Ballardblog.com

Buy Local

If you like to buy local products, you might be happy to know that Ballard is home to a number of crafty people, and some are selling their wares on Etsy.com: “The place to buy and sell things handmade.” Etsy has a Shop Local link, where it’s easy to type in “Ballard” or “Seattle” to find some unique handcrafted item.

Here are the local shops I found on Etsy when I searched recently:
 

Peanutga11ery1: Crafting for the Peanut Gallery
 

Shop owner Tracy has “carved a niche” into the market for Lazy Kates (a tool for spinners that enables you to ply yarn). Her Kates feature hand carved designs and four spindles for bobbins.  A spinner herself, Tracy carved her first Kate when she needed one herself and didn’t see what she wanted on the market.

 Her shop also includes lovely hand dyed rovings for spinners as well as hand turned spindles, and for knitters there are kitschy stitch markers, hand painted yarns and DPN holders. Wizards, witches (or those who wannabe) can find hand turned wands for sale.

Tracy says she was inspired to start an Etsy shop by her knitting friends, and her “propensity to discover new and unique sources and uses for kitsch.”

Her work has been featured in the Cool stuff section of the Winter 2008 edition of the popular online magazine Knitty. 

Hansigurumi: Knitting the Peculiar

Amigurumi is the art of knitting or crocheting animals or other cute anthropomorphic creatures. At Hansi Singh’s Etsy shop, you can score a knitted cephalopod friend in the $55-75 range, or a pattern on how to knit your own for $6.

Hansi could not be reached for an interview at the time this article was being written, but you can read more about her on Craft Magazine’s blog. 

JustmadebyJeanell

Handcrafted items available for purchase include earrings, an embroidered dishtowel and a felted purse.

NateandCateDesigns: Custom Tutus for Your Little Princess

Features mostly custom tutus for little ones, but you can also get a personalized onesie or some tiny angel wings.

SlicedBread: Supplies & Other Great Things

They had Czech pressed glass beads for sale when I visited, and there are slots for crafting, sewing and screenprinting as well.

Redzippers

Two surprisingly incongruous types of items for sale here: framed photographs and “bloomers” for babies.

Deadaccents

Selling handmade cassettes, CD’s, books and prints.

Lifeonthefrontporch: Front Porch Handmade

Mostly quilted items here: Nursing aprons, quilts, coasters and bibs.

Art Aplenty
   
           If you’ve attended the Second Saturday Artwalk, you may have seen what the second floor above Resolution Audio holds: studio/gallery spaces for artists. At least six artists have spaces up there now.

This painting is by one of the artists, Katy G.

            I spoke to Janet Yingling while I visited the space. Yingling recycles clothing and fabric into new things, primarily handbags, purses and shopping bags, “to keep my creativity narrowly contained,” she says.

            “I pay great attention to color and detail,” Yingling says, “for I believe that anything can become new fashion, you just have to present it with the correct color and style.”

            She also customizes purses with the owner’s name inside, and has an interest in doing women’s skirts, jackets, dresses and custom pet clothing.
 

Pictured here is one of Yingling’s new fashion handbags.

Dissonant Plane: A New CD Store

            Also on the second floor of Resolution Audio is Dissonant Plane, a new store that sells CDs, records, videos, books and tapes of hard to find music in many genres: experimental, avant garde classical, psychedelic rock, drone, electroacoustic, free improv, and all kinds of metal.
 
            On January 16, 2009 Resolution Audio will be holding an all ages free concert to celebrate the grand opening of Dissonant Plane. Two performers will be featured: the atmospheric synth drone of Eric Lanzillotta and the dark black metal of Forest of Grey. Show starts at 7pm, and like all concerts at Resolution Audio, please consider bringing a non-perishable food donation for Ballard Food Bank.

            If you are interested in subletting space on the second floor contact Larry Israel at Resolution Audio.

Resolution Audio: 5459 Leary Ave. NW (2 doors south of Market)
, Seattle, WA
 Phone: (206) 784-4434


http://www.resolutionaudiovideoseattle.com/

Email: info@resolutionaudiovideoseattle.com

Dissonant Plane: 5459 Leary Ave. NW (2 doors south of Market)
, 2nd floor, Seattle, WA
 Phone: (206) 784-5163

http://www.dissonantplane.com

Maybe you are feeling inspired by the upcoming inaugural celebrations and feel the pull to get more involved in politics or your community.  Maybe you made some different resolutions this year – instead of diet, etc. you resolved to make changes in your life or have a positive impact on the world.

Whatever the reason, you have a chance every month to get involved in what’s happening in your own corner of the world by attending the Ballard District Council meetings held once every month.  The Ballard District Council welcomes members of the public to their meetings which include speakers on various topics affecting our community.   This month’s meeting agenda has a lot of focus on housing, whether you are looking to buy, concerned about all the condo development, etc.

BALLARD DISTRICT COUNCIL
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Ballard Library – 5614 22nd NW
(Free parking below building – accessed from NW 56th)
7:00 – 8:30 PM

Chairperson:  Steve Cohn
AGENDA

7 PM  Short Announcements by member organization representatives
Please hold announcements to not more than one minute.

7:15  Market Street Landing Katie Vance & Design Team – Rhapsody
Partners
260-unit mixed use development proposed for 5501 15th Ave NW

7:40  Home for Good, Melanie Gillespie, Executive Director
This innovative program to facilitate home ownership proposes several
projects in Ballard.

7:55  SHARP (Seattle Housing Authority Residents Prepare), Martin
Qualters
This project was generated by residents of Ballard House who expressed
concern about this community’s state of preparedness in the event of
emergency conditions.

8:10  Year in Review, Rob Mattson
Memorable Images of Ballard during 2008

8:20  Executive Committee
-    Annual Ballard Community Service Awards
-    Proposed amendments to Ballard District Council by laws

8:30  Adjourn

January isn’t exactly a hopping month for seasonal, local produce in the Pacific Northwest, but the Ballard Farmer’s Market still has plenty to offer in terms of fruits and vegetables.

Potatoes and apples were present in abundance. The potato offerings, in particular, put most local grocery stores to shame: so many varieties! Several farmers had winter squash, beets, turnips, onions, garlic, and carrots on offer. Harder-to-find but present were rutabaga, parsnips, plus, cabbage, Jerusalem artichokes, and pears.

Of course, there’s more to the Market than just produce. You can buy meat, eggs, soap, spices, salt, cider, honey, clothing, stuffed toys and more: “Everything you need!” says local Ballard Farmer’s Market frequenter Rachel (who even bought a felted hat at the market as a Christmas present).

Even on a cold gray day, some of the musicians (such as Mozo, pictured) were out playing their tunes, and architectural designer John Arthur Morefield was available to discuss his services.