Crafty Collective

Five friends — Becky Hensley, Spencer Keralis, Kristin Dell’Orso, LeVar Battle and Amber Powell — put their heads together to create Craftin’ Carnival, a title with a double meaning. On the one hand, it’s an umbrella, a community of crafters and artisans, and on the other, it’s a physical craft...

By Susan Froyd

September 8, 2011

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Five friends — Becky Hensley, Spencer Keralis, Kristin Dell’Orso, LeVar Battle and Amber Powell — put their heads together to create Craftin’ Carnival, a title with a double meaning. On the one hand, it’s an umbrella, a community of crafters and artisans, and on the other, it’s a physical craft market where that community can sell wares. But, notes Dell’Orso, it was Hensley, who’s also the brains behind the hands-on group Denver Craft Ninjas, who really put things in motion.

“We wanted to take a different approach to craft shows,” she says. “And we wanted to incorporate a community-service aspect and open up admission to more fledgling crafters.”

Find a gamut of handmade merchandise at the first-ever Craftin’ Carnival event, today from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Work Brite, 4120 Brighton Boulevard, Unit A-40. And in deference to the group’s community-service angle, nonprofits such as the Joshua Station transitional housing project will also be showcased. There will also be cotton candy, Dell’orso stresses. “We wanted it to have that carnival atmosphere. I have that image in my mind of when I was a kid and I went to the county fair, and there were antiques and pies and red, white and blue buntings. So, we chose the date as a nod to Americana and maybe a way to create new associations for that day, ten years later.”

Admission is free, and food trucks will be available for eats; get details at www.craftcarnival.com.
Sun., Sept. 11, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., 2011

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Susan Froyd started writing for Westword as the "Thrills" editor in 1992 and never quite left the fold. These days she still freelances for the paper in addition to walking her dogs, enjoying cheap ethnic food and reading voraciously. Sometimes she writes poetry.

Contact: Susan Froyd

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