BUST Magazine 2008 Spring Fling Craftacular
The BUST Craftacular at the Warsaw (Brooklyn) today was incredibly crowded. Four rows of vendors squished together on the concert floor, while DJ's spun 90s prom music on stage.
After the invent and explosion of Etsy.com, I felt that merch was mediocre. Sure every booth had their own customized "look", complete with business cards collected and traded, but the work was just so generic. ESPECIALLY the jewelry!! Small gold vintage-looking chains and the usual charms (sparrows, skeleton keys, fawn, octopi) littered the tables of every other booth. Maybe it's because I've spent a good deal of internet time browsing Etsy that I've seen it all. I was just surprised that there was little variation in accessories. But at least the perspex pendants (although slowly being overdone) were cleanly cut, and there was ONE metalsmith jeweler. (SAVED!)
And then comes the clothing—have we all forgotten that fabrics are supposed to feel comfortable and soft to the skin? Or that reasonably priced cotton garments are supposed to last more than one wash? What's with all the hard "VINTAGE/RECYCLED" fabrics and flimsy raw-hem, worn out t-shirts? AND isn't everyone OVER the whole center chest silk-screened generic monster/cute fruit/squid/octopus/dinosaur t-shirts? It's so last last last year.
ANYWAYS—
- The organization was stellar and the staff was very nice.
- I did eventually purchase good finds at the -tacular (after my fourth walk around the booths), and around the neighborhood.
- Yes, I overused "generic".
Yummy soaps from Biggs & Featherbelle.
SEIBEI!! Where my dogs and monsters at? (Yeah, I know, I just ranted about monsters, but this is not one of them stupid ones.)
I bought a year's subscription for $10. And they gave me a free
DOE tote.
I bought these fibers at The Yarn Tree. Hello new favorite shop.
This is why I think "Blech..." when I think of Williamsburg. A performing street circus. What? I know.
And my favorite Polish chocolates.
2 comments:
speaking of generic's over-usage, are you planning on attending the renegade craft fair in june? i don't really think 'rogue' when i think of williamsburg but cil and i will be getting our feel-good consumerism on.
carol
p.s. don't look, this was my failed attempt at blogspot.
I went to one a few years ago. (I don't remember which one, but it was freaking hot.) Rogue--it could be used to describe the way some businesses have to jack up their prices to compensate for the $210 cost of the booth AND money spent on traveling with their stuff AND paying assistants.
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