This weekend was such a fun one! I can't believe all that I managed to fit in on Saturday and Sunday (movies! brunch! shopping! dinner! street fest! flea market!) but I'm so glad I did because I got up this morning feeling refreshing and ready for a new week. One highlight was the Ausstellung craft show (Markt für Kunst und Handwerk) in the Künstlerhaus in Hannover and it was simply lovely. I didn't even know about it until I walked by and saw the signs so the sheer surprise of finding a random craft show that happened to be such a great one was quite nice... It was held in such a gorgeous space (built in the 1850's by famous local architect, Conrad Wilhelm Hase) with herringbone wood floors, massive windows, soaring ceilings, a cafe, a live jazz band and five rooms of German designers displaying and selling metal, wood, textiles, jewelry, paper and ceramic arts and crafts. Bliss!

I fell in love with only a few designers though as is typically the case with shows that I attend since I've grown to become quite selective over the years - I know what I like and what likes me -- it either speaks to me or it does not. The work of ceramicist Frank Schillo spoke to me (more so in person than on his website). His vessels come in an all shapes and sizes, mostly in gray, white or black, were altogether lovely -- as sculptural as they were functional. I picked up a vase that has a doily pattern in white, you know how I love doilies and this was the perfect marriage of function and form along and a great example of modernizing grandmother's doily.

Other highlights from the show: textile artist and Kristiina Karinen from nearby Celle, Maren Giloy who had the most unusual and genius idea -- she uses found costume jewelry rings and links them together to form bracelets, and the ceramics of Sabine Kratzer. Their cards are shown above.

There were also a few other jewelry designers though their names escape me and they didn't have a website anyway so I guess sharing their names won't really make a difference. But wow - the work I saw was beautiful. Had I known about this fair I would have brought my camera and photographed it for you -- so sorry! Next time... there is another (different and larger fair) coming up this weekend that I will attend and if they allow photography I will snap some photos just for you. :)

(images: top - bottom - holly becker for decor8)