecture of nature. if you can't make it to the talk, check her work out online at www.nancyblum.com. she divides her time between new york and richmond, so the opportunity to catch her again is certain. enjoy! k&m

bada-bing? you bet!

[photo courtesy of prettynpync]

standing ovation for the richmond craft mafia. they managed to pull off a top-notch event yesterday down at plant zero. the 2008 spring bada-bing was everything they said it would be.

if you weren't able to make it down, i think you really missed out on one of those great moments. it might have been wet and gray outside, but inside it was bright and cheery and lively. the vendors were wonderfully varied and the quality of product on display showed the level to which craft has risen. there was so much to see i was actually a little overwhlemed. so much so that i missed a couple of booths i wanted to see! but it was a good overwhelmed. it made me so proud to be a richmonder and even prouder to be a part of the greater craft/design community.

literally everything there was great, but we did have a few favorites that we wanted to share:

april scott


booogie babee




shannon by hand

bycary


skullknockers


erin taylor designs


pink kiss pottery


crystal j

modern june


like i said, it's just a handfull. we didn't even get to all the great jewelry. but you can see how much talent is out there. the good news is, if you missed the show yesterday, you can buy from these designers online. hopefully, in the near future, many of them will also be available at openhouse. so get out there and support local artists and designers as well as local businesses!!

enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

spring bada-bing, be there!!

i can't believe i waited until the last minute to let everyone know about sunday's craft show. my apologies!! but, its not too late to make plans for this sunday down at plant zero. the richmond craft mafia is hosting the 2008 spring bada-bing: the BOSS of all craft shows. it's the largest indie show of it's kind in va and they will be showcasing local designers as well as artists from across the country.

plant zero is located on the southside at 0 E. 4th street, richmond, va 23224. come down between 11-4 and check out their wares. we'll be there, scouting for new talent for the shop.

oh, and no matter where you are this weekend, most cities are having their earth day celebrations on saturday. google earth day + your city to find out more information and get involved. i know the weather here will be beautiful, so there's no excuse not to just make it a manchester weekend. earth day celebrations will be held there on saturday afternoon.

looking forward to seeing everyone out and about. happy shopping! k&m

spring into action

hoping everyone enjoyed a relaxing weekend.

the Shops at 5807 are hosting, along with momentum resources, a great fundraiser this thursday night to benefit the children's hospital of richmond. it's a cause near and dear to our hearts at openhouse and we would love to see people come out to support it.

The night will kick off at 5pm with a workshop hosted by the ladies at momentum resources titled: Detours & Onramps - a workshop for Moms in the workforce or looking to return to work. the cost for the workshop is $20.

then at 6pm the doors open for a wine reception, hors d'oeurves and SHOPPING! the cost for the shopping is $25 ($40 for both the workshop and reception), with ticket sales benefitting the hospital. over 25 of the shops will feature new items brought in especially for the night. openhouse will be featuring the spring collection of j. mendicino with a portion of proceeds from the sale of her ceramic vases to benefit children's as well.



so grab some girlfriends, get a sitter and come out and do some spring shopping and support a great organization in this city.

etsy love?

[adam mcewen, i was very disappointed, 2004, sold for $9,375, at phillips, de pury &co., march 31, 2008]

on the whole i like to keep this blog cheery and picture filled and light on commentary. not to dumb down the audience in any way, but we're all busy and sometimes a blog is just a lovely break in the day to view beautiful design objects and pretty pictures. but i just can't keep my mouth shut about last night.

i have to tell you that i was very disappointed in yesterday's panel discussion at vcu titled, making meaning and the marketplace. i had high hopes. so high that i showed up 30 minutes early so that i wouldn't get locked out as i have on many an occasion to see lectures at the grace street theater. first of all, the auditorium wasn't even full. i know 5pm is a tough time to get downtown. and i know that people have jobs and families. but i really felt like the crafting community would have come out in full force with etsy in town.

the good news is, if you didn't make it, you didn't miss much. first of all, i thought the panel selection was poor. one panel member had never really been on etsy. another was an artist who uses etsy but didn't have much to say in general. yet another was an actual etsy employee who seemed quite intelligent, but was so busy trying to hook up the virtual web cam lab thingy that he hardly even looked our way. and last, but certainly not least, rob kalin, etsy's founder.

not even sure i know where to start with this cat. don't get my wrong, i LOVE etsy. i love it's layout, the artists who sell there, it's philosophy and the fact that it has created a whole new marketplace for the handmade. but i don't have as many good things to say about it's creator. i found him to be a bit pompous and condescending and on many occasions insulting. he's quite the politician acutally, never really answering a question straight, but always dancing around it with some little antecdote. his ideas are lofty and his product is great, i'll give him that, but he disregards the economy and system that has made him so successful. i won't go on, but maybe one of the other 2 founders should accept these lecture invites in the future.

