meet the artisans: ikow designs

ikow designs breathes funky into the classic element of silver and the result is rockin' awesome handmade jewelry that makes a statement like no other...

stop by the ikow booth at first friday indie market to chat with chris bettini and choose your one of a kind chainmaille piece on 4/1/11

spring is here!

the flowers are blooming, the weather is mostly cooperating and all the creatives that have been hibernating since the december market are ready to make their way to the first first friday indie market of 2011!

some things stay constant (like or fab location at the corner of s. elm & mlk) and other things are always changing...mainly the amazing talent that the indie market provides each month...so each time you wander through our outdoor mecca of handmade goodness you can discover new and amazing craft artisans.

the indie market brings together the very best of the triad's burgeoning artisan community, it is a collective of handcrafted and vintage shops and gives buyers a unique opportunity to chat with the creator, hear the story and then carry on that narrative with their own happy ending.

now lets meet some of the awesome talent that will be there on 4/1/11:

gremlina a treasure trove of vintage goodness can be found in this magical tent, so if you are looking for the kitsch factor or classic goodness of time gone by, stop in and say hey!

cephalopod ink what is squishy, a cephalopod, a little slimy and smells like the sea? well nothing that this shop makes...come take a deep dive into amazement when you see the creative pottery of Tanya Casteel and her inky octo friends

the gnome shack as it is spring, does your garden need a new gnome-ee friend? well then simone's gnomes are the cure for your gardens loneliness...so spruce up the yard with these handmade guys and be the talk of the block (in a good way)

aimee's garden well beautiful blooms are not just for your garden or table...nope, its time to sprout some gorgeousness on your head! aimee's original and beautiful felted head pieces are sure to add just the right amount of whimsy to your ensemble.

mermaid says is handcrafted and organic body care, if you need to scrub away that wintery skin step into this tent, all five of your senses will thank you!

July 2nd Market

Mandy and I are totally excited about the July Market! We were originally going to skip July because the Fun Fourth is the very next day, but we had so many vendors ask us about it, we decided to put the call out to see how many we could get. Y'all answered us loud and clear and we couldn't be happier. Our lot is full and to top it off, we have quite a few new vendors.

Welcome to you all! We're glad you've joined us! =)

A special thanks goes out to our very own Tristin Miller for designing the July Poster. She did a fantastic job and we absolutely love it! Posters will be available at the end of this week. If you would like to help us post them all around the Triad, please contact us and we'll get some to you.

If you would like to design a poster for a free booth space, please see the Call To Artists post in May.

Our vendors for the July Market are:

A.C. Creations
Accidental Photographer
Art by Dara Morgan
Carver Crafts
Dancing Free Designs
Faye's Crochet
Free Spirit Accessories
Gate City GlitZ
Gracie Rae's Recycled Designs
Green Mum Totes
Horse O Peace Ranch
J Britt Gardner Pottery
Jean Jarvis Jewelry & Vintage
Kim Shoffner
Lady Bizness
LeeLa!
LeeLu Creations
Lotus Stone & Crystal Jewelry
Purple Hook
Rainbow Tea
Rough Cuts
Shelton
Squackdoodle
Stini's Sewing Shop
Sweetgum Puppets
TBS Creations
Techno Cake Jewelry
Tristin Miller
Unraveled/Necessity
Verbage
Wendy's Sweet Shop

If you would like to visit an artist's website, please see the links to the left of the page.

See ya next Friday!

We're Back!!!

The First Friday Indie Markets in Downtown Greensboro are back for 2010. Our first Market will take place on Friday, April 2nd from 4pm -9pm at our usual lot... corner of South Elm & MLK.

Not to throw any names out at you (cuz we wouldn't want to brag or anything), but a few of the almost 30 awesome vendors we'll have in April are:

Yummy Goodness Bake Shoppe
Barehanded Press
Anna Mae Breads
The Gnome Shack
Jordan Grace Owens Art & Illustration
Wendy's Sweet Shop

Of course Mandy (of Purple Hook) and myself (Ikow Designs) will be set up as well.

It's been a big undertaking for us to keep the Markets going, but we feel it's really worth the effort. We love the atmosphere, vendors and all of the wonderful customers that come out to help us support local handmade.

Tell your friends, family, neighbors, coworkers... basically everyone you come across about us. Help us start off the April Market with a BANG!!!

Hope to see you out there!