Artists Crossing Holiday Party!

by Cristina Hurley of Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design

If you love holiday shopping, and you love fine, handmade crafts and gift, look no further than Artists Crossing in the downtown crossing area of Boston. Members of Boston Handmade are displaying their work there through the holidays!

Some of the artists include Jessica Burko of Reclaimed to You,

and Nancy MacCallum of Nancy Rosetta.

If you are feeling festive, make sure you stop by the gallery on Thursday, December 1st. They are having a 3rd Anniversary Party, from 4-8pm. you might even get to meet some of the artists!

Here's the location:

Artists Crossing

505 Washington Street

Boston, MA 02111

Happy Holidays!

Like their page on Facebook

Handmade Holiday Workshop

by Kerrie of Cody's Creations

On December 1st between 6-9pm stop by your local West Elm store for a Handmade Holiday Workshop sponsored by West Elm and Etsy! Members of Boston Handmade will be at the West Elm store on Brookline Ave helping you to make holiday ornaments. There will also be a mini market of Etsy sellers, and a collection for unwrapped new toys and holiday ornaments that will be donated to Rosie's Place.

For more information please visit the official event listing on Facebook

Monday Mosaic: Animalia

Curated by Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations



1. Little Birdie Brooch lapel pin , by Stray Notions
2. Japanese Koi Fish Notecard, by An Li Studios
3. 1 inch Wide Dog Collar with Adjustable Buckle , by Cody's Creations
4. Wool Felt Money/Card Holder - Squirrel , by Elizabeth Brennick Designs
5. Sterling Silver Butterfly Silhouette Pendant, by Cristina Hurley Design
6. Japanese Chiyogami Lucky Ladybugs on Purple, by MaJenta Designs
7. Elephant pillow -two tone grey -OOAK , by Hibou Designs
8. Bull postcard , by cricicis design
9. The Favorite Cat Shrine Pictorial Necklace by Parrish Relics

New 2012 Calendars

by Leah of cricicis design

Next weekend I'll be at the Jamaica Plain Holiday Fair, and the Bazaar Bizarre with two 2012 calendars for sale. One is an 8" x 14" single-sheet, frame-able wall calendar, featuring prints of my fish drawings, and the other is a smaller hanging calendar featuring 12 different bird illustrations. Here's a sneak-peek!

Handmade Gifts for Kids

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed To You

With a 2-year-old at home, a baby on the way, and several nieces and nephews, I definitely have gifts for kids on my mind this holiday season. Yes, I will be knitting tiny hats and scarves, and making a few other gifts myself, but I'll also be purchasing holiday gifts from as many local artists and artisans as I can find. Browsing through Etsy this morning I found a few gems that have made it onto my shopping wish list...

Elephant throw pillow, two tone blue big accent pillow for sofa or bed, all hand sewn, OOAK by Hibou Designs

Special ball, handmade eco design, by Timo Handmade

Owl In The Moon Mobile For Baby Nursery, by Kirsty Elson Designs

What's on your handmade holiday shopping wish list? I'd love to know!

Handmade Holiday Round-up

by Sharon Fischer of Stray Notions

The winter holidays and the months leading up to them are busy (crazy?) times for makers.

We forsake our friends and families and in some cases our gyms (who? not me?) to create and produce new work which we all hope will find new and loving homes.

This year you'll be able to find Boston Handmade members' work for sale not just in Boston proper, but also in galleries and fairs from Rhode Island to Western Massachusetts.

Here's a round up of where to find us. You can also check the Boston Handmade Events Page and calendar:

Weekend Fairs and special events:

November 25-27

Hollydays, Princeton, MA
Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics

December 1
West Elm in Burlington is featuring several local Etsy sellers including Boston Handmade's newest member Hibou Designs (pictured above) from 6 to 9pm. Also several members of Boston Handmade will be at the West Elm Boston Store for a special event helping folks to get their holiday craft on. Craft night guests can look forward to creating their own origami hanging ornament, an activity led by Boston Handmade Etsy Team craft leader, Kerrie Beck, of Cody's Creations. Each ornament will be a small contribution to West Elm’s Ornament and Gift Drive.

December 3

Jamaica Plain Holiday Fair, First Church Jamaica Plain, 6 Eliot St, Jamaica Plain from 11am - 5pm. Members of Boston Handmade exhibiting at this show (pictured above):
Kerry Hawkins Photography
Kerrie Beck, Cody's Creations
Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics
Leah Ammerman, cricicis design
Beth Brennick, Elizabeth Brennick Designs
Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions
Diane Ivey, Lady Dye Fiber Arts & Design
Lucie Wicker Photography

December 3
RISD Holiday Alumni Show

Rhode Island Convention Center

1 Sabin Street, Providence, RI

10am to 5pm
Cristina Hurley Designs

December 4
Bazaar Bizarre Boston
Center for the Arts/Cyclorama, 539 Tremont Street, Boston from 12 - 6pm. Boston Handmade members exhibiting together at this event (pictured above):
Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics
Leah Ammerman, cricicis design
Nancy McCallum, nancy rosetta
Evan Webster Ink
Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions
Diane Ivey, Lady Dye Fiber Arts & Design
Cristina Hurley Designs
and exhibiting in a separate booth:
Anne-Claire Regan, Hibou Designs

December 3 & 4
Gorse Mills Open Studios

31 Thorpe Road

Needham MA

Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics


December 11
Snow Mall
Arts at the Armory
191 Somerville Avenue, Somerville, 12 - 6pm
Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

December 17

UForge Gallery Holiday Fair

767 Centre Street
Jamaica Plain, MA 02130

11am to 5pm

Lucie Wicker Photography

Boston Handmade members
will be exhibiting at TWO Galleries
this holiday season from
November 15, 2011 - January 15, 2012:

Boston Handmade at the Cristina Hurley Gallery
3 Rockland Street
Canton, MA 02021
Gallery hours: Wednesday - Saturday, 11am-6pm

Boston Handmade members exhibiting at the Cristina Hurley Gallery:
Jessica Burko, Reclaimed to You

Kerry Hawkins Photography
Kerrie Beck, Cody's Creations
Jennifer Tang, Majenta Designs
Nancy McCallum, nancy rosetta
Lucie Wicker Photography
Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics
Lynne Parrella, Cozy Cottage Creations

Boston Handmade at Artists Crossing
505 Washington Street in Downtown Crossing, Boston, 02111
Open every day through Christmas Eve!
Gallery hours: Sunday - Wednesday, 11am - 5 pm, Thursday - Saturday, 11am- 7pm

Boston Handmade members exhibiting at Artists Crossing (pictured above):
Jessica Burko, Reclaimed to You
Cristina Hurley Designs
Jennifer Tang, Majenta Designs
Celeste Bocchicchio-Chaudhri, Elephunk's Trunk
Nancy McCallum, of nancyrosetta

Boston Handmade members will be exhibiting at THREE additional retail galleries and studio spaces this holiday season:

November 25th to December 31

Craftland Holiday Show
235 Westminster St., Providence, RI , 10am-6pm, Thursday and Saturday 10am-8pm

Beth Brennick, Elizabeth Brennick Designs

An Li Liu

December 2 -19
Mudflat Studio Sale
81 Broadway, Somerville
Arthur Halvorsen

December 8-22
Handmade Holidays at the Potters Shop Gallery, Gorse Mill Studios (Studio L-101), 31 Thorpe Road, Needham, MA, 02494. Mondays 3-5, Tuesdays and Wednesdays 11-5, Thursdays 11-9, Saturdays 10-5.
Karen Mahoney, City By The Sea Ceramics
Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions
Kerry Hawkins Photography
Lynne Parrella, Cozy Cottage Creations

Diane Ivey, Lady Dye

Jennifer Tang, MaJenta Designs

Handmade items are one-of-a-kind high quality gifts to give, so this holiday season SHOP HANDMADE... SHOP LOCAL... SUPPORT ARTISTS AND CRAFTERS!

Giving Thanks

The year has turned its circle,
The seasons come and go.
The harvest all is gathered in
And chilly north winds blow.

Orchards have shared their treasures,
The fields, their yellow grain,
So open wide the doorway ---
Thanksgiving comes again!
-Old Rhyme

Cozy Cottage Creations

Happy Thanksgiving from Boston Handmade!

