The Art of Craft: Feliz Sale Recap

The first annual Feliz Holiday Sale went off like a charm this last weekend at the Palm Door in downtown Austin. I went down early to scope out all the wonderful paper goods, textiles, jewelry and bits & bobs. Many makers from Austin and around the country came to show off their wares and they each really packed a punch. I was so excited to see all these wonderful makers in one place and they didn’t disappoint! Here are a few of my personal favorites.

Callen Thomposon just knocked my socks off with her original watercolors. Inspired by the grounding feeling of being in the outdoors, she paints an ethereal landscape that is delightful and sings of place. She also brought silks from her line Beam, hand dyed to a perfect pink with the mysterious little cochineal bug.

Son of a Sailor tore at my heart with delicate strings of smoky glass, brass, coral and turquoise beads and laquer-dipped pendants.

Natalie Davis brought her line Canoe, and pulled out all the stops. Her classic wood-burned Opinel knives are a delightful twist on one of my personal favorite camping tools – this sturdy high-carbon blade will cut cheese just as well as it’ll get you out of a pinch. Natalie’s new wallet, smartly crafted in deliciously dyed goat leather is on my wishlist.

Maura and Chap brought Folk Fibers out in full force, with an army of fresh pillows hand dyed and sewn all by Maura’s hands. I was also really exited to see a few new quilts, including the full-sized Georgia quilt in bold black, white and super dark indigo. It was lovely to see all of her hard work looking so good in one place. Fox and Brie brought their vibrant neckties and hankies and were a hit with all the gentlemen.

I was also lucky to spend Saturday at the workshops with the lovely ladies of Girls Guild who pulled out all the stops for the sale as well. Girls Guild is a new Austin based organization that partners girls and women with artisans and makers to learn creative skills and build confidence through making. They just launched a new Scholarship program to get more girls and women into apprenticeship programs and are selling laser-etched leather key fobs to raise money for the fund. Special thanks to Girls Guild for the photos and the excellent company this weekend.

I found a few special pieces and gifts at Feliz Sale too! Paper goods by the local Austin team Satchel & Sage were the biggest delight and surprise for me – they stocked a few great twists on the classic letterpress card and crafted my favorite screen print of the show: hand-lettered, “Friends Are Everywhere” script set on a star map. Be still my heart! And modern hoop earrings by Stone & Honey, I’m well stocked with new jewelry for the fall.

I sincerely hope that the new Feliz Sale becomes a yearly staple in Austin. I met many great new people from around town including the ladies at Spartan and the Ruby Collaborative that I can’t wait to talk with again. It’s so nice to have so many quality craftspeople come together to share their work in one place – it’s almost a sensory overload it’s so great! The Palm Door is a beautiful space and perfect for showing off these works of art. Stay tuned for news of the next Feliz Sale!