Sign up for a Fabric Jewelry Class

Looking to expand your crafty skills? Want to learn to make some new jewelry? Well, there's a fun jewelry class next week that you might be interested in. Jen Moreau, an regular Indie Craft Parade participant, is teaching a fabric jewelry making class at a local boutique, Even a Sparrow. The class will include all of the supplies and instructions to make a fabric ring and a brooch. Plus it will be a great evening of meeting other crafty people in Greenville. So sign up with a friend, and contact Holly at the boutique if you have further questions.

To see a sample of Jen's work and get an idea of what kind of jewelry you'll learn to make, check out this link.

Mini Book Collective Recap

We've mentioned before the Mini Book Collective that's been on display at Art and Light for most of the month April. Well, if you haven't seen it, there's just a few more days left in the month for you to swing by. Besides the Collective on display, the rest of the gallery is curated with everything made from paper and books. Entry way to Art and Light Gallery where it's books, book, books.

Display of Greenville themed books. Jason Wagoner, Christin O'Bryan and Rachael Madeline have new work including lots of handmade journals. The pieces are quite beautiful.

Teresa Roche also has a new collection of mixed media pieces using book jackets. The pages of the books were folded into creative mobiles shown below.

Only a few more days to see these. It's worth the trip!

What are you working on? Art and Craft in Greenville.

I've got some cute handmade goodness to share with you today. More submissions from around Greenville! We have such an awesome crafty community. If you have a craft or art pieces you want to share, please email photos and stories to

jen@indiecraftparade.com

.

First these adorable applique baby tees from Annabelle Carter from

Humdiddly Blog

. She makes them for her boys and also sells them on her Etsy shop.

Owl appliques for both boys and girls.

I love the giraffe!

Second, I want to share these refinished furniture goods from Shan Grech. This London born girl now lives in Greenville, and as a hobby she refinishes cast off furniture with the oh-so-popular chalk paint.

She gives second hand uglies, like this, a fresh life, like these below.

If you want to see more of her work, she has some on display at

Even A Sparrow Boutique

.

Trunk Shows, Craft Shows and More Events you don't want to miss!

It's that time of year--the calendar is filling up with creative events. Can you believe that it's just a little more than a month till applications open for Indie Craft Parade?? We're so excited to see the work of artists and crafters this year. But in the meantime, the final days of April hold a number of events that we just have to share with you. It's already been an awesome month with events like the Mini Book Collective and Illyria Pottery Show. So if you don't already know about these upcoming shows, you want to take note. In two weekends, there are TWO notable crafty events on the same day. (Oh to be in two places at once!!) The first event is here in Greenville. It's the Spring Flea hosted by the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery. If you've never taken a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, you just don't know what you're missing. It's one of the best ways to be active in Greenville. And local establishments like the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery just make it that much better. The Cafe and Grocery offers light meals and snacks to hungry trail goers as well as a host of local farm fresh foods.

This past Christmastime, Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery hosted their first Flea Market. A number of Indie Craft Parade vendors, including Parachute Clothing, Red Clay Soap, and Malo, participated in the festivities. The event was a smashing success, and we're expecting no less for their Spring Flea. This is an outdoor event where you can sample great food, find new handmade products, and meet some great artisans who are making a difference in our community.

The second event on April 28 is one we've already told you about, but it's definitely worth the reminder. It's Crafty Feast in Columbia, SC.

This year, Crafty Feast is hosting 67 vendors at the Columbia Convention Center. Admission is $2. If you're a fan of Indie Craft Parade, then you'll be happy to see some familiar faces at the event. Some of our previous exhibitors will have booths at this event.

Besides, these two large festivals, I have a couple of small, but noteworthy events for you to be mindful of. This is short notice, but if you're free this Thursday, April 19, you should stop by local boutique Even A Sparrow for a trunk show. From 5:30 to 8:30 PM, Holly is hosting the Spring Debut Collections of Yellow Elm and  Creative Rumors. Elizabeth Blanton of Yellow Elm creates adorable felt accessories, and Rachel Hrinko and Lauren Runion of Creative Rumors remake cast-off clothing into handmade goodness. It will be a fun evening you don't want to miss.

