Honolulu Pow Wow October 5 & 6, 2013

October 5th and 6th, 2013 was the debut of my little craft business Ch'inibaa' Trading Post specializing in Native American Handicrafts made by yours truly.

For the last several months I have been busy creating handmade items to sale at this year's Pow Wow. My husband Scotty is AMAZING. Not only did he deal with the craziness and messiness of my "Creative Process" but he also was such a great support for me while I figured the whole process out. (In fact, I'm still recovering). A few days before I sprung on him the need for pictures of my handmade items and he brilliantly came through with beautiful pictures capturing the unique charm of each item. You can find the pictures here:  http://www.flickr.com/photos/kiapolo/sets/72157636133061854/

As I sold my items my heart ached just a little bit with each purchase as a  piece of me left with their new owner. My dolls especially pulled at my heartstrings as their little personalities and background stories formed as I worked on sewing their little outfits, making their moccasins, adhering and styling  their hair  and painting the details of their faces.

I have always loved handmade dolls, especially Native American Dolls. When I was a little girl I loved the traditional Navajo Couple Dolls you would find at Arts & Crafts and Trading Posts across the 'Rez. They were usually made with the clothes, accessories and hair sewn on and sometimes even the boy and girl doll's hands would be sewn together. I always wanted a doll that I could change their clothes. My mom made my sister and I several Navajo Outfits for our barbie dolls and we spent endless hours playing "Miss Navajo". You'd often find our dolls all dressed and lined up ready for the judges in our room.

I designed the patterns for each doll including the body, removable clothing and  accessories, hair and painted faces. My little Navajo Dolls include a Blouse and Three Tier Skirt, belt, traditional female wrap moccasins, beaded necklace and hair tassel to keep their hair in a traditional knot called a 'tsiyeel' that signifies organized thoughts.

I designed my Plains' Tribes Native Dolls using the T-shaped designed dress with cut fringe for the Buckskin dresses and ribbon for the more 'modern' Trade Cloth Dresses also known as a Ribbon Dress.I beaded their removable hair ties and moccasins.

Of course my dollies needed a place to live so I also designed a Toy Tee-Pee for them to live in.  Including a matching carrying case.

I was excited to make my first Native American Star Quilts. I've always been so intimidated by the intricacies of all the tiny diamond shaped pieces of fabric that make up a Star Quilt. It's very labor intensive but fairly simple (once you've made a couple of course). But your efforts pay off with the stunning finished quilt.

I made several different baby-sized quilts and a some doll sized ones. I also finished a few other designs as well.

 

I am nowhere near as gifted as my sister is in bead work but I was happy with the simple designed jewelry pieces I finished in time to sell at the Pow-Wow. 

The Chandelier Style Pow Wow earrings are probably the most recognizable "Native American" earring and it's what most people want to buy. They are fun but repetitive to make and can be rather stunning.

I rounded out my inventory with a few diaper straps and changing pads for all the mommas (even though they are necessarily "Native"). My favorite were the Chevron and Star Wars Prints. 

It was an exciting and exhausting weekend and I am so grateful for my in-laws who came and helped support me. My little booth was a big success and I am much encouraged to do it again next year and possibly some craft fairs between now and then. In the meantime I got 3 orders that I worked on and have enough inventory to open an etsy shop. The future is bright for Ch'inibaa' Trading Post.