Father's Day handmade gift guide

Still shopping for a gift to give your dad or husband on June 21? Why not buy handmade for Father's Day this year? Real men appreciate the personal attention and craftsmanship that go into making a unique item. Here are a few ideas to get you started.

Upright freehand pipe (sold out) This one is no longer available, and is it any wonder? What a gorgeous piece of work. I've never smoked once in my life, but I'm tempted to pick it up just looking at this pipe. A good gift whether your man already smokes, or if you want him to start.

Bloke soap ($5.50) Is your father a dirty old man? Clean him up with the gift of a bar of soap! There are many different manly soaps available, although we love the fact this this one is made with real beer. Mmmmm... soap.

Recycled Bottle Cap Fishing Lures ($3) For the angler in the family. What could be better than sitting in a boat with your friends, drinking a can of beer, and fishing with one too? Several styles available, so you can pick out his favorite brand.

Beer Bottle Drinking Glasses ($60) Are you detecting a trend? Actual beer bottles turned into glasses are a gift anyone can use. Not all dads are into beer, so this Etsy seller will turn any bottle with a painted label into a drinking glass. So much cooler than faux-retro pint glasses from Target.

Dad needs a place to hold his cash? A classic money clip would do the job in style. If he's into leather, you could get a wallet for $20 pretty much anywhere. Or you can buy the
'1Life2Live' hand tooled leather wallet ($399) for a gift he'll always remember and treasure.

We hope you're inspired to find something truly special for the man in your life. If you need even more ideas, check the Etsy showcase for new Father's Day gift suggestions every day.

Los Vesparados - Art of the Scooter

Los Vesparados Poster
Originally uploaded by Tubes.

We here at Craftstravaganza headquarters support all forms of two-wheeled transportation. Whether bicycle, motorcycle, or in this case scooter, there's an inherent beauty in the design of these machines that is often lacking in larger vehicles.

Celebrate the art of the scooter at Los Vesparados. The show features nearly 30 artists including Adam Turman, Keiko Yagishita, Sean Tubridy, Steve Tenebrini, Scott Shore, Sara Jorde, and Angel Bomb Design. Watch movies and check out everyone's rides in the parking lot. Opening Saturday, June 13, 7 p.m.

Bonus, check out this video of the posters being screen printed:

Our picks for Art-A-Whirl weekend

Art-A-Whirl 5
Originally uploaded by Tubes.

There's a lot to see at Art-a-Whirl this weekend; in fact, maybe too much. With over 500 artists participating in dozens of locations, it could be easy to get lost. We've heard tales of people who walk into the Northrup King building... and never come out again.

Don't panic. We're here to help. Here's a quick list of handpicked events that are officially Craftstravaganza-approved:

• Art/garage sale at "The Stinging Nettle" (344 23rd Ave NE). Certain to be a more low-key gathering if you need a break from the chaos. Art by Kendra and Tart Design plus six other local artists. 10-5 on Saturday only.
  
• Art Minion is, in their words, "the world's largest display of gig posters, kustom kulture, original art and everything kool." We've been meaning to get out here for a while, and Art-a-Whirl is a good excuse. Opening Friday, 7-10 p.m.
• 7th Annual Johnstock. Outdoor indie market across the street from Crafty Planet. We didn't think this was officially affiliated with Art-a-Whirl, but it totally is.  Starts this Saturday at 10 a.m.
  
• Hands-on Activities. Because shopping is fun but getting involved is even better. Paint by Number Workshop: "be a part of creating an ArtCar" at Red Stag Supperclub on Saturday, 1-3 p.m. Interactive Printing at Anthem Heart: bring a blank t-shirt and pick your stencils for a custom screen-printed Minneapolis skyline, only five dollars! Q.arma Building Studio 225, all weekend.
  

Add your recommendations in the comments!

New Flickr photo set

Photos from the show are up on Flickr! Here is one of my favorites of the day. This little girl was clutching her new Fantastic Toys plush while her mom shopped for soap at the Clean Bee booth.

There are over one hundred photos from throughout the day. We also took photos of vendors setting up booths before the show opened, for an "inside look" at craft fair organization. Let us know what you think!

Go straight to the 2009 set, or check out our entire photostream. If you were a vendor or shopper at any of our events, we also encourage you to add your Flickr photos to our new group. Thanks!

Welcome!

Thanks for visiting Craftstravaganza. We hope you enjoy the new site redesign. With our fourth annual show behind us, we're facing another long stretch between hosting our event and planning the next one.

While we take a break from organizing shows, there are plenty of great ones to attend! It's the best time of year for getting out and celebrating art. That's why we started this blog, to help spread the word about local events and share our love for all things handmade.

See you at the fairs!