And last but not least, Deb Potter of Merciful Hearts Farm is teaming up with the Greenville Museum of Art for an educational event. Deb has supplied Indie Craft Parade with gorgeous hand spun yarn for the past two years. And on April 22 at 2:00 PM she'll be demonstrating hands-on coil basketmaking.

Ok, that's it for now, but stay tuned. The season of crafty goodness is just warming up, so we'll have plenty of updates coming soon.

What are you working on? Art and Craft in Greenville.

You know how we love to share what's going on in the art sphere of our creative little city. We try our best to keep you updated on the professional events, but we've also recently become interested in sharing what individuals do around Greenville (and surrounding areas) to exercise their creativity. We started this post series a couple weeks ago, and I'm happy to share some new projects with you today.

Chalkboard Kitchen Wall.

The ever talented Elizabeth Ramos kindly shared her new kitchen wall with us--which she and her husband painted with chalkboard paint.

From her blog: Around Christmas time, Andrew and I were discussing how (in spite of us both being designers) our everyday lives don’t seem to allow for much creativity. One small way we decided to combat this is by adding a small chalkboard wall to our kitchen. We’re hoping that this will give us a good place to make art that’s intentionally temporary and help us remember to have fun creating things.

Not only did Elizabeth share the pictures, her post includes a great tutorial for doing this yourself

Greenville is getting a letterpress shop!

Our friends over at Dapper Ink have exciting news. They're the screen print shop that makes our tee shirts each year, and they've just expanded their printing capabilities to include letterpress printing. The vintage Chandler and Price letterpress still needs a lot of care to get it up and running, but they expect by summer time to be fully set up and taking orders.

Celebrating the press arrival to the Dapper Ink lot.

Located in the shop window, the press is ready to be cleaned and tuned up for action.

Don't forget--we want to see what you're working on. Please email photos and stories to jen@indiecraftparade.com.

MailChimp Hat Winners

And the winners of the MailChimp hat giveaway  (as chosen by random.org) are:

Commenter #24: Marcus Wickes

Commenter #9: Michael

Commenter #4: Roman

Commenter #18: Jeff

Commenter #12: Stan

Winners, we'll email you with instructions on how to claim your prize, and thanks everyone for sharing where you buy your favorite handmade goods!

MailChimp Hat Giveaway!

If you follow us on Facebook, you may have already seen the fun monkey hats we received from our favorite email newsletter makers, MailChimp. Today, we're giving away five of these fun crocheted hats to our blog readers!

To enter, leave a comment below answering this question:

Where do you buy your favorite handmade goods? (e.g. from Etsy, a local shop, a festival, the artist, etc.)

Please, only one entry per person. Random winners will be chosen next Monday, March 26th (at midnight) and announced here on the blog on Tuesday! Also, for shipping reasons, only US Residents are eligible to win.

Happy National Craft Month! Show us your crafts!

It's March 1st--which kicks off the celebration of National Craft Month. Crafting blogs everywhere are gearing up to help people get their craft on this month, and Indie Craft Parade is no different. During the month of March we'll be bringing you crafting tips, exploring new DIY projects, and featuring people's crafts from right here in Greenville. That's right! We want to see what crafts you're working on! Image courtesy of Martha Stewart.

So please, let us know what projects you're tackling throughout the month of March. Recovering salvaged chairs with new, mod fabric? Decorating a room with handmade accents? Working on a new jewelry set? Trying one of our featured DIY projects? It's so easy to share! Just email jen@indiecraftparade.com, and include a brief description of your project and picture that is no bigger than 500 pixels wide. We can't guarantee that every project submitted will be featured, but we'll do our best to show as many as possible.

Alright Greenville crafters, you have your assignment. Let us see just how creative you are!

Craft Bar Happy Weekend: Applications Open

We've got another festival to tell you about--this time from Columbia, SC! Every month, the Columbia Museum of Art hosts craft . bar . happy . hour, where crafters participate in a "bring your own craft" night. It's a great way to expand your knowledge about crafting and meet new friends.

Well, they've decided to expand the event into a full weekend festival on June 1 and 2. It's going to be a juried art market located in the museum, and registration is currently open.

