THE ATOMIC TESTING MUSEUM presents
FAmily Fun DAy
Journey through
Japan
August 7th • 10am -5pm $5 per family member Families, please join us as we learn about the beauty of Japanese culture. Children will receive a “Journey Through Japan” passport that will include a passport photo of the child in traditional Japanese dress. Participants will also enjoy activities such as; a puppet show of “Sadako and the 1000 paper Cranes”, a Taiko drummer demonstration, origami folding, Chopsticks game, Japanese Martial Arts demonstration, Japanese Archers, and other events to be announced. This event is being sponsored by the Atomic Testing Museum, the Japanese American Society of Nevada, and the Japanese Citizen’s league. The event is being funded through a grant from the Center for Global Partnership, Japan Foundation.
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THE ATOMIC
TESTING MUSEUM
THE NEVADA TEST SITE HISTORICAL FOUNDATION
755 E. FlAMINGO rd. Just East of Paradise rd. las Vegas • 702.794.5151 MON-SAT 10:00 AM - 5:00 PM SUN 12:00 PM - 5:00 PM
22
Desert Companion
J U L Y / / A U G U ST 2 0 1 0
Business become her best-selling item — and other, intangible benefits aren’t bad, either. “So much of my energy and even my identity flows into [the children’s] development,” Cram says. “Etsy has provided a place that’s just for me. That is kind of empowering. It does feel really neat to hear people’s feedback on some little thing I enjoy doing, to see that they enjoy it.” She often thinks how different it was for her mother, who made wreaths at Christmastime. “She had one moment in the year that she could go sell them at some craft fair that was in the town,” Cram says. “I think about how localized that was and how limited that was. With Etsy the whole world just opens up.”
Something out of nothing The world certainly opened up for Candace Todd, who started SparklePower (SparklePower.etsy.com) three years ago as a new mother living in Idaho away from family while her husband finished college. “It’s great to feel like you connect with people, that you’re not the only one out there who feels passionately about the things you feel passionate about,” says Todd. “And it’s great to be able … to feel successful, to make something and have somebody love it and pay you money for it.” She sells flag garlands sewn from reclaimed fabric along with posters designed by her husband Dylan and hair accessories made by her collegestudent sister. She saw business take off after the family moved to Cleveland, and when Dylan was laid off this fall and they moved back to their hometown of Las Vegas, they only had to suspend selling for a few weeks. Before Dylan found a new job in February, the couple made ends meet with their earnings from Etsy. The business, with its cohesive aesthetic, robust sales and diligent followers of Candace’s blog, Flickr and Twitter, is a far cry from the shop where she listed her first item, a craft apron made with fabric she had around the house. Today, she calls Etsy a blessing and herself a cheerleader for it. It’s a blessing that keeps growing. Candace says they’re planning new projects for the shop, hoping to start a local indie craft fair, and even talking about opening a brick-and-mortar store. She credits Etsy for giving her a career
Shop locally dot-com Five one-of-a-kind Etsy finds — straight out of Vegas Eat Cake Marie Antoinette Party Hat, $18, Joosy Card Co. (JoosyCardCo.etsy.com) Most little girls have a princess obsession that’s hard to shake. But with this frilly and witty party hat, parents can at least provide an alternative to Belle, Aurora, Ariel and the rest of the gang. Fresh Cut Flowers Pillow, $22, Oiive (Oiive.etsy.com) The modern print of this throw pillow brings to mind wildflowers instead of more stale florals and adds a bright touch to a room. French Flair Baby Shower Invitation, $10, Three Kisses Studio (ThreeKissesStudio.etsy.com) Festive and feminine without a stork or diaper pin in sight, this invitation allows you to print your own, so they’ll stay inexpensive no matter how long the guest list grows. Retro Midnight Snack Apron in Dancing Cranes Print, $35, Spice Rak Designs (SpiceRakDesigns.etsy.com) The full-skirted shape says Mad Men housewife, but the Asian print makes this apron fitting for a modern woman. Whale Blooms necklace, $20, I Adorn U (IAdornU.etsy.com) A whale? A flower? This quirky necklace has both without being over the top. Sounds weird, looks pretty.
she didn’t expect and an online group of girlfriends she hadn’t imagined. “I want my kids to learn that they can make things,” Todd says. “And they can make something from nothing at times too.” DC