Crafted at the Port

Mandy and I finally went to see Crafted at the Port of LA this weekend, after I'd been itching to go since I'd heard about it. It's a huge warehouse full of 10x10 cubes of craftiness, at the Port of LA in San Pedro (about 15 minutes from our house). Everyone there was super friendly (and accommodating of the Tasmanian Elsa I brought with us) and it had a really great sense of an arts community and an overall happy vibe. I guess it's still pretty new, with big plans for expansion, so it felt a little empty inside and there weren't that many people milling around (we went on Saturday afternoon) so I'm hoping it starts to draw some more artists and more visitors.

Some booths were great, like the spice guy with tons of stainless steel bowls heaped with all kinds of spices you could scoop yourself (I was holding Elsa's grabby little hands with an iron grip around his booth), and I liked the kids crafting stations (as did Elsa, even though she's still too little to do much in them), but most booths were a little underwhelming. I get the same feeling at most craft fairs, so maybe I just have a difficult aesthetic to please. The items I saw were either too "on trend" (yep, I get that terrariums are all over the place, but I'm bored of just a succulent in a glass globe. Next.) or not at all my taste. I kind of also wished there a booth selling craft and sewing supplies, like vintage fabrics and notions. Whenever I'm at craft fairs, I get the itch to create my own stuff, and that's when I'm at most shopping vulnerable. I would have bought a ton of supplies if they had them there.

I don't want to be a Negative Nancy about Crafted, because I really did enjoy being there and feel it has awesome potential to be great. I'm so happy it's here close to home so I can frequent it and see how it grows. Plus that's our future target market right there for our craft supply store! 

This sculpture was neat. A wire teddy bear cage filled with toys. Of course Elsa crossed the barrier chain while I was taking the picture. 

They have these great adirondacks all over the place too, along with bright red picnic tables inside to take a rest at or eat at (food trucks frequent Crafted when it's open on the weekends), so we did just that. We brought our own baby food and had a little picnic.

Shalom enjoying her avocados and Elsa's sunglasses.

So of course as soon as we got home, I ignored all my errands and set-up Elsa with some activities to keep her busy while I sewed up 12 bibs and 7 burp cloths out of scrap fabrics I had stacked up in my fabric collection. I just finished and took my obligatory photos to show off, and I gotta say I'm pretty satisfied with myself. Way more fun than watching the Superbowl.