The Art Star Craft Bazaar would not be possible without the AMAZING Lisa Castellano. We met her back in the early days of the ASCB when she asked to volunteer at the show, along with her then boyfriend Rich Molina. The two of them literally saved our butts the first year we had the show along Germantown Avenue, up by our old shop on the Liberties Walk. We didn’t realize how heavy the rented tables were & they saved the day by letting us use their truck. They also helped us break down the show during a massive rain storm. They did such a good job that the following years we asked them back as paid staff. Lisa is friendly, outgoing, & incredibly smart, but best of all, she is assertive & has initiative. We don’t have to tell her what to do – she knows what to do. In fact, many times she tells US what to do. Over the years we have become close friends with Lisa & consider her a part of our Art Star family. Here are her insider tips & picks from this year’s lineup of Art Star Craft Bazaar vendors.
– Megan
Hello Attendees of the 2011 Art Star Craft Bazaar –
My name is Lisa, and I am an employee of the Craft Bazaar annually. You can always see me running around from booth to booth checking in with vendors, taking care of business on my walkie talkie, & taking care of sales behind the Art Star tent. I LOVE this event & I am super excited that I get to come back & help facilitate it from year to year.
There are a few things I recommend about the Bazaar – so here are my insider notes:
Definitely get there early!! Really enjoy the day at the ASCB – take your time visiting all the various vendor booths! Leaving yourself time will definitely make your shopping experience more enjoyable.
Also, get some of the yummy organic & vegan grub by the Soy Cafe & A Full Plate, which are both regulary represented. Whether it is awesome wraps, home brewed green tea, or some awesome vegetarian pulled pork with a whoopie pie – there is plenty to eat for everyone! While you are eating, sit by the stage & listen to the variety of tunes played by some local musicians!
Finally, check out the vendor page and plan to spend some time with a few key vendors. Here are some of my regular favorites:
1. For fun & funky clothes, you definitely cannot beat Holly Hue! These crafty threads will keep you warm and/or fashion forward. They also have an awesome selection of handbags that I cannot resist! They also always have a great one-of-a-kind selection. (It is a helpful bonus that they are some of my favorite people to visit at the ASCB!)
2. Whether it is nostalgia you are looking for, a bit of history, or just something really different, Peg & Awl has it all. Check out the variety of interesting goods they have & pay attention to my personal favorite – the little book necklaces. I absolutely love mine & plan to buy another this year! I also plan on spending money at Fisticuffs. These one of a kind recycled belt wrist cuffs are only sold in person, so bring your $$ b/c you can’t get them online later!! (Ok, so these are some of my favorite people too!)
3. Guess what? BUNNY BUTT has all you could want in soaps, scents, & lips! Their mojito soap smells like a party in the shower, & their mineral tint balms leave your lips soft with the perfect amount of color. Plus, they are some of the most fun people to visit & spend some time chatting with! (noticing a trend?)
A few honorable mentions on my “frequently spending my money @ the ASCB” list include Recycle My Dress (to see those terrible old prom & bridesmaid dresses become rockin’ frocks), John Murphy (for amazingly gorgeous art in beautiful frames), The Broken Plate Pendant Company (for the best jewelry you will ever see made from dinner ware!), Girlscantell (an old high school friend who can tell you the parts of anything screen printed on everything imaginable from towels to coasters), & Yellowcake (for unique fashions from a former Project Runway contestant). The purchase possibilities are almost as endless as all of the hats by the wonderful vendor, Endless Hats!
Faceted Gold Cube Earrings by Knock Knock Studio
Some of the vendors I am excited about seeing for the first time include Peppersprouts*, because my kitchen could certainly use some jazzing up with new, fun accessories (& I could always use some for me too!). Speaking of accessories for me, some delicate little cube earrings would be fun from Knock Knock Studio. Back to my kitchen & throwing in my love of penguins brings me to SKT Ceramics, because relaxing with a warm mug with a fuzzy penguin on it is just the cutest thing ever!
Penguin Cup by SKT Ceramics
*Peppersprouts was at last year’s ASCB – Lisa must have missed them!