Confession time, peeps: I'm a total craft nut. I've always been someone who likes to tinker -- mostly I do this with my action figures, but I've occasionally ventured out into self-made modeling, needle-and-thread, and beyond. Now, I don't do 'store quality' work: mine has only been a hobby, essentially to help enhance the display of my own collection ... but I certainly give it a solid try.
My wife kinda/sorta got me hooked on crafting of this sort as she's always been dragging me to the various craft shows and antiquing fairs in and around the area where we've lived (both in Illinois and Arizona). Generally speaking, I've wandered the shows taking in the workmanship -- jewelry, quilting, woodwork, metalwork, etc. -- and though I've never said it to any of the exhibitors (I'm always complimentary of good work) I've felt craft exhibitors were really missing the boat when it comes to men's items.
Don't get me wrong: I like the occasional 'marshmallow shooting pistol' as much as the next bloke ... but that's child's play. Rarely if ever have I stumbled across a craft booth that truly represented what men of my ilk want. What is that, you ask? Well, it's Star Wars. Star Trek. The Lord Of The Rings. Blade Runner. You get the idea, right? Sure, maybe I'd be interested in the Space:1999 laced apron, but is that you have for the discerning fanboy?
Over the weekend, the wifey suggested we swing by this wine-tasting craft event in Gilbert, AZ, and I'm glad we did ... because finally -- for the first time ever -- I stumbled across a craft booth that had me turned emotional cartwheels in my brain. As is my way in life, I wanted to share my experience with PopShopAZ with all of you.
What you have here is an Etsy store (this was on display live, mind you, so I could touch and ogle the merchandise with my own eyes and hands) that creates some of the most clever pop culture displays I have ever had the good fortune to find. The owner, his wife and family clearly 'get' geekdom, so much so that they've taken to sharing their love of general geekery with high quality, colorful displays, all of it handcrafted with the care and attention you'd want from a purchased product.
And because they maintain a presence on Etsy, it's something that you, too, can now gleefully go and discover on your own!
There's a little bit of everything in there, so give yourself some time to look around. As I said, the quality is impeccable. The price points are very good -- indeed, I picked up a framed 'Kirk Vs. Gorn' fight ticket to hang on my wall and a few of the store's SciFi-themed shot glasses. I suspect this might be the perfect place to pick up that special something for that special geeky someone in your life in the months ahead. After all ... Christmas is right around the corner!
Simply follow the link right here. Be prepared to be amazed.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
My wife kinda/sorta got me hooked on crafting of this sort as she's always been dragging me to the various craft shows and antiquing fairs in and around the area where we've lived (both in Illinois and Arizona). Generally speaking, I've wandered the shows taking in the workmanship -- jewelry, quilting, woodwork, metalwork, etc. -- and though I've never said it to any of the exhibitors (I'm always complimentary of good work) I've felt craft exhibitors were really missing the boat when it comes to men's items.
Don't get me wrong: I like the occasional 'marshmallow shooting pistol' as much as the next bloke ... but that's child's play. Rarely if ever have I stumbled across a craft booth that truly represented what men of my ilk want. What is that, you ask? Well, it's Star Wars. Star Trek. The Lord Of The Rings. Blade Runner. You get the idea, right? Sure, maybe I'd be interested in the Space:1999 laced apron, but is that you have for the discerning fanboy?
Over the weekend, the wifey suggested we swing by this wine-tasting craft event in Gilbert, AZ, and I'm glad we did ... because finally -- for the first time ever -- I stumbled across a craft booth that had me turned emotional cartwheels in my brain. As is my way in life, I wanted to share my experience with PopShopAZ with all of you.
What you have here is an Etsy store (this was on display live, mind you, so I could touch and ogle the merchandise with my own eyes and hands) that creates some of the most clever pop culture displays I have ever had the good fortune to find. The owner, his wife and family clearly 'get' geekdom, so much so that they've taken to sharing their love of general geekery with high quality, colorful displays, all of it handcrafted with the care and attention you'd want from a purchased product.
And because they maintain a presence on Etsy, it's something that you, too, can now gleefully go and discover on your own!
There's a little bit of everything in there, so give yourself some time to look around. As I said, the quality is impeccable. The price points are very good -- indeed, I picked up a framed 'Kirk Vs. Gorn' fight ticket to hang on my wall and a few of the store's SciFi-themed shot glasses. I suspect this might be the perfect place to pick up that special something for that special geeky someone in your life in the months ahead. After all ... Christmas is right around the corner!
Simply follow the link right here. Be prepared to be amazed.
As always, thanks for reading ... and live long and prosper!
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