great day at Art Star Craft Bazaar at Penn's Landing

It was a gorgeous weekend for Art Star's Craft Bazaar at Penn's Landing in Philadelphia! There were 127 vendors along the seaport...
Originally I was supposed to meet Erinn here, but she took off for sunny Florida and so I brought my own crew! The kids proved to be invaluable as my marketing peeps.... they told me exactly what they liked and didn't like!

My favorite things were the pieces that had a unique and creative idea I hadn't seen before. Now these recycled credit card rat pins were cool, but not really my thing...

I loved all the handmade books I saw! I can see doing classes in this. I spoke with another artist who does gorgeous sketchbooks!...

little flower designs was my favorite pottery. I loved her illustrative work on the pieces! She even does wedding registries. I bought this red poppy one:

I talked to lots of artists, picked up lots of cards and gave out a lot for HATCH too! I'm hoping to work with some of them through consignment in the nearer future!

One of the biggest thrills for me was meeting Erin from Art Star and talking to her a little bit about our shared love of Jen Corace's illustrations, the indie art market and the gallery business in general. She is super sweet and was so gracious in offering her help to me and HATCH. If you've never shopped at Art Star, you really need to check it out! She said they are having a show coming up in June of illustrators and asked each to do four illustrations a piece. Mandy, will be one of their featured artists!! I'm now planning on driving back to Philly to see it! (That's Erin in the back by the sign!...)

Jen Corace's print which I want BADLY!!!!....

And the BIGGEST news!... I met Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching!!! You know the feeling you get when you see a movie star or rock star up close? Well, I get that silly about craft icons and Jenny is one of them! I have her books and I credit her with the reinvention of the love of embroidery for this and coming generations! We chatted a little... she is so sweet too... I wish I had longer to talk to her but her table was a busy place! She has my card now... I'm planning to carry her new book at HATCH when it comes out in the fall...

If I could have taken photos of everything I loved, I would have! Caroline actually took a lot of these! People don't object to kids taking photos. This glass jewelry was gorgeous!!...




Nathaniel and I (I love Caroline's photography!)...

All weekend long, there is free entertainment by lots of great indie groups...

My favorite new artist there was Isabel Roxas! Not only because we both carry moo cards, but because I admire her incredible illustration and design work. It is exactly the styles I strive for and love. It was so great to meet her. 

There were also many others who I just loved... I want to carry some apparel from red prairie press (I bought the blue lace cap sleeve tee from her!) at HATCH. I even found an artist who is here in Lancaster and knows the LYS girls downtown!! Small world. Anyways... it was definitely worth the afternoon!!

On the way out I spotted this...

A sea blue Bronco in mint condition and looking like it belonged on a beach in California!! ;)

Hope you all had a wonderful weekend too!

xo ~ bethany

Art Star Craft Bazaar!!!

I will post about the Art Star Craft Bazaar tomorrow!!! And if you're near Philadelphia, you HAVE to go tomorrow (Sunday)!!! I don't think I will sleep tonight... too excited from all the artists I met today! (and a little sunburnt too!)  ;)

the first fabulous HATCH t-shirt!

Clara, artist extraordinaire, was the first one to post a photo of her t-shirt all colored and looking gorgeous!!! You can see more here! (Olivia... I obviously copied your photo... thank you!)  From Lancaster, PA to Champagne, France... HATCH the owl is making his way around the world!

poshyarns is here! and some trees...

Rebecca who writes poshyarns has sent the most beautiful linen smocks with little bloomers for little girls! A handsome mouse also accompanied the pair. The details, the fabric, the tags... she has such an eye for beautiful detail. I feel so privileged to have these at HATCH! I just stared at them forever when they came! Actually Maggie was there when I opened the box and we ooohed and aaahed over them together!

I finally got some Lyra pencils and Stockmar crayons I had ordered over a month ago from a Waldorf supply company. The crayons are pure beeswax... I want to color with them so badly but then I'd have to buy them... and the checking account may not like me for that right now!!! Thats the hard part of owning a shop in the gallery...  I want everything!! These are from Germany... seems many great art/craft materials that I love come from there.

On Saturday I added three birch trees to the walls of HATCH! It actually took four hours to paint these 9 ft.+ high trees. Maybe I'm just slow but if I want to put a few more in, I have to really spend some hours doing it! 

Off to pick up Nathaniel from his play practice!  I spent all day yesterday cleaning like a crazy woman but the main floors of the house are sooo clean now... finally! This coming weekend we're having a bunch of company and just playing!! AND I'm seeing Coldplay in the Viva La Vida tour!!!!! life is good.

Dreamers into Doers

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Martha has a new website on MSL Omnimedia... "Dreamers into Doers". They are awarding $10,000.00 to people who have made a dream a reality. It's definitely worth a look!

