Don’t forget, I’ll be at the Holiday Heap indie craft show in Baltimore tomorrow. Stop by and say hi! Plus, mention you’re a reader and I’ll give you a free Indie Fixx button! While supplies last, of course.

I’ll be back with a post tomorrow evening. Oh yea, and Mintd Friday will return next week.

This is it folks, today is the day that I feature the last shop in the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping‘ and that honor goes to Casto Creations. Casto Creations offers elegant & contemporary jewelry styles and is just the kind of jewelry to stuff your favorite jewelry diva’s stocking with. The Chinese Character Pendants would make for a meaningful jewelry gift for your close friends. While, the Long Links Necklace and the Fashion Chunk Link Necklace would be perfect for any women on your list who likes to make a bold statement with her jewelry. Plus, the stunning Musical Bracelet is one gift that I imagine would be really, really hard to give anyway.

Add a little something to your own jewelry box or make someone on your list very happy this season with a gift Casto Creations. Use the coupon code INDIEFIXX07 for free shipping until December 31st.

Leave a comment below for your chance to win a pair of Fine Fusion Earrings from Casto Creations. One random commenter will be chosen to win and this contest will end December 1 at midnight EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Indie Finds is an innovative co-operative comprised of many talented independent designers. Formed in response to big-box retailers, the members have teamed up to increase awareness of indie shops and to challenge the notion that quality is synonymous with size. Together, the group is a genuine rival to high-powered household names.

For shoppers, it’s another great way to shop indie and for indie shops, it’s another great way to reach shoppers.

**Sponsored post**

Reader Fixx Thursday is on hiatus this week, but will return next week.

Congrats to Holly who won the Becky OH! Bolsa Clutch, Sally who won the Pink Loves Brown personalized stationery & magnet, Sherri who won the Bidwell Botanicals Pumpkin Set and to Karen who won the Supermaggie gift certificate in the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’ contests. More contests and winners to come.

*Please note, winners in the remaining contests will be chosen and notified on Sunday, December 2nd. 

Today’s featured shop for the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping‘ is Kailo Chic. Kailo Chic offers a wide selection of designer bags, accessories, jewelry and skirts from designer Kara Whitten. Kara’s clean & contemporary lines, coupled with the bold fabrics and patterns she chooses, make her designs a bold statement and would be sure to please any of the fashion conscious women on your holiday list.

I think the Detachable Strap Wristlet, Hand Clutch, or the adorable polka-dotted Pleat Clutches would make a great choice for your friend who likes her bag smalls. The Hobo, Laptop or the Tote Bags would be a fabulous choice someone who needs a larger bag. Also, choose a “big on taste, little on size” stocking stuffer from the Jewelry, Wallet, Belt and Headband styles. The fabric & pattern choices are just incredible and you can choose from bold prints, fine polka-dots, retro-inspired prints and classic styles too.

Use the coupon code SAVE20 for 20% off your purchases at Kailo Chic.

Also, leave a comment below for your chance to win one of Kailo Chic’s gorgeous and unique Hand Clutch in Blue Damask. One random commenter will be chosen to win the bag. This contest ends November 30th at noon EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

All you folks in the Baltimore/Washington corridor and vicinity are in for a real treat this Saturday, December 1st. The Charm City (Baltimore) Craft Mafia is putting on their 2nd indie craft show, the Holiday Heap. Their first show, Pile of Craft, was a blow-out success and the Holiday Heap is sure to follow as another smashing success for the group.

Indie vendors include some of my favorites, deNada Designs, Tigerlily Shop, The Candy Thief and Little Flower Designs among others. I’ll be representin’ too with some Indie Fixx Shop and Tilting Swiftly wares. There will also be some good food from local eateries and tunes from a dj all day long.

The Holiday Heap event is free to the public and will be held indoors at St. John’s Church, located at 2640 St. Paul St, Baltimore, MD 21218, from 10:00 AM until 5:00 PM.

