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Applications for The Handmade Market will open in the next few weeks. If you are interested in being a part of the next show, read more about the jury requirements and application process and make sure you are signed up for the newsletter to be informed when the next Call for Vendors is released.

If you have a great story to share about your experience at The Handmade Market or a purchase you made, we’d love to hear from you, and we may use your input for future blog posts! If you took pictures at the market, feel free to add them our Flickr group.

Love + craftiness always,
The (exhausted) Handmaidens

It’s time for The Handmade Market! Come join us anytime between 11am and 5pm today to browse, shop, and mingle! There is no admission fee — instead we’d love you to make a donation to SAFEchild, the featured charity at today’s Market. A donation is not required for entrance, but you will receive raffle tickets in exchange for your donation, which may win you one of the fabulous prize baskets with donated goods from all of these wonderful raffle sponsors.

You can also come hungry as we have two delicious food & dessert vendors: Coffee & Crepes and Sweet T Cakery right at the entrance (weather permitting) to satisfy your tummy and your sweet tooth.

If you need directions or help with parking, they’re right here. See you soon!

Join us tomorrow, Sunday May 3rd from 11 am until 5 pm at Marbles Kids Museum in downtown Raleigh for a day of great shopping from 50 of the best and brightest designers from NC and beyond!

Maybe while you wait you can look at the directions and map out exactly how you are going to get there …  or drool over the vendor gallery one more time, visiting each artist and picking out your favorite goodies … or review your gift list one last time to make sure you didn’t miss someone.

You could also check out all of the wonderful businesses that donated goods or services to the charity raffle* and calculate how many raffle tickets you need to buy to best your chances of winning one of the fabulous raffle baskets, while supporting a great charity at the same time.

And finally, before lying down for another sleepless night due to the excitement of all the beauty you’ll be able to find tomorrow, you can hop on Facebook and tell all 350 of your closest friends to join you at The Handmade Market!

We’ll see you tomorrow!

* Admission to The Handmade Market is FREE. In lieu of an admission fee, we ask you to consider purchasing raffle tickets to support a local charity.

You’ll have no trouble finding The Handmade Market, but it’s always good to be prepared. For more information about the street closures go here.

This will be the first time Nicole Lee takes the hike from Richmond, Virginia to sell her limited edition and one of a kind clothing and accessories as Nicole Lee Designs at The Handmade Market.

What inspires you?
I get inspired by fabric. It’s hell going into a fabric store since I can always think of “something” to do with most of the fabric in there. I also get inspired by shapes in nature, color, a little bit of everything really.

What vendor are you looking forward to seeing at The Handmade Market?
I’m looking forward to seeing Metamorphosis. I stumbled on her Etsy shop a while ago and love the organic style.

What is your favorite spot or thing to do in Raleigh?
Hang out with The Handmaidens!

If you were a car, what kind would you be?
A Volvo — reliable, and a little bit of cool factor. I hope! ;-)

So be sure to stop by the Nicole Lee Designs table on Sunday May 3rd, and welcome her to the show!

AdAm + Hiromi Peele are the team behind the screen printing company ahpeele. Together they design and print Asian and nature inspired clothing and art. They will be bringing the usual clothing, plus screen printed paper — a relatively new addition for them.

What inspires you?
nature and Asian culture

What vendor are you looking forward to seeing at The Handmade Market?
Robinson Studio

What is your favorite spot or thing to do in Raleigh?
Walking in the morning through Oakwood Cemetery.

How do you take your coffee?
AdAm - black, Hiromi - latte

So be sure to stop by the ahpeele table on Sunday May 3rd, and ask AdAm and Hiromi if they have ever been tempted to leave a screenprint trail on one of their Oakwood Cemetery walks.

Valerie Williams is the designer and seamstress behind Holland Cox. Her fabric handbags have bright colors and bold patterns which makes them chic, unique, and affordable.

What inspires you?
The gaps in my accessories wardrobe; bright, boldly patterned fabric; museums of all kinds; ladies’ fashion from the ’40s and ’50s

What vendor are you looking forward to seeing at The Handmade Market?
I love, love, love handmade jewelry, so I will definitely be checking out all of the jewelry vendors!

If you were a car, what kind would you be?
I’d like to think I’d be something beautiful, well-made, and a little bit flashy. Maybe an
Italian sports car!

Stop by the Holland Cox table on Sunday May 3rd and chat with Valerie about your favorite pieces of handmade jewelry at the show.

Jane Mormino is an artist with many mediums: metal, glass, paper, beads, and mixed media. Her business, Ergane, features Lilliputian charm canisters, cufflinks, lockets, pendants, and switchplate covers.

What inspires you?
Words, movies, and images of lovely things inspires me most. My latest fascination is the movie “Tekkon Kinkreet”, an anime film that I recently watched with my daughter. A little boy in the film, White, states that his brother, Black, needs him because he has the screws to his heart. An amazing thought, really. I especially love the representation of good and evil in movies and art.

What vendor are you looking forward to seeing at The Handmade Market?
I can’t wait to see the lovely handwoven art of Anna Bae Weavers — her patterns and colors are enchanting. I always linger at the Robinson Studio booth (if I can get near it) and also Metamorphosis … I love her dark jewelry. And of course — The Handmaidens! They make every vendor feel welcome, and that is no easy task!

What is your favorite spot or thing to do in Raleigh?
I honestly don’t get out much, but when I do it’s shopping at the flea market, grubbing Neomonde Deli and Bakery, picnicking in the big field behind Dorthea Dix mental hospital, and watching movies at the Galaxy Theater in Cary.

How do you take your coffee?
I like my coffee black as hell, strong as death, and sweet as love — with some cream thrown in!

Be sure to visit the Ergane table on Sunday May 3rd and ask Jane if she’s spotted any especially lovely things at the Market.