It would seem that we like to tackle big projects in pairs. We opened Homespun in Irvington in July of 2010 and two months later, our son was born. Our daughter was born this October, and three months from now we’ll move to a new, larger location downtown on the east end of Mass Ave.

The decision to move the shop was one of the most difficult and most complex we’ve ever made. As a family and as business partners, we’re rooted in Irvington. When we opened the doors of Homespun we set out to help make East Washington Street a shopping destination and to help strengthen the eastside business community. We’ve been well-supported by fellow business owners and neighborhood residents alike, and we are very appreciative of that. It is not something we will forget. However, as we’ve grown, we’ve run out of space: for in-store events, for sales floor display, for product overstock, even for employees’ coats.

As much as we wanted to continue to grow our business in Irvington, we couldn’t find a suitable space to accommodate all of our needs. So, after many months of debate, we finally made the decision to relocate to 869 Massachusetts Avenue in February 2014. We’ll be just off of 10th Street, in the Trailside building, where Yats recently reopened, and a stone’s throw from Black Market, R Bistro, Indy Reads Books, The Best Chocolate In Town, Mass Ave Wine Shoppe, Crimson Tate and a number of other awesome businesses. (In early 2014, Natural Born Juicers will also join the block!) Homespun will double in size, allowing us to stock more of the best contemporary handmade goods and display them the way they deserve to be seen. The space will be more accessible for shoppers in wheel chairs and those pushing strollers, and our employees will finally have a designated space to eat their lunches and take proper – and much deserved – breaks! We’ll also be able to host workshops and maker demonstrations in the same space once again.

We will be open for business seven days a week in Irvington through the holidays. We will simultaneously operate a preview shop on Mass Ave. on Fridays and Saturdays from Thanksgiving through the end of the year. The Washington Street location will close the final week of January and we’ll reopen on Mass Ave. in early February.

Here’s where you can find us this holiday season:

• Homespun: Modern Handmade (5624 East Washington Street)
  Sunday through Thursday 11am – 7pm, Friday & Saturday 10am – 8pm
• Homespun: Modern Handmade Preview Shop (869 Massachusetts Avenue)
  Friday & Saturday (Nov. 29 & 30, Dec. 7, 13, 14, 20, 21, 27, & 28) 11am – 7pm
• Mass Ave Midnight Shopper (869 Massachusetts Avenue)
  Friday, Nov. 22, 5pm – midnight
• INDIEana Handicraft Exchange Holiday Mini (Harrison Center for the Arts)
  Friday, Dec. 6, 5pm – 10pm
• Irvington Merchants Holiday Open House (5624 East Washington Street)
  Friday, Dec. 6, 6pm-9pm
• Yelp Totally Bazaar (Old City Hall, 200 North Alabama)
  Thursday, Dec. 12, 6pm – 10pm

This Saturday, June 8th, we’ll be hosting our biggest event of the year. The INDIEana Handicraft Exchange summer show is held annually in conjunction with the Independent Music + Art Festival at the Harrison Center for the Arts. The staff and interns of the HCA organize IMAF and are responsible for providing live music on two stages all day long. This year, the twelve bands performing will be Lord of the Yum-Yum (also acting as emcee), Rusty Redenbacher, Five Year Mission, Sleeping Bag, Shivering Timbers, Sweet Poison Victim, End Times Spasm Band, Luke Austin Daugherty & iLL Holiday, The Bears of Blue River, The Bonesetters, Pravada and The Pinstripes.

While they’re busy organizing the entertainment, we here at Homespun (plus a team of local Indy creatives) are responsible for the jurying in of 100+ artists and makers who will be on site selling their contemporary handmade goods. The vendors will be spread out over the HCA grounds, both indoors in two rooms (the gymnasium & Gallery No. 2), and outside along Delaware Street, 16th Street and wrapped around the building into the back parking lot.

Sun King Brewing Company and New Day Meadery will be there in the courtyard selling beverages to those 21+, while Duos Indy and Judge’s Tip of the Rib BBQ will have complete meal options available. Sweet treats will be for sale at the VSA tent for their annual ice cream fundraiser, as well as inside the building by Just Pop In!, Frittle Candy, Lick Ice Cream, Chocolate for the Spirit and Xchocol’Art.