i guess my biggest complaint is toward vcu. we had a great opportunity here to discuss the handmade market and the place it is carving out in richmond and around the globe. and i thought the panel choices were odd and that a truly groundbreaking discussion opportunity wasted. maybe i'm just bitter they didn't ask a handmade shop owner to be on the panel ;o) i don't know. i just hope we keep talking about it and everyone in this community as well as others supports the local economy. and for all of the vcu art students, keep working and we'll keep selling. happy shopping! k&m

etsy in richmond

the craft/material studies program at VCU presents Making Meaning and the Marketplace next thursday, april 3 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. at the grace street theater. etsy founder rob kalin will present a program to bring new ideas on how students (and designers alike) can market their work. the program is dedicated to exploring the next generation of craft artists and their burgeoning influence in the market and culture.

i think it's so exciting. with shops in town like ours now catering to the handmade, the rise of etsy and great indie design blogs and a travelling series like this, you can just feel that we are all on the cusp of something great. mass production watch out! ;o)

just a tip, the grace street theater is not that big and i've been locked out of many a great lecture, so show up early. enjoy! k&m

sneak peek

i just had to share with all of you the newest designs from j. mendicino out for spring '08. we won't have them in shop until april, but i just couldn't wait! they are so adorable. the way joanna has combined such traditional images with preppy colors and yet maintained her signature clean-lined style. we're in love. who can resist mint green and soft pink along with netherland dwarfs and fiddler crabs?! (even if you've never thought of it that way, i bet you can't ;o)

there will also be a chance to win one of these lovely, handmade pieces as well. stay tuned in the coming month as we release more details about a great fundraising event for the Children's Hospital of Richmond.

happy shopping! k&m

eating wonderland

if you're in richmond, or plan to be in the next few months, don't miss this show at the university of richmond museum:

"The Lora Robins Gallery of Design from Nature, University of Richmond Museums, presents Eating Wonderland: Recent Work by Sue Johnson, on view February 8 through June 15, 2008.

In her latest artwork, contemporary Maryland artist Sue Johnson (American, born 1957) addresses themes of food, consumption, marketing, and mass production in her ceramic castings of dinnerware and popular foodstuffs. Along with her paintings on paper and digital collages, this exhibition features work that explores the creation and use of imagery in popular culture, the influence of context on these images, and how simple manipulations can result in humor, aversion, and complex commentaries on contemporary society."

"Incredible Edibles, which consists of ceramic castings of objects imbued with nostalgia and commercialism related to eating, such as TV-dinner trays and figurines of characters from advertising like the Pillsbury Doughboy and Sprout, the young companion to the Jolly Green Giant, is the first series.

Accompanying series Episodes in a Fantastic Landscape, comprised of mixed media two- dimensional images, likewise focuses on issues of food and consumption and includes fantasy elements, and a sense of impending violence or doom lurks within each piece. Finally, her over 16-foot wide painting New Stories from Wonderland (Life of the Dodo), created specifically for this exhibition, merges all of these themes while including specific references to Lewis Carroll’s Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and commentary on the environment."

we find her work so clever and very much at the heart of openhouse commentary. enjoy! k&m

todd mckie at page bond gallery

if you're in richmond, head on over to the page bond gallery sometime this month and check out their current exhibition. i'm especially loving the work by todd mckie. as the press release states, his work is "humorous and unpretentious", two of my favorite attributes. his work is primitive and childlike, while at the same time sophisticated and thoughtful. the show is up until march 5th. page bond gallery is located at 1625 west main street and is open until 6pm during the week. stop by, check out the work, and then hit six burner for their weekday prix fixe for only $22 a person! enjoy! k&m

guest lecture at VCU this afternoon

i meant to post this friday and it slipped my mind. a bit last minute, i know, but andrew wagner and jeanette abbink will be speaking at 4:30 this afternoon at the grace street theatre.

per estherknows.com:

Craft/Material Studies, Graphic Design, Interior Design, and the “the Terry Noack Fund for the Arts” present Andrew Wagner and Jeanette Abbink Monday January 28, at the Grace Street Theatre. Andrew Wagner and Jeanette Abbink, founding members of the architecture and design magazine Dwell, were charged with revamping the 66 year-old publication American Craft. Wagner and Abbink will describe their discoveries leading up to the re-launch of American Craft this past October. They will sum up their views of the craft world now and their search for the beautiful blurring the superficial boundaries that have been erected across disciplines in the past thirty years.

January 28th

Grace Street Theatre
930-934 West Grace Street
4:30 - 5:30 pm

see you there! k&m