Crafty creators coming to town Ever thought of decorating your living-room wall with old suitcases? That's what Ki Nassauer did. The homegrown junk diva, now editor of Flea Market Style, recently revamped her apartment in Los Angeles entirely with scavenged and repurposed pieces, including shelves made from vintage suitcases. The results are featured on the magazine's current cover, and Nassauer will be signing copies next weekend at Junk Bonanza, the popular secondhand style event she founded several years ago. Junk Bonanza is a smorgasbord of vendors showing their artisan-made furniture and accessories. It's happening Thursday through Saturday, at Canterbury Park, 1100 Canterbury Rd. in Shakopee. Admission is $8.
Also coming up next weekend is the Creative Connection Market. Crafty vendors from across the country will display their jewelry, fabric arts, paper goods and other mixed-media pieces. You'll also find raw materials to inspire your own creative projects, as well as craft demos and workshops. Market hours are 1:30 to 9:30 p.m. Friday (including a book-signing/hors d'oeuvres event from 6:30 to 9:30 p.m.), and 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $10 a day or $15 for both days. The Creative Connection Market will be held at the Crowne Plaza hotel, 11 E. Kellogg Blvd., St. Paul.
The look of fall The leaves aren't falling yet, but it's officially autumn at Bachman's, which opens its Fall Ideas House Thursday. The Bachman family's historic home will be completely repainted, refurnished and redecorated for the season. Look for hints of blue, purple and metallic intermingled with the traditional fall colors of gold, pumpkin and rust.
The house includes theme rooms, and this year for the first time visitors can enter to win the Tuscan-themed sunroom and all its contents -- a $3,000 value. You can enter to win at the house. Tickets ($5) are available at www.bachmans.com or 612-861-7311. The Fall Ideas House will be open through Oct. 9 (closed Mondays) at 5936 Lyndale Av. S., Mpls.
Homes by architects Architecture buffs, mark your calendars. It's time for the Homes by Architects tour, featuring more than a dozen new and remodeled homes throughout the Twin Cities and greater Minnesota, all designed by registered members of the American Institute of Architects Minnesota. The projects represent a wide variety of architectural styles, and they'll be open for touring 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and next Sunday. For more information or to buy tickets, visit www.HomesByArchitects.org. Tickets are $15 when purchased online in advance or $20 at the door. A free kickoff event will be held 5 to 7 p.m. Wednesday at Room & Board, 7010 France Av. S., in Edina. Refreshments will be provided by D'Amico & Sons, and visitors can preview the homes on the tour and chat with an architect.
Celebrating tile If you appreciate handcrafted tile, Minneapolis is the place to be next weekend, when more than 60 of the country's most talented tile and mosaic artists will gather for the Minnesota Tile Festival. It's a chance to check out one-of-a-kind tiles for your home -- or create your own piece of handmade tile or mosaic at a "make and take" event. Admission is free. Festival hours are 5-8 p.m. Friday, and 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday at Midtown Global Market, 920 E. Lake St., Suite G10, in Minneapolis.
KIM PALMER
