Did you take our word for it? #tcjreco

Have you ever tried something based on a recommendation from Travelcraft Journal?

Maybe you made a project or recipe we featured, checked out a new coffee shop, took a road trip, went to an event on the Happenings List, or purchased something from our gift guide.

(Speaking of which, the 2016 travel gift guide is online now!)

I’m looking for feedback on the impact of what we share, so I’d love to hear if there’s anything you’ve made or purchased or anywhere you’ve gone after reading about it here.

Post about it on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, or Facebook. Use #tcjreco (for Travelcraft Journal recommendation) and tag me.
Or comment on this post.

So…have you ever tried something we posted about? If not, what are you hoping to learn more about in 2017?

November 24, 2016November 23, 2016

Hidden in the Hills Art Show Returns

This weekend is the annual Hidden in the Hills art show and sale. Here are some of the artists we’ve met and work we’ve seen in past years.

1. There’s something captivating about the vibrant acrylic work of Ravay Snow – it just draws you in.

2. Ken Ryan continues to craft weathered wood into rustic furniture and sculpture.

3. Bela Fidel works in encaustics (a wax technique) and mixed media. Some is abstract, and some incorporates sacred texts and imagery.

4. Robin Ray’s studio is always a hub of activity with demonstrations and work in progress, so you can learn about how her beautiful pieces come together.

5. Peter Skidd, who we found through Instagram, creates steel sculptures with rich, layered colors in his home studio. (Phillip enjoyed chilling on the patio there.)

6. Craig Frankowski likes to experiment with the traditional canvas format.

7. Natalie Keller does western oil paintings and even dressed to match!

Check out the current Hidden in the Hills site to see which artists are participating this year!

October 17, 2016October 17, 2016

Playing Card Mini Journal (WIP) and Las Vegas Trip

A photo posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Jul 10, 2015 at 11:11pm PDT

Vegas has never seemed like my scene, but Phillip and I are planning to be there in a couple weeks. His longtime friend Michael, who now calls the area home, is getting married, so we’re taking a road trip! It’ll be my first time in Las Vegas (outside of a brief layover en route from Indiana, which doesn’t really count). So I’ve been researching things we might want to see – both on The Strip and beyond it.

A video posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Jul 11, 2015 at 9:55am PDT

I also started making a mini scrapbook with playing card pages.

Even if the glitz and excess I associate with Vegas isn’t so appealing to me, there’s more to every place than meets the eye. I’m looking forward to searching out spots that tell different stories.

PS In case you can’t see them, the Instagram shots are a photo of Mr. Cheeseface on a slot machine and a video of take-off over the lights of The Vegas Strip.

October 13, 2016October 11, 2016

The Next Phoenix Fan Fest

Whether it’s your favorite lunch spot or a local festival, when something you enjoy goes from niche to well-known, you may feel you miss the “good old days” before the crowds. Of course, those crowds help keep corner cafes in business and sustain community events.

It’s true of Phoenix Comicon. I’ve heard plenty of long-time attendees wax nostalgic about the earlier events with their shorter lines and sense of community, while, of course, enjoying the bigger name guests and programming made possible by the larger numbers.

Enter Phoenix Fan Fest.

Why Fan Fest?

Meant to evoke the feel of the early days of Phoenix Comicon, Fan Fest is a smaller, more intimate show by design. There are fewer tracks with the focus on artists/comics, costumes, and kid-friendly events.

It’s also more interactive. As one organizer put it, think of Fan Fest as “come and do things” instead of just “come and see things.” You can learn to play Quidditch (adapted for muggles, of course), compete in MS Paint Pictionary, make something with Lego, and even compete in a build-off!

At the first Fan Fest, artists, attendees, and the community collaborated to create a crowdsourced comic character, Blaze. Last year, they invented a nemesis for Blaze. This year, you can be a part of brainstorming action sequences for the two, while artists sketch and bring crowdsourced ideas to life!

New Time and Place

While the first two Fan Fests were held in Glendale in December, this year Fan Fest is happening earlier (October 23 and 24) and moving to the Phoenix Convention Center.

According to organizers, the time change is due, in part, to feedback from attendees that it’s difficult to get time off to go to an event in the middle of the holidays. People may also be tight on cash that time of year.