New Artist at HATCH!

Maggie French brought her great folk art houses and magnets to HATCH yesterday! She is a huge sweetheart with a great eye for color and texture. I just love her magnets! She lives here in Lancaster...

On Sunday we went to Longwood Gardens for Mother's Day! We are members there... it's a gorgeous place to visit in Brandywine, PA (outside of Philadelphia). Gorgeous...

A cute little girl running in one of the beautiful fountains...

Caroline's Spring Orchestra Concert is tonight! Off to hear some beautiful music...

xo ~ bethany

Why right-brainers will rule this century

I found this CNN article (about us) while on The National Art Education Association site. I just joined NAEA for the first time since I was a student at DAAP/U. of Cincinnati where I got to hear the amazing Elliot Eisner and sit in Dr. Robert Russell's aethetics classes as well as Dr. Hermine Feinstein's Visual Communications classes.  How lucky I was to be able to learn from some of the best in the art education field!  Just looking back into those days of research and studying creative thinking as it pertained to art, is just so exciting. The normal route would have been to stick with teaching art in the schools like I used to do. But I don't like to be normal. I don't like living within the usual "box". So... HATCH came to be!  I truly believe there is so much more out there to discover about teaching creativity, critical thinking, visual communication and manual dexterity... I have always been interested in alternative education. People do not learn in the same ways. That's why we are very interesting and exciting!  I love to see learning going on no matter where it is. It certainly doesn't have to happen within a school building. And it certainly doesn't seem to, compared to the learning that goes on outside those walls.  Our society is constantly changing... nothing stays the same... because our brains never stop imagining and creating. 

We need art... but more so, we need good art teachers.  And we need to value each and every creation that comes into existence. I'm never going to settle for the norm... isn't that exciting??!

first photography class!

These are some random shots... just learning f stop and aperture. Who knew my camera took black & white?? Anyways, Maureen Miller did a great job of introducing our class to beginning photography at Hatch!  I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship... (me and my camera, I mean!)  We are definitely thinking of offering it again this summer, so if you're in the area, join us!

I've met lots of new people this week and had lots and lots of great ideas: party ideas, field trips to the studio, new pieces of art to make and to acquire... it's really an endless line of things!

I desperately need to update my website... there's just not enough hours in each day! I almost forgot what this weekend is too...

Happy Mother's Day!!!

xo to all of you great moms out there! (especially mine!)

~ b

she's been bit too

If you've still got the vampire bug, see Heather's cute little nod to Twilight here!!!

thirtysomething lives again

I just got the email that the complete first season of thirtysomething will be released in August and is available for preorder!! So-- yes, I ordered it!  You know I posted about this before... in some way I think I lived the life of each character on the show through my 20's, 30's and now early 40's. Most of you probably weren't even old enough to watch it when it was on in the 80's! It probably isn't as good as I remembered it, but the questions it asked were exactly the things I was wondering during my college years. And they played Fine Young Cannibals "She Drives Me Crazy". Of course I loved it!!!

loving life

 "I have invented my life by assuming that whatever I did not like would have an opposite which I would like." -Coco Chanel

I saw this on etsy and thought it was a good thing to remember. I think that's what makes everything bearable!  Today was my first day working in the studio! It already feels like a second home here. There seems to be a mile high list of things I need or want to accomplish but so far, there's not one thing I don't love doing!! I've never worked at something that I loved so much! I wish that for everyone... wouldn't that be amazing?

HATCH Opening Show (new!)

photo by Mo Miller

I know you've been waiting to hear how it went last night! Well.... it was FABULOUS!!!!!!

It all came together right before 5pm... I was working for the last two days straight with hardly any sleep or stopping for much of a meal. My family was incredibly accomodating.  I took some photos and I'm hoping to get more from family and friends who were able to take more! So here's the story...

Once upon a time...

in a little town called Lititz, there was a small studio & gallery which was formed by lots of love of it's owner Bethany and many, many talented people around the world!  Our story starts with beautiful pink roses (my favorite) which were delivered from her Dad and Stepmom who couldn't be there but wanted to let her know how proud they were of her!

 

The little studio was called "HATCH" because she knew that new artists would be "hatched" there and new ideas... the creativity that makes this world a better place to live in! Her mom came from Ohio and her inlaws and brother-in-laws and their families came from 1 and 2 hours away. She felt lucky to have so much support from her family!

 

Her mother-in-law and father-in-law gave her the perfect flower planter to place in front on the morning of the Opening! It was a rainy morning but the sun came out just in time to make it bright and cheerful!

The window was especially cute, with Rubyellen's little birds flying in the clouds... and Bethany's little bird hoops which she fell in love with when she finished making them! There was even real live grass and clover growing in those little pots...

