Meet Makers-on-Hudson!

We have exciting news to share with you today!  After being known as The Hudson Valley Etsy Team since we formed in 2008, we are changing our name and will now be known as Makers-on-Hudson!

As we continue to grow as a group, we wanted to identify ourselves as more than just Etsy sellers, although you can still find all of our shops there! We call ourselves different names - artists, designers, crafters, but the one thing we all identify with is that we are "Makers."  We are passionate about what we do and support the handmade movement which continues to thrive in the Hudson Valley.

Our name is a play on the "on-Hudson" towns located in the Hudson Valley like Hastings-on-Hudson, Croton-on-Hudson, Cornwall-on-Hudson, and Annandale-on-Hudson.  In the end, "Makers-on-Hudson" was agreed upon as a nice way to who represent who we are and where we're from.

If you follow this blog, update your bookmarks to our new blog makersonhudson.blogspot.com.  All of our Social Media accounts will be switching over to our new name shortly.

Our Etsy page has been updated which you can check out by clicking here and our official website is now www.makersonhudson.com.

Out of my Studio: Celebrating Karmabee

Karen Berelowitz in her Karmabee Store in Kingston NY

I wanted to write this blog post to celebrate Karen Berelowitz of Karmabee and to congratulate her on her amazing 4 years of business in her bricks and mortar store on the Strand in Kingston.

Karen has decided to close her well loved store for the time being but is set to continue being a fixture at local farmers markets, craft fairs and of course online.

The store opened its doors in 2011 and was one of the first to capitalize on the renewal of the area which today sees many visitors to the historic waterfront site and to the new stores, cafes and restaurants  that have since opened.

 

Karmabee Store

In her time on the Strand Karen has been instrumental in local community events including the monthly night markets, events such as Sinterklaas, Hooley on the Hudson, the Shamrock Run and many more. She also joined Re>Think Local and regularly contributed to small business shopping events.

 

 

 

The store not only sold Karmabees distinctive range of hand screen printed t-shirts, onesies and cards but Karen also championed local craft makers including many from the Hudson Valley Etsy Team. Thanks to Karen many of us have been able to count on regular sales from Karmabee and we have also benefitted from having a local store that we can send our customers to.

Personally I have really enjoyed popping into Karmabee every couple of months to bring in new stock and  to chat with Karen about what we have both been making and craft fairs we are doing. Working on a small craft business from home can be quite a lonely pursuit and having people like Karen to touch base with once in a while was such a blessing.

 

Gorgeous Karmabee themed cake at the store closing party

I hope everyone is together with me in wishing Karen  every success in her future endeavors. We are excited to see what plans she has in store for Karmabee.

In the mean time Karmabee can still be found on Etsy and Amazon and in the warmer months she will be returning to the uptown Kingston Farmers Markets.

 



Look out for Karmabee at local farmers markets and craft fairs

 

Good Luck Karen and Good Making!

 

Sarah

So Handmade

In My Studio: Pantone Color of the Year 2016

Every year Pantone launches a color of the year which is set to inspire and influence everything from fashion to home wares for that coming year. In a change from tradition this year Pantone has named a blend of two colors Rose Quartz and Serenity as their colors of the year. Pantone says that their selection is

A symbolic color selection; a color snapshot of what we see taking place in our culture that serves as an expression of a mood and an attitude.

By using Pantones suggested colors of the year designers and makers can tap into new trends in the marketplace. Etsy itself is likely to pick up on these trends and could potentially use these products in features and Etsy Finds.

Here are some amazing products by our own Makers on Hudson team members that are already showcasing these trends:

Rose Quartz Earrings by Omi Silver

Pink and Silver Brocade Mask by Dara Gallery

Toddler Dress by LaidieCloth

Felt Name Banner by QuarterLifeLuck

Chainmaille bracelet by Pulp Sushi

Glass Pendant Necklace by Get Glassy



Art Print by Digilio Designs

I have put together a treasury with some wonderful handmade items from the Makers on Hudson team in this years 'hot' color Rose Quartz

https://www.etsy.com/treasury/MTI4MjQxNjN8MjcyNTU3ODE1OQ/rose-quartz

Good Luck and Good Making!

Sarah
SO Handmade



FREE Holiday Printable: Christmas Gift Tags

I would like to share with you all a jpg of my Christmas Gift Tags.

I find these quick and easy to print up and I like to add a little bit of 

glitter to mine. The cards fold over and you can add a little bit more

personal notes than you can to the pre-made sticker type ones.

