Monday, November 30, 2015

Holiday Gift Guide: Babies and Kids

Looking for something special and unique for the young ones in your life? We rounded up a few of our favorite gift ideas for babies and kids. You can find even more of our favorites on our team's Etsy page.
Kuriketto doll by Kokma, $85.00
Organic Peace Baby Onesie by Karmabee, $26.99

Personalized Name Banner by Quarter Life Luck, $20.50 and up
Temporary Tattoos by Karmabee, $3.00
Learn to Crochet Kit by The Pudgy Rabbit, $24.00
Crayon Roll by SO Handmade, $17.00 and up

Sterling Silver Horse Necklace by Hoshika Design, $38.00 
Lilac Rose Earrings by Pulp Sushi, $8.00
Bandana Bib and Teething Toy Set by Li'l Mint, $18.50

Sunday, November 29, 2015

A Visit To The Howland Cultural Center, Beacon, NY

We want to take a moment and thank our wonderful host for allowing us to have our holiday craft fair in their space for the last seven years, The Howland Cultural Center​.



Originally built in 1870 when Joseph Howland commissioned his brother-in-law Richard Morris Hunt to design a home for a subscription library he donated to the state of New York.  It was known as the Howland Library until 1976 when the library moved to it's currently location just a couple of blocks west on Main Street.



The Howland Cultural Center was established to preserve the building (which became a registered historic site in 1973) and to host special performance events, curated art exhibits, as well as public and community meetings.  It is a beautiful building to visit and a real gem on Main Street, Beacon.

Check out the beauty of The Howland during Second Saturday on December 12 and come shop at our 7th Annual Holiday Craft Fair from 10 am to 5 pm!

Friday, November 27, 2015

Where To Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend


Shop Local, Shop Small, Enjoy!

 

Owl, Soft Sculpture, Folk Art Doll, Collectible Art Doll, Snowy Owl
Owl Soft Sculpture, by digiliodesigns


 This weekend ushers in the "official" holiday shopping season. Saturday has become known as "Small Business Saturday," and the movement has really taken off. So, if you'd rather not get "malled," then Hudson Valley Etsy has many alternatives to that "black" experience. We are all over this weekend and these events are just the thing to lift your spirits with an amazing array of handmade, locally sourced holiday gifts.

Sue, of  Digiliodesigns  will be at the 44 Annual Dutchess Community College Holiday Craft Fair on Saturday and Sunday. Sue is inspired by the beauty of the natural world when creating her prints, paper goods and original art. While you're there stop by to meet Kathryn, from HuzzahHandmade to discover some of her luxury hand knits and Nuno felted accessories for special people on your holiday list.

 

Bulky Cabled Cowl in Alpaca Blend with Buttons
Bulky, Cabled Alpaca Cowl by HuzzahHandmade

 

Sue, Kathryn and Hester, from Hesters Studio  are also participating in Gifted, Hudson Valley, a sweet, little Pop-Up Shop right on the main street in Red Hook, N.Y., that opens this weekend and continues through Christmas. 

Also, if you are in the vicinity of Garrison, N.Y. you will also find a selection of Sue's items at The Desmond Fish Library Holiday Boutique

 

Oval Bird Ornament
Oval Bird Ornament by Hester's Studio

 

Up in the city of Hudson, N.Y. at the Basilica Farm and Flea, Christina, from Hudson Naturals returns to this unique venue with her all-natural body products for both women and men.  

 

Avocado Oil Soap with Rosemary Mint
Rosemary Mint Soap by Hudson Naturals

For something a bit different, visit Erin, from Harp and Thistle at the On Trend Holiday Market  in Hadley, MA on Saturday. Erin's beautiful punch needle embroidery will charm anyone on your shopping list.

 

Black-Capped Chickadee Punchneedle Embroidery Hoop Wall Art 4 Inch Hoop. Nature Decor. Fiber Art. Home Decor. Bird Art. Green, Gray, Brown
Black Capped Chickadee Punch Needle Embroidery by Harp and Thistle

 

And finally, Hudson Valley Etsy wishes you a very Happy Thanksgiving, and a joyous holiday season. We thank all of you for continuing to support handmade products and the artisans who live and work in your communities. Cheers!

 

Thursday, November 26, 2015

Happy Thanksgiving!

 
Hudson Valley Etsy hopes everyone has a great and fulfilling Thanksgiving!

Wednesday, November 25, 2015

Handmade Black Friday & Cyber Monday Sales

Find unique gift ideas for your shopping list with Hudson Valley Etsy!  A couple of sales starting as early as today!


20% OFF Everything, including Sample Sale items -- luxurious, exquisitely hand-knit in New York fashion accessories and clothing from award-winning designer Elena Rosenberg.

Use Code: ILOVEHANDKNIT to shop at: squareup.com/market/elenarosenberg and elenarosenberg.etsy.com


Cyber Monday comes EARLY at Pulp Sushi where you can get 30% off your purchase with coupon code: CYBER30

Beau Tea Studio will be having a Black Friday sale of 20% off your purchase.  If you're staying offline Friday, come back on Cyber Monday for 25% off! If you can't wait, they are posting one item for sale every day this week in their shop.


