Friday, September 30, 2011

Where To Find the Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend!

How Do You Like Them Apples?

It's October, it's the Hudson Valley, and that means one thing-- apple festivals every which way you turn! And this weekend, in between your apple pies, apple cider, apple cider donuts, apple fritters, apple butter, apple bobbing, and apple picking, you can treat yourself to the bounty that is the vibrant craft community in the Hudson Valley.

On Saturda
y, come to historic Huguenot Street in New Paltz, NY for the Dutch Reformed Church's annual Apple Fest! Kathy from Gnorasaurus will have a booth there along with other top-notch local artists and an amazing array of homemade apple pies, apple desserts, apple fritters, fresh local apples and cider, caramel apples and more. There will also be live entertainment and a book & houseplant sale, with pumpkin painting, animal balloon-making and face painting for the kids. The hours are 10 am - 4 pm, and in the event of rain, the whole thing will be held inside, so how great is that?

On Sunday, get even more Hudson Valley Etsy Team artists with your apples at the Warwick Applefest in Warwick, NY, where Kathryn of Huzzah Handmade and Lynn of New Prospect Pottery will be selling their wares from 10 am until 5 pm.








Wednesday, September 28, 2011

Electric Projected

The Hudson Valley Etsy Team is a sponsor of this great event going on in Beacon this weekend. The team decided to get together and contribute in support of local artists. If you plan to check it out, you'll see our name up in lights! =D

Eletric Projected  will be at the intersection of Main Street and East Main in Beacon NY we are shutting down the street and we are going to have a party. When the sun sets 24 animated shorts will be projected onto the facade of the Electric Windows Building. Each animation will be inspired by one of the pieces of art on the building. DJ Bobby Collins will be live mixing during the animations t...o accompany the show. After the animations Bobby C Sound TV will DJ his famous Audio/Viual DJ Sets and continue the projections on the building and everyone will dance in the streets. Bring a lawn chair to watch the show and your dancing shoes. This is going to be an amazing evening!

To learn more about this event, follow them on Facebook

Tuesday, September 27, 2011

Mobile Boutiques

Have you seen the commercial for TJ Maxx (or is it Marshalls?) of the woman pulling up in an RV truck and dragging random women inside (because they're spending too much on shopping or something), only to find that the inside of the truck is decked out like a chic clothing boutique? This isn't far from reality folks. I have been hearing more about the mobile boutique trend that I had to share it here in case you are new to it too. Who knows, we may start seeing them pop-up at local craft shows in the Valley, why not? Our roads are mobile friendly (just stay off the Taconic!).



What a cute alternative to pitching a tent and worry about not getting blown away.  Would you like to see a Husdon Valley Etsy truck roll in to your market? :)

From top to bottom: Oh So Lovely Vintage, Wanderlust, Monikapolitan

Friday, September 23, 2011

Where To Find the Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend

On Saturday, Lynn of 1846 House Soaps will return to the Pine Bush Farmer's Market in Pine Bush. This event is held on the second and fourth Saturday of each month.


On Sunday, Gwen of Beyond the Picket Fence will be selling her luscious soaps, body products and more at the Beacon Farmer's Market on the Beacon waterfront from 10 am - 4 pm.


Also on Sunday, you can head down to Rockland County and join P
atti of GetGlassy, who
will have a booth at the Blauvelt Lions Apple Festival at Flywheel Park in Piermont, NY from
10am to 5pm. It's a Family Fun Day & Craft Fair, with pony rides, face painting and games for kids, a barbecue and oodles of apple products! Free Admission. (Rain Date: October 3.)


And if you can't get out this weekend, it's still easy to buy the finest selection of handmade craft in the Hudson Valley by clicking on our Member Shop Page and exploring the Hudson Valley Etsy Team shops!



Wednesday, September 21, 2011

Have You Seen This?

I know most people are wistful about letting summer go.  I on the other hand gladly wave goodbye and look eagerly toward the first cold snap of fall.  I love everything about fall - the change of light as the sun drops lower in the sky, the color blast of the changing leaves, the invigorating cooler air... Most of all, I love the wardrobe change.  Yes, it's true.  Given the choice between a cozy, soft, over sized sweater or a cotton tank top, I'll take the sweater, hands down.  And as much as I love the colors of the changing landscape, I adore the charcoals, blacks, browns, navys, greys, reds, yellows and all colors of coats and hats and gloves and all garments toasty.  Even better, these clothes beg for fabulous accessories. 