From craft . bar . happy . weekend:

Craft Bar Happy Weekend is the inaugural daylong event inspired by the Columbia Museum of Art’s monthly program, Craft Bar Happy Hour. Craft Bar Happy Weekend is a public market that brings together artists and their handmade goods from across the Southeast. You'll enjoy quality crafts, local food, DJs and the opportunity to make friends and connections with the artists themselves. The Museum’s team will offer workshops, demonstrations and activities that adults, and even the littlest crafters, can enjoy.

All crafters and artisans are encouraged to submit their work for consideration.

If you're interested in participating, head over to their website, read all of the details. Applications are open until March 23.

Moveable Type Truck Recap

Thank you to everyone who came out to the library last week to support Kyle and her Moveable Type Truck. We had over 150 people signed up to attend, and it was an awesome event! Participants crowded into the truck to learn more about the art of letterpress, and they even got to try the process themselves, taking home a souvenir poster. The great turnout and enthusiastic attitude shown by everyone just makes us so happy that we're part of this community. We're looking forward to many more events in the future!

So many people came! The line was 50 people long at times.

Crowding into Kyle's truck to get a better look at the process.

Inking the type before printing.

Kyle explaining the process.

The final product! A poster just for Greenville.

Indie Craft Parade fans showing off their hand printed goods!

Want to see more pictures? Check out our Facebook page!

Downtown Library and Indie Craft Parade Host Moveable Type Tomorrow!

We're so excited to meet Kyle Durrie and her type truck tomorrow. Letterpress cards, bookmarks, and posters, here we come! If you're just now hearing about Moveable Type, or if you've just put off signing up, don't wait any longer. Call the Downtown Library (864-527-9293) to sign up for the FREE event. You won't want to miss it.

Speaking of the library, did you know that the Main Branch downtown is a great crafting resource? Almost every Saturday they host a knitting and crocheting class, and on weekdays there are fun crafts for kids! Check out their schedule of events to see what all is available.

One Week Till Moveable Type Arrives!

Just a reminder that you only have to wait one more week until Moveable Type arrives in Greenville. Next Thursday, February 16, Kyle Durrie is rolling into town in her mobile letterpress studio. Her demonstration will give you a chance to learn more about and experiment with letterpress printing. Don't forget to call the Hughes Library Downtown at 527-9293 to sign up for visiting the Moveable Type Truck.

This is a free event and definitely something you don't want to miss! Check out all of the details at our previous post.

For a preview of Kyle's work and how Moveable Type works, visit her website and watch this video.

http://vimeo.com/27138467

Mark Your Crafty Calendars!

We've mentioned CoCraft before. It's an open-invitation indie crafting group that has met periodically to teach new crafting skills. They describe themselves as "a gathering of like-minded people to make stuff & make friends." What sounds more fun than that? Well, we're excited to announce that they've begun regular meetings and that you're invited to attend. From here on out, CoCraft is meeting on the first Friday of every month from 7-10 PM.

All of the details you need are on the CoCraft Facebook page. This month they're meeting on February 3 to make handmade Valentines. Now, I know that's just a few days away, but if you're free this weekend, all you need to do is RSVP in be a part of the crafting goodness.

If you can't make it in February, they will be crafting again in the first of March. Join in the fun!

Open Applications for Regional Craft Shows

Dear Indie Craft Parade participants and fellow crafters,Spring is just around the corner here in the South, and it's time to start thinking about 2012 craft shows. Right now applications are open for two regional events, and you'll want to know about them. Whether you want to apply to participate or simply attend these events, you're bound to be surrounded by fabulous crafts and all the fun that goes with these festivals. Check them out!

Chatty Crafty held in Chattanooga, Tennessee. The dates for the festival are April 21 + 22, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM daily. Applications are open until February 19.

Crafty Feast, in association with Indie Grits held in Columbia, South Carolina. The date for the festival is April 28. Applications are open until January 31--CLOSING SOON!

We hope you can take advantage of these crafting opportunities!

Last Chance to Bookmark Artists from the 2011 Indie Craft Parade

The 2nd Annual Indie Craft Parade had amazing vendors. Besides the fact that they are a group of talented artists with fabulous products, they're just great people. So we want to give you one last reminder to support them before we close the links to their websites. We're well under way in planning the 2012 Indie Craft Parade, and it's time to make room for a new lot of artists and crafters. The links on our Participants page will be live through this weekend. We will close them on Monday, January 23. Now is the time to bookmark or pin your favorite artists from the 2011 show.

