Welcome to Funky Designs!

Online Holiday Shopping Event!

If you want to support local Rust Belt businesses (and of course you do), Cleveland Bazaar, Crafty Mart (Akron) and I Made It! Market (Pittsburgh) have teamed up for an amazing holiday shopping option. A beautiful online catalog, which features over 150 local artists and artisans, is now available to view at http://www.shopholidayhandmade.com/shop-now/. Flip through like you used to do with the holiday catalogs you got in the mail when you were a kid…without the paper waste.

Retail changes

What a year. I’m sad to report that Curate & Co. in Hartville has closed its doors. They are in my thoughts as they move on to an uncertain future. I know that Kylie is a talented photographer, so if you have some photography needs, check out her work or reach out to her at https://www.kyliebrickerphoto.com/

On a more positive note, I was approached by the fine folks at Cuyahoga Valley Art Center as a vendor and I had a very fun afternoon with them this past weekend  selecting pieces to put in their gift shop. They chose a little bit of everything, so if you are near Cuyahoga Falls and need some gift options, check them out on Front Street. While I was bringing in my wares, I saw two classes going on, all socially distant and masked up. Check them out.

Funky Designs is a 2020 Creative Catapult finalist!

Funky Designs has been selected as a finalist in this year’s Creative Catapult!!!

Each year, makers from the Akron area compete for a $2000 prize. It’s kind of like Shark Tank for creatives put on by an amazing non-profit organization in Akron called Crafty Mart. They put together excellent programming and supply some really great resources for the Akron maker community. Each year they host craft shows, bring in educators and specialists from around Northeast Ohio to help makers learn new skills and develop their businesses, plus they some amazing resources. 

I am putting together a pitch for what I do and why I need funds to take my business to the next level. You can help!

Since a gathering of individuals would be a very questionable idea this year, they have moved the entire event online. You can buy a ticket for this year’s event. You get to watch the pitches of the finalists via a Vimeo link, receive a super special box of goodies from the finalists, and vote on the maker you would like to see receive funding.

Tickets for the event are $40 and are available at https://ticketstripe.com/2020creativecatapultGA

Etsy!

I have started adding my work to the popular handcrafted site  Etsy, beginning with the Concrete & Steel earrings. Rather than making specific pairs for the site, I thought it would be more fun for you to be able to choose your own colors. So, for each listing, you can select one of 24 color palettes for your earring stones. 

I will continue to add my work to the site. You can find my Etsy listings here.

Concrete Rainbow Pride Bracelets

Thank you so much for the support you showed during the rainbow pride bracelet fundraiser. The fundraiser is over now, but it will return next June in some form. Together we raised $243.75 for The Trevor Project.

Again, thank you for your interest. This was a labor of love and a tribute to the many friends and students that have trusted me during an emotionally challenging time. I love you all and I am proud to call you my friends.

-ERIC STRICKLAND

Summer 2020 update

This is both exciting and nerve-wracking… Some shows are starting to happen, while others are being cancelled. Most recently, Wildroots has cancelled their 2020 season,  the Cleveland Bazaar has cancelled June and July shows after the city pulled all permits for events through July,  and the Kent Flea and Maker’s Market cancelled all theirs shows for the year. For the events that are happening, the state and the event organizers have guidelines to help keep vendors and customers safe.  The most common ones are:

• Maintain social distancing. Only one customer in a tent at a time.
• Vendors are required to wear masks.
• Minimize physical contact with products.
• Clean display areas frequently.

Different events will have different guidelines and regardless of whether you agree with them or not, please follow them or you will be asked to leave.

Pre-ordering

One request I am seeing from organizers is to allow for and encourage pre-ordering so that customers can just pick up their purchases at the show. I am taking this a step further. I will custom cast any of my products in your choice of color. Just let me know what you want, what color you want it in, and what show you will be able to pick up your order. You can also arrange to pick up at my home studio, have items shipped, or I can deliver to the Canton area. I will send an invoice by email that you can pay securely using a credit card. So, anything you have ever seen on my Instagram feed, I can make in pretty much any color. Just hit the button below to email me with your request or questions, even if you just want to know how much a piece would cost.

See you this summer! 

Eric