Well here it is.  The minute I saw this neckwarmer, I wanted to get my coat out, toss this beautiful yellow and grey (one of my most favorite color combos) cowl on and take the dogs for a walk in the woods.  Or maybe,wear it with my sweatercoat and take off for a day strolling the city.  What's better than layers when you are going in and out of doors in the city?  This gorgeous item is by TickledPinkKnits and I can just feel this silky blend of fibers brushing against my chilly chin.  Don't you just love this piece?


Monday, September 19, 2011

Save The Date: Hudsonfest - Highland, NY - October 9th

The Hudson Valley Etsy team will be at the upcoming Highland Hudsonfest on Sunday October 9th from 10 am to 6 pm. This free event will be located at the Ulster County entrance to the Walkway On The Hudson. We will have a team tent set up featuring items from our members, think of it as a handmade pop-up boutique at the foot of the Walkway. 


The team tent will include items from Beyond The Picket Fence, Gnorasaurus, Tink's Treasure, Karmabee, Tickled Pink Knits, Reclaimed Designs, Pulp Sushi, Milestone Decal Art, Beaconknits, Nelle's Bells and JSW Metalworks.  Also at this event with their own booths will be Felt It  and Molly's Purl. Get a head start with your holiday shopping and pick up some cool gift ideas. Then take a nice walk over the Hudson and enjoy the view.

Thursday, September 15, 2011

Where To Find the Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend!

It's the perfect weekend to squeeze the last few drops out of summer in the Hudson Valley, and the Hudson Valley Etsy Team gives you a bunch of great options to buy local, buy handmade, and attend some great events at the same time!

Karen of Karmabee will be at Crafts on John Street this Saturday the 18th, part of the Kingston Far
mer's Market in uptown Kingston from 9 am until 2 pm.
On Sunday the 19th, Karen will be sharing a booth with Hema of Anjali Creations at Shalom on Grand in Poughkeepsie, NY from 11am - 6pm.

Head down to the city on Sunday and you'll find both Jess of Knot By Gran'ma and Judy of
JSWMetalWorks at the fabulous Maker Faire/Bust Craftacular in Queens, NY from 10am - 6pm.

Monday, September 12, 2011

Packaging : Part I - INSPIRATION

If you're a frequent Etsy shopper I'm sure you've received purchases that arrived in packages almost too pretty to throw away.    Since most Etsy sellers almost never meet their customers in person, the way you package and ship your products says something about your shop - make sure you're saying something amazing!

Providing nicely packaged orders will help make your shop appear professional, promote repeat business for your shop, and increase the value appearance of your products.

In this weekly 3-part series we will look at examples of nicely packaged orders, discuss how to evaluate your own packaging, and provide resources for packaging materials.

Packaging Inspiration from HVNY Sellers

How you package your items will depend on what you have to deliver, but don't be afraid to get creative with supplies and use this as an opportunity to show off your brand.

Below you'll see examples of using promotional post cards, pin-back buttons and stickers to customize otherwise standard packaging supplies.  We also show a few examples of how to present jewelry using traditional jewelry boxes and others using less conventional containers. 

Wicked Mint


Tickled Pink Knits

Sweet Olive Jewelry

Anjali Creations



Esthera Guirre
Tink's Treasure



Charms of Faith



























Next week we'll discuss how to evaluate your current packaging situation and think about ways to make it even better.

Have you made any Etsy purchases and been thrilled with the presentation?  We'd love to hear your stories and ideas.

Friday, September 9, 2011

Where To Find the Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend!

What a week it's been for the Hudson Valley. It's so nice to see the sun again!

Tara of Lefty Loops will be at General Montgomery Day in Montgomery, NY on Saturday from 9 am - 4:30 pm.

Also on Saturday, a bunch of us will be at Kids and Family Day at Cantine Field in Saugerties, NY from 11 am - 6 pm. Come visit! Featured artists are:

Kathy (Gnorasaurus)
Karen (Karmabee)
Siobhan
Audrey (Molly's Purl)
Jeri Lynn (Jeri's Jewelry )
Monica Roberti (Mother May I)

Thursday, September 8, 2011

Have You Seen This?

The minute I saw this wall hanging, it evoked all that is good about the end of the summer.  The bounty of the harvest - my own vegetable garden, the farmers markets, canning and pies.  The apples are coming in and we are gobbling up the last of the corn.  Soon we will be picking pumpkins and carving jack-o-lanterns.