Starting Small Business Saturday through December 5th, Incarnate Anew is offering Free Shipping with the code SATSHIP or 15% off orders over $50 with code SMBIZSAT

Silently Screaming is offering 25% off everything between Black Friday and Cyber Monday when you use the code: SMALLBIZSAT2015

Monday, November 23, 2015

2015 Holiday Craft Fair Sneak Peek #2 - Beacon, NY

Today we are happy to share with you the second batch of vendors you will find at our Holiday Craft Fair this year.   We will have a nice mix of members of the team as well as other local artisans and makers bringing you a great collection of fun and unique gift ideas for your shopping list.  View our first batch here.

If you are on Facebook and plan on joining us, click here to RSVP!

Harp and Thistle
Huzzah! Handmade
Rockerbox Spice Co.

Omi Silver Jewelry

Kokma Toys

Friday, November 20, 2015

Where To Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

 What's All the Hullabaloo About?

SALE - meerwiibli black boiled wool jacket women flap and wing - last 2 - M + L in stock
Black Boiled Wool Jacket, by meerwiibli

Well, let us clue you in to the situation. The Hudson Valley Hullabaloo takes place this weekend, both Saturday and Sunday, in Kingston at the Andy Murphy Midtown Center and many of our Hudson Valley Etsy makers will be there. 

 

Please visit Sarah-Maria from Meerwiibli for stylish, hand-sewn-with-love clothing created in the Catskills. 

 

Dicken's A Christmas Carol Ornament Collection. Five Ornament Gift Set. Jacob Marley, Scrooge, Ghost of Christmas Past, Present and Future.
Christmas Carol Ornament Collection by Harp&Thistle

 

You'll also find Erin of HarpandThistle with her beautiful and fanciful punch needle embroidery for your home and gift giving. 

 

Next, stop and say hello to Sarah, from SOhandmade. Sarah's handmade Christmas tree skirts, ornaments and children's items are perfect for all ages on your list

 

Crayon Holder, Christmas gift for toddler,  diaper bag essentials, baby entertainment, on the go toys, gifts for baby, baby gifts
Handmade Crayon Holder by SOHandmade

  For stationery and paper goods head on over to see Cindy, of Cynla. Cindy's cards are all based on her original drawings.

Good Tidings, box of 8 cards by Cynla

 

Rounding out our group is Christina from Hudson Naturals. You will definitely need to find gifts to pamper the special people in your life this holiday season. Christina's products are all natural and handmade here in the Hudson Valley for both women and men.

Tuesday, November 17, 2015

2015 Holiday Craft Fair Sneak Peek #1 - Beacon, NY

Today we are happy to share with you the first batch of vendors you will find at our Holiday Craft Fair this year.   We will have a nice mix of members of the team as well as other local artisans and makers bringing you a nice mix of fun and unique gift ideas for your shopping list.  If you are on Facebook and plan on joining us, click here to RSVP!

Digilio Designs



Kmiotek Art Works

S2 Stationery and Design

Squirrel Den Studio
Knot By Gran'ma

Wednesday, November 11, 2015

Where To Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

 Over The River...

Rococo Hand Knit Shawl - Luxurious Merino Wool Wrap - Women's Fall Winter Scarf Fashion - Navy Blue
Rococo Shawl by ElenaRosenberg

It's hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is just around the corner. This week Hudson Valley Etsy members can be found in two states, so no matter where you live, we are accessible. The weekend starts a bit early for Elena, of Elena Rosenberg Wearable Fiber Art . She will be a featured artist at the Philadelphia Museum of Art Craft Show starting Thursday, November 12. You can meet Elena and choose from her collection of luxurious, wearable fiber art for some lucky people on your gift list.

Wizard of Oz Poppy Wedding Invitation Set - Deposit
Wizard of Oz Poppy wedding invitation set by Silently Screaming Designs

On your way back from Pennsylvania on Saturday, take a detour to the Bronx to visit Martina from Silently Screaming Designs at the Preston High School Flea Market from 10 - 4:30.  Martina has just what you need if you're looking for very unique, personalized wedding stationery, party invitations, note cards and art prints. Definitely not your ordinary paper goods!

A new Pop-Up shop is opening this weekend Mamaroneck including items from Lunule.   You can find more information on the shop on their Facebook page

Monday, November 9, 2015

In My Studio: Craft Fair Prep

So Handmade Christmas Tree Skirts at a craft fair
I am frantically getting ready for my first craft fair of the season at the moment. There are many holiday fairs that start around now and continue almost every weekend until Christmas. These holiday fairs can be the most lucrative time of year for selling and can also provide a great opportunity to network and market your business.

I was looking at an old blog post I did about craft fair prep and thought it would be good to share it again.

