After 4 amazing years of planning crafty happy hours, hosting crafternoons, running Crafts N’At, and just plain loving all things Pittsburgh + Craft, we have decided to shut our doors.

Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for helping to make this group a reality. When we started back in 2008 with a meeting of the crafty minds, we didn’t have a clue as to how far we could go. It’s amazing what an inspiring group this turned out to be.

Our decision to say goodbye was a difficult one. In the end, we feel that the mission of the PCC is not filling a need in the same way it was back in 2008.

We thank you for all of your support and dedication to the group. We couldn’t have done it without you.

[thanks a million in black by letterpress]

Not too late to sign up for this class this Saturday!

Date: Saturday, May 28, 2011
Time: 2-4pm
Location: Wildcard, Lawrenceville
Class Size: 8 students
Cost: $22 PCC members, $27 non-PCC members (+ $5 materials fee)

Instructor Joel Brown says:

“In this collage-construction concourse of crafters, we are going to have a lot of fun. Discussion will center on refined selection of visual pieces from everyday sources of printed material and their re-contextualization into crisp collage content. Multiple formats and materials-sources will be available.”

Joel Brown is a PCC member and features his collages frequently in the I Made It! Market as well as other Pittsburgh events and venues. His collage work is influenced by dreams and psychology, ancient history and religion, natural sciences, and often just pure color and form! He graduated from Seton Hill University with a degree in two-dimensional media and is also a writer.

How to Register:
Please use the ‘add to cart’ buttons below to register for your class spot through Paypal. PCC members receive a discount on their classes. You will be asked for your phone number, email address, and mailing address so that we can contact you.

$27.00 per student

$32.00 per student

What Happens Next:
The class instructor will receive notification of your registration and will be in touch with you via email about directions and any further information prior to the class date.

Class purchases may be cancelled up to 72 hours before the class for a refund.

Please note the re-scheduled date, time and location. There are still 2 spots left!

Date: Thursday, May 19, 2011
Time: 7:00-8:30pm
Location: Stanton Heights (address sent upon registration)
Class Size: 2 spots left!
Cost: $17 PCC members, $22 non-PCC members

Create beautiful, quirky, one-of-a-kind fashion accessories using awesome textile scraps (cottons, hand-dyed silks, recycled fleece…) leftover from Amber Copping’s studio adventures. You will learn various simple knotting and cutting techniques that will give your creativity a push while creating items you can wear. No sewing experience required. Are you a parent? These techniques can easily translate into interesting projects for your little ones to do at home.

All materials supplied. Bring fabric scissors (labeled with your name) if you have them. Class is limited to 4 students (only 2 spots left).

Bio:
Instructor Amber Coppings is a PCC member, very talented fabric crafter and perhaps most widely known for her Xmittens line of fingerless gloves.”

How to Register:
Please use the ‘add to cart’ buttons below to register for your class spot through Paypal. PCC members receive a discount on their classes. You will be asked for your phone number, email address, and mailing address so that we can contact you.

$17.00 per student

$22.00 per student

What Happens Next:
The class instructor will receive notification of your registration and will be in touch with you via email about directions and any further information prior to the class date.

Class purchases may be cancelled up to 72 hours before the class for a refund.

To inspire you to give to Pittsburgh is Art Day of Giving – I heartPGH will be making a small contribuition to an arts organization.
Please visit IheartPGH to vote for one of the following organizations or suggest your favotire non profit organization.

• The Waffle Shop/Conflict Kitchen (make sure to click this link and follow their instructions) – Both the Waffle Shop and Conflict Kitchen  have been a great addition to East Liberty – part waffle shop, part internet talk show – this is a great space where anyone from highschool students to Carnegie Mellon Professors can be found snacking on waffles.  Conflict Kitchen has received press coverage from around the globe.
• Steeltown Entertainment Project – I had the good fortune to check out the directors pitch session for this years Steeltown Film Factory competition.  The Steeltown Entertainment Project is one of the most interesting things I have attended this year – it is also exciting to see a project that is working to connect Pittsburghers in Hollywood to up and coming filmmakers in Pittsburgh.
• The Studio for Creative Inquiry at CMU (again, follow the instructions you need to note the Studio in the memo section) – this is an awesome place – run by Golan Levin – who has continued to produce great projects here in Pittsburgh and beyond and who often calls me to brainstorm ways that we can promote perogis.  The Studio for Creative Inquiry is also working on the super cool High Point Park project – you can learn more about that here.
• Society to Preserve the Millvale Murals of Maxo Vanka – these murals are maybe one of the most amazing historical artifacts in Pittsburgh.  Amazing murals with historical and cultural significance on the walls of a church.  This organization is definitely worthy of your contribution.

