If you follow me on Twitter, then you already know that I spent last weekend engrossed in the amazingness that was the first-ever Craftcation: Indie Business & DIY Conference.
Delilah Snell (who was November’s TasteMaker), and her cousin, Nicole Stevenson – aka two of the busiest bees I know — somehow found times in their ridiculously packed schedules to create this much-needed conference. I say much-needed because it’s clear more and more people are getting into the handcrafted world (including food in there too, of course) and that we can all benefit from converging, conferring, and, collaborating.
Here are 25 rather random observations and takeaways:
1. I need to spend more time in Ventura
2. Going out of the way for good Mexican food is definitely worth it
3. Especially when you have translators who BTO mezcal
4. Speaking of which, alambres are my new favorite Mexican food discovery
5. The Ventura City Hall (above) is a serious looker
6. We all have a little DIY in us (even if I’m still a dolt with craft scissors)
7. Lucky, for me, Craftsy exists as a sort of online home ec solution (so I seriously can figure out those scissors)
8. Staying up way late giggling and telling stories with friends like a 10-year old is the bestest
9. But the California and history-loving dork in me loves getting up early to visit the past in the form of the Missions
10. Early AM photo sessions walks are my favorite way to uncover treasures like this sign in downtown Ventura
11. That good pour-over coffee makes me a much happier camper after I’ve stayed up too late giggling
12. That when I’m seriously exhausted, nothing is as reinvigorating as a catnap that involves dozing off to Dirty Dancing
13. Evan Kleinman (above) is everyone’s favorite radio host (and pie crust teacher)
14. Along those lines, most people I crush online are just as cool in real life
15. Just because freelancers (often) work alone doesn’t mean they can’t collaborate for mutual success
16. The strawberries in Ventura make ridiculously good jam
17. Creative people come up with the most awesome goodie bags ever
18. Craft people have style but Nicole Longstreath helps give them even more
19. I love sharing my love of healthy, easy-to-make handmade food, like these chickpea socca
20. I equally love indulging my addiction to caramels like the not too sweet, not too rich ones made by Hellimaes
21. My idea of a fun weekend involves at least 1 food project, preferably taught by a Master Food Preserver
22. That Sé Reed knows her $#!% when it comes to online marketing (and a thing or two about 80s dance moves)
23. That we should all keep an eye of Kollabora because it looks really exciting
24. Indie business owners and freelancers have big cajones and Rick Ross’ Hustlin (explicit) should be their unofficial anthem
25. That we should all regularly listen to Ira Glass’ commentary on how all creatives are going to suck at first