Here are some tips and challenges:

1. Which Holiday Fairs: Choosing the holiday fairs to participate in is the first challenge. Balancing the sometimes high cost of a spot with the potential for earnings. A great way to gauge which fairs are good and which to avoid is by talking to fellow vendors and don't overstretch yourself by applying for one every weekend between now and Christmas, pace yourself. On the weekends in between go and visit local fairs to see if doing them the following year might be worthwhile. Look at the other potential costs involved or doing the fairs such as the distance to the fair, hotel costs if it's a two day affair etc.

2. Plan your space. Once you have decided which fairs to do look at the size and shape of the booth you have been allocated. A good way to plan your booth is to mark it out on the floor of your house with masking tape. Arrange your booth furniture in the space allocated making sure that you are aware of where the flow of people will come and make your space easy to negotiate. A booth that's too cluttered will put people off from entering, make sure it's open enough to entice customers.

Does your set up require an electrical outlet and where will it be? Remember to give yourself a designated space/ chair to sit, the fairs can stretch on and on and on and being comfortable is important. Take photos of your mock up so you can easily replicate it on the day. Finally make sure all the booth furniture is manageable and will fit into your car, doing extra trips costs more and wastes precious set up time.

3. Tablecloths: Make sure you have table cloths that cover the front and any visible sides of your tables all the way to the ground. This makes your space look more professional and also gives a great storage space for things you don't want to be on view. Choose the color wisely to best show off your products.
My craft fair display
4. Presentation: Work out beforehand where your products are going to go and if you need special stands/ baskets for them. Play around with the layout and once you are happy take photos so you can remember. Keep your products clean, ironed and stored carefully, presenting dusty, creased products at the fair will not help your sales.

5. Branding: Label your stand with your business name as visible as possible. Banners are a great way of doing this, Staples and other stationary stores are often giving good deals on printing them. Keep business cards easily accessible to visitors and put one in every customers bag. Donating an item to the obligatory raffle is also a good way of getting visibility for you business. Remember to have out a visitors book for e-mail addresses so you can start to build up a mailing list.

6. Price your products with labels that are easily visible, do this before the show to save time but also remember extra labels for any products you missed or for any changes/ discounts you want to make on the day.

7. Payment Options: Remember to bring with you a cash box with as much petty cash as possible, at least $50-$100 in a variety of different denominations and change. Look into ways that you can accept non-cash payments, this might be on a smart phone or iPad with a Square/Etsy card reader or similar but be aware of the additional costs. Remember to add the states sales tax to every purchase made, bring a calculator to easily work this out. Register online to file these payments.

8. Be your own advertisement: If possible wear one of your products (if it's jewelry or apparel) and remember to tell people that its available.

9. Don't Forget:
  • Plastic or paper bags for customers purchases and packaging such as bubble wrap or tissue paper if needed 
  • Business cards, banners and other branding items 
  • Calculator, receipt book and notebook to keep track of sales 
  • Pens, pins, safety pins, scissors, string, tape, small sewing kit 
  • Food and drink to keep you going and a book for slow times 
  • Extension lead for electrical supply if needed
  • iPhone/card reader and cash box


I used my cart as a handy packaging station 

10. Network: Lastly don't forget to tell people where you will be at the weekend, make sure all your family and friends are going to visit the holiday fair and especially your booth. Post details of your schedule online and encourage visitors with promises of cookies!

Before anything else, preparation is the key to success.
Alexander Graham Bell

Good Luck and Good Making!

Sarah Omura - So Handmade

Friday, November 6, 2015

Where To Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

Transitions

 

OWL ORNAMENT christmas ornaments holiday decor beaded ornaments christmas gift christmas tree ornaments owl gift owl decoration tree owl
Owl Ornament by SOHandmade

 

Seasons are changing gently here in the Hudson Valley so far. Frost on pumpkins has given way to Indian Summer this week, and it seems that the weekend will offer fine opportunities to start your holiday shopping while enjoying the last of the Fall colors.

Sarah, of SOHandmade will be in Kingston on both Saturday and Sunday at the John A. Coleman Craft Fair with her charming selection of hand made Christmas Tree skirts, ornaments, and children's items.  

 

Box of 8 Greeting Cards by cynla


Travel to Chappaqua, Westchester County, to meet Cindy, of Cynla who brings her selection of paper goods and greeting cards, all created from her hand drawn designs, to the Chappaqua Holiday Fair. You'll find beautiful, whimsical cards for all occasions in Cindy's shop.

Wednesday, November 4, 2015

What Was New In October?

Do you like to get your Holiday shopping list done early? You can start right here with the Hudson Valley Etsy Team!  Let's check out some of the new items shared in October and see the full listing of items here.

Eucalyptus Mint Soy Candle from Beau Tea Studio

Nuno Felted Shawl On Black Silk by Huzzah! Handmade


2016 Zebra Calendar from Silently Screaming
Brass Four Elements Earrings from Incarnate Anew
2016 Wall Calendar - Year of the Monkey by Hoshika

Pencil Case from Hand J Star Creations


Chainmaille Bracelet from Pulp Sushi