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

etsy love...

the weekend is almost here and i just had to post one more thing before we bid farewell until next week. i just came across this great etsy artist, gypsy and twink, and i couldn't wait to pass it on. each piece is cut out of wood, painted and carefully collaged. great for a nursery or kids room or even a grown up space ;o)

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

susan benarick

everyone can always use a little art in their life. i found susan benarick somewhere on the web. on a blog i'm sure. and as soon as i remember the source i'll credit it...

in the meantime i wanted to share some of her installations and sculptures. with earth day approaching i thought her work was appropriate. susan explores mankind's adaptability and how environments affect our being. the elements used in her work are reminiscent of objects found in nature as they are bent, forced, loved nurtured and discarded.

i think her sculptures and installations are soothing and serene while at the same time somewhat distraught. you can check out more of her work on her website.

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.

fun in the sun

it's a beautiful day here in central virginia and i just had to share these super cute patio umbrellas from warp weft and co. that i found via decor8.

what a great way to spruce up the back deck this summer. i'm not sure where or how they sell them, but you can be sure we'll be looking into whether or not they sell wholesale. enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

this just in...

new pillows from john robshaw!!!

i can hardly contain my glee. we have the whole line of pichwai hand painted pillows. they come in 3 sizes: 26 x 26, 20 x 20 and 12 x 20. each one is unique and although we've carried them before, i really think this newest grouping is the most vibrant and interesting of the lot.

new to the shop is the maharaja line of bolsters. too cool for words, really.



and we also got in some new pillowcases in a number of designs. we've noticed that people buy the cases and often not the sheets. it's a great way to get a pop of color, some interest and the luxury of hand block printed linens without the huge cost. just add them to your crisp white sheet set and voila! instant chicness.



we're still waiting on another order of spring '08 pillows (seen below) hopefully arriving at the end of the month, so check back. and as always, if you're not in town and can't make it to the shop, you can call and have it shipped to you. enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

20x200

[don hamerman]

i haven't posted about 20x200 in a while, so i thought i'd share what's up for april. a couple of interesting photographs by don hamerman (it would be great to collect his whole series), stephanie cinelli's beautiful, yet troubling still life photos and a new work by 20x200 fave alli schmeltz. per usual, her small prints went immediately, but there are still some in the $200 range and of course, for those of you with fat tax refunds, a couple of $2000 originals. enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m


[don hamerman]


[stephanie cinelli]


[ali schmelz]

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

i'm so excited...

and i just can't hide it...

so, so happy to announce the early arrival of a new line at openhouse. welcome Flowie! designer Yaling Hou is the creative mind behind our new line of textiles. she was born and raised in taiwan and currently lives and works in menlo park, california. she is a professionally trained textile designer who launched flowie last year. all of the fabrics are hand screen printed locally in the Bay Area and finished products are hand sewn as well.

we're starting of with a small selection of bags, tea towels, napkins and wine carriers. you can see pics of everything we have in stock here or come on by the shop and check them out!

enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

etsy love...

it's been a while since we've highlighted some etsy goodness, and with the arrival of etsy founder rob kalin a day away, i thought the timing was right. make sure to check back friday for a "this just in..." spring is literally in the air as a super cool new member of the openhouse family is at this moment heading our way and we're so excited about it's arrival.

today i wanted to highlight etsy artist suspect shoppe. san francisco based aritst mati rose mcdonough is the creative mind behind these fantastical prints and paintings. great for a children's room or really any room. the colors are so vivid and the stylized creatures are reminiscent of Charley Harper illustrations. at around $30 each, why not buy a whole wall full? enjoy! and happy shopping! k&m

piece of cake

[bird cake stand, large $130]


[footed cake platter with dome, $59.95]

i don't bake cakes, buy cakes or eat cakes for the most part. but lately i've had an insatiable need to have cake stands. i own a great set of vintage glass stands that i received as a wedding gift. but i can't seem to stop bookmarking more and more of them lately. i love glass stands, ceramic, contemporary, vintage, traditional, decorated, plain, whatever the style. so i thought i'd share some great designs i've stumbled across lately. a few of them we might see at openhouse in the future. enjoy! k&m


[little cake plate, $20.00]


[linda bloomfield cakestands]


[birthday party cakestands, $19.00-$39.00]


[pair of cake stands, $135]




[petite clanwilliam ckae stand, $98.00]