The event runs from noon to 8pm and is FREE and family-friendly. Gather a gang and come on down to join in the fun. It’s guaranteed to be a rip-roarin’ good time!

Homespun: Workshops & Gallery Fixture and Art Supply Sale
Saturday, May 11th
10am-2pm
206 S Audubon Rd, Indianapolis, IN 46219

We will be having a huge sale of art supplies and fixtures at the Homespun: Workshops & Gallery (206 S Audubon). We’ll have lots of stuff for sale at cheap prices, so stop by and help us clear out our classroom space. Our event coincides with the Celebrate Irvington festivities, there will be food trucks, arts and crafts, live music, an alternative gift fair, and other happenings along Washington and Audubon streets.

Please note the sale is at our workshop space, 206 South Audubon Road NOT our retail store space on 5624 East Washington Street. Homespun: Modern Handmade our retail store is doing quite well, is not closing and welcomes you to visit during store hours! Thank you.

-Flat Files
-Baker’s Racks
-IKEA Klippan Couches
-IKEA Expedit Shelving
-Retail Store Fixtures
-Kid’s Art Table & Chairs
-Paints & Paint Supplies
-Markers & Crayons
-Decorative Paper
-Screen Printing Supplies
-Prismacolor Pencils
-Micron Pens
-Sketchbooks
-Yarn
-Easels
-Calligraphy Supplies
-Photo (Film) Supplies
-And More!

Cash preferred. No personal checks.

Bath and Body Bootcamp, by Ellie Poinsatte of Sudsy Sweet Treats Bath Bakery

Bath and Body Bootcamp, by Ellie Poinsatte
of Sudsy Sweet Treats Bath Bakery

When: Saturday, April 13, 2013
When: All day from 12:00pm to 5:00pm
Where: Homespun: Workshops & Gallery 206 S Audubon, Indianapolis IN 46219

Soap & Lip Scrub Workshop from 12:00pm to 1:00pm
In this workshop, you will learn the basics of melt & pour soap. We’ll cover the basics such as selecting a soap base for your needs, colorants, fragrances and additives that will turn an ordinary bar of soap into a work of art! You’ll create three bars of soap to take with you. We’ll also create a fabulous lip scrub with ingredients that you probably already have in your kitchen!

Bath Bomb Workshop from 1:30pm to 2:30pm
Love taking long, relaxing soaks in the tub? In this class, you’ll learn all the basics on creating a bath bomb fizzie that not only smells great, but is great for your skin too! We’ll create 3 bath fizzies that are scented and release moisturizing butters and oils into the bath water, surrounding your skin in pure moisture!

Whipped Foaming Sugar Scrub from 3:00pm to 4:00pm
Sugar scrubs are quite popular for not only their exfoliation benefits to the skin, but their luxurious moisturizing properties as well. In this class, we’ll take it one step further and create a whipped foaming sugar scrub that contains several types of sugars, fragrance and foaming bath butter with hydrating oils that will leave your skin not only clean, but luxuriously silky!

Whipped Body Butter from 4:00pm to 5:00pm
Body Butters are all the rage and in this class, we’ll take this super decadent body butter to the next level by whipping creamy butters and oils with fragrance to create a whipped body butter that you’ll swear is the best buttercream frosting but for your skin!

Ellie Poinsatte is the owner & creator at Sudsy Sweet Treats Bath Bakery in Fort Wayne, Indiana. Sudsy Sweet Treats specializes in handmade artisan soaps, bath & body products that resemble bakery desserts, sweet treats & candies. Her sudsy creations can be found online as well in stores and boutiques. When she’s not creating all things sudsy, Ellie can be found teaching her love of making soap, bath & body products to students in the Fort Wayne area and now at Homespun Indy!

Workshop fee is $99 for all four workshops or students can register separately for each session $30 for Soap and Lip Scrub, and $25 for each remaining workshop.

All supplies provided, wear a long sleeved shirt.