Handmade Market at TCC

If I had known I was going to The Creative Connection months ago rather than just a few weeks ago, I would have done the smart thing and started staving up my pennies. Instead, I had to borrow money from my mom to make sure I could do some shopping. Because nothing says “independent, grown ass woman going on a fancy almost-business-related trip” like begging your parents for cash.

And if I had known just how many gorgeous things would be for sale at the Handmade Market I would have borrowed A LOT more. Or maybe sold a baby kidney.

Pretty Things. Do you spy some ruffles?

I must have walked through the room a dozen times before I could pick my jaw up off the floor long enough to stop and choose a few things to bring home. Here’s what I ended up with:

Adorable headband, Chatty Gus & Lovely Gus pouches from Gussy. One of the above may turn into a giveaway for one of you lucky readers, if only I can shut up the voice in my head that keeps screaming NOOOO!!! MY PRECIOUSSSSSSSSSSS! MIIIIIINE!!!!!

And in case you needed me to tell you, yes, Gussy – I mean Maggie – is absolutely totally 100% as cute in real life as she seems on her blog.

Beautiful lock & key necklace from J. Jewels Designs. Julia was super sweet and nodded patiently while I tried to explain The Twitter and how much I loved it. You should follow her just to prove me right.

Rosette headband from Allora Handmade. I sort of stalk-followed her up to one of the panels and she let me sit next to her and mutter about the interwebs without once asking me to please put a sock in it. I’m going to leave her Etsy shop up on E’s computer every day from now until he takes a hint and buys me a matching necklace.

I couldn’t resist this onesie. I bought it at the Red Shoes 26 Design booth & she had adorable prints and illustrations too. Her Etsy shop doesn’t have the onesies available right now but I may send an email begging for at least one more.

Necklaces from Lisa Leonard. The one on the left was my very first purchase at the market and I’ve been wearing it ever since. The one on the right was the gift from the gala dinner.

The actual yarn maker wasn’t there – I grabbed this from one of the shops because how could I possible go somewhere that sold yarn and not buy any?!?! It is SO SOFT I just want to roll in it. I can’t wait to turn it into something beautiful – I’m thinking a scarf.

Beautiful minky lined camera strap for my Nikon. Again, I fail at naming the actual maker (if it’s you, or if you know, PLEASE sent me a link!) but I picked this up at the Oh Sweet Sadie booth. They had a HUGE selection of gorgeous stuff from baby gifts to jewelry to these camera straps in a dozen pretty fabrics.

I could have easily spent $5000 and an extra week just wandering around buying headbands and necklaces and flower clips. I’m such a sucker for the handmade stuff it was hard to pass up a single one. And because I am a selfish selfish person, I spent every cent on myself and didn’t do a lick of Christmas shopping. I hope all my relatives like fruitcake.

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13 Responses to “Handmade Market at TCC”

  1. Jessica says:

    ummm… excuse me, LET you sit by me? the pleasure was ALL mine. It was so fun to meet you and your growing belly, and I’m so excited to have another friend on THE twitter and such. Your photos are gorgeous – I guess I should have taken more than 10 pictures over the course of the weekend. ugh. And yes, leave the site up for your hubby. Or do you just want me to email him and tell him what you really want for Christmas?

    • bebehblog says:

      Aw, thanks for the kind words. It totally doesn’t matter if E takes the hint or not – I probably won’t make it to Christmas before I buy one myself!

  2. Audrey says:

    I’d be tempted by the camera straps too. Bright and colorful = my happiness. I only resist them when I see them on Etsy because I feel like I should be able to make that myself. But I never do. :D

  3. Amanda says:

    I LOVE Gussy! And that necklace from J Jewels is just gorgeous! I have a hard time restraining myself on Etsy, I can’t image a room full of handmade goodness.

  4. sara says:

    boo fruitcake! boooooo!

  5. TMae says:

    That camera strap is awesome. It would make hauling my camera around so much more enjoyable. I friggen hate the strap on my camera, but like Audrey, I keep thinking, “I can totally make that!” Which is why I have the original strap the stupid thing came with.

    • Audrey says:

      I mean, it’s two kinds of fabric (or more if you want to with a lot of color and a series of blocks of fabrics) and probably some heavy interfacing and/or duckcloth to support the weight. We can totally do this.

      • bebehblog says:

        The one I bought is a full new strap, not just a cover, so it has the (plastic) hardware at the end to attach it to the camera plus buckles so you can take the strap off easily. Which is why I paid $22 for it and didn’t feel bad. Making a cover would insanely easy. I should totally knit one.

      • TMae says:

        We can totally do this. We should start a support group. Or maybe a motivation group.

  6. Alison says:

    I just found your blog through…I don’t know, someone I follow on Twitter. I love it. I think your hilarious. And I think I am totally jealous of everyone who attended The Creative Connection. I have been reading through the many blog posts on it, and I get more and more envious by the minute :)

    • bebehblog says:

      Thank you so much! It was an amazing event – I was there but I’m STILL jealous of people who went. There were so many places to be at once I missed at least a dozen awesome crafting classes.

  7. merin says:

    Love the Gussy pouches!! I need another tote/make up bag/wristlet like I need a hole in the head, but these are just adorable. Thanks for sharing Suzanne!

  8. WE HAVE THE SAME LISA LEONARD NECKLACE!!! Except mine doesn’t say mama. Cuz I’m not. But I think we covered that in the car on the way home. : )

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