The Renegade Craft Fair...
I wasn't so impressed with the Renegade Craft Fair last year: I found things either too kitchy/ironic/oh-so-trendy (like duct tape purses) or just plain "meh" (a felted purse for $40? I can make it myself, thanks). The only things I bought then were these really cool molecular model earrings and the best honey lip balm (as an aside, can I just ask what is up with the american custom of putting mint in lip balm? I want something velvety and moisturizing, not cool and tingly!).
Anyway. This year, I made out like a bandit! The Spiders were out in full force along with a few new friends. After checking out every single booth under the blazing sun, a few of us needed sustenance: 
Clockwise, starting with blogless Nancy in the blue shirt, Carrie, Katie, MichelleKnits, Jess (the YarnMonster!) and you can't see her, but she's really there right behind Jess: Sandra.
Not present for the food, but definitely there for the shopping: Lisa, Virginia, Steph, Kaitlyn with a sleepy MJ and Marie (who was selling her yarn at the Handspun Collective booth!).
All right, now you know who was there. On to my purchases:
A brown and orange shirt from unknown vendor (oops, no card), but Michelle bought the same one in yellow with a green inset, maybe she can tell me who we got it from? A blue polka dot shirt from Citizen Jane (who gave us 25% off for our next purchase!). These were so cute that Steph, Jess and Virginia each got one... I also got a swallow stencil from Stencil1, an A-line skirt pattern from Betsy Ross, 2 atomic cups from Neutrino Designs sold by Art Star (I saw them last year and didn't get them!), a tiny porcelain basket from Perch (also spotted last year), a plushy milk carton and chocolate donut from My Paper Crane (again, spotted last year), some fabric from RetroDepot Fabric, embroidery patterns from Sublime Stitching (Krazy Kitchen and Swanky Decor), 2 barrettes from Ferdinand (yes, 2, because after buying one, I couldn't find it in my bag, assumed I lost it, and I went back to buy it again. As Sandra predicted, once home, I found it at the bottom of my bag) and grapefruit honey lip balm from Sweet June.
OK, now it occurs to me that there's a lot of stuff I saw last year that I really liked but didn't buy for various reasons. Mostly I thought the merchandise was overpriced and that if I really wanted it, I could make it myself. But many of these things are not easy to make, and you have to appreciate all the work that goes into a design. Some items you just cannot copy!
I was happy to bring business to all the independent designers. Totally worth it!
