Heeey-yooooh! It’s magazine time again. Welcome to Issue #5 of Pack Rat, where the fun never ends. This issue we bring you fashion, art, and more crafts than you can shake a stick at. (Well, maybe you can shake a stick at them. I shouldn’t jump to conclusions about your ability to shake sticks at things.) Marvel at the creative prowess of Valiant clothing designer, Mykel Walker. Wonder at the thrifty chic fashion we found, all in the ballpark of $30. Thrill at the grotesque beauty unearthed at the Museum of Bad Art. Plus, we have some cool craft tutorials too.

Pack Rat Magazine likes to party all the time, party all the time, paaaaarty all the tiiiiime!

Hi crafty craftersons! If any of you dudes and dudettes live in the Cali area (specifically San Francisco) and are looking for a big ol’ D.I.Y. show to sell your wares, Renegade Craft Fair will be accepting applications for their San Francisco show until May 2. Don’t be afraid to get yourself out there!

Hi kids!  the Feb/March Issue is finally out and rarin’ to go.  Click on the pdf link below!  And remember, if you think you could do better, you’re welcome to show us what you’ve got. Submission deadlines for next issue will be March 20th.  Happy reading.

issue3.pdf

Oh thank the Lord. The wait is finally over. Issue #1 of Pack Rat magazine is here. It is ready and eager to be read by you. All thick, juicy, meaty 28 pages of it. So go ahead and sink your teeth in. Just click HERE. And when you’re done, drop me a line and let me know what you think.

Urban Craft Uprising, that is. One of the biggest indie craft organizations on the west coast, UCU is in its third year of rocking Seattles knitted socks off. If you are in the area, start counting the days down to their big show, December 1st and 2nd.  And, if you are a vendor or someone interested in selling your own wares, check the website often.  They frequently have workshops to help independent crafts businesses, such as the one coming up Oct. 20th.  P.S.  I think the design of their website is awesome.

If you are familiar with this new wave craft movement, this crafting renaissance as it were, then you know one of the main corner stones of most craft fairs today is home made soap. Home made soaps are superior to regular store bought soaps in almost every way. They smell better (you can find ones with all sorts of natural essential oils), they tend to look nicer, and you can be sure they aren’t animal tested. To be honest, they do tend to be pricey compared to, say, a bar of Ivory. But at least if you pay $4 for a bar you know its hard won earnings for the small craft business person, and not just another dollar in the pocket of a large corporation. But I’m getting off track. The point is, hand made soaps are a wonderful luxury that you can make at home. And today I bring you a website that gives you the A to Z in making your own soap. At teachsoap.com, you will find a series of instructions into the basics of soap making, like how to use emulsifying wax and how to render tallow, not to mention recipes for particular scents of soaps and a gallery where people can share their soap creations, like the Jade Dragon and the Sushi Rolls pictured below. What really sets this site apart is that not only its extremely comprehensive range of topics, but the comprehensive writing as well. The articles don’t just tell you the how, but also the why. The section on using emulsifying wax not only explained why it is necessary, but broke down the chemical process that happens when you use an emulsifier so that it was easy even for someone like me, the layest of laypeople, to understand. I’m going to try to work it into conversation at my next social function in order to impress people. I’ll say “Did you know that oil is hydrophobic?” and push my glasses up by the bridge. It’s going to be great.

With our crazy, hectic, work-a-day world I know that while most of us would love to take the time to search out all that is indie and good, most of us settle for what is simple and inexpensive. Well, what if you didn’t have to choose? *Insert a mental image of a velvet curtain being drawn back.* Tah-dah! There you have it, Modish is the website you’ve been waiting for. Consider Jena Coray, the creator of Modish your new best friend. She patrols this great world wide web daily, digging deep to come up with the best indie gems around. Her site is dedicated to promoting indie businesses which she does with relish, featuring the most beautiful and creative indie finds, from jewelry to clothing, to artwork. And, like your best friend, she has your best interest in mind. Her most recent blog features artwork that is pleasing to both the eye and the wallet. Check out the awesome print below that goes for just $10 ($10!! For original artwork? That’s nearly unheard of.) And, like a true friend, she likes to give gifts. Every month she gives away an indie goodie box if you sign up for her newsletter. So raise your glass to friends!

P.S. This little guy’s called “Fluke, the Mutant Blue Cardinal.” How clever is that? He’s good by himself, or paper a whole wall with him!

Resist the awesome allure of The Sampler. What is The Sampler you might ask? Well, although it sounds like a radio drama super hero (”tonight’s episode of The Shadow features special guest, The Sampler”), it is actually an indie craft breeding ground. Check this out, if you subscribe then every month The Sampler sends you a little bundle of indie products from an assortment of indie businesses (think “kid kits” from the BSC, except with cool indie trinkets instead of chinese checkers). Can you imagine? Every month a gift bundle in your mail? It’s like you get 12 birthdays a year instead of one. What’s good for the goose is great for the gander (whatever the hell that means). The only thing better than being a member to The Sampler is being a contributor. If you have an indie business, The Sampler is where you want to be. It will get your name and your URL out to your potential clientèle and you’ll be in good company, having your name associated with other popular indie business such as CROQ zine, Sublime Stitching and more. Plus, if you contribute you get a free Sampler for that month. Sa-weet. Roll on over to the website to see samples and read cool how-tos like these featured lamps made out of colanders.

If you are looking to start up your own independent online store, or if you are tired of buying mass produced goods, you need to check out craftrevolution.com. Here is the meeting house for independent sellers and shoppers alike. Full of useful business resources, such as articles on how to chart trends in craft supply and demand, as well as networking opportunities, craft revolution is the guide and mentor you can depend on to help you get a leg up on a new business endeavor. If you fall on the other side of the fence and you are looking for a great deal on some one of a kind objects, their Indie Friendly Directory will put you in touch with hundreds of vendors who are selling just what you’re looking for and websites devoted to the things you love. One look and you’ll be hooked.

If you’ve never been to an indie craft fair, what’s wrong with you? For those of us that love cool, unique, handmade goods, attending one of these is like…let’s see. If I were to write it as a mathematical equation it would look something like this: Christmas + your birthday + chocolate x the Salvation Army raised to the power of Journey. They are just that good. You can find a wide range of types of crafts at an equally wide range of prices. Even if you don’t have the funds to shop, just “window” shopping will get your brain juices sloshing around. Of course, there’s that nagging problem of how do you stay in the know about the latest shows and fairs? Well, bookmark indiecraftshows.com and you’ll be all set. Not only do they keep a running calendar of events for indie crafts, they also have a lovely blog and articles for the neophyte craft vendor. Check them out.