Back in fall of 2010, when I lived on the northern side of Berkeley campus and made the occasional stroll over to Philz Coffee for a delicious Iced Mint Mojito coffee (yeah, you read that correctly), I picked up a glossy postcard-sized flyer advertising something called the Indie Mart. At the time, I honestly didn't care about the flyer's advertisement so much as the gorgeous design of the flyer itself--very bohemian/tribal with its bright orange tones, plethora of triangles, and skinny, compressed font-face. Everything about it just screamed, "Take me and put me on your wall NOW!"
So I did. And on my wall it has remained, though the wall and house changes from time to time.
On Monday, during one of my many procrastination sessions, I happened to glance up at my wall, see the flyer, and proceed to look up the Indie Mart online.
I was ecstatic to learn that the Indie Mart was indeed still an ongoing thing and was going to be held in the Mission District on Sunday (today!).
Occupying a few blocks in the Mission, the Indie Mart features dozens of vendors selling gorgeous handmade jewelry, clothing, vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories, handmade stationary and greeting cards, plants, and artwork. The mart even features DIY tables where you pay to partake in a fun DIY craft (today's craft was terrarium-making). Not leaving you to fend for food after all that shopping and walking, food trucks provide delicious eats, while various bands keep the crowds entertained and energetic.
Seeing the mart for the first time was something out of a movie--getting off the bus, watching it pull away to reveal the glorious splendor of people and items dazzling behind it in all its glory. We didn't really know where to start...
Walking from booth to booth, the four of us were constantly pointing out something fun and creative for the rest to see. These bottle lamps were no exception.
The mart was absolutely fit-to-bursting with jewelry. I was absolutely torn between these pyramid studs and a pair of coral rose earrings (coral, as usual, won as shown below).
As is to be expected, due to their handmade quality, many of the items were pricey. I loved these silk headbands from Bachman's Sparrow, which you can find here, going for $24.00. But in my honest opinion, I recommend spending a little bit more and buying handmade. It supports local artists and promotes a small business mentality. Moreover, you end up with a one-of-a-kind, quality-made item like these scarves! (I'm pretty sure I'll be making this purchase sometime soon.)
As many of you have probably already seen, painted/color-blocked wooded bangles are all the rage on Pinterest right now. I almost bought the set of three on the bottom right, but I think I may try to DIY them sometime in the future (so keep an eye out!).
And then, of course, each vendor's presentation of their items was just as cute as the items themselves! Loved this cowboy boot-as-planter idea!
With it's barely-there entrance fee of $3.00, the Indie Mart was the perfect way to spend a Sunday afternoon. I loved my experience, my purchases, and the company with whom I enjoyed it!
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