handmade nation.

on saturday night i went with my friend jessica (check out the string theories, her etsy shop!) to see a screening of a documentary called handmade nation. we had been planning our big night out for over a month, originally with dreams of wearing bedazzled horse sweaters (yeah, you know what i'm talking about) and metallic stretchy pants a la leslie hall. that dream never came to fruition, but we did have a grand old time for a great cause.

(outside the irving theatre, the venue for the event)

(some homespun paraphernalia)

i have posted about homespun a few times in the past. it's a store that is set to open this summer from the creators of the indieana handicraft exchange. it will be a venue for the sale of handmade goods as well as a workshop space. the handmade nation screening was a fund raiser for homespun and included live music, a silent auction (i didn't win), and, of course, the movie.

(music from pholly, two supercute girls who i want to be when i grow up. i think they are in high school. they're definitely way cooler than i will ever be.)

(one of the silent auction items that stole my indiana-loving heart)

the venue for the handmade nation screening was the irving theatre in downtown irvington. it was a raw space full of church pews, folding chairs, and these fantastic newspaper lanterns. they glowed like fire! ooh. ahh. jessica and i milled around the silent auction for a while (all items donated by IHE vendors), sipping some treats from the coffee shop next door. it was a pleasant experience and one that i am happy to have participated in, especially because i love the idea of homespun so much.

(inside the irving theatre)

handmade nation is an hour-long documentary that chronicles the journeys of crafters all over the country. the tagline of the movie is "the rise of DIY, art, craft, and design," which is pretty much the entire angle of the film. the director, faythe levine, interviews artists, craft magazine execs, and supporters of all kinds who share their passion for what they do and what the "rise of DIY" means in a mass-produced, consumer-driven society. it was really inspiring and encouraging to see all these people who have formed a community based on their love for creating treasures of all shapes and sizes. and the parts about knitta made me laugh. genius.

i could relate to a few of the interviewees who talked about the release that comes with creating. i know that what i do and the things i make aren't the most elaborate, don't involve a lot of emotion, and are less than thought provoking. but starting something and designing it in my mind and then seeing a final product is so fulfilling to me. using tools to bring something from start to finish -- i love it. i think i got that from my dad.

if you like documentaries and/or arting-and-crafting, i highly recommend handmade nation. do it!
check out the handmade nation blog, too!