Here's a little recap of our vendors work.

Letterpress card from Racing Snail Press.

Custom paper dolls from Jordan Grace Owens.

Eco-friendly bears by Pogo Shop.

Sculpture by CME Studios.

Pet clothes and accessories by Tree Parlor.

Pendants by Cameoko.

Thanks again to all of the 2nd Annual Indie Craft Parade participants. We loved having you, and we hope to see you in the future!

"Curtain Call" at Art & Light

There's a fabulous new show at Art & Light Gallery called "Curtain Call", and you won't want to miss it. "Imagine finding your favorite paintings in the form of a fabric curtain -- hang it as a wall tapestry, a window curtain, shower curtain...the sky's the limit.  Eight talented artists (Paul Flint, Kyle Buttram, Diane Kilgore Condon, Teri Pena, Hannah Sloan, Signe Grushovenko, Annie Koelle and Angie Schmerbeck)  have painted these original fabric curtains. If you treasure hand-made art works that beg to be touched join usfor "Curtain Call."

Here's a peek of the show, which will be up until the end of the month.

And while you're at Art & Light, be sure to check out Kent Ambler's newest collection, "Running With Paint."

Of course, there's lots more to see. You'll find everything from handmade jewelry and cards to miniature paintings at Art & Light.

Art & Light is a fusion gallery, bringing together visual arts and home accessories to provide a boutique that is at once unique and incredibly usable. Open Friday – Saturday (10 am - 5 pm) and  Monday – Wednesday by appointment

Moveable Type: Letterpress Bash in Greenville

We love hosting educational events throughout the year that keep people excited about handmade techniques. So if you've ever been interested in — or just curious about — letterpress, this is your chance to learn! We're starting off this year with a really exciting affair! In February, with the help of Hughes Main Library, we are bringing the Moveable Type project to Greenville!

Moveable Type is a portable letterpress studio, run by Kyle Durrie. She is making her way around the country holding demonstrations and workshops on the art of letterpress printing. On Thursday, February 16th from 4-7pm, Kyle will park her studio/truck in front of the Hughes Main Library and set up shop. Our event will begin with a quick introduction video in the library, then move outside to the Type Truck, where Kyle will walk us through creating our own letterpress prints.

The event is free and open to the public, although registration is required. Call the library at 527-9293 to register for the Moveable Type event.

Kyle also makes and sells fun letterpress goods so if you didn't stock up at Indie Craft Parade or you've already used up your stash, bring some cash and support this great idea.

Open Call for MiniBook Collective

Dear Greenville County Creatives, We have a fabulous opportunity to tell you about coming up this February. Art & Light Gallery and artist Melinda Hoffman are sponsoring the first ever MiniBook Collective project. This is an open exhibition for Greenville County artists, crafters, writers, and collaborators to create a "minibook with one sheet of paper, reflecting a sense of place that shares one's experiences of Greenville County, South Carolina." The challenge is to tell your story on a single sheet of paper.

The competition is free to enter and cash prizes will be awarded. To read about further details and rules, check out the MiniBook Collective page. Submissions are due Wednesday, February 29th. And the opening reception will be hosted at Art & Light on Friday, April 6th.

MiniBook Collective is inspired by the Somethink Collective project in the United Kingdom. Check out their beautiful examples below. Quite inspiring, and we hope to see many Indie Craft Parade participants at the exhibition.

Christmas Shopping at the Swamp Rabbit Holiday Flea!

One of my favorite things about the city of Greenville is the Swamp Rabbit Trail. This 13 mile walking/biking trail established by the Greenville Hospital System not only promotes healthy living, but also has given people some new business opportunities. When the weather is nice, we're always using the trail, and its been amazing to see new trail-side businesses pop up. One of my favorite places is the Swamp Rabbit Cafe and Grocery. This cute stand is the perfect place to get a post-run or ride snack or even better, to pick up some local meats, cheeses, and produce. The buy local ethic of Swamp Rabbit Cafe so perfectly matches our own mission, that we have to tell you about their upcoming holiday flea. 

At this event you'll find all sorts of amazing goodies that will make the best gifts and stocking stuffers. I know a ton of people don't have their Christmas shopping finished, and this is a perfect way to complete that gift list.

Here's a little preview of all the goodness.

Accessories and vintage items from Shop Keep.

