Starting next week, Thursday the 14th, I’ll be teaching classes at Zomburgh, Pittsburgh’s educational outreach and zombie preparedness center! This is the Zombie Capital of the World, you know.

Classes will run Mondays and Thursdays from 7-9, for about $20-$25 dollars depending on which one you’d like to try. All materials and tools are provided. The classes are project-based, and include plenty of tips, safety advice, and general ins-and-outs of maille that I’ve learned from doing this professionally over the last six years. They’re mostly geared towards beginners, but there is one class designed specifically for making jewelry which is good for beginners and experienced jewelers who want to expand their skills. If there’s enough interest there are plans for more advanced classes dealing with shaping, large-scale items, scalemaille, etc.

You can register for classes on their website, or in person at Zombie Fest this weekend in Market Square. Not only can you can sign up for classes at the Zomburgh booth, you can get some cool zombie make-up done, too.

This weekend we Rock the Block with WYEP! ^_^ WYEP is a local radio station and this is their huge fundraiser for the year. There is an admission fee to the event, but the price includes food, drinks and live entertainment! And because there will be drinks (of the drinky-drink nature) this is a 21 and over event.

Click on the picture to be taken directly to WYEP’s website for full details and information on purchasing tickets to the show.

There will also be 18 local crafters at the event with I Made It! Pittsburgh, including myself. A portion of our sales will be donated to the station, so stop by and know that with each purchase you make, you’ll be supporting local art and music in one go. For more info on who’s going to be selling what at the show, go to the I Made It! blog and see the full list.

Hope to see you there!
Bran

Okay, so the Rockers v. Mods show is this weekend – Saturday, to be precise – but if vintage scooters and motorcycles aren’t your cup of tea and you’re craving some indy craft goodness, just wait until next Sunday!

Run by the Pittsburgh Craft Collective, Crafts N’At is more than just a collection of more than 100 local artists. There will be craft demonstrations, live performances, plenty of food (with vegan and vegetarian options), and crafts for the kids! It runs from 12pm to 5pm at the Soldiers and Sailors Hall in Oakland. Street parking is free on Sunday, but there is a pay lot under the Hall that costs $5.

I know the weather is really awesome right now, but before you know it Fall will be upon us and after that *cue danger music* Holiday Shopping! With more than 100 artists selling their handmade goods, I’m sure you can find something for everyone on your gift list. And this ain’t your grandma’s craft fair! So stop by and enjoy the demos, have some local food, and see if you can’t find something for yourself or that hard to please person on your gift list.

Hope to see you there!

Get on your helmets and goggles, people. August 21st sees the dawn of Pittsburgh’s very first annual vintage motorcycle and scooter rally! HELL YES. According to their website there will be bands, DJs, raffles, food, and even a pin-up girl contest! ^_~ As if you needed any more motivation to attend.

It’ll be in the parking area behind REI in the South Side Works from 11am to 7pm. If you’ve been to the Cheesecake Factory/Theatre/Shopping plaza in the center before, it’s right behind that, towards the river. Chances are if you go to the plaza you’ll hear the bands and see the tents, so it won’t be hard to find. ^_^

Personally, I have a great love of motorcycles and scooters, especially vintage ones. By the way, have you seen this bike? It’s BEAUTIFUL. But being unable to drive due to my severe vertigo, I can only ogle. You can bet I’m going to be taking a million pictures of the vehicles I see on the 21st. ^_^ It’s going to be awesome! Hope to see you there!

By this weekend my work will be avilable for purchase at The Urban Gypsy in Polish Hill, right above The Strip District. The Urban Gypsy has a variety of vintage items and work by local Pittsburgh artists for sale, so if you’re into handmade or vintage, you HAVE to check it out. It’s fairly new, but they’re already doing great and drawing in a lot of local talent. You can read a write-up (and get a peek at the interior – fabulous!) on the shop that Pop City Media did here. There’s a festival in Polish Hill this weekend as well, so pop over and check out the action! Paulette, the owner, mentioned a wine and cheese event for shop patrons at the end of July – I’ll have some news on that when I get more details. ^_~

Also, you’ll be able to find me in person in The Strip District at the Artisan Market! ^_^ It runs on Saturdays from 9-3. If you’re familiar with the area it’s right across the street from that parking lot on the main drag. We’re even indoors so if the weather is bad duck in and see what’s for sale! There’s great glass and wire-wrapped stone jewelry by LZ and EJ, fabulous coin jewelry by Cha-Ching, and more. I won’t have any jewelry on me because, well – There’s a lot of it there already. What I WILL have are a few things not available on-line (yet) of the accessory and home decor nature. Also some crowd favorites, like D20 keychains, cel phone charms, and dreamcatchers.

So, if you want to check out some of my jewelry, head to Urban Gypsy, and if you want to see some non-jewelry items, hit me up in The Strip. Of course, I’ll only be in The Strip on Saturdays so keep an eye on my Etsy, as well.

See you this weekend! ^_^