This is the third post in our blog series introducing you to the talented folks behind the fabulous, locally made, hand crafted items that fill the Blue Buddha Artisan Market. Also, head on over to our B3 Chicago Retail Store Facebook page and Like it to be notified about new items in the Artisan Market, B3 classes, special events and more!
Elemental Art Jewelry | Kat Wisniewski
Since 2005, Chicagoan Kat Wisniewski has been designing and creating distinctive wirework and chainmaille jewelry. To date, she has been teaching for nine years, has published 13 projects and invented 11 weaving patterns. Her love of chainmaille and specifically to her glass chainmaille designs have allowed her to grow into being a nationally known expert in a very niche field. Elemental Art Jewelry specializes in creating glass chainmaille jewelry and functional attire, featuring more than 35 colors of pressed glass rings in combination with a variety of metals and other materials.
Snarky Sleeves | Michelle Kaffko
Michelle Kaffko has been “making stuff” since she can remember having hands. When she was around 10 years old she found some discarded craft store potpourri in her mother’s closet and sewed it into little fabric pouches and went door-to-door on the block selling them for 50 cents each. After leaving a corporate career in marketing, Michelle sewed together some reusable coffee cup sleeves with curse words on them to give as gifts to friends — and Snarky Sleeves was born. Michelle explained, “My parents saw that I had put the F word on coffee sleeves and freaked. But then realized that people actually buy them. Now they’re in on the business. My dad cuts the felt, assembles the tags, and mails the sleeves for online orders. My mom and I make the labels and sew the sleeves together.”
April Hannah Llewellyn | aprilhl
April Hannah Llewellyn’s hometown is the geek haven of Huntsville, AL where she graduated with a degree in studio art from the University of Alabama in Huntsville in 2009. She now resides in Chicago and recently graduated with an MFA in Interdisciplinary Book and Paper Arts from Columbia College Chicago. She spends most of her days helping others get their craft on at Blue Buddha, and her evenings are generally taken up by making things and watching netflix with her cow-kitty Sam.
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