Crafting Equipment for Our Studios

Candace Holmes is organizing this fundraiser.

Donation protected

Hello! We are Candace Holmes, Devin Crawford, and Mary Crawford, the eager craft enthusiasts behind Secret Handshake Studios. On November 1st, we are opening an arts & crafts community workspace in the Strawberry Hill neighborhood of wonderful Kansas City, KS.

Our Mission:

We want to help people explore their crafty side for the first time and to support more experienced makers in their creative growth. We will offer access to specialty tools and materials, as well as opportunities to both attend and teach classes. Our space will regularly host community-building events and parties. The public storefront will display (and sell, of course) all the cool handmade stuff our members, and other local artisans, make.

Ultimately, we want to support local creative endeavors by making crafting more accessible to everyone, and we think we can do that best by providing:

affordable access to specialty tools and on-hand materials
access to work space conducive to creating projects that might be difficult to comfortably do and store at home
opportunities to connect with other rad makers through classes and events
the ability to sell work in a physical storefront

How Your Donations Will Help:

We used our own funds to secure a building and do all the necessary remodels to get the space ready to be filled with people and creativity! We've also already acquired many specialty tools that will soon be accessible to the crafting community at large. And we're almost there; we just need a little help from you.

$15,000 would allow us to acquire more of the essential tools we'd like to provide when we open, as well as some smaller bulk items needed to get us rolling. We plan to start with

a laser cutter
a 3d printer
a long-lasting sewing machine (and parts)
a jewelry rolling mill
embroidery software and tools
stained glass making equipment
a die cutter (for vinyl and other materials)
an assortment of bulk smaller tools. This would include knitting and crochet needles, screen printing tools, punch needles, pliers, polymer clay equipment, personal protective equipment, etc.

Getting your support, whether you donate or spread the word, will allow us to take the final step forward in opening our doors to Kansas City. We are so excited to build a warm and welcoming community here. We want our neighbors and members to be a part of growing Secret Handshake Studios into a space that best fits their specific needs. We hope you'll join us soon, and we can't wait to see what you make!