Plus, bring a canned good or two to help those less fortunate than yourself for a collection for the Maryland Food Bank and receive a free raffle ticket for a chance to win one of several amazing gift baskets.

Sweet As You Please is today’s ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’ featured shop. Offering the sweetest soy candle scents in a variety of sizes, Sweet As You Please candles are made from high quality 100% natural soybean base and fragrance & essential oils. They are sure to bring a smile to the face of your gift recipient when they burn these sweet smelling gifts.

The Travel Tins would make the cutest smelling stocking stuffers and the Scent Pots would be nice for anyone with young children worried about leaving a candle lit, but who still appreciates the gentle wafting of delectable fragrances. There are also larger round and square container candles available. Good holiday fragrances include Cappuccino Bruleé, Ginger Fig, Icy Peppermint, Spiced Cranberry & Gingerbread.

Use coupon code indiefixx for 15% off at Sweet As You Please and fill your home and/or your gift recipient’s home with scent this holiday season.

Leave a comment on this post to be entered into the contest to win a 3-pack of Sweet As You Please Travel Tins in Carrot Cake, Blackberry Sage & Cinnamon Swirl. One random commenter will be chosen to win and this contest ends November 29th at 2 pm EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

I thought this might be the opportune time to share my interview with Hilary of Crafty Robot with you. Hilary makes and sells all sorts of sewn accessories and housewares, but it’s her Monster Stockings that have made her shop so well known and one you must visit this holiday season.

Read my interview with Hilary for the Indie Artist Fixx series below.

1. What’s the name of your business and what do create and sell?

My business is Crafty Robot. I make sewn accessories and household goods; most are one-of-a-kind and many use vintage or recycled materials.

2. How did you get started with your craft?

I have been interested in sewing for as long as I can remember, but didn’t pursue it seriously until a semester abroad in college, when I used my copious free time and the patient instruction of a fellow exchange student to begin sewing clothing, by hand.

3. How did you get started with your business?

I stumbled into business with Monster Stockings, which began as a one-time gift for a friend. It was so well-received that I refined the pattern, added two more designs, and offered a handful for sale in 2003. Much to my surprise, the stockings sold out quickly, and almost before I knew it I had a viable product line on my hands!

(Continued)

I’m now carrying Subversive Cross Stitch patterns in the Indie Fixx Shop. Be subversive in a totally socially acceptable way and embroidery your subversiveness into art! A modern day take on the embroidered samplers of the past, this is cross stitch for girls (and guys) with a little attitude…this ain’t yo momma’s cross stitch.

Each basic kit contains: pattern, instructions, cross stitch fabric & pre-bundled DMC embroidery thread. Empower you innermost diva with some snarky embroidery. Perfect for gifting to your snarky friends!

Choose from Happy F**king Holidays, Do Not F**K With Me (my personal favorite and hangs in my office), Thanks for Sharing, Beeyatch & Candy Ass.

Today’s featured ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’ shop is dejarnette new orleans. Katherine DeJarnette Babin, the designing force behind dejarnette new orleans, creates striking pieces with carefully selected materials such as vintage glass beads, lockets and brooches, semi-precious stones, metals and textiles, many of which were found in her native city of New Orleans. This is the kind of signature “wow” jewelry you add to your own collection or gift to your favorite jewelry diva.

I had so much trouble picking my favorites for gifting, because everything, and I do mean everything, is amazing. I did manage to pick out a few that really stand out; although, it was a bit like picking the hottest guy from a crowd made up of Johnny Depp, Ewan McGregor, Orlando Bloom, Jude Law & Clive Owen lookalikes, but here’s a few that really make a statement. The gorgeous green with Envy, the Blowing Bubbles blown glass beauty, Sherbert, Noix, the sliced wood Grow necklace and everything in Katherine’s signature Found Object collection.

Treat yourself or treat a friend, but head on over to dejarnette new orleans and use the coupon code holiday15 for 15% off of your entire order.