Punch a hole in the corner and add a bit of string or ribbon.

Enjoy and have a Merry Christmas!

Click here to download

Of course just for your personal use ;)

Sue DiGilio

digiliodesigns.etsy.com

A Visit To Hudson, NY

Wandering on (and off) Warren Street is a great place to start your visit to Hudson, NY. The shops on Warren Street are amazing and very high end. Many of the antique stores (over 300) sell museum quality pieces with price tags to match. Creativity and style is everywhere. 

Hudson combines the best of both worlds: nature and the kind urban ease that you would expect to find in the city.

As an artist and maker, a visit to Hudson is inspirational. The window displays are imaginative and styles are tightly curated. Katherine Moore, founder of the Hudson River Exchange says the Hudson Valley is "...an ideal place for creating. Setting up a sustainable living here poses several questions. Part of what we do (at Hudson Exchange) is seek people from the greater maker community to stimulate that dialogue." They have a lovely pop-up shop on Warren Street (just closed on October 18) with locally crafted items and studio spaces. They organize local events offering visual and community inspiration as well as platforms for commerce and exchange for local makers.

There is also a lot that you can do on the cheap in Hudson says founder of The HudsonRiver Exchange, Katherine Moore: "There are two art stores - Sketch up by the park and Spotty Dog - along with a lot of parks including the river front. Grabbing some art supplies and heading to the river is amazing. Another nice thing to do in Hudson is just wander Warren. Go into antique stores and just look at the oddities and eras of design. There is one antique store Hudson Mercantile in the 300 block of Warren. You can buy little industrial trinkets from a dollar or two. There is also the Red Chair in the 600 block. Also sells small little items from France." 

Our favorite spot was the Spotty Dog Books and Ale: a bookstore, watering hole, art supply shop rolled into one. Beer on tap is mostly local and always delicious. Growler friendly. Also loved the funky vintage clothing shops on and off Warren.

Hudson River Exchange upcoming events include: a workshop on Visual Merchandising with Nick Blaine of Hawkins New York (a design shop and brand on Warren Street in Hudson) on October 27th. 

The workshop will be directed towards market booths as we approach the holiday season, but will include foundations of visual story telling relevant for people selling on Etsy as well. Importantly it will also be attended by other creatives and is a great way to connect with peers. 

We ventured out of Hudson on two day trips. One to Frederic Church's Olana and the other to the home of Church's mentor, The Thomas Cole House. Both locations offered insight into each artist's work and passions and hosted a contemporary art exhibit called, River Crossings. The surrounding landscape was also quite beautiful. The Hudson River School artists painted the American landscape and our relationship to nature through themes of wilderness, discovery, exploration, and settlement. The artists often traveled to remote locations and painted from memory or from an amalgamation of sketches.

Looking forward to exploring more of the Hudson Valley. 

For more info about Hudson, NY check out the following websites:

Design Sponge Hudson Valley Guide

Hudson River Exchange

What are your favorite places in Hudson or the Hudson Valley? 

Susan - Lunule

Join the Hudson Valley Etsy Team!

Are you an Etsy seller in the Hudson Valley looking to connect with other handmade businesses in the area?   The deadline to apply for the Fall is TOMORROW!   You can read more our team criteria and how to apply on our website and while you're there, don't forget to check out our gift guides!

Where To Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

Autumn is a second spring when every leaf is a flower. ~Albert Camus

 

Harvest Moon Lunar Cycle Necklace by Incarnate Anew

 

As we head into the last full week of Summer, Hudson Valley Etsy members have both sides of the Hudson River "covered." 

On Saturday, meet Erica, from Incarnate Anew  at The Town of Wappinger Community Day with her unique copper, brass, silver and gemstone jewelry. Erica incorporates hand beading, and hand stamping in her unusual work.

 

 

On Sunday, a trip to the Village of Warwick would make for a great day. At  The Makers' Market you can say hello to Cindy, from Cynla designs as you stroll the village green. Cindy's notecards and paper goods are all based on her lovely original artwork. You will find beautiful cards and invitations for every occasion in her collection.

 

Summer is winding down, but Hudson Valley Etsy is going strong, with some great events yet to come, so stay tuned for much more in the weeks to come.

Where to Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

There is a harmony in autumn, and a luster in its sky, which through the summer is not heard or seen, as if it could not be, as if it had not been!

