Support Sinterklaas!

 As crafters, we have all begun preparation for the holiday celebrations.  One of my favorite celebrations in the Hudson Valley is Sinterklaas!  The Sinterklaas Festival is a day of performances and crafts around Rhinebeck followed by a spectacular parade with giant puppets, costumes and talent.  This month there are many ways to support this creative event.

Thursday, November 6, 2014 - Friday, December 5, 2014 

11:00am 
Sinterklaas Celebration space
The Celebration Space is at the Primrose Hill School (former site of Country Comfort Furniture), 6571 Springbrook Ave. (Route 9 N), across from the DC Fairgrounds! Rhinebeck, NY.
Community workshop space puppet making and Crowns & Branches
This event is spectacular for the kids. It's full of supplies to make a magical crown or branch to have for the parade.
Get the details

Sunday, November 9, 2014 

1:00pm 
LOVE IT OR SWAP IT! 
21 Platt Ave, Rhinebeck 
This is a great event for the ladies,  I have gotten some great clothes from this event.  It is full of great people, food and free mini makeovers from Face Stockholm!
Get the Details!

Sunday, November 23, 2014
10:00am 
ARTISAN CRAFT FAIR 
80 Market Street, Rhinebeck 
This benefit for Sinterklaas is full of great crafts from the Hudson Valley! I just don't need to say anymore!
Get the Details!

Sunday, November 23, 2014
1:00pm 
CROWNS AT FIBERFLAME
18B East Market St.(845.516.5123)
Rhinebeck
Free Crown-making Workshop for kids accompanied by an adult. 

Fiberflame is wonderful for the kids to try out all kinds of craft.
Get the Details!

Come out and buy or make something to support Sinterklaas!

Sheep and Wool Festival Last Weekend

My friend Kelli asked for company to go to the 

Sheep and Wool Festival in Rhinebeck this past Saturday.

It started off a bit cloudy but that did not keep the crowds away.

Over by the lamp post there was a vendor selling some type of artichoke goodness

that had a major crowd the whole time we were there.

Kelli is a hat person and this looked lovely on her! It is entirely made from wool and a 

few unusually striped black and white feathers.

There is as plethora of hand knitted, crocheted, woven and beautifully created

woolen goods everywhere!

I purchased a few quarters of wool from this charming lady. I want to try to

rug hook some of my art this winter.

As the day progressed, so did the crowd....

a quick trip up to livestock hill for a black sheep selfie and our day was done!

ps:

The artichoke crowd was even worse on the way out so I never did get to try it :(

Out Of My Studio: At Fiber Flame

Recently on this blog we read about a visit by fellow Hudson Valley Etsy Team blogger

Lark Practical to the Rhinebeck Arts Festival. She reviewed the booth provided by Fiber Flame and the wonderful time her son had spent painting a lizard. I decided this month to visit the mother ship- the original Fiber Flame studio located on route 212 between Woodstock and Saugerties. I say mother ship because recently Fiber Flame have also opened a studio in Rhinebeck and can be found at many local events, festivals and fairs.

Mother ship can also be used to describe the inspiring futuristic construction of the Fiber Flame building. Upon entering you are immediately welcomed by a beautifully curated gift shop, combining wares made from local crafts people to fair trade goods sourced from all over the world. This area is truly inspiring for any would be maker to get their creative juices flowing.

Gift shop at Fiber Flame

The space is then given over to numerous crafting tables where visitors are able to get making themselves. Shelves are jam packed with projects for children and adults alike to decorate and assemble. The walk in studio offers visitors the ability to come in whenever fits their busy schedules; Tuesday to Thursday and Sunday 10am-5pm and Friday and Saturday 10am -6pm.

Some Halloween 'blanks' ready for decorating

Visitors first choose a 'blank' on which to work. This could be anything from a onesie to a wooden car, a piece of pottery to glaze or a canvas tote to decorate. Each 'blank' has varying prices from $1 upwards. You also pay a studio fee of $10, for this fee all the studio materials are included in your two hour session; from buttons, beads, fabrics, papers, embellishments, a rainbow of glazes and also help from one of the friendly assistants if you need it.

Embellishments

Fiber Flame also offers a wide variety of classes for children and adults including its monthly Dirty Girls Night Out; offering women the chance to have a night out, make a mess,  try something new, meet and chat with fellow like minded people and get creative.  Previous nights have included embroidery, needle felting, indigo dyeing, jewelry making and pottery.

