{ART Vs. CRAFT} I was delighted to be a part of Art Vs. Craft again this year, held at Todd Wehr Hall on MSOE campus November 28th. My newest "invention" is the mason jar "QZ" that is crocheted around the jar with a handle! I was able to design and construct this perfect display for them! I used wood sticks, 1/2" dowels, a chop saw and couple screws, and a drill with a 1/2" burrow bit. The rest is history!
{HOVER CRAFT} Being on the team at Hover Craft is awesome. This (second) year it was held at Sweetwater Organics in Bay View on December 3rd. I was in charge of creating a Hover Craft Community Coupon, and the Make-n-Take Booth. Community Coupons are a way to get local businesses involved even if they can't have a booth! I found local businesses in supporting areas that were interested in proposing a week-long special, available explicitly to the first 100 people at Hover Craft. The Coupon acts like a scavenger hunt punch card, so it is returned to the customers to use elsewhere. Each coupon was also printed on special paper and validated with a specific symbol after print to ensure authenticity. HCCC in progress:
HCCC in print: 
For Make-N-Take we made WOODALLIONS coined by Madam Chino for Craft Night, which are wooden coins that can be decorated and appropriated in any way! The fastening options were earrings, necklaces, brooches, ornaments, magnets, and wall hangings. I collected a lot of wood chopped these woodbits on 45 degrees with my chopsaw. We collaged them with matte medium and old Printers Ink books, drilled holes and used tiny eye screws as the main fasteners. 
There was a perfect room to create a little production area: 
{MILWAUKEE ZINEFEST} This year I have spent a lot of time painting murals, developing new curriculums for an assortment of civic education instruction and renovating the LOOK NOOK showroom, which has taken a slice away from my passion to have a little stationary store. Penny Spencer INK! (the Madam Chino of papergoods) has much in brainstorm phase, as the office has converged in two new locations. I was able to put together some more interactive events for this years MKE ZINEFEST, held at Polish Falcon on December 10th, including a mini make-n-take "decorate a chubby notebook" collage stand at my booth, where i was able to trade notebooks to some kids for some homemade breakfast cookies made by their moms!!! River West is just sweet like that.
I also put together a noon workshop for kids at the CCC, where we did "KITCHEN PRINTING" aka Plaitraits 
Running a small shop is so much fun. All of my interactions are so super personal and I love being able to meet up with people outside of my shop to hand deliver items to them if they can't make it in. I spent a bit of time wrapping up the shop renovations and winding down. My final week before the holidays consisted of throwing a shop party on New Years Eve Day, and hostessing a $10 dress sale. What a great turn out! I'm already on the hunt for next year. xx, madam chino!
