This is me snagging an extra button pin from the bag of them that Etsy had brought along.

I had a wonderful time at the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs this past weekend. I met people in person whom I've known online for years, I learned a lot (outsourcing is every bit as difficult as I suspected!), I was recorded (live, onstage, eep) for a podcast (I'll let you know when it's available to listen to), and it all felt more like a gathering than a series of classes. Bravo to the organizers. Rumor is that CCE will be in San Francisco next year and if you're somebody who has or wants a small business in the arts/crafts realm I can highly recommend attending. Also, the sponsors for the conference were particularly well matched, I learned about a bunch of services and resources I'll be using. (I don't mean to sound like a shill, it's all true, and I also really want CCE to succeed and grow. So if you have a product you'd like artists and crafters with websites and Twitter accounts to know about, look into being a CCE sponsor next year.)

You're coming to the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs? Hooray! They've picked a really good neighborhood. Here is a list of places I know and love, all within about six blocks of the Century Ballroom (Friday's conference location). I've included an address and a link to a Google map for each below in the hopes that those reading this on a mobile device (hi there!) find it easy enough to use. Please note, there are more places mentioned on the bottom of this page of the CCE's website, as well as their Where To Eat series: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. Do know that the conference will be providing breakfast and lunch.

You need to eat:

Oddfellows Cafe - This restaurant is in the same building as the Century Ballroom, the entrance is just around the corner. It's charming and has a good menu, open all day long and late into the night. (Breakfast? Yes!)
1525 10th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 325-0807

Via Tribunali - Serving some seriously good Neapolitan pizza. The pizza come unsliced so if you're sharing ask the server to bring some kitchen shears that they have for this purpose. Seriously, it's the easiest way to cut pizza and you'll ditch your pizza cutter shortly after you return home. (Breakfast? No.)
913 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122-3816
[map]
(206) 322-9234

Boom Noodle - Yummy noodles, well designed interior. (Breakfast? No.)
1121 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 701-9130

Vermillion - They serve a small menu, usually a soup, a cheese plate and a few other things, but they are cozy and charming and have a good wine list. Walk through the art gallery to the cafe space in the back. (Note: Vermillion is where we held the first year or so of Grassroots Business Association meetings, we *heart* Vermillion.) (Breakfast? No.)
1508 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 709-9797

Cafe Presse - Located across an annoyingly busy street but so worth the trek for amazing and unpretentious French food. A Stumptown coffee is next door. (Breakfast? Yes!)
1117 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 709-7674

You need to eat some sugar:

Cupcake Royale - One of the original cupcake places in Seattle. My favorite cupcake is still the ballerina (vanilla with pink vanilla frosting). They also have good espresso here.
1111 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 328-6544

Molly Moon's Ice Cream - Amazing ice cream in amazing flavors. Expect to stand in a long line of impressively dressed people. This is about five inches from the Century Ballroom entrance so I expect you'll be having ice cream before you leave Seattle.
917 East Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 708-7947

Old School Frozen Custard - Amazing custard with your choice of things to add. Expect to stand in a long line of impressively dressed people.
1316 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 324-2586

You need to eat because you're happydrunk and it's 1 a.m.:

Big Mario's Pizza - Seattle's newly opened New York style pizza by the slice place has your back, open until 4 am.
1009 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 922-3875

Po Dogs - Ever tried a Seattle hot dog with cream cheese on it? Now is the perfect time. This place has an impressive menu and vegetarian options.
1009 E Union St, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
206-325-6055

It's the morning and you need coffee and a pastry before you see anybody:

See above: Oddfellows Cafe (right downstairs from the Century Ballroom) and Cupcake Royale (cupcakes for breakfast!).

