street meet.

(view a larger version of that picture here).

today marked our second year at trenton avenue arts festival (and kensington kinetic sculpture derby). it has a very different (yet equally charming) feel to last weekend's art star craft bazaar. while the bazaar brings in vendors from all across north america offering philadelphians handmade objects they wouldn't normally find locally, this festival is much more localized. people are generally shocked by how far away we live. the vendors are also a big mix of local businesses promoting their services, publications, art collectives and art/crafties like us. like art star, there is also music. because the festival stretches three blocks, they set up smaller stages at either end. oh, and the kinetic sculpture derby. we never get to see much of it, but from what we do take in during load-in, it involves large contraptions, costumes and a mud pit.

as we started setting up, i realized that i had not brought my purse. this meant no camera. and when walking around seas of clowns, monsters, pirates and giant forks, it is painful to be without camera. when i discovered that i had also left my entire bag of loose buttons back at the homestead, my mood sank into a real pit. what a dolt i can be. we were staying nearby, either. thankfully, the one kid who had opted to stay home in the morning missed us and wanted to come down for all the fun. it took a couple of stressful self-hating hours, but steve and ella saved my rump by bringing all my missing wares down well before the derby was done (ie. crunch time). between stressing out, not having a camera and aitor doing portraits, though, i didn't get much chace to look around - and i love looking around. here are a few things i managed to capture on my couple trips out:

gabby helps hazel bag prints.

fishtown, the neighbourhood we are in, is always heavily branded into the goods on offer. these fish by my santo (who i also saw at art star) were my favourites. in fact, i love a lot of her stuff - decal-adorned plates, terraria. if only i thought ceramic would survive our travels (not to mention succulents planted inside them).

i ended up with very little loot. i had to hustle to get my table set up late and i am trying very hard to only accumulate things i need (whatever that means). but i did end this day with a new screen printed kerchief from seam poets. this was on my actual 'to get' list as it is a necessity when travelling in a a car with no a/c through the summer. open windows, heavy hair and the need for clear vision is going to find this thing on my head for much of our travels, i am sure. and i love the prints and colours. thanks, guys!

and so long, philadelphia. we have been here a while but it is time to shove off for baltimore tomorrow morn. we'll pass back through on the way to brooklyn, but i know we are going to miss this place and our friends in it. big time.