Want Tix (and More) to Indie Emporium?

EDIT 10.9 12:10pm//After some unsuccessful attempts to get in touch with the first winner I say to Joy, "I command thee, take these tickets to Indie Emporium off my hands."

Just goes to show that it pays to do the extra entries. Have fun, Joy!

EDIT 9.30 3:18pm//A hint to help with the guessing contest below: The initials of the name of the indie jewelry company that crafted my favorite earrings could also stand for that little thing one would be well-advised to obtain should s/he not earn a high school diploma.//

Ever prided yourself on something you made with your own two hands? Maybe you're a seamstress, a wood worker, a jewelry maker or, heck, a coffee cup builder. At any rate, you'll relish what's on tap for the second weekend in October: the third annual Indie Emporium.

The entity that gets to claim the IE acronym that's actually as cool as it says it is will open Oct. 9 at the VFW Post No. 577, in the Pearl District at 1109 E. Sixth Street. The regional Mecca for lovers of hip, handmade goods will run through Oct. 10

Indie Emporium got its start in 2007 with the idea that Tulsans deserve an opportunity to support Tulsa's economy, artists and crafters and to showcase independent handipeople. The family-friendly event will feature more than 40 vendors, 10 gallery artists a fashion show of handmade clothing, make-and-take projects, hourly craft demonstrations, a silent auction and, if you can believe it, tons more. Each IE patron will even get to screen print his or her own Indie Emporium tote bag. For free.

No, really. And, the first 50 people to hit the event Friday night will snag an IE tote bag filled with samplings from vendors and artists featured at the 2009 Indie Emporium.

Plus, a trip or two to Indie Emporium is a great way to do some serious damage to your holiday shopping list while at the same time supporting local, homegrown businesses. Who's to argue with that? Do your friends and family a favor and grab great deals on clothing, art, accessories and a smattering of one-of-a-kind miscellany - you know, things people actually want rather than the tired gift certificate to Wal-Mart - all made lovingly in the hands of actual people, not robots in some factory up the river.

To wrap up this third of Indie Emporium weekends will be a showing of Handmade Nation, the indie craft documentary, at Tulsa's own independent moviehouse, Circle Cinema.

Cool, huh?

The vendors at Indie Emporium don't want to just sell you a bunch of stuff, wave bye-bye and start planning how to get you to open you wallet for next year's show. These girls and boys look to give back to the community by collecting canned food and hosting a silent auction to benefit the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. Last year IE was able to provide more than 1,000 meals to those in need. Not bad, not bad.

To whom do you owe sacraments and love and thanks for this ground zero of crafty awesomeness? None other than Tulsa Craft Mafia member Christine Sharp-Crowe, who wanted to provide Tulsans with an alternative to the sweat-shop products crowding malls and so-called craft fairs in the area.

"There is a handmade revolution sweeping the nation because young people are tired of the everyday, mass-produced consumerism, and I wanted to see Tulsa right in the middle of that revolution," she said.

Advance tickets are available for $5 at Ida Red and Dwelling Spaces, two of Tulsa's hottest indie boutiques, as well as on the Indie Emporium Web site. They're $5 at the door if you show up toting canned food donations. Else, they're $8.

Like kids under 12, you and a worthy buddy could get in to Indie Emporium 2009 free. All you have to do is guess correctly the name of the Tulsa-based producer of handmade jewelry and IE09 vendor that crafted these lovely earrings (click the photo for a better look):

Think you know who's talented enough to craft these babies (which are, by the way, my most favorite earrings I've ever owned, ever)? Make your best guess in the comments before 5pm on Thursday. I'll let Random.org choose the winner of a pair or tickets to Indie Emporium.

The tickets come with a hefty set of free raffle tickets the winner can use to try his or her chances at winning a Yudu screen printing machine and a supplies package, valued at $1,00o. Woah.

Also part of the deal is lunch and a cupcake from IE yummies vendors Elote Cafe & Catering and this kick-ass new catering company, Antoinette's Bakery. Oh, yum.

Want extra chances at this most stellar of prize packages? After and only after you make your guess as to the maker of the earrings here on this post, you can win extra entries for each tweet or post on Facebook about Indie Emporium or this giveaway.

If you opt to increase you odds in these ways, please let me know by returning to this post and pasting the URLs to your wise words in the comments. Do this as often as you like, but I'll only award extra entries to those who have a) guessed correctly the maker of the earrings in the comments on this post and b) returned to the comments section on this post to point me to the places on the Web where you've blabbed about this giveaway and/or IE09.

Get it? Got it? Good.

Off to the races with yas. I'll choose a winner before I post this weekend's edition of What To Do in Tulsa This Weekend.