I teased you about Budapest Design Week’s art markets, design fairs and the goodies we bought. One of the fairs we perused was WAMP, which is actually a monthly event but was a little extra special to coincide with Design Week.
For starters, they moved to a gorgeous building:
My eyes kept wandering up to the ceiling . . .
. . . although the hand crafted wares were pretty eye catching too. From cute felted wool place mats to handmade leather bags and shoes, there was an incredible variety of really unique things. A little overwhelming, almost.
So what did we buy? We actually exercised a lot of self restraint (it doesn’t hurt that I use mostly cash here and I never seem to have a lot once the bills are paid).
Mom bought the painting below. The artist (Gerebecz, Nandor) had painted it the night before and was so excited Mom loved it so. The painting is of a street in Budapest, with St. Stephen’s Basilica in the background. Nandor painted from a photograph he took (and gave us each a magnet with the photograph on it as a gift).
This version (we think it’s made with a stencil and layers of paint, because they’re so similar) remained:
I have been looking to buy stuff I “need”: stuff that I would buy at home and use daily, not impulse tourist finds I’ll fall out of love with or never use (been there, done that). Because my cellphone case was falling apart (plus this lame blackberry one was the only one I could find to fit my HTC wildfire) I was in search of a handmade leather case.
After being scared away by $45.00 handmade leather cases elsewhere, I was nervous about even asking prices at WAMP. But I found a coral leather case I loved, by Berecz Vanda, and tentatively asked. Guess how much it was? $5.00!! I thought I had moved the decimal point over incorrectly (it was 1000 HUF – I cannot get used to spending these giant sums). The quality and style beats any of the cases I had previously drooled over. And you cannot beat $5.00.
It seriously looks like it was made to match my phone.
The woman who makes them also designs gorgeous purses. Mom is contemplating buying one and I think I am going to buy a spare case – this time coral with turquoise leather lining (see last photo). Aren’t we good? We each bought one thing we really liked. Which was really tough, but with all of the other design fairs, we knew some restraint was necessary . . .
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P.S. For something gorgeous and candy coloured of your own, don’t forget to enter my KitchenAid stand mixer giveaway!
Wow!Love those globe pendants, colourful cord lamps, the purses!You and your mom chose well, the painting and the case- also lovely. What a marketplace- it would be hard to exercise restraint.
The lamps were amazing but it's a shame they were all Euro plugs. That made it easier to walk on by . . . Wish we had more handmade lamps at art fairs back home!
Amazing – love all the fashion forward pieces and lighting (Those colored electrical cords? To die for). You definitely don't see this kind of stuff at our local art fairs, that's for sure. Love the new cellphone case! Turquoise and red is one of my fav color combinations (I only did one of my invite sets in the combo though… because I could've done them all, ha!).
Thanks! If you want one let me know – she has a small size too. If you give me the size of your cell I could check the fit 🙂
I've got an iPhone 4s with a hybrid case on it, so it's kind of big and bulky 🙁
Sad face. I've wanted to try making them – let's make one for yours.
Oh, my…I'm in love with the purses and phone cases. The coral and turquoise case is to die for!
Yes, I thought you might like the purses! One of them is a really modern take on a mid-century style.
Wow that is all amazing. But that purse! That purse is too. Incredible for words. I want one in black! I am really loving your trip so cool to tour with youAmy
Amazing, right? She actually made it into some "best of" exhibit in one of the museums! But she's so humble. I promise to share some non-design/non-shopping stuff too. But I thought some eye candy might make everyone's Thursday!
These photos are great Tanya! Love all the hanging light fixtures. Looks like it was a great design fair!