First off, who in their right mind does not love coffee and/or cookies?? This event is going to have it all and I can’t wait! Meet local artisans, watch craft demos (I’ll be showing how I make my fantabulous lotions) and get all sorts of yummy goodies! Not only will fabulous local bakers be showcasing their goodies, there is also a CHARITY VEGAN BAKE SALE benefiting the Arizona Animal Welfare League going on at the Strawberry Hedgehog booth! We already have donations coming in from ZonieBaskets and Rikki Cupcake, vegan baker extraordinaire – would you like to donate? E-mail me! Not the baking type? Come buy some goodies and help some displaced critters who need your support!

BRAGG’S PIE FACTORY
1301 W GRAND AVE, PHOENIX
SATURDAY, APRIL 24
NOON-5PM

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Phoenix, AZ (April 14, 2010) – Announcing the first “Coffee, Cookies & Crafts” independent craft event to be held at Bragg’s Pie Factory on Saturday, April 24 from noon to 5:00 pm. This free event will be a celebration of local, independent art and crafts, with activities for the whole family.

The afternoon will offer a variety of activities including local vendors selling handmade goods, crafting demos, kids’ crafts, and a craft supply swap. Attendees will get to enjoy a pop-up coffee lounge with free coffee provided by Conspire and free baked goods from local bakeries Urban Cookies, Elemental Sugar, and Rikki Cupcake.

Crafting demos will include YUDU demos by Sarah Spencer and Cyndi Coon, lotion making demo with Strawberry Hedgehog, how to make a sustainable gift basket with ZonieBaskets, and more.

The CraftyChica, Kathy Cano-Murillo, will make a guest appearance. She will be reading from her new novel, Waking Up in the Land of Glitter. Books will be available for purchase and for a book signing. The first fifteen people will get free CraftyChica glitter.

The craft supply swap is open to everyone. Attendees are invited to bring old craft supplies and swap with others. Tables will be provided for the craft swap. Kids’ crafts will be organized throughout the day in a special area. Kids will be able to take home their very own creations. There is no charge to participate in the craft swap or the kids’ crafts.

Local vendors will include:

Alarmingly Charming,
An Owens Original,
annieWHERE,
Cherry Forever,
Crazy Chix Jewelry & Accessories,
hodgepodgebaby,
Kenzie Noelle Designs,
Moderncat Studio,
Paper Expressions,
Stanley Moon’s,
Starving Artist Bazaar,
Space Cadet,
Star de Luna,
Sticker Club Girl with Sassy Bee Designs,
Strawberry Hedgehog,
Urban Adornments,
Willo Wire Jewelry,
ZonieBaskets, and more.

AZ Lost Boys will also be selling their handmade cow sculptures for the Cow Project, with all proceeds benefiting the AZ Lost Boys Center.

“Coffee, Cookies & Crafts” at Bragg’s Pie Factory is presented by Moderncat Studio, Lucky Paper Arts, and Sticker Club Girl and is being sponsored by MADE Art Boutique, Practical Art, Local First Arizona, Conspire Arts Cooperative, Kooky Krafts Shop, and Blueberry Deluxe.

Bragg’s Pie Factory is located at 1301 W Grand Avenue in downtown Phoenix. For more information, please email coffeecookiesandcrafts@gmail.com.

Image by Eric Johnson on Flickr
The state has been and continues to be hit hard by the financial crisis. Budgets have been slashed across the board, state parks are closing, jobs continue to be lost in key areas. There is no doubt that sacrifices must be made but at what cost?  I am startled and dismayed by the choices being made in this time of crisis and want to help spread the word.

The following is an update on changes being made at Arizona State University that impact the quality of education throughout the state and its relevance to sustainability for Arizona. Written by my esteemed peer at Arizona State University in the Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education, Kimberly Eversman:

In a recent announcement made by President Crow, members of ASU faculty, staff and student body found out that, due to a mandate from the Arizona Board of Regents (ABOR) to reduce our state salary budget for FY 11 by 2.75%, four organizational changes were made:

• Disestablishment of the Mary Lou Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education.
• Disestablishment of the Department of Kinesiology in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences
• Disestablishment of the School of Health Management and Policy in the W.P. Carey School of Business
• Disestablishment of the School of Design Innovation in the Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts.

In the Fulton Institute and Graduate School of Education (FIGSE), thirty plus staff were given termination notices last week and highly ranked faculty, who continue to support issues of social justice and equity, were told they would be reabsorbed in the new Mary Lou Fulton Teacher’s College.

Graduate students were told that programs would remain intact and will simply be absorbed by the new Teacher’s College. However, with the loss of staff and faculty, it is simply irresponsible to claim, “nothing will change”.

The most unsettling aspect of these events is that there was no attempt by those in power, to reach out to members of the FIGSE community to come to a more just and sustainable solution to the ABOR request.

A core principal of sustainable societies is a deep commitment to the democratic principals of outreach, transparency and extensive public participation. This requires two-way communication with community members (faculty, staff, students, alumni, among many others) and an open, slow, and deliberative decision-making process. It is clear that these principals were not obeyed during this current (and former) restructurings. This shirking of democratic process shows a failure to abide by some of the overarching principals of the “New American University” including sustainability and embededness.

It is in the spirit of sustainability and a commitment to these democratic principles that we wish to get the word out about these events. Community members have a right to know about the restructurings and have a right to have their voices heard. For more information on how you can get involved, check out our Facebook page, Coalition for Education.

Micro-loans from the Guerrant Foundation help Divya weave silk in India.

Thursday, April 1st, 7pm-Midnight
Rhythm Room, 1019 E. Indian School Rd, Phoenix

All proceeds benefit the Guerrant Foundation and will be matched by Terry and Anne Guerrant up to $100,000 in 2010. Funds go to help provide micro-loans to entrepreneurial people in need of a little kick start worldwide.

Four great bands will perform, Green Lady Killers, Thankful Birds, Dearspeak, and Noel.

Tickets are only $15, buy them now! We’ll see you there.

Watch a the Channel 3 Feature on the Guerrant Foundation: