We’ve added several new, fun events to our calendar! Including A Homespun Halloween next Friday! Fall is in the air and we couldn’t be more excited. Join us Friday, October 7th from 5- 9pm for terrific tricks and treats! Sample spooky snacks and imbibe bewitching beverages while Savannah Norris and Rana Salame Striedinger, our staff sages, offer tarot card, palm, and crystal readings. It wouldn’t be a truly Homespun Halloween without something handmade. Rana will also be on the floor offering new crystal styles in her jewelry line and Savannah will have small textile weavings for sale! It’s going to be a bewitching good time!

Check out the full listing of events below as well as LOTS of fun new items out on the sales floor now. Enjoy the sweater weather!

New

From our friends Band of Weirdos and Moss Love, check out these sweet new patches, pins and cards.

New prints on pouches and cross-body bags from 1606. I love watching this brand grow! Everything is so cute.

Hilarious and beautifully designed new cards from The Urban Smith.

New designs from Life Bi(CY)cle made from bike tires- I’m in love with those long dramatic earrings! Also new necklaces from Grey Theory Mill.

More from The Urban Smith, gold necklaces featuring our fair state and our fair skyline. Gorgeous!

2017 CAT CALENDARS ARE IN! AC is looking pissed as ever in these new cards too. Love those acid wash jeans.

New mugs in from Farizula Designs, perfect as ever!

Coming Up

A Homespun Halloween: Friday, October 7th, 5-9pm. There’s no hiding it: here at Homespun, we LOVE Halloween, and we could not resist putting together a night of spirited fun. Join us Friday October 7th from 5pm – 9pm for terrific tricks and treats! Sample spooky snacks and imbibe bewitching beverages while Savannah Norris and Rana Salame Striedinger, our staff sages, offer tarot card, palm, and crystal readings (tips to our witches are appreciated and recommended). It wouldn’t be a truly Homespun Halloween without something handmade. Rana will also be on the floor offering new crystal styles in her jewelry line and Savannah will have small textile weavings for sale! It’s going to be a bewitching good time!

First Friday Gallery Exhibition: Jake Lee: Friday, October 7th, 6-9pm: To say Jake Lee is a man of many talents wouldn’t be an understatement or an overstatement, it would simply be accurate. Jake is a designer, curator, entrepreneur, and mixed media artist based in Indianapolis, Indiana. This series “Sucker Punch” explores the world of mass media and the imagery it chooses to display. Jake constructs his work by using type, imagery and iconic images. He enjoys the process of building layers from a variety of different mediums such as collaging, drawing, painting, image transfers and silk screening on wood blocks. Jake says he tries to convey a narrative story to the viewer that illustrates his feelings and his struggle with how media and advertising are used to shape society’s concepts of beauty, life, and passion.
Jake also curates a gallery called The Attic in the Murphy Building in Fountain Square, Indianapolis. It is open to the public every First Friday during the IDADA Art Walks. Jake also operates his own t-shirt venture called Made In The Square which harnesses the distinct attitude of Fountain Square, Indiana. His work will be showing at Homespun September – October 2016.

Pinot & Paws, Paint Your Pet: Thursday, October 27th, 6-8pm: Pets. They’re the family we choose. If you’re a dog or cat (or any animal, really) person, you understand the important role pets play in our lives. For many of us, our beloved pets are like our children, loving us unconditionally and loyally. Here’s your chance to immortalize your beloved Fido or Whiskers: instructor Deanna Leonard of Arcadian Design will be hosting a “Paint Your Pet” workshop at our store. Students will create a portrait from a favorite photograph with acrylic paint to cherish for years to come. Plus, we’ll have snacks and wine on hand for a full artist experience.

Candle Maker Pop-Up & Mass Ave Midnight Shopper: Friday, November 18th, 5pm-12am: Tonight’s the perfect night to get a jump start on your holiday shopping! Many Mass Ave merchants will be open until midnight to allow prudent patrons a chance to enjoy all of Indy’s best shops and boutiques. Plus, it’s the perfect opportunity to give back to the community during the season of giving! Here at Homespun we dedicate a significant portion of our donation efforts to Coburn Place Save Haven and Project Home Indy, two local non-profits dear to our hearts. Bring in needed items for Coburn Place and/or Project Home Indy and receive 10% off your entire purchase!

Small Business Saturday: Saturday, November 26th, 9am-9pm: The holiday shopping season is officially upon us, and shopping small means big support for independently-owned shops like ours (and for our community!). Homespun: Modern Handmade will be opening early today (9am) to give our fantastic customers early access to our brimming-with-holiday-inventory sales floor. In fact, the first ten customers will receive Swag Bags, one of which will be a SUPER Swag Bag with a high-dollar item from a participating Mass Ave store.

Giving Tuesday: Tuesday, November 29th, 10am-8pm: Make a difference with your shopping today at Homespun. Bring in items from the lists below and receive 10% off your store purchase today. Donated goods will benefit Coburn Place of Indianapolis, a transitional program to help survivors of domestic abuse and Project Home Indy, a local non-profit program aiming to break the cycle of poverty by serving up to five teen mothers and their children, helping them reach the path to self-sufficiency.

Yelp Bazaar: Thursday, December 11th, 6-10pm: Homespun is once again part of Yelp’s annual pop up shopping party with more than 120 local businesses! Check-in on the Yelp app for your Yelp Shop Local tote because this hefty list of local businesses is certain to fill your hands!

See ya next week, friends!

Tobias Designs’ jewelry is oxymoronic: simple, yet detailed. Structured, yet organic. Geometric, yet soft. It’s a dirty and intensive process that results in stunning jewelry. Learn more about what drives her and how she creates her work: Meet Your Maker, Britta McKee.

1| How do you describe your work to people who don’t know anything about crafting/art?

Being a jewelry designer is a little hard to explain I think because the first thing people say to me is, “Oh you do bead work.” I then explain a little more, that I’m a metalsmith jewelry designer. I use all sorts of metals such as silver, copper, gold, brass, and even aluminum. Sometimes I go into detail about having an art degree from the University of Kansas. It’s art to me, but others would say craft.

2| Why do you make/design things?

Body image is such a strong nation-wide topic. I try to work out and keep fit (little hard to jump back after my 2nd kiddo). I make jewelry to help others embrace their body and enhance their curvaceous or slender form; every part of their body. I want them to feel pretty, handsome, and that they’re looking sharp, and if a piece of my jewelry can help make that happen then I have done my job.

3| What do you love about your job?

I love to experiment with different patinas and textures. I don’t measure unless the costumer has requested specific measurements. I love the organic style, rare jewelry. I believe that everyone should have a piece that is truly one of a kind. Yes, I do make a bunch of the “same” pieces, but if you look closely you will not see the same pattern, etching, texture, color, or shape. I also love to have custom orders. I have had a few that made me cry because I was making and designing something in remembrance of a lost one. Those are what I want to make sure I take the time to get every detail perfect.

4| Was being a working artist always your plan or was there an “aha” moment?

I have always wanted to pursue art as a career. In 2nd grade I won an award for a “Stop, Drop, and Roll” drawing we did in class. That is what started my love and passion for art. In high school I was in a league art competition and even though I did participate in sports, my letter jacket was of art medals. I was never sure what style of art I wanted to make. I went to the University of Kansas (KU) and started out as a graphic designer, then switched to interior design, then I was a double major with interior design and metalsmithing. Finally my dad said not to think about the money, rather to think about what will make you happy and what you have the passion for in the work you will be doing. That was when I knew I needed to stay with the metals program.

5| How do you work, and where?

My studio is in my garage in Topeka, KS.

6| What are the inspirations for your designs? It looks like you have a lot of organic shapes.

Yes, I love organic. My inspiration is nature. I love how you can never find the same rock, leaf, bark, etc… everything is different and unique. When we go fishing, hiking, or geocaching I love to look and admire nature and it’s surroundings.

7| Tell us about your process. How do you manipulate the metal into jewelry?

I purchase my materials from various wholesale companies. I love RIO and Stuller. They are great to work with! I buy my materials in sheets and wire forms. When I am creating different pieces I use a variety of tools such as hammers, a jeweler’s saw, files, sandpaper, pliers, anvil, and acetylene torch to cut, bend, and forge my ideas. I solder each piece with an acetylene torch or if I’m doing a cold connection I use wire for jumping or silver tube for rivets. It’s a long process for most of my more complicated pieces, each piece takes a lot of tools and steps to make it work!

8| How do you transfer images onto metal, like the one you used for the Bison Necklace?

The Bison is my newest addition to my etching series. I use my computer photo app to enhance my images. I use a printer to print on PNP (press n’ peel) paper. It’s expensive and a one time though the printer sort of deal! Once it’s printed I cut it down to the size of the silver sheet I’m using and clean up the silver sheet really well. Then I use a grill (the kind you would toss some pancakes on) and an iron. I place the silver metal on the grill to heat it up for about 10-15 seconds, then place the PNP with the image onto it. Place the iron (cotton setting no steam) on top with a good amount of pressure for about 25-30 seconds. Lift it up and if I start to see dark blue (my image) then it’s working, if not, I put the iron back on with a little more pressure. Once I start to see the image through the back side of the PNP, I use a burnisher to do one last rub of the image on the silver. Then I take it off with the tweezers and put it right into a cup of water. Then I peel off the PNP and the image will appear. Depending on the level of detail, sometimes the image won’t completely take. If I don’t like it or it messed up, I just sand it off and clean it up and start over.

