Handi-Indiana

A few weekends back, husband wanted to watch the World Cup with some friends.  I didn't mind, as in the winter he has a group of guys he gathers with on Saturday mornings to watch Premire League soccer (I think that's right, honey, let me know if I totally botched that) at a local soccer pub, the Chatham Tap, not too far from the house.  However, I didn't feel like hanging with the guys to watch soccer.  Earlier that morning we had gone to our local record shop to poke around and I saw a poster for the INDIEana Handicraft Exchange at the Harrison Center for the Arts in Downtown Indy.

As I have already mentioned here at Pretty as the Morning, I love me some arts festivals.  Its the food, the music, the atomosphere and the chance to see new stuff--it just does something to clear my head and get my creativity going.  Plus there are always cool people to meet.  I had never been to a INDIEana event (I heard from a friend they do several around the metro) so I headed over the the Handicraft Exchange to poke around for a bit.

And let me tell you it was TOTALLY worth it!   The sellers there were AMAZING!  So many great letterpress art work, handmade bags and jewelry!  It was amazing--I texted my soccer watching hubs that I had died and gone to Etsy heaven! I found this great necklace I want to post about later from Pear and Peacock.  Super cool!  Plus the people watching was prime (per usual with these events).  The main exhibit hall inside the Harrison Center was pretty crowded.  Ok, it was packed shoulder to shoulder, so I would hope that next year they space it out a better for all the foot traffic so you can actually stop to look at things with out feeling smooshed. 

But on the whole it was a great way to spend a Saturday morning not watching soccer!

Art and Such: Living Room Edition

We are both pretty serious arts festival junkies. I think for me it dates back to going to the Canton Flea Market in Canton, TX, or because its seems to mean summer is officially here or maybe its because I have yet to meet a funnel cake I could consume in under 2 minutes flat. But we at Pretty as the Morning love us some arts festivals.


Last year for the first time we attended the Broad Ripple Arts Fair and fell in love with a particular artist, Dolan Geiman. I am sure you could find fabulously written reviews on his work anywhere out there, but I seriously love it. It is the perfect blend of vintage Americana while still being fresh and modern and of course, its got this great Southern twist. Love.


So for the last year I have been scoping out all thier work on etsy and have pretty much decided that this piece would look amazing over our couch and be the perfect thing to compliment our letterpress print collection that is already in there:

More recently I have decided that this beauty would be perfect for the long (and still empty) wall in our dining room. The color and composition would work well with our very natural and soft feel we have in there while still tying together its neighboring room:

But since we are in no shape this particular year to spend that kind of money on art work (one day soon I hope!) this year at the arts festival we purchase this lovely set to hang alongside our "Love Your Neighbor" poster (once it has arrived and is framed) next to the front door. The colors go magically well in our living room with our existing work. I am hoping to hang them one night after work and will snap some pics to share here.

They are small, but a good start to a no doubt soon to be growing collection.