Chocolates by Raw Shakti.

Homemade Jams from Sallies Greatest.

Handprinted tees by Parachute Clothing.

Goat Milk Soaps by Red Clay Soaps.

Christmas Shows You Don't Want to Miss!

I love Christmas shopping. I love picking up that perfect gift and knowing it's recipient will absolutely love it. Unfortunately, when I had the ideal opportunity to pick out those one-of-a-kind presents at Indie Craft Parade back in September...I wasn't thinking about Christmas at all. I'm sure many of you have the same dilemma as I do, kicking yourself for not gathering those treasures when you had the chance. Well, no fears. Many of our Indie Craft Vendors are involved in special Christmas events, and they've shared with us where you can find their goods in time for Christmas. Some of them are even running online sales. You'll find a lot of your favorites below. So don't procrastinate again! Get out there and find those gifts that are sure to be remembered.

I've listed the information below according to the individual vendors. You'll note that a number of them will be at the same events (increasing your chances of finding holiday goodness).

Katie Coston/Illyria Pottery

An Illyria Pottery Christmas Show We've already had our Christmas show, but we couldn't be a scrooge. Email Katie at kcoston1@gmail.com and set up a time to come by. Not only will you find unique ceramic gifts by Illyria Pottery, but you'll also find a wide variety of paintings by Annie Koelle.

Date and Time: You decide. Send an email with what works for you. Illyria Pottery Studio; 416 Perry Avenue; Greenville, SC 29601

Krista Allison/Canoo

The Big Crafty Sunday, Dec. 4, 12-6pm at Pack Place in Asheville, NC thebigcrafty.com

Presents of Art 2011 Upstairs Artspace, 49 S Trade St, Tryon, NC November 25 - December 24, open Tue-Sat 11-5 Over 60 different arts and crafts vendors in a gallery setting.

Betsy Carr/The Foundling

My studio mate, Amber Mahler of Mani Designs, and I are hosting a Grand Opening & Holiday Sale at our studio here in Asheville.  We'll be opening our shared studio space to the public for the first time, and hosting a sale of our work plus a few friends.  Our neighbor, Mimi Strang, will be doing the same.  We'll have about 10 artists in the building and local food trucks outside.

Found*ling & Mani Designs Studio Grand Opening & Holiday Sale December 10 & 11, 11-6 each day 15B Domino Lane (behind Harvest Records in West Asheville)

Stacey Budge-Kamison/Urban GypZ

I am participating in a Holiday Artist Sale with 6 other Asheville artists in West Asheville Dec. 10-11, 11-6

Cindy Jantz/The Herb Garden Soaps

The Herb Garden Open House Christmas Sale We'll be selling handmade soap including our new Winter and Christmas scents (buy 12, get one free).  In addition to the soap, we'll be offering a variety of scrubs. Gift bags and gift packaging available.

130 Rubiwood Circle, Greer, SC 29651

Friday, December 9 from 3:00-8:00 Saturday, December 10 from 9:00-5:00 Saturday, December 17 from 9:00-5:00

Rachael Madeline/Loose Tooth Studio

I am having an online sale in my Etsy shop. For the next week I have a holiday promotion where shipping is free, just enter the code 'FBfree' upon checkout. Lots of brand new original work to choose from, affordably priced, framed and ready to display.   Here is a link to my blog, where buyers can read more about my studio process & concepts.

Once Again Sam

I'm participating in three upcoming craft shows / exhibits. I'm also planning on doing a coupon code for my Etsy shop for the week of December 5th through the 11th. The coupon for a 20% off at Once Again Sam is YESPLEASE

Art & Light Gallery Now through the holidays: Open Friday & Saturday's A selection of my felted curiosities are available as well as a line of woodland-inspired ornaments created exclusively for Art & Light. www.artandlightgallery.com

American Advertising Federation's 7th Annual TWIST Art Show Thursday December 1st from 6 PM to 9 PM at the Fish Eye Studios (Greenville) Amateur and professional artists will exhibit and sell work, some of which is related to the advertising industry, but not all. This event is open to the public and there will be a silent auction where all proceeds benefit Special Olympics and AAF Greenville's Diversity, Education & Public Service initiatives and club operations.