New Items in My Etsy Shop

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

I have been pretty busy in the past week restocking my Etsy shop in time for the holiday shopping season. I have some new designs that I'm pretty psyched about that I wanted to share here-

New card designs

New coasters!

(I'm still offering my Fenway Park set too)

New pocket notebooks

I will be participating with Boston Handmade at the JP Holiday Fair on December 3; all of these new items will be for sale (along with a few others). Come by and see them in person!

Fish Head

By Nancy of nancyrosetta

Every now and then I see something in my scrap sheet that just cannot be ignored. Sometimes it happens because I have sawing block (like writers block) and I just stare at the metal until I see something, other times it slaps you in the face just like this fish head did.

Look to the left side, do you see something?

So, when you come down with an artistic mental block, try looking at the shadows of what you have done before, and you may see something new.

Monday Mosaic: Gratitude

Curated by Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations



1. Plate in Turquoise Gray , by City by the Sea Ceramics
2. Sterling Star Charm Bracelet with Blues OOAK , by Cristina Hurley Jewelry Design
3. Modern Pastry Boston MA 8x10 photo sepia print , by Kerry Hawkins Photography
4. Piano 2 8x10 Photo Print , by Lucie Wicker Photography
5. Cup , by Arthur Halvorsen
6. Sterling and Cooper layered ring by Nancyrosetta

Working with Photographs Workshop

By Kerry Hawkins of KHawkinsphotography

These photos are from a photo workshop given by Lucie Wicker.

Diane Ivey, Karen Mahoney, Jen Tang of Boston Handmade also attended the workshop. Lucie provided all kinds of great supplies and advice. Then we went to town making photo creations.

We used canvases, magnets, glass tiles and other surfaces to attach photos too. It was kind of smelly and a whole lot of fun. I haven't used Modpodge in awhile and forgot all it's great uses for glue and sealing photos. We used our own photos and Lucie's photos (second photo), funky scissors, and colorful scrapbooking paper.

I have tried some of these techniques on my own with only limited success. Saturday, I think I have mastered some techniques thanks to this workshop and Lucie's guidance.

1 Year Later

by Kerrie of Cody's Creations

My vision for Cody’s Creations is to have a collection of exclusive and unique offerings for your pets. After creating several products, like the Pocket Treat and Training Pouch, and the Partner Link, I was determined to be able to offer collars and leashes that you couldn’t find everywhere. I began researching how I could have ribbons and trims made with my designs.

Just about a year ago, I began working my first custom ribbon design. After spending hours and days on the graphic, I could not wait to see my design come to life. Today, I have seven ribbon designs under my belt. And each time I send off my graphic, I get so excited to open the package and see the ribbon. I feel energized and recharged and cannot wait to begin to make collars and leashes with the new ribbon.


Lobsters

Gemstones

Bow Ties

Bow Ties

Devils

Pugs

Squirrels


My goal going into this year is to at least double the amount of ribbon designs that I created this year. I already have a few designs in the works and hope that I can get at least 1 more new design before the end of the year. What would your ultimate collar design be?

Save the Date! Boston Handmade is at Bazaar Bizarre December 4!

Boston Handmade members are certainly out and about this holiday shopping season, and one of our stops is at the Boston Bazaar Bizarre on Sunday, December 4 at the Cyclorama. The event runs from 12pm-6pm and is always a blast. The eight Boston Handmade members representing the group this year will be:

Evan Webster Ink

Lady Dye Fiber Arts

Nancy Rosetta

Cricicis Designs

City by the Sea Ceramics

Stray Notions

Cristina Hurley Jewelry

An Li Studio

You'll also be able to purchase a Boston Handmade tshirt from us that day. Come see us and other talented artists that afternoon, you don't want to miss this super fun event!

How-To: Thanksgiving Decor Ideas

By Jennifer T. of MaJenta Designs

With Thanksgiving coming up around the corner, I have been on the lookout for festive autumnal handmade centerpiece & decor ideas. Here are a few fun ideas I found, click the links to read their How-to instructions.

"Cornhusk flowers" by Martha Stewart

"Dried Citrus Candles" by Good House Keeping

"Glittered Pumpkin with Candle" by Woman's Day

"Conversational Placemats" by Family Fun