Celebrating our friend Crystal Hanehan

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed to You
with photography by Jessica & Kerry Hawkins of K. Hawkins Photography

If you didn't see the wedding proposal live on The Martha Stewart Show, and you didn't see our blog post, or our many tweets, let me be the "first" to tell you: Crystal Hanehan is getting married! That's the good news. The news that's sad for all of us here at Boston Handmade is that she is leaving us and moving to New York state this spring.

We will miss her terribly, but we are thrilled that her business, Vintage By Crystal, is skyrocketing into the stratosphere of success!

To celebrate our dear friend and wish her bon voyage, we threw a Boston Handmade-style party last weekend at my studio in the South End. Along with libations and tasty treats we had a table set up with craft supplies and together we made a paper garland for Crystal and her fiance Ben.

Laura Collins of Pansy Maiden and ceramic artist Arthur Halvorsen

Diane Ivey of Lady Dye Fiber Arts

Jessica Burko stitching a garland piece as a paper quilt

The paper garland coming together.

Jessica and Crystal folding up the garland as an accordion.

Making the gift was a fun group project. Using the doilies as individual canvases worked really well, and we tied each section together with reclaimed yarn.

Congratulations Crystal and Ben! We'll miss you!