Attendees had complained about the University of Phoenix Stadium’s location in the West Valley. The Phoenix Convention Center is much more centrally located.

The Convention Center is also built to allow for bigger guest panels, more programming content, and more variety. The stadium only had three rooms for panels (and they were down this weird, dark hallway).

One downside is that there won’t be any more free parking. However, there are more transit options, including light rail stops right at the Covention Center, so you won’t necessarily have to drive.

Organizers said exhibitors were fans of the changes, and they’re hoping you will be too!

– Fan Fest info –

October 23-24, 2016
Phoenix Convention Center
Passes (aka “Memberships”) for sale online. Adults: $25-40, Kids: $10.
Guaranteed seating (new!): Pre-purchase reserved seating for featured guest panels. Limited number for sale until Oct 20 via “Events and Parties” tab on Buy/Memberships page. $15/each.

We’ve received media passes to past events from Phoenix Comicon.

September 29, 2016June 22, 2021

Chile Pepper Festival in Phoenix

As far as I’m concerned, the annual Roosevelt Row Chile Pepper Festival is mostly an excuse to sample really delicious food from a bunch of Phoenix restaurants. The spicy selection includes items like tacos, stuffed chiles, donuts, desserts, and even beverages.

The next festival is this weekend, so here’s the scoop!

How it Works

You buy the number of tasting tickets and/or beer tokens you want at a table near the entrance – there’s no admission cost. Then you wander around the different booths and trade tastings for one or two tickets each. There’s also live music and market areas.

Proceeds raised help support the Growhouse Community Garden’s urban agriculture and education programs.

Last year, we went early, so we could go to Ballet Under the Stars afterwards. We bought our tasting tickets right as the festival opened, and there was practically no line. By the time we left, however, an hour or two in, a lot of people were waiting. Of course, it’s cooler later on. So…pick your battles, I guess.

Food + Drink

If you can’t eat spicy food, this is probably not the festival for you. I mean, you could just go and enjoy the live music. But all the tastings range from mildly to make-you-cry hot.

A few of our favorites:

Welcome Chicken and Donuts – Thai chili donut.
Paz Cantina – Blue corn taco with pork and green chiles.
Otro Café – Phillip liked the Mexico-style “street corn” with chili powder, cheese, and mayo on it.

At one point, I was ready to douse the fire in my mouth, so I got a smoothie, which was deceptively sweet at first – then the sweet disappeared and the crazy burn kicked in. It was unexpected. Like the photobomb from the smoothie guy.

Although beverage-wise we stuck with water and a bottle of Mexican Coke (and that one mouth-searing smoothie), there’s also a beer garden and margarita station.

Art, Craft + Community

On the market side of the festival, there were a handful of community and artist booths.

I dug the collage work of the multitalented Keisha J. Jones, who also models and makes delicious baked goods!

At the Valley Permaculture Alliance (Trees Matter) booth, you could make newspaper seed-starter pots, which inspired a CraftHack project.

Entertainment

When the music started, we watched Flamenco por la Vida. They perform flamenco music and dance superbly.

Some of their adorable pint-sized students danced, as well.

This Saturday, Flamenco por la Vida will be on stage at 9pm. I’m not sure if students will be joining them or if that’s past their bedtime.

A video posted by stephanieliebold (@stephanieliebold) on Sep 26, 2015 at 10:22pm PDT

There are several other performances during the festival, as well as cooking demonstrations and pepper-eating contests.

The band Mariachi Luna de Mexico played after we’d left. In fact, they strode in like some kind of guitar-wielding posse, just as we were headed to the parking lot.

– Festival Info –

The 2016 Chile Pepper Festival will be Saturday, October 1 from 5-10pm.
New location: 128 E Roosevelt St, Phoenix (Roosevelt/2nd St.)
Limited street parking will be available.
Light rail: Central Ave & Roosevelt St. stop is only about a block away (0.1 mile)!
All-ages event. If you plan to drink alcohol, be ready to show your ID and get a wristband at the entry.
There is no admission fee. Food, beverages, and handcrafted items will be for sale.
Details at chilepepperfest.com.