Makers Always Bring Extra Love
Five Days in Philly for Makers!
A recap of m.a.b.e.l's small-group makers tour through Philadelphia — screen printing, weaving, bojagi, the Barnes Foundation, and some of the best food in the city. Here's what five days in Philly...
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Japan Craft Tour Recap: Fall 2025 and Spring 2026
Yes, we actually went twice this year. And yes, it was worth it both times. Our Japan Craft Tour has become one of my favorite things we do at m.a.b.e.l — a small-group, craft-focused trip to Tokyo...
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What We'll be Doing in Philly on the Philly Makers Tour
A run down of ALL our activities on our Philly Makers Tour!
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The Philly Makers Tour: A Sense of Place
Philadelphia is often misunderstood. If you only know it by reputation, you might picture dedicated (some may say rabid?) sports fans (not quite untrue—go Birds), loud opinions, and a hard exteri...
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Mottainai (moe-tie-nigh) is an integral part of Japanese life. Simply put, it means 'not being wasteful,' although sometimes it's said wistfully when something is wasted, whether that's something p...
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Or better yet--trying new things, because I'm pretty sure this is a 'one and done'. One of my goals for this year was to take advantage of all the options my maker space (NextFab) offers, one of ...
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I read once when you're contemplating buying a new something that you already have multiples of, there's a mathematical equation to rely on: N +1. N, of course, equals the number you already have....
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Japan Craft Tour 2024 Recap (and registration for 2025!!)
Yes, this is delayed, but also yes, it's been...um....shall we say, busy? Our 2024 Japan Craft Tour welcomed five travelers last November, and we were blessed with good humor, wonderful camaraderi...
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Quilt Bins, Studio Totes, and Now Studio Cubes!
The evolution of a new tote! A cross between my Quilt Bin and Studio Tote 2.0 yields the Studio Cube.
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One of the things Japan does so well is packaging. I'm reminded of that every time I return home from a visit and spend then next few weeks clearing out hundreds of images of boxes and wrapping. ...
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