Wouldn't this piece look crazy good by the back door of a country cottage?  Better yet, hanging it by your back door will make you feel like you are living in the cottage of your dreams.  Reclaimed Designs is responsible for this lovely mosaic and to make good even gooder, she uses reclaimed and recycled materials for her cottage style pieces for the home.  Good for the heart, good the home, good for the planet.  I love this piece!


Thursday, September 1, 2011

Member Spotlight - Huzzah! Handmade

Today we meet one of our newest members, Kathryn from Huzzah! Handmade. You can also like them on Facebook.


Tell us a bit about yourself
My name is Kathryn Hunter Luciana and I am thrilled to be a new member of the Hudson Valley NY Etsy team. I was born and raised in the mid-Hudson Valley of New York in Orange County. After some vagabond years of moving around NY State and then out West to Arizona, my husband and I moved back to the Hudson Valley to live in the town of Cornwall. I opened my shop on Etsy: Huzzah! Unique Handmade Wearables in 2008, and very much enjoy being a virtual shopkeeper.

What is your professional background? And what led you to your current craft?
How I arrived at this place in my life is kind of a long, winding road, but I’ve always been involved in art in some way. I’ve sewn since I was a pre-teenager, and I’m mostly self-taught. For many years, I was very involved with Fine Art Photography and have shown in quite a few national exhibitions. I have a Bachelor of Arts Degree in English Literature, and worked a bit in publishing, but for the past fifteen-plus years I’ve been working in the theatre business. I’m a member of IATSE, short for International Alliance of Theatrical and State Employees of USA and Canada. My particular niche is wardrobe and costumes, but I’ve also dabbled in scenic design, set decoration and props. Its free-lance work in various venues throughout the area, so my schedule allows me time to work at home a great deal; something I cherish.

I’ve always had an independent, entrepreneurial streak, so maybe that’s what’s brought me to where I am today. Like I mentioned, I’ve always sewn, but about 7 years ago, I decided to learn to knit. My initial motivation was a practical one: I often had periods of time on my hands in my theatre jobs, just waiting for things to happen, so having something very portable, like knitting, seemed like a great way to spend that time. I’m awestruck at the vast array of fibers out there just begging to be made into something beautiful. After learning the basics of knitting, I started felting, and that led me to thinking about making items from repurposed, felted wool garments: bags, dog coats, vase covers, bottle cozies, jewelry. I figured why not try to create a cottage business from this new-found craft? I discovered Etsy at one of the craft events in which I participated, did a bit of research, and opened my shop. My latest endeavor, is adding machine embroidery to my felted items, and designing embroidered leather jewelry. I think the embroidery really makes my accessories unique, and people seem to respond very positively to it.

What inspires you? 
Nature, color, beautiful fabrics or yarns, objects I find in the strangest places like thrift shops, yard sales, or even home improvement centers. Also, seeing what other talented artists have created and being amazed. My materials are a blank canvas in front of me and present a puzzle that I have to solve. I rarely use a pattern when I make my up-cycled, felted items. I use many materials that once were something else, like leather belts, wool sweaters, vintage buttons, scraps of material I’ve scavenged, allowing them spark my imagination to create something new. If I do come up against a wall creatively, I usually walk away for a few hours, days or sometimes longer, pick up another project and let the tricky one lie fallow for a while. Then, when I go back to it, things seem to fall into place.

Describe your workspace? When if your favorite time of the day to work? 
My workspace consists of a room in my home that houses my sewing machines, tables, supplies, notions and yarn. I have to admit that I’ve spilled over into a smaller room where I have a computer and storage, but I rationalize this by telling myself that’s really my cat’s room because his box is in there. I usually work on sewing and embroidering in the afternoons, and I knit whenever and wherever I can get away with it.


If you were stranded on a desert island, what would you want with you? Any guilty pleasures? 
If I were so unfortunate as to be stranded on an island with my supplies, it would have to be a pretty big island. I’d also need my family, including pets, a couple of good friends, electricity and a big, sturdy boat to get us all out of there, because I would need to get back to my guilty pleasures: reality TV, chocolate and wine to name but a few.

Words of wisdom for aspiring artists?
I really don’t feel qualified to give advice to aspiring artists, because I feel I will always be aspiring myself, but I think it’s important to do whatever you can to learn your craft well, and then keep educating yourself. If you have an itch, scratch it, because that itch is trying to tell you something. Improvise, or even change course if something else interests you. Even if you can’t work as often as you’d like due to the daily demands we all have, make sure you give yourself a little time to experiment, research, or simply think.