Holiday Handmade Hoopla Saturday, December 3 10— Noon (VIP preview, $15) Noon — 6 (open to all, free) Bijou Building, 147 East Main St., Downtown Spartanburg www.hub-bub.com

Savannah Wallace/Maie Dae

We are currently promoting our holiday line on our shop. AND we just launched our very first lookbook for the holidays here.

Brandy Lindsey/Dangle and Thread

Holiday Handmade Hoopla Saturday, December 3 10— Noon (VIP preview, $15) Noon — 6 (open to all, free) Bijou Building, 147 East Main St., Downtown Spartanburg www.hub-bub.com

Bailey Ellis/Bailey O'Neal Jewelry

I am having an online sale via Etsy this Friday, Saturday and the following Monday.

Bailey O'Neal Jewelry Black Friday Sale Friday 5 a.m-Monday at Midnight Black Friday 30% (early bird special 5-7a.m),  Small Business Saturday 20% and Sunday-Cyber Monday 15% off entire purchase.

Rajshel Juhan/Jane Hancock Papers

Save 40% on all items 11/26 - 11/27 use code turkey

Hallie Gillett/Hal the Gal

Afraid all my LIVE shows are done for the year, but the etsy shop is full with lots of new additions!

Mike Merrit/Mike Merritt Art

Presents of Art 2011 Upstairs Artspace, 49 S Trade St, Tryon, NC November 25 - December 24, open Tue-Sat 11-5 Over 60 different arts and crafts vendors in a gallery setting.

Jessica and Britt/Owlette Collective

Porter Flea Nashville, TN, Dec. 3rd, 12-8 The East Nashville Community Center

The Big Crafty Sunday, Dec. 4, 12-6pm at Pack Place in Asheville, NC thebigcrafty.com

K.D.'s Treehouse Holiday Pop-up shop Columbia, SC, Dec. 10, 1-4 KD's Treehouse

Audrey Laine Cunningham/Audrey Laine Collections

Holiday Market and Fashion Show Asheville Art Museum Friday December 2nd

Holiday Handmade Hoopla Saturday, December 3 10— Noon (VIP preview, $15) Noon — 6 (open to all, free) Bijou Building, 147 East Main St., Downtown Spartanburg www.hub-bub.com

The Big Crafty Sunday, Dec. 4, 12-6pm at Pack Place in Asheville, NC thebigcrafty.com

Jennifer Bedenbaugh/Crave Studio

Presents of Art 2011 Upstairs Artspace, 49 S Trade St, Tryon, NC November 25 - December 24, open Tue-Sat 11-5 Over 60 different arts and crafts vendors in a gallery setting.

Laura Ray/Pogo Shop

The pogos and I will be joining other local artisans at the 3rd annual Sustainable Midlands Holiday Celebration in  Columbia, SC. Monday, Nov. 28th. 4:30 - 8:30 pm at the lovely 701 Whaley St. Gallery. Tickets are available at http://www.sustainablemidlands.org/?p=2986

Erin Godbey/17 Dove Street

Holiday Handmade Hoopla Saturday, December 3 10— Noon (VIP preview, $15) Noon — 6 (open to all, free) Bijou Building, 147 East Main St., Downtown Spartanburg www.hub-bub.com

Lauren and Jason/Marisol Spoon

Porter Flea - Nashville - Dec. 3rd The artisan market will be held on Saturday, December 3rd, from 12-8 PM indoors at the East Park Community Center, 600 Woodland Street, located in East Nashville.  Porter Flea: Holiday will feature handmade gifts from over 60 local and regional artisans and designers, half a dozen popular food trucks, and live DJs.  This one-of-a-kind market event will also benefit the East Park Community Center and Metro Parks.

Chatty Crafty DIY Holiday, 2011 Saturday + Sunday, December 10 + 11 Warehouse Row, North Bldg, Suite 118 1110 Market Street Chattanooga, Tenn. Chatty Crafty is a juried DIY/Indie Craft Show in Chattanooga, Tennessee. This event plays host to DIY and Indie crafters & their wares from around the country.

The Rock & Shop Market Motorco, Full Steam Brewery & The Trotter Building - Durham, NC December 17th 2011 12-6pm An indoor shopping, music & fashion event spotlighting emerging local bands and designers selling their wares. Grab a beer at the bar, shop local from talented designers and hear great music.