Handmade Arcade: True to its name, this annual indie craft fair was loads of fun. This is my review.

First, let’s consider the venue. On a normal day… any old day at all, Construction Junction is a wonderland of salvaged cabinets, single-paned windows, and partial cans of paint in a myriad of designer colors. Their warehouse is consistently packed to the brim with vintage pieces of all sorts. As you might imagine, this is a crafter’s dream! Even as I write this, I’m distracted by ideas for projects involving all of the above.

On November 10th and 11th, Construction Junction opened its doors to over 100 vendors, selling everything from posters to purses- and it was all handmade. This is what I call sensory overload. It was hard to make it to every table amid the bustling crowd, but here are a few of my favorites:

I’ll start with the only thing I actually purchased at Handmade Arcade. The best little vegan cupcake that my tummy has ever had the pleasure of knowing. This treat’s moist chocolate cake and dense chocolate icing were worth every bit of the $2 I paid for it. My friend bought a vegan chocolate chip scone from the same vendor and was quite pleased as well. [A note to vegans and un-vegans alike: These desserts did not taste vegan...and that's a good thing] In addition to the taste, these desserts were darling. The baker clearly took great care in piping the chocolate icing onto the top of my cupcake. I wish I had a picture! And a business card! If I figure out who made these, I’ll post the link under delicious vegan treats.

Edit: Thanks to Jessica for the heads up. The cupcakes were from My Goodies Vegan Bakery. The following picture is from their website. It’s not quite the same cupcake, but it looks equally delicious, if not more so.

And now on to the things that I should have bought, but didn’t.

The Cupcake Squid by Cleo Dee: A close-up of the cutest little holiday ornament…who also has an affinity for cupcakes.

…and…

Screenprinted Show Posters & Prints by Mike Budai: I’m not sure if this print was actually at the Handmade Arcade, but it’s a great example of his colorful work. His table looked great, and seemed to be surrounded by a slew of people the entire time I was there.

I’m going to rifle through my purse and try to find some of the business cards I picked up on my rounds at Handmade Arcade. More reviews and praise to come!