Bumbershoot Re-cap Part 2

I was really happy to be so close to the Space Needle, it made a great backdrop for our booth I think.

While we were in a much quieter court, there was plenty of entertainment. There was a stage on the terrace above us that had great jazz one day, and live dj's on another. There even was a beer garden nearby so the chickadee and I could escape periodically when the hordes were just too much. Everyday we had front row seats to the water opera in the fountain- along with plenty of nude babies splashing. I had no idea that fountains were considered public pools in Seattle. The only really annoying aspect of our area was the "hula hoop guy." We couldn't tell if he was an actual juried Bumbershoot performer, but he and his card throwing trick and hula hooping with a tractor tire was tiresome after we saw his schtick for the 10th time.


One of my favorite spectacles was the aerial performance art group Strange Fruit. They are an Australian based group that fuses theatre, circus and dance- all elevated on flexible poles above the crowd. It was graceful, humorous and amazing. Now on to the other artists- no not Beck, Stone Temple Pilots, or Death Cab, I am talking about my people, the other indie designers. Despite a disappointing abundance of imported goods and cheap clothing from China, I did find some really talented crafters. One of my favorites being Flood Clothing. Upon entering the booth you were asked if the artist could "hat you." And that she did. Carefully choosing a handmade hat (from recycled t-shirts and other fabrics) she placed it at just the right sassy angle. Of course the chickadee and I eagerly snatched up 2. Another new friend with fun work is Sydney Designs. She takes vintage wallpaper and creates cute pendants and wall hangings. We traded and I now have a pretty little addition to my jewelry collection. I enjoyed being in the same quiet court as Kim of Kim Sun Designs, and greatly admired her hand tooled leather accessories. I am stocked up on Estrella soaps- the root beer is amazing! I wish I had treated myself to an Alchemy Goods bag, but I had to admit to myself that I do have an over abundance of bags. Alchemy created bags that were limited editions especially for Bumbershoot. They took the old promotional posters from previous years and recycled them into sturdy messenger and sling type bags. I also got a chance to stop into the etsy booth and drop off some cards and meet a few Seattle etsians. Stay tuned for a re-cap of the REAL shopping and experience- as the chickadee and I stepped out into the streets of Seattle.