April 11, 2007 -- By Becky Moore

Update: November 8th, 2009 will be the last monthly Crafty Wonderland event. They will still have their annual Super Colossal Holiday Sale and Super Colossal Spring Sale before Mothers day.

They say Portland is a mecca for the crafty. By “they,” of course, I mean the DIY duo of Cathy Pitters and Torie Nguyen, the fabulous twosome responsible for the rise in local craftacular events, most notably Crafty Wonderland, a monthly bazaar of sort that brings together a collection of creative vendors at favorite venue, the Doug Fir.

If your mental image mimics ours, you’re close. It is a picture of Alice in Wonderland meets Candyland, but instead of lollipops and gum drops and puffs of cotton candy, there are wallets and totes and hand-dyed camisoles, screen-prints, soaps, knits and crochet.

This Sunday, Crafty Wonderland celebrates its first birthday, something Cathy and Torie agree happened fast. “We talked about it for such a long time,” says Cathy, “I can’t believe it’s already been a year!” Yet, for this engineering squad, the party is just getting started; the event is booked at Doug Fir through the end of 2009.

The pair knew they were onto something when they joined a local craft collective and decided the combination of their experiences could be crafted into the perfect fair. Finding the perfect venue was the first step, and the look of lodge pole timber at the Doug Fir fit right into their visuals like a picture of a 1940s pin-up girl fist into an antique compact case. “They were excited about it; we were excited about it,” Torie says. “So it just worked.”

As usual, the fair runs from 11:00am to 4:00pm, but in the spirit of the birthday festivities, come early to claim your gift (handmade, of course) and decorate cupcakes at the DIY table, where a spread of different flavored cakes will sit naked, ready for bedazzling by you and the kids, an assortment of colorful frostings and candy toppings at your disposal.

A popular addition to every show, the DIY table changes each month to sponsor a crafty project fun for adults and tykes alike. Not only is it free, it's good for the soul and oftentimes leaves you with something to hang on the wall at home. “Since boys are sometimes intimidated by the craftiness, we try to focus on things they wouldn’t shy away from,” says Cathy. And don’t worry, dads, you’ll have plenty to browse, because unlike most craft fairs, the booths are not housed with super feminine items (well, maybe some are); there are plenty of vendors with masculine flair, including art ranging from paintings to glass to funky illustrations and collage.

Of course, the scope also extends to include the little boys and girls with dimples and curls, who will enjoy the handmade stuffed animals, leopard print pants and pin-tucked bibs, to name just a few goodies.

Solving the threat of monotony, Torie and Cathy jury the show to limit the monthly recurrence of vendors and dissipate the likeness of others, keeping it fresh and giving fans a different dose of DIY at each show. “Sometimes you’ll go to a fair and there are the same vendors as the month before, or half the show is jewelry,” says Cathy. “We mix it up so you don’t have the same style or people every month.”

Generally held every second Sunday of the month, Crafty Wonderland falls on the third Sunday this month, so as not to conflict with Easter. But next month it falls on Mother’s Day, the perfect after-brunch activity. Whether you’re a mom yourself looking for a little treat or creative inspiration, or you’re in the market to make or buy your own mother something pretty, you’ll leave feeling your good deed is done — not just for mom, but for the crafters who put their spirit, along with their wares, on the table before you.

For those who are well into the craft scene, you may have seen the work of Cathy and Torie in the book Super Crafty, a local collection of more than 75 how-tos compiled by four ladies, also including Susan Beal and Rachel O’Rourke. It’s the perfect activity book for weekends with the kids — or to take some time to yourself and watch your creativity florish.

Check out Cathy’s chic goodies for both young and adult at www.bossanovababy.com (where you can also find the Super Crafty book), and Torie’s handmade bags and accessories at www.totinette.com. Get more information (including a list of future vendors) about Crafty Wonderland on their website.