Leave a comment in the comments for this post with your favorite jewelry design from dejarnette new orleans for your chance to win the Large Bubbles necklace. One random commenter will win the prize. This contest ends November 28th at 2pm EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Too much of our lives are spent doing things that we have to do and not enough time is spent on the things that make our lives meaningful, fulfilling & enjoyable. We spend too much time cleaning the house, stressing out about paying the bills, and for many people, working at a sucky ass job. We really should spend more time with our kids, go to that art museum we’ve been talking about visiting, drink a bottle of wine with old friends, take a walk in the woods alone with nothing but a sketch pad to keep us company or just be more in the moment, happy and seize the day.

Jeffrey Yamaguchi, the author of the books 52 Projects: Random Acts of Everyday Creativity and Working for the Man: Inspiring and Subversive Projects for Residents of Cubicle Land and the creater of 52Projects.com and WorkingfortheMan.com, understands seizing the day and wants to help others do the same. Through his blogs and books, he encourages people to think outside their cubicles, see the humor in working for the man and to add more meaning to their lives through creativity.

We should all be adding a little creativity to our lives. You might have to work for the man to pay your bills, but that’s no excuse to turn on the boob tube as soon as you get home from work. Instead, spend your time creating a manga with your boss and coworkers as the main characters or design and screenprint your own tee shirts from all those doodles you create during meetings. Or leave work at work, and use your creativity to document your last vacation, join a group of gorilla knitters, take pictures of your cats every day and make lol cats out of them to send to friends or make collages out of all the paper, magazines and junk mail you accumulate over the week.

To give you an incentive to make your life more creative both on company time and your own time, Jeffrey Yamaguchi has offered a copy of his latest book, Working for the Man: Inspiring and Subversive Projects for Residents of Cubicle Land, for a giveaway here on Indie Fixx.

To win a copy, leave a comment on this post with a creative project you have completed, a project you have in the works, a humorous or horror story from work or anything else you want to share that you to do to combat cube stress and to just lead more meaningful and enjoyable life. Jeffrey will choose one winner from the commenters to win a copy of his book. Projects can be anything and aren’t limited to just crafting projects. You can write a brief description or post a link to your blog or flickr account to share your project. Just share your creativity!

We’re giving you until December 4th at 11:59 EST to comment!

I met Alison of Pistol Stitched at an indie craft show I participated in and was completely wowed by her amazing wood and fabric bags. Well, Alison just opened her online shop and I just had to share her stunning work with you. Made with gorgeous vintage fabrics that Alison finds in the New York garment district, thrift stores, her friends’ basements & interior design warehouses, these bags are so uniquely constructed that if there was a Project Runaway for accessory designers, Alison would be the winner! Those are custom handmade wooden handles too, people. I tell you, these bags are portable works of art. Check out pistolstiched.com and see for yourself!

Today’s featured shop in the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping‘ is the Indie Fixx Shop. I know, a little shameless self-promotion, but I wanted to tell you about all the great new products that I’ve recently added to the shop from my really talented and amazing designers.

I love, love, love the new jewelry from Rubygirl. It’s a little bit pretty and a little bit sassy…perfect for your BFF! There’s the absolutely stunning “have to see in person” pouches from Suezy Bees, which make a perfect home for an cellphone, digital camera, lip gloss, biz cards, mp3 player or anything really!. There’s also holiday ornaments from Megan Auman, Chocolate Bon Bon soap from Feto Soap, Tissue Cases from Uplifting Arts, the cutest Notepads from Modern Printed Matter, which would all make the best little stocking stuffers. Plenty of new art as well from 12fifteen, Modern Printed Matter, Marmee Craft, Shira Sela, Wolfie and the Sneak & more.

I’m offering 10% off with coupon code IFS_12_days on everything in the shop until November 30th. Cross those names off your holiday shopping list or buy a little present for yourself.

