Feeding the addiction: my first trip to The Crafty Fair.

I have lived in Madison for 3.5 years, and it took me just that long to discover that there's an annual craft fair in my neighborhood. Seriously? Seriously.

On Sunday, I made the first of what will likely be an annual November trip to the Goodman Community Center to check out The Crafty Fair. As a craft addict, it was pure heaven. Football game? Don't need it. Two rooms filled with crafts, crafts, and more crafts is my idea of a rocking weekend.

Earring display paired with hand-knit accessories.
I love a good mannequin head.

If you've been wanting to truly drop an F-bomb, now is your chance.

It was a great place to meet local crafters, including Milwaukee-based Plushzilla (makers of the clever F-bombs above). In a room surrounded by local, handmade goodies, it was really tough to nail down a purchase.

My friend Elysha went for this Wisconsin-shaped cutting board. 

Love at first sight: I took home this gorgeous print.
I swoon when an impulse purchase matches my bedroom.

Browsing through handmade jewelry, toys, cosmetics, artwork, soaps, and home decor? Check. The Crafty Fair had it covered. And all less than a mile away from my home! I will never miss it again.

Anthology on State Street: a crafty girl's dream.

I have a personal rule of thumb that tends to be quite accurate: any street with an American Apparel store is in a cool neighborhood. Yes, I know, this sounds quite generalized. Here is my reasoning: I really like American Apparel (despite the fact that they've been investigated for multiple scandals, but that's a whole other can of worms). American Apparel puts their stores in cool neighborhoods where the legging-clad hipsters can go find them. Simple as that.

When I went apartment hunting in Madison, I observed that the only local American Apparel store was on State Street. In accordance with my rule of thumb, I decided that State Street must be a cool place. I was right.

State Street is youthful and artsy, equally populated by chains and local businesses who seem to get along quite nicely with each other. My favorite discovery on State Street thus far has been a store called Anthology. I can't get enough of this place. If Etsy had a storefront, it would look like Anthology. They sell handmade gifts and goodies on consignment from local crafty folks, and there's even a craft table right in the store where anyone can sit down and get creative. I want to buy everything in this store.

In an attempt to show some restraint and not go broke in my first month of adulthood, I only spent $8 on my first trip to Anthology. I bought 8 yards of beautiful hand-dyed ribbon for $1/yard (score!). I brought it home and crocheted a wrap bracelet in a mere 10 minutes. As a craft enthusiast, it was quite an exciting day for me. Here is the result:

Beautiful, vibrant colors. Also, it's rainbow-colored yet it doesn't remind me of a bag of Skittles. Win.

Obviously, I knew that my love affair with this store would continue. After browsing the farmers' market yesterday, I returned to Anthology and spent time searching through a glass vase filled with cards of scrap yarn, ribbon, and string for $6 each. I chose a card with a blend of brown, purple, and green tones-- the colors just looked so rich, and I've been trying to integrate more green and purple into my wardrobe:

Gorgeous yarn, ribbon, and string for $6: I'm a very happy girl.

In another 10 minute crochet experiment, I tied the scraps from the card together and crocheted them into a bracelet. I'm loving how the textures nicely mixed together:

I suppose I have given in to the wrap bracelet trend, huh?

I'm usually a knitter (not a crocheter), so this new interest has surprised me a bit. I predict that I will continue making these, and I think they could make great gifts for friends.

Goal: sell my hand-knit cupcake hats at Anthology. I believe they'd fit right in, and I'd love to be a part of this wonderful store.