Cafe Vita - This one is closest to the conference locations, and another of their shops is my own local coffee place so I double love them.
1005 E Pike St, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 709-4440

Stumptown - Two locations, one is near Cafe Presse, both a few blocks away. Excellent coffee.
1115 12th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 860-2937
616 East Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122
(206) 329-0115
[map]

Victrola - This one is a few blocks away, but it's close to the Cakespy shop. Excellent coffee.
310 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122-3610
[map]
(206) 462-6259

Take a shopping break:

Cakespy Shop - So worth the short walk down, it's filled with stuff you'll love. (Also the owner, Jessie, is speaking at the conference!)
415 East Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122-2311
[map]

Elliott Bay Book Company - Right next door to the Century Ballroom, this historic independent Seattle bookstore recently relocated from it's (beloved, sniff) original location in Pioneer Square.
1521 10th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 624-6600

Stitches - Fabric, yarn, needles, ribbon, felt, findings. All your therapeutic crafting needs (or adhesive needs) have been curated here for you. They even have sewing machines that you can rent. And Japanese fabric. And needle felting supplies should you feel the need to stab somebody something. Honestly, when I need something I come here first, they have some of the best fabric offerings in the city.
711 East Pike Street, Seattle, WA 98122-3719
[map]
(206) 709-0707

Value Village - Thrifting! This is across the street from Vermillion.
1525 11th Avenue, Seattle, WA 98122-3903
[map]
(206) 322-7789

You need to sit on some grass and do some people watching:

Cal Anderson Park - The side of the park closest to the conference location (right across the street) is all soccer fields, but walk deeper into the park and you'll find an impressive fountain and lots of places to stroll or sit for a while.
1635 11th Ave, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]

Other vital needs:

Drugstore: Walgreens - Just a block away from the Century Ballroom, no need to bring your own band aids.
1531 Broadway, Seattle, WA
[map]
(206) 204-0599

Grocery store: QFC - Just a couple blocks away, for all your special snowflake food needs.
1401 Broadway, Seattle, WA
[map]
(206) 860-3818

Post Office - Because the TSA won't let you carry on the new fabric scissors that you bought at Stitches.
101 Broadway East, Seattle, WA
[map]
(206) 324-5474

You need to borrow a computer - Some nearby internet cafes (yes they still exist) because you, like me, never bring your laptop along but always find a near emergency situation where you're handheld thingy just won't do and you need a computer NowNowNow and cannot wait until you get back to your hotel.

Uncle Elizabeth's Internet Cafe
1123 Pike Street
Seattle, WA 98101-1923
[map]
(206) 381-1600

Online Coffee Company
1404 East Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122
[map]
(206) 323-7798

The Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs here in Seattle is coming up! If you already live here in Seattle there is an event at the conference that is free to attend:

Are you looking to connect with the art, craft and design community?

We are excited to announce a special special round table reception hosted by The Conference for Creative Entrepreneurs.

The event will feature small group discussions about running a small business, networking opportunities with members of the the art, craft and design community, craft and product demonstrations, special discounts on services and products from our sponsors, and sweet snacks too!

Free To Attend
Friday, August 13th from 4:15 - 6:00 PM
Century Ballroom, 915 East Pine Street, Seattle, WA 98122-3849 (map)

RSVP now at: Eventbrite.

As a SPECIAL THANK YOU to the first 50 people who register by August 11th, you get one FREE conference session of your choice on Saturday or Sunday! Session registration will take place on Friday when you check in for the round table event. RSVP today to ensure your space at this amazing event!

To see conference choice options on Saturday and Sunday check out our schedule.

Additional classes will be available for $25 per session - cash only - register day of at venue location.

Will I see you there?

This summer Urban Craft Uprising show here in Seattle is coming up on July 10th and 11th and this year I'm extra excited because on Saturday the 10th Mobile Chowdown will be nearby, also Seattle Center. Shopping from indie businesses and excellent food from trucks, it's perfection.

The Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs is holding a giveaway for a free one day pass. It's simple to enter, just mention CCE and let them know you did. Details are here, and I wish you good luck. The conference is here in Seattle in August and is going to be amazing (and I'm not just saying that because I'm a speaker). It's filled with really cool people who are doing really cool things giving really cool advice. And it's in a really cool part of Seattle that is in the middle of one of my favorite neighborhoods. Find out more about it here, and I hope to see you.

On Saturday, April 17th I'll be participating in a Seattle bake sale for Share Our Strength. Seattle food bloggers are donating baked goods to raise money and we'll be selling them from Metropolitan Market (100 Mercer Street) between 10 a.m. and noon.

I'll be making something yummy that will come baked in jars. (Hint: they aren't the pies baked in a jar that I did a few years back.) I did a test run last night and ate three today (breakfast, lunch and dessert!). I'm a bit giddy with how much fun this has been.