What: Japanese Shibori Fabric Dyeing
Date: June 25-26, 2011
Time:  11 a.m.-4 p.m.
Location: Pittsburgh Center for the Arts (6300 Fifth Ave. in Shadyside)

In June, PCC Member Amber Coppings will be teaching an intensive overview of Japanese Shibori fabric dyeing at the Pittsburgh Center for the Arts for adults.

Learn more here.

Here’s a new online shopping forum created exclusively for Pittsburgh artists, designers, and visionaries. PFM Shop! is the online commerce element of Pittsburgh Fashion Magazine and seeks to promote the sale of items designed, created, or imagined by fellow Pittsburghers. The site operates on a consignment basis and is meant to work in conjunction with other avenues of sales, from your own business website, Etsy, festivals, shows, etc.

PFM Shop! is now prominently advertised on the Pittsburgh Fashion Magazine home page, drawing visitors into the shop to check out the variety of items that are offered there.

You are invited to have your merchandise featured among the first items available for sale through this site. Don’t miss out on the chance to be among the first consignors in PFM Shop!

“As Pennsylvania residents, creatives and explorers, we have a special love for PA originals – and we wanted to share that love with the world. While traveling around our great state, we tend to collect arts related information. Slowly, our tiny collection became a stack, and eventually the stack became a mountain (not to mention the long list of bookmarked sites on our computer!) We decided something had to be done…and it was.” - Matt & Darice @ IndiePA

A new site –  IndiePA is a showcase and directory of independent artists, designers, craftsmen, musicians and performers who live, work and find inspiration in the beautiful state of Pennsylvania. There is now somewhere to put all Pennsylvania crafter information – and better yet, it can be shared!

It’s FREE to add your information to the directory  so submit your listing today and spread the word!

There is still time to sign up for the Dream Pillow Class this weekend (April 30)!

Click here to get more info and register.

See who’s attending: Facebook Event

PCC Member Todd Sanders (Air and Nothingness Press and FMS & Sons, Woodworking) will be having his first solo gallery show May 3rd through the 28th at Gallerie Chiz located at 5831 Ellsworth Ave. in Shadyside.

The gallery opening is May 6th (5:30-8:30pm), coinciding with the Shadyside Art Walk that same night. The show will feature his furniture, artist books and drawings.

Gallerie Chiz is open Tues-Fri, 11-5:30 • Sat, 11-5 • or by appointment.

Artist Bio: Todd Sanders is a graphic designer, translator, furniture maker and book artist living in Pittsburgh. His studio – FMS & Sons Woodworking – was founded to pursue an interest in building furniture, often with reclaimed or unwanted wood, as well as small utilitarian items.
His publishing house – Air and Nothingness Press – grew out of a desire to create quality, limited editions of poetry in translation and has grown to include both his own work in poetry as well as expressions in livre d’artiste, also known as artist books.

I was one of the lucky people who was able to tour BrickPitt Ceramic Studio on Saturday. Heather Connolly (that is her in the red) welcomed us to her bright and airy studio which is right off of Rodi Road and only a short hop from Downtown Pittsburgh. BrickPitt offers a wide range of clays to work with and all the tools you’ll need, whether for wheel throwing, clay sculpting or our activity of the day, making porcelain drape bowls.

We learned how to wedge clay, form and shape the porcelain and then drape it in a bowl form. Heather gave us access to all of her pre-glazes which we painted our bowls with and we learned a bit about some texture imprinting you can also do. The bowls will be fired this week and we can pick them up next Saturday. I have a box of ceremonial cereal ready for the first bowl breakfasting.

BrickPitt offers classes, open studio time and Heather’s enthusiasm for her craft. Go check out her studio and get busy.