Once the image is to my liking on the silver, I use an etching solution in a glass bowl and watch it etch for about 1-3 minutes depending on how strong the etching solution is and how deep I want it. Then I clean it up and put a black mix or liver of sulfur on it and clean it up for the contrast of the image.

9| How often do you add a new design to your line?

Great question… I love to try new things. Sometimes this is bad because I get to work on a new line, then I get another idea and really want to try something new. It’s great because I love to experiment and try new things, but then it’s also a bad habit because I don’t want to overwhelm my customers, but I do want to give them a wide range of unique pieces. This year is a big one because I have added 3 new lines of work. A few of my series are coming back because they have been requested by shops, so it’s nice to re-make a few that I haven’t done in awhile.

10| If you could swap lives with another artist, who would that person be?

If swapping lives with another metalsmith, I would pick Debra Adelson. I met her my senior year at KU at the Kansas City Plaza Art Fair. She was so sweet in talking with us for a class project. Her advice to me was, “Keep doing art. If you have to work at a coffee shop then do it but you must keep drawing or doing something. Because once you stop it’s very hard to get back into it.” Besides our conversation, she has amazing art. She was using acrylic in her work and she just took the leap this year and sort of rebranded her style of work and it’s amazing. You can still tell it’s a Debra Adelson piece but she has really taken it a step further. It’s not easy to take the leap and re-do your style of work but sometimes you need to.

If swapping lives with an artist who is not a metalsmith, I would pick Wassily Kandinsky. I have admired his work for years. As for a living artist, I would pick Paul Flinders. I love the style of painting he does. He was a Kansas artist but moved to NY. I have the most adorable bird he painted and so many expressions run through my head when looking at it.

11| What makes a handmade object valuable?

It’s valuable because it’s not factory made. Your hands were all over that piece of work. I also believe seeing an artist’s/crafter’s flaws are cool too. I’m not perfect but I feel the more I work the better I get in my art. I like to see a stitch not straight, a print off center or smudged, and even a piece of jewelry with file marks not all the way sanded. Those marks let others know it is a one of a kind piece and that these are the markings of an artist/crafter.

12| Using that definition, what’s the most valuable object you own?

The most valuable object I own are my kids. They are more than my business/art… anything I own.

13| Tell us one true thing about yourself that people don’t believe when you tell them.

This is a tough question, but many don’t believe that my husband and I met when we played rugby. I played for KU and he played for Topeka. I might be short and not as fast as I was before having kids but I enjoyed it.

14| Give us three more non-crafting-related details about you or your life.

• I love to run! I will be turning 30 in December this year and my goal is to run my first half marathon. I have run 5k & 10Ks, it’s time for the next step up.
• I enjoy geocaching and I have been doing it since 2005. It’s aways fun to take my oldest out and find “treasure.”
• I enjoy a good horror film. I have seen some great ones and even “B” rated movies that are not too shabby. If you have any good ones, I’m all about watching!

If you’ve gotta get a Tobias Designs piece for yourself, come on over to Homespun and we’ll hook you up! You can also browse her products and learn more about her company on her website, Facebook Page, or Instagram.

The beautiful new macrame wall hangings on display by artist Savannah Norris will inspire you: they are the perfect centerpiece for your home space and a brilliant example of skillfully and carefully crafted work. Whether you feel like decorating or making, Homespun is the place! Savannah will be teaching a special workshop and sharing her talent this Saturday. Spaces are still available, step your weekend plans up a notch! Or should I say…knot-ch…?!

Sign up using the link in the “Coming Up” section below.

New

Macrame hanging planter by Savannah Norris.

New prints just un-bubble wrapped by The Art of Seth. So intricate.

Restock now on the shelves from Bitchstix including a brand new product with the perfect name: Son of a Bitch Anti Chafe stick.

Restock from People for Urban Progress includes these bags with the brightest sherbet orange handles! New “El Robot Luchador” Imaginary Friend by Vanessa Monfreda, another great piece by Inspired Woodcraft, and the sweetest little card from Haven Paperie.