The studio also throws wonderful children's birthday parties and is open to private bookings including film showings on its huge movie screen. Kids Nights Out are held regularly whereby the youngsters can create, eat dinner and watch a movie while their parents enjoy a night out.



Dirty Girls Night- Indigo Dyeing Workshop



Main area- crafting tables

It is truly a remarkable and creative place well worth a visit -to fill some time on a rainy day, learn a new skill or to make Christmas gifts for the whole family.

"Fiber Flame is our effort to honor and feed the ancient human need to adorn ourselves, our loved ones, and our environment with handmade beauty. In a mass-produced world, it feels good, essential even, to make, have, give and receive one-of-a-kind, imperfectly-rendered objects." Shea and Christina


For more information about classes and events:

Fiber Flame

1776 Route 212

Saugerties

845 679 6132

make@fiberflamestudio.com

www.fiberflamestudio.com

or visit the new studio at 18b East Market St Rhinebeck

Sarah Omura - So Handmade

Rhinebeck Arts Festival visit

This weekend I went to the Rhinebeck Arts Festival.  It was a lovely event with beautiful crafts.  It was full of fiber arts, jewelry, and furniture.  Live music added to the creative vibe.  My only complaint is the food, it would be nice for them to get creative food that matches the vibe instead of the county fair usuals of hot dogs and ice cream.   They had several great booths for kids.  We hit the Fiberflame booth, where my son painted a lizard and wove a leash for him.  Fiberflame now has a spot in Rhinebeck in addition to their original space in Saugerties.  It's a great place to take kids to try a craft, but also a great place to learn or demonstrate your own craft.  A bonus to the arts festival was discovering Will Lytle.  He was doing $1 portraits.  I got a family and a single portrait. He was also selling original illustrations that were magnificent for $20.  Another enjoyable part was the Shimbumi Silks demonstration.  I had actually bought a marbling kit previous to this event, so seeing it done by pros inspired me to do my own. I would recommend checking it out next year, it would be nice to see it grow into a bigger event.

Fiberflame's booth

Rows of supplies to make your own creation with the lovely Christina of Fiberflame

My son creating his lizard at Fiberflame's booth

tables of activities-Fiberflame

Original Illustrations by Will Lytle

Will Lytle drawing our $1 portrait

The Shimbumi Silks demonstration

Shimbumi Silks creating the design

Shimbumi Silks pulling the silk scarf out.

A Visit to the Country Living Fair

Textiles and sundry goods

Last month in the beautiful weather,  I took the opportunity to trek up to Rhinebeck N.Y. to check out the Country Living Fair. Sponsored by the very popular Country Living Magazine, this is their second year in Rhinebeck. The fair travels to many other venues, but this one was the closest for me. The three day fair dominated the whole Dutchess County Fairgrounds site. It was huge! I usually attend the NY Sheep and Wool Festival at the fairgrounds, so I was familiar with the location, but I was a bit unprepared for the enormity of it. Most of the buildings that house the animals for the Sheep and Wool, were chock full of vendors this time.




The fair features not only handmade crafts, but also a very sizable collection of vintage goods, so there is a lot to discover for all interests.  As I browsed around, I found some dubious handmade and/or "vintage goods amongst the "real stuff." You really have to be aware of what you're buying and check things out well. Some people didn't seem to care; they just wanted something/anything, to take home from the fair. Many items seemed overpriced and I was pretty taken aback when I saw vintage buttons for $8 and up a piece. Some buttons on cards were as much as $50! Guess I'd better go back through my stash and re-evaluate what I have.

Old mailboxes and curiosities from a Kingston NY store

Vintage "junque"

The main reason for my trip was to visit my friend and fellow HV Etsy teammate, Sue from Digilio Designs. This was Sue's second year at the fair, and it's a real feather in her cap to be chosen again. Sue's work is perfect for this fair, and she was busy and pleased with the pace of business when I found her booth.  The fair lasts for three days, the booth fees are pretty steep, and it gets pretty tiring for the vendors, so I was happy, but not surprised, that she was doing well. I am very biased, but I think Sue had some of the best work there.

Sue Digilio enjoying a quite moment during the busy day.

Some of Digilio Design's handmade soft sculpture dolls

After chatting with Sue, I browsed around for hours, had a bite to eat and headed home. My only purchase was two lovely framed silhouettes of dogs: one of a Mini-schnauzer, and one of a West Highland Terrier from With Heart and Hand, Wendy Schultz Wubbles, