Helloooo! I'm Crystalyn. My blog is a peek behind the scenes of how I make my handbags, as well as the people and natural elements that influence my design process. I don't own a car, and live by the zoo with a big oaf and two savage kittens. 
I just dropped off some new Bohemia hobo bags at Edie’s Shoes on Capitol Hill today, and the lovely Sarah promptly put them out on display. Isn’t it almost like stepping onto a vintage movie set with those great wingtip & oxford shoes? There’s nothing like a killer accessory to make your outfit sing!
The weather in Seattle this weekend was a stark contrast to last weekend‘s rainy blusteriness. It has been sunny, mild and glorious for a few days now. My husband was taking a poetry class on Capitol Hill, and I agreed to take the trek with him. You see, Capitol Hill is my absolute favorite place to shop for vintage clothing in Seattle. But it takes patience and dedication to find just the right vintage clothes to add to your wardrobe – and it’s a rare occasion that I have a few free hours to shop for ME! So I took full advantage, stopping first at the always fantastic and helpful Pretty Parlor and continued walking up the hill. By the end of the afternoon, my diligence paid off. I purchased three vintage dresses, a pair of black wedge boots, and a fun pair of rather lady-like navy blue gloves for under $100. Added bonus – I gained bit of a pink glow to my sun-starved Seattle skin.
Crystalyn Kae booth, originally uploaded by Crystalyn Kae.
Oh my goodness, I am all set up and ready to go! Come visit me and my bags at the bestest UCU ever!! December 5 & 6 at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. I’ll be in booth #44!
Wow, check out this mention on NW Source for the show this weekend. .. yup, that’s my Soiree bag! Best of the Northwest runs for 3 days: Friday, Saturday & Sunday at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall – so come visit me, and 160 other Northwest artists!
“From veggies to vegan handbags, buying what’s made locally is in. And when you buy merchandise made by local designers at locally owned boutiques, you double your shopping power. We’re glad that the rest of Seattle has finally caught on to what we’ve known all along—that our city is home to a nearly endless wealth of design talent. ( Soirée bag by Crystalyn Kae, $215 ) This local designer (crystalynkae.com) has vegans covered with her popular tote that converts from shoulder bag to messenger (shown in burgundy). Two of her other styles (Metier tote and pleated clutch) recently starred in Robin Williams’ new movie, World’s Greatest Dad, filmed in Seattle. Find them at Queen Anne Undies and Outies boutique.”
Author Kim Werker with her new burgundy hobo, Me, and Kim's entourage
Whew! What a whirlwind of a day! Lots of lovely customers, both new and old and I managed to squeeze in a little shopping and barter with fellow vendors. (There is a LONG list. . .more on that later!) I was also delighted to meet a few folks out there in the cyber-world in person, including my marvelous web designer Arianne of Aeolidia, the witty and wonderful Megan of NotMartha, and Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, who purchased a one-of-a-kind Soiree Messenger!
Everything has been loaded back into our apartment and we just returned the zipcar. I am exhausted, happy and in dire need of a beer, so. . . . . . I’ll share more later!
oh and p.s. if you missed out on this show, I will be doing 2 more events in Seattle this fall:
Best of the Northwest November 13, 14, 15th at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall
Urban Craft Uprising December 5 & 6 at Seattle Center Exhibition hall
mother and daughter: proud new owners of Soiree bags
It was another late night preparing for Urban Craft Uprising. First, we spent a portion of the day running to Hardwick’s to find some sort of funky furniture for display fixtures, and then off to Girlie Press to pick up my new business cards, before returning home to pack up bags for the early load in. I decided to have everything hang-tagged and priced the night before. . .so I only got about 5 hours of sleep. But it was so nice to wake up and be ready to walk out the door!
Load in to the exhibition hall was incredibly efficient. There were volunteers holding doors, pointing out booth assignments, and even helped us schlep our goods to our spaces. I introduced myself to my neighbors and got unpacking in a hurry. Promptly at 11am the doors opened, and literally hundreds of shoppers flooded the hall. And I am happy to report, that there was a steady stream of traffic going by (and in) my booth all day long.
I met customers from Vancouver B.C., Bend, OR, Texas and California – and all were so excited that A) admission is free B) that they felt so inspired meeting so many crafters & designers who are making living doing what they love. It was a wonderful vibe!
The day went by so fast, and there are a lot of booths I haven’t checked out yet. I have printed out my floor map & vendor list and have planned out my shopping excursions for tomorrow! I only took 1 photo today, but I plan to take LOTS of pictures tomorrow. Stay tuned. . and please come say ‘hi’ (I’m in booth #39) at Seattle Center Exhibition Hall tomorrow from 11am – 5pm. Admission is free! Meeting my customers in person is a reward unlike any other!
Queen Anne Undies and Outies
Sometimes I really miss having my own store in Seattle, but the lovely Queen Anne Dispatch just placed another humungous order for bags, which is the next best thing. Check out their new summer display: it looks like a mini Crystalyn Kae store! They have re-stocked all of the core items: Foxtrot medium hobos, Soiree Drawstring, and Clutches – and also picked out 10 of the new bohemia hobos. This is the only store on the West Coast that you can see my entire collection in person – plus a few one of a kind leather & vintage fabric Metiers that you won’t find anywhere else! Stop by and say “hi”!
Mark your calendars! I am excited to announce that I have been accepted to exhibit at Urban Craft Uprising, which is Seattle’s largest independent craft show!
Seattle Exhibition Center - (underneath Pacific NW Ballet) 299 Mercer, Seattle WA 98109 11 am – 5 pm
Admission is Free and the first 100 attendees with get a goodie bag!
The exhibitor list is pretty impressive – and includes a mix of clothing, jewelry, housewares, children’s clothing, bath products and of course. . .handbags!
I will also have a bin of rare samples and a few ‘seconds’ at discounted prices. . so come early!
Please share this event with your friends – and RSVP on Facebook!
Just a friendly reminder that December 20th (by 12:00 noon PST) is the last day to place an order to assure that your package will arrive by Christmas day. (Seattleites can order by December 22nd.) Or you can always purchase a gift certificate – which will instantly be delivered to the lucky recipient’s email address.