Coming Up

Workshop: Macrame Hanging Planter: Saturday, September 17th, 12-2pm: Have some flowing greenery that needs hanging for full-effect? Always wanted to learn how to macrame? Then we’ve got the perfect class for you! Savannah Norris, local stylist, artist, and jane of all trades, will help you craft a hanging planter perfect for your growing green babies and your personal style! Bring yourself and your plant (in a small – medium pot or jar) and a sturdy stick (optional) if you’d like to make it a contemporary wall hanging – all other supplies will be provided. Additional fee if you’d like the intstructor to provide the plant and pot for you!

Workshop: Flower Crown: Sunday, September 18th, 1-3pm: Evoke your inner ethereal goddess or god by creating a one-of-a-kind flower crown with local earth-mama and crystal-spirit-queen, Rana Salame. All flower crown supplies will be provided by the instructor – however, you’re welcome to B.Y.O.B. Sip and get spirited while you get your craft on!

Candle Maker Pop-Up Bar w/ The Onyx Exchange: Saturday, September 24th, 11am-4pm: Join the Onyx Exchange for a day of candle making at Homespun! Mark you calendars and stop in to make your very own 7oz. Lux candle or 11oz. Wine Bottle Candle! Have fun mixing your own scents to create something totally you! No registration required for this Homespun event. Candles take about 2 hours to cure. Feel free to hang around the Ave and shop, or you can leave and come back later to pick up your candle. Homespun will hold them for you.

Yelp Bazaar: Thursday, December 11th, 6-10pm: Homespun is once again part of Yelp’s annual pop up shopping party with more than 120 local businesses! Check-in on the Yelp app for your Yelp Shop Local tote because this hefty list of local businesses is certain to fill your hands!

See ya next week, friends!

We’ve got a behind the scenes exclusive for you this week, as well as a brand new window display and lots of Indiana goodies. Hoosiers- and Hoosiers at heart (we ship!)- take note!

New

Show your pride with these beautiful pieces of rustic decor from Inspired Woodcraft.

Sweet print by Grass Green Design, new IN love goodies from Jean Elise, pick-me-up notes for lunch boxes (or anywhere!) by Haven Paperie, and this little step stool from Red Barn Collective is looking mighty cute with these plush by Mr. Sogs Creatures and Bebito.

PICKLES! All the pickles are back in stock from Indiana Pickle Co.

And here we are- with hushed voices- behind the scenes at Homespun with brand new pillows from a brand new vendor: 521 Handmade! These lovelies are soft, plush linen and ready to grace your favorite space.

What We’re Wearing

So ready for fall in this poncho by Victrola, scarf by Nicole’s Threads, and paired copper necklaces by Some Days Ago. And we just can’t get enough of this bag by LM Products.

And we’re still soaking up the sun in this dress by Nicole’s Threads and necklaces by Larissa Loden and Grey Theory Mill.

Gallery

Jake Lee’s work is on display in our mini gallery. Striking, graphic, and colorful.

Window

Stunning work by our staff! Love this fresh new display.

Coming Up

Workshop: Macrame Hanging Planter: Saturday, September 17th, 12-2pm: Have some flowing greenery that needs hanging for full-effect? Always wanted to learn how to macrame? Then we’ve got the perfect class for you! Savannah Norris, local stylist, artist, and jane of all trades, will help you craft a hanging planter perfect for your growing green babies and your personal style! Bring yourself and your plant (in a small – medium pot or jar) and a sturdy stick (optional) if you’d like to make it a contemporary wall hanging – all other supplies will be provided. Additional fee if you’d like the intstructor to provide the plant and pot for you!

Workshop: Flower Crown: Sunday, September 18th, 1-3pm: Evoke your inner ethereal goddess or god by creating a one-of-a-kind flower crown with local earth-mama and crystal-spirit-queen, Rana Salame. All flower crown supplies will be provided by the instructor – however, you’re welcome to B.Y.O.B. Sip and get spirited while you get your craft on!

Candle Maker Pop-Up Bar w/ The Onyx Exchange: Saturday, September 24th, 11am-4pm: Join the Onyx Exchange for a day of candle making at Homespun! Mark you calendars and stop in to make your very own 7oz. Lux candle or 11oz. Wine Bottle Candle! Have fun mixing your own scents to create something totally you! No registration required for this Homespun event. Candles take about 2 hours to cure. Feel free to hang around the Ave and shop, or you can leave and come back later to pick up your candle. Homespun will hold them for you.

Yelp Bazaar: Thursday, December 11th, 6-10pm: Homespun is once again part of Yelp’s annual pop up shopping party with more than 120 local businesses! Check-in on the Yelp app for your Yelp Shop Local tote because this hefty list of local businesses is certain to fill your hands!

See ya next week, friends!