Two weekends ago we visited the Richmond Craft Mafia’s Spring Bada-Bing craft show. It felt a lot like their Handmade Holiday event we attended in December, so we wanted to share the local, handmade finds we discovered. We didn’t leave with as many purchases as last year, but we did come home with three favorites that we’ll reveal at the end of this tour.
When we first entered the Plant Zero event space, a humorous print by Matt Butler caught our eye. Sherry immediately thought of her bacon-loving friend, and I thought how much I wanted to eat bacon. It was a lighthearted start to the show.
Matt Butler creates hand-carved linocut prints and painted shoes, often with a tongue-in-cheek sense of humor. While we weren’t ready to commit to bacon-themed wall art, we spent a while admiring his “Whale Love” print instead.
One vendor really earned our “Why didn’t I think of that?” award: Articipe. She turns cherished family recipes into bright, custom artworks. You provide the recipe and she creates a playful print—perfect for gifting or preserving a favorite family memory. After seeing her work, I started imagining the people I could order personalized recipe art for.
We’re fans of state-themed art, so Jennifer Allevato’s embroidered state hoops were an easy stop. Her hoops are detailed and can be ordered for any state, making them a sweet, personalized gift or keepsake for someone who loves where they live.
Nearby, The Runny Bunny displayed ceramics that felt refreshingly original. The artist mixes and matches heads and bodies to create unexpected hybrids—garden gnomes on bird bodies, rabbit heads atop elegant figures, and other imaginative combinations. The booth drew a constant crowd, and it was easy to see why: each piece is a true conversation starter. Sherry’s favorite was a small finch with a truck head, while I liked a gentlemanly figure with a deer head.
Given our recent experiments with succulents, Terrariums by Rich were a highlight. His designs prompted us to want to get better at planting—he even adds tiny figurines, like little green martians, for a whimsical touch. One large, centerpiece terrarium on display was especially impressive.
Modern June showcased a clever chalkboard rooster decal that offered a fresh twist on a classic chalkboard. It was a great example of how simple vinyl art can change a room’s personality.
Moonlight Bindery featured notebooks bound with Lego bricks—small wallet-sized versions alongside larger ones using oversized green baseplates. The playful nod to childhood building blocks felt nostalgic and functional at the same time.
Sherry couldn’t resist the charm of hand-stamped silver utensils from Milk & Honey Luxuries. Those sentimental, personalized spoons and forks are ideal keepsakes, and some of the quirky forks that read “nom nom nom” made me laugh.
The show included more than home décor and art—there was jewelry, clothing, and natural body products. Whispering Willow’s organic soaps smelled terrific and were displayed on slices of wood, which inspired a simple DIY soap-dish idea for the home bathroom.
It was a pleasure to revisit vendors we’d seen before. Silver Tree Art offered bright Wisdom Cards, and Tasha McKelvey showcased nesting bird bowls with a charming detail: each smaller bowl contained one fewer egg, a delicate, thoughtful touch.
We caught up with Karyn of KShonk Designs and admired her sparkly jewelry in person. Sherry was especially taken with pieces that glittered under the show lights. I also gravitated toward more whimsical jewelry from Inedible Jewelry—who wouldn’t appreciate pork chop cuff links for a laugh?
Some familiar booths had new items too. Lazymuse Productions, known for crocheted jellyfish ornaments, featured a vivid “cac-tastic” display alongside playful knitted cat toys shaped like rats, zombie fingers, and fortune cookies. Funnelcloud Studio had prints we loved, and between those and other whale-centric pieces, we wondered if we were starting a small whale art collection.
Zou Zou’s Basement, the maker of a pink rabbit print we bought at a previous show to hang outside Clara’s room, had a striking ostrich (or emu) print in colors we adore. Turnerbot’s handmade figures also caught Sherry’s attention—each one is crafted uniquely, and she was enchanted by their glazed eyes.
Lucky Accessories presented colorful enameled penny necklaces that nearly came home with Sherry. Their bright, modern jewelry pieces always feel fresh and wearable.
Ready for the reveal of what we did bring home? The winners were three crocheted cacti from Lazymuse Productions. They’re charming, durable, and completely maintenance-free—the middle cactus stands around seven inches tall, and each one was $10. We walked in with a $30 budget and managed to stick to it, which felt like a triumph. They now brighten the window ledge of our office, and best of all, they’ll never need watering or risk spilling soil everywhere.
Besides the Spring Bada-Bing, we enjoyed other artsy outings that weekend. Have you visited any craft fairs, art shows, or farmers’ markets lately? Did you bring anything home that made you smile?
Psst—We announced the winner for this week’s giveaway. Check the original site to see if it’s you.