Appearing on the doorstep was also this beautiful flower arrangement sent all the way from Minnesota... from her cousin Susan, who deserves a huge hug... they welcomed everyone to the studio!Bethany knew she needed a photography lesson when she took this photo... TOO dark. Good thing HATCH is holding a class (with several more spots open) this Thursday!!

Look who is waiting for all the guests to arrive! It's little Hatch!  He has been spoken for, but I think they'll be a bunch of new little Hatch characters soon enough!

And speaking of HATCH the owl, look who appeared on Rubyellen's cakies crowns!!! Yes, that's right! She made some just for the studio!! All of her crowns are perfect... perfect for the little princes and princesses who will stop here to look!

One of the best things about this shop is the great things it will do for others... like Terri's cards which is helping to fund her family's adoption of a little girl from Taiwan!

Stacey's Original Sock Dogs came from Kansas to help raise money for the Humane Society of Greater Kansas City...

Of course little Ballerina Elephant and Mr. Mouse are quite happy in their new space. But the little Ballerina danced off to live with a cute little girl last evening! Everyone LOVES Kathy's dolls...The shelves were filled with goodies!( I always wanted to work at the North Pole. I guess this is the closest I'll get! Just wait until Christmas when it becomes a winter wonderland like in the movie Elf!)Willow's beautiful knitting came to visit. The bunnies were loved by the guests and waited to be adopted. She loaned me the beautiful sweater that earned her a place in the Knitter's Guild and people ooohed and aaaahhhed over it and the scarf! Her gorgeous yarns were also there!

Jenny's dolls and quilts were so popular too! They sat together smiling at all the new faces, though they were tired because they were still on Australian time and it was actually tomorrow where they are from!

Jenny's bed monsters were also a favorite! And here's the beautiful garden warrior. All loving their trip to Pennsylvania!

Chelsea Ann sweetened the space by sending all of her goodies! If only they were edible too!

Becky's little totes lined up perfectly, waiting to help out anyone who needed a hand carrying their craft work, their lunch, or anything special!...

Christina's dolls held hands as they watched all the people! They loved the little baby quilt by Diane with Little Red Riding Hood and a HATCH owl hidden under a tree!!!

Wonderful books lined a shelf... all waiting to inspire....

There were fun little things too, like these lavender filled "owlos" from Argentina...

T-shirts were waiting for wearers... how awesome to have an original HATCH owl that you colored yourself?...

The jewelry was the most popular I think. I know I loved it all! Here's a few pieces...

Catherine's bears were toddling around, on the shelves and on the wall in her prints!...

The studio was waiting. The tables would be filled with food and drinks... and another with long sheets of paper to be filled with guests' doodles and drawings! There were also cool little HATCH owl tattoos that the children (and some grown-ups) would have fun wearing!

Kellie's prints were gorgeous! Her career as a fine art photographer was "hatched" in this place!...Bethany's drawing "Waiting to Play" was a little lonely as there were supposed to be two more... they will come later... (oooh, do you see the Kokeshi? Yes! You remember that show!! Maybe that was the inspiration for HATCH?)

Mandy's prints and cards and other beautiful things made the gallery quite inviting!...

Mo Miller showed some spectacular photography... she'll be sharing how to do that in the class this week!!Lots of beautiful prints hung on the bulletin board which was covered in fine linen and trimmed in beautiful silk hemming tape...

Elsita's extraordinary prints told their own stories...

More of Kellie's beautiful photography...

And there was a reading spot for the little ones on green grass and toadstools...

Some of Bethany's favorite pieces from her own art collection were brought to the studio and hung... a print that Craig bought her for Valentine's Day by Rob Ryan, the bird applique picture by Anna Maria Horner, and her print "Soul Girl" by Elsita.

The biggest surprise of the evening was that her sister Jane flew in from Orlando to surprise her!!!! That made her cry... tears of joy!!

Her sister Anne was also there which just made it perfect!!!!

Lots and lots and lots and lots of friends came, some new people and everyone in the family...

Terri came to see her cards and everyone else's work! She knows all these special blogging friends too!

Craig wore his HATCH colors and had just as much fun talking with all the friends who popped in to see what was happening. He filmed a video which will hopefully be uploaded soon! Everyone was full of love and good wishes, happy to have this new space to come and visit!!

There were even more things to tell, but this story must end for now... just know that you helped to make the whole event SO successful and everyone wants to come back to be creative together and to see (and buy) the wonderful one-of-a-kind pieces that everyone has made!!!

Hugs and kisses and love from Lititz!!!

~ Bethany

xo

p.s. To see more photos, my friend Rachel-Marie posted some on her blog today: click here!

p.p.s. Thank you to all of you who have things en route to me!! I can't wait to see them and for everyone else to see them too!!! xoxoxo