beards | The Baking Bird

If you haven’t yet heard of the new TV series on IFC Portlandia, you better get on it. Carrie Brownstein and Fred Armisen kind-heartedly mock stereotypes, personalities, and lifestyles commonly found in Portland, OR folk and it is frickin’ hilarious and rings true in so many ways. This is the kind of stuff that makes me roll on the floor laughing and not too many television series shows enable me to do that (Seinfeld is pretty much the only one), so basically yes, it’s won my heart. It’s quirky and awkward and lovely and honest. Especially since I love and adore and am obsessed with Portland as much as I am and can’t wait to live there, this will fulfill my desires from afar in the meantime. I can live vicariously through them and recognize streets, businesses, landscapes, and personalities that I’ve previously encountered, all from the comfort of my own (living) room. Ah, the things I have to look forward to.

One of the skits they have done is about how we can’t seem to get away from this bird thing that’s everywhere. And it’s true. I can shamelessly raise my hand and claim that I am guilty of it, too. I mean, my blog is called The Baking Bird, after all. I love my owls. I love birds. What can I say. Everyone else seems to, too. I mean, just type in ‘bird‘ on Etsy and you’ll roughly get back 207,000 results. 1250 pages worth. That’d take quite a while to sift through. So it’s just great that they’ve brought this whole obsession to light and maybe we can question why in the hell did this whole bird thing get so popular anyways? Who cares. Just watch it. (I actually ended up in this retail store that they’re in called Land on Mississippi Ave. the last time I was there aka. a month ago and purchased a shirt. So I was totally stoked to have recognized it and say HEY! I WENT THERE! Yeah, I love it when things like that happen. I’m a dork.)

Anyway, do yourself a favor and watch a few episodes of this. You may not be interested in Portland at all, but I promise you this will make you laugh. Check more of it out here and here.

And on to more chocolate. These Mast Brother guys from New York make chocolate and have beards and I’m a sucker for both. And I’m a sucker for the packaging, as well. What can I say. I really want to try their stuff, except there is a minimum amount required to buy that’ll run you for about $100. Looks like I’ll just have to save for a plane ticket someday instead. Anyway, these guys hop on a SAILBOAT to search for cacao beans throughout the world. Jesus. Stop it right now.

Read more about them here.

Oh and remember my whole pie vs. cupcake rant? Turns out I’m not the only one. Here is where Matt Lewis (author of Baked & Baked Explorations) explains why cupcakes will never be overthrown. I couldn’t have said it better. A little over a year later, his opinion hasn’t changed. So yes, I agree: let’s talk about pie less and eat it more. Thank you, and good night.

Man oh man, have I been meaning to talk about this forever! The Renegade Craft Fair happened back in July (18th and 19th)! And although it’s four months later, I still have to mention it, because it’s pretty much one of the best things on earth I have ever experienced. So, yes, I was quite excited and so happy to have made it there!

This was the second year the event occurred, and they only come to select cities. Yeah, it’s a pretty special thing. Hundreds upon hundreds of indie craftsters, artists, bloggers, and other lovely people participate and line up in rows in the Costco-sized Fort Mason Center in San Francisco (here is/was the artist lineup). Tons of Etsy sellers were there, and I recognized more than half of what was sold just from online popularity and purchasing that I have done myself. It was so wonderful to meet all of these famous artists in person! I was dying in happiness! Everyone was so, so sweet and personable and cheerful. I loved everyone I met. The best part is that their mascot is an owl. Yeah, I know, I was going crazy. Not only that, but owls were everywhere. Almost everyone had something owl-related to sell, it was overwhelming. I bought so many great things, it was quite an owl hay-day.

The official poster for this years West Coast event, done by the very talented Mat Daly.
When I first walked in, there was a booth of all things made up of the “Renegade Craft Fair owl” and there were tons of Mat Daly posters. I wanted all of them. Notice the owlage…

Ummhmm.

Very crafty and creative journals made out of old book covers.You can find similar ones here: Ivy Lane Designs.
Hm, wonder which poster I bought…
I love all of this.
You can find tons of these on Etsy.
Pretty much the cutest wedding cake topper I have ever seen in my life!Mosey Handmade.
This lady rocks the planet.
I Heart Guts.

Art Goodies.I was so tempted to buy that owl block print. SO TEMPTED.The cupcake and fawn are pretty darn cute, too!
The infamous Renegade owl. Unfortunately, I spent too much time looking around and the face painting booth (yes, and they had a cupcake booth in the beginning, too!) closed down = major bummer. But at least I got to snap a photo of this cute girl that had it done…
Almost got one of these but had to control myself…
Okay, this guy is definitely one of my favorites. I talked to him for quite a while about owls and going out owling at night, and we could have gone on for hours. He gave me an extra special amazing deal on three owl prints! I purchased the first print on the top left, and the bottom two on the left. He rocks! Please support him!

My favorite famous beard lady, Erin Dollar, who, of course, happens to be from Portland (because everything great comes from Portland). She is incredible. I so admire her and her creativity. I haven’t purchased a beard yet, but one of these days… in the meantime, the 48 beardy stickers will suffice. Etsy shop here.

Arcane Arts. I first encountered this artist in Portland at the Doug Fir Lounge’s Crafty Wonderland. (I purchased the two owl prints next to each other in the center.) It was so cool to encounter her again!

I also met the wonderful Cakespy! That was quite a lovely surprise, since I have been a fan of her blog for years now. She’s rad and makes awesome cupcake art!
Laura George was also a pleasure to meet. I had just seen her art a few days before coming to the fair, and it was awesome to buy her art directly from her instead of through Etsy! Her prints are very clever and cute, such as the one I purchased below:

The aftermath of loot all over my bed.

I love you, Renegade Craft Fair! You made my craft-loving, owl-obsessing, Etsy-fan-admiring dreams come true! And it turns out I won’t have to wait an entire you for you to return: they’re putting on a holiday fair this December! I am SO there!