Leave a comment below in the comments for this post with your favorite item from the Indie Fixx Shop for your chance to win a holiday ornament from Megan Auman and a set of the ‘Oh deer’ Holiday cards from 12 fifteen. One random commenter will win the prize. This contest ends November 27th at 2pm EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Happy indie shopping and Happy Indie Holidays!

Supermaggie is pretty superrific and is the next featured shop in the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’. Supermaggie offers cool threads and accessories for the hip indie guy and gal. They also have some pretty hot models, so most definitely check ‘em out.

Their very cool tee shirts are screenprinted with original and totally unique designs like the Octopus, Mermaids, Seeds, Stars and Pines and Cicadas among others. Many designs are available in both men’s and women’s tees, long sleeve tees, hoodies, thermals, scoopneck tees, 3/4 length sleeve and come in a variety of colors. They also offer the most fabulous felted wool scarves and wraps around. You or your gift recipient will really make a statement with one—my favorite is the Black and Pink Stripe. The Slaughterhead Wallets would also make good gifts. Screenprinted and made from vinyl, they are over sized to hold mucho Christmas cash.

Supermaggie designs are sure to please both girls and guys and would make the perfect gift for everyone from teens to your hip grandma and everyone in between.

Take 15% off until 12/31 with the coupon code indiefixx07 on everything at Supermaggie.

Plus, leave a comment below for this post with the name of your favorite Supermaggie product (either for yourself or your giftee) for a chance to win a $50 gift certificate from Supermaggie! One random commenter will be chosen. This contest ends November 26th at 11:59 am EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Congrats to Emily who won the Lucky Ducky Designs Cuddle Blanket Set and to Elli who won the Laurel Denise Silent Night Necklace in the ‘12 Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’ contests. More contests and winners to come.

Today’s featured shop in the Days of Indie Holiday Shopping’ is Pink Loves Brown. Pink and brown happen to be one of my favorite color combos and Pink Loves Brown is one of my favorite shops. Offering stationery, cards, magnets, pins, bookplates, art sets and more they have everything you need for those stationery & card loving people, the artists, crafters, teachers, sewers, bibliophiles, science lovers, glasses wearing folk, the young at heart and those who just love good clean fun.

My picks for good gifts from Pink Loves Brown are the:

Periodic Table of Sentiments Card set, which includes 6 cards with ‘periodic’ abbreviations for birthday wishes, a new baby & more.

Glasses Bookplates (also available in stationary, cards & a magnet) for your favorite librarian and/or bibliophile.

Dressmaker, Scissors and Needle Badges for the crafters and/or sewers in your life.

Penmanship Stationary for the teachers or folks who are sticklers for good penmanship.

Use the code IndieFixx for 15% off your order at Pink Loves Brown.

Also, leave a comment below for your chance to win a set of personalized paper airplane stationery with a matching magnet. One random commenter will be chosen to win the prize and this contest does end November 25th at 11:59am EST. THIS CONTEST HAS ENDED.

Art calendars make good gifts for just about everyone…art lovers, cubicle workers, mother-in-laws, people who need to be better organized, your husband (so he can remember what day of the week it is), teachers & more. The Indie Fixx Shop is now offering several art limited edition art calendars from the Wolfie and the Sneak, Red Prairie Press and Pistachio Press & Tara Hogan.

These are limited edition works and will only be available while supplies last.

I’m serious as a heart attack, I love you guys!

This week’s Mintd Friday pick is the ‘Heart Attack’ card from Magic Jelly.

I know some of you went to the mall today and I’m going to let it slide, because I know Black Friday at the mall often has more to do with the whole spectacle of it than the actual shopping…and it’s when Santa arrives too. But, after today it’s got to end. Leave the mall shopping to the mall rats and do some indie shopping instead. You can find more unique, one-of-a-kind, imaginative, often better made and just downright cooler gifts from independent designers and crafters. Aunt Betty can buy her own sweater, and probably would prefer to, so buy her an indie made gift and knock her freaking socks off!

Here’s a few ideas—and a few discount codes to help you out.