Percy Bysshe Shelley

 

Alpaca Capelet with Faux Fur Trim by HuzzahHandmade

  

 For some, this weekend marks the "unofficial" end to summer, although technically, we are still enjoying summer's slow fade. We begin to anticipate cooler days and brilliant colors. Harvest Festivals begin to abound. On Sunday from 11-4, you'll find Kathryn, of HuzzahHandmade at the Rosehaven Alpaca Festival at Bethel Woods with her hand knits and felted accessories, many of which feature luscious Alpaca Fiber. The Harvest Festival at Bethel Woods features a farmer's market, two handcrafts tents, music and food. One entire tent is devoted to Alpaca products, live animals, and demonstrations, so make it a destination and have a great day.

Large Felted Bowl in Jewel Tones, by HuzzahHandmade

What's New In July

Hope everyone is staying cool during this heat wave we're having here in the Hudson Valley!  Enjoy the day with AC and browse what's new with members from the team in July, we got a nice mix of goodies to share!

Flamingo Coin Purse from H + J Star Creations

Lemon Parsley Organic Body Lotion from Hudson Naturals

Pocket Vase from Hesters Studio

Click to see more!

Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft, and Design Midcentury and Today

I made my first trip to the Museum of Art and Design near Columbus Circle in Manhattan to see Pathmakers: Women in Art, Craft, and Design, Midcentury and Today (through September 30th). As I walked the small exhibit, I tried to take some photos of works that I thought would be inspiring to other Hudson Valley Etsians.

The first work that struck me was the Belly Button Divider by Eva Zeisel. I didn't really make the connection until I read the title, but I love the colors and the sense of humor in the piece. She calls herself "a maker of things" because innovation is not a part of her work though I wonder if many would disagree. 

Belly Button Screen, Eva Zeisel

Belly Button divider on permanent display at the Standard in Hollywood

Another ceramic work that I thought was really cool was the piece below by Rut Bryk, a designer of ceramic tiles and objects for Arabia . The abstract modular piece below was inspired by the folk art of India and Southeastern Europe. The show is very tactile so don't be surprised if you feel like reaching out and touching the pieces. 

Rut Bryk

As a pattern maker, I really loved the two examples from Vuokko Eskolin-Nurmesniemi. She worked for Marimekko and then for her own company, Vuokko Oy until 1988. She started another company, Vuokko Nurmesniemi Oy which she still runs today. She is a pattern trailblazer inspired by nature.

This knitted piece by Mary Walker Phillips blew me away. Walker Philips cut her teeth as a weaver for Frank Lloyd Wright and Dorothy Liebes but in 1960 started to focus on experimental textiles and knitting. Wow! This is such an amazing piece. I love the delicate stiffness of the string.

Habu Textiles  comes to mind for materials for your next experimental knitting project.

These are two beauties by Lenore Tawney. So light but so powerful:

ink on paper

linen thread woven form

Lenore Tawney, (1907-2007)

 Michelle Grabner's paper weavings also inspired me. It is amazing what happens when artists co-opt their kids crafts with better materials and more experience.

Michelle Grabner, Paper Weaving

So the next time you are in Manhattan, add the Museum of Art and Design to your roster. In addition to the galleries, they have a gift shop featuring local and national makers and offer programs for artists, designers, crafters. See the schedule here.

Susan - Lunule.etsy.com

What's New In May

Today we have a nice collection of new items added by our members to their shops in the month of May.  See them all after the jump!

Beyond The Picket Fence

Huzzah Handmade

Dara Gallery

Where to Find Hudson Valley Etsy This Weekend

Outdoor Shows Return as Spring Arrives

 Why not treat Mom on her special day?

Felted wool vase cover by HuzzahHandmade 

Spring has finally bloomed across our beautiful Hudson Valley and outdoor markets and shows are popping up again like fields of flowers.  Kathryn of Huzzah! Unique Handmade Wearables will be at opening day of The Makers' Market on the Green in beautiful downtown Warwick N.Y.  Sunday, May 10th from 9Am-3PM. 

This intimate, outdoor market is right in the heart of the village is within easy strolling distance to restaurants, shops and the Farmers' Market.

Here's a link for more information and directions.

hudsonhandmade.com

Handmade Nuno felted silk scarf by HuzzahHandmade

The Signs of Spring

The Signs of Spring

from the 

HudsonValley Etsy Team

Purple Butterfly Rug by Twisted Thread and Hook

Dancing Pocket Vase by Hester's Studio

Sweet Leigh Flower Earrings by Merry Alchemy

 

"The Sisters" by Digilio Designs

Jody - A Studio By The Sea