And? I'm not even that good a baker. Just go and check out the list of people baking for you.The spread at this bake sale will be epic. Hope to see you there.

I'm happy to let you know about the Conference of Creative Entrepreneurs happening here in Seattle August 13th to the 15th. It's three days of classes and talks on how to thrive as a small business owner focusing on those who work in the handmade realm. The conference is located in Capitol Hill and the meeting spaces are split between two very cool venues a short block apart. It's surrounded by restaurants and boutiques and you'll be getting to visit the best parts of Seattle while you're here, and hang out where people, well, hang out.

The speakers and classes are incredible. The speakers include Lauren Bacon from Raised Eyebrow Web Studios, Lisa Congdon, Jessie Olsen of CakeSpy, Susan Beal of West Coast Crafty, Becky Stern from Craftzine, Faythe Levine of Handmade Nation, Jenny Hart of Sublime Stitching, Garth Johnson of Extreme Craft, Jennifer Shea of Trophy Cupcakes and the guys from Wexley School for Girls.

If you own a small businesses and struggle to find people who you can commiserate with, or want to swap tips with others who sell on Etsy this conference will be your new best friend. They are offering an Early Bird rate for all three days of the conference if you buy your ticket before June, or you can buy a one day pass for any of the three days.

Tomorrow night (Wed. Mar. 17th at 7pm) the Grassroots Business Association is having our Focus Group meeting where we'll be reviewing each others business ideas. It's going to be a lot of fun. And if you're a regular please note the meeting will be in a new location, in the offices of Accounting For Small Business at 920 NE 64th Street, just across from the Ravenna Whole Foods, here is the Google map. You can find more details here, I hope to see you.

This weekend Scott will be doing at gig at the Emerald City Comic Con, he plays bass for Kirby Krackle. They'll be performing tomorrow (Sunday the 14th) in Room 3AB at 2 p.m. And get this, the Marvel Comics Editor-In-Chief Joe Quesada will be joining them on guitar. It must not be missed*. (And hey, you'll have time since the Focus on Felicia Day panel was canceled as she is currently filming in Canada. (I mean this lovingly, I would have been in the Felicia Day panel too. (Shh, don't tell Scott.)))

We visited the con today and it was packed so I didn't get pictures. But we saw the most adorable Dahlek costume on a very small child, and we saw Keith Knight and Bob the Angry Flower in real life. And Bob, I mean, Stephen was actually wearing the flower on his head. (I have a old story that involves me seeing a K Chronicles on the wall of my dentist's office and she mentioning that oh, yeah, he did that for her because he comes in to that office, and concludes with me excitedly freaking out for a bit. The end.) And from a middle of a pack of people slowly milling past we spotted Wil Wheaton and Lou Ferrigno.

On our way back I spotted this real (?) old red phone box from the UK outside of a pub.

And this morning I actually succeeded in making pancakes (for some reason mine usually turn out poorly). It was important enough to deserve a photo:

* Just wait until I tell you who they are on the bill with for a con in Phoenix.

This Thursday night at 7 p.m. Amy Karol (Angry Chicken) will be at The Quilting Loft to sign her book Bend The Rules With Fabric. I be there with that and her first book, Bend-The-Rules Sewing, in hand.

This weekend is the Urban Craft Uprising! Dec. 5th and 6th, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the Seattle Center Exhibition Hall. So many of my favorites will be there:

• Cakespy paintings and cards
• Crystalyn Kae handbags
• Dave Sheely Designs resin jewelry
• Devout Dolls
• Dinah Coops sustainable home goods
• Ex Libris Anonymous journals made from old books
• Glamscience glitter jewelry and clothing
• Idolatre clothing
• Made By Moxie felt lovelies
• Matthew Porter art and books for kids
• Monsieur T. t-shirts
• Polymath Design Labs geek jewelry
• Urban Soule home goods
• Schmancy handmade goods
• Secret Stash Sea Salts flavored salts

Wednesday, Dec. 9th is the Anniversary Party for the Grassroots Business Association. We'll be gathering at Vermillion to talk over the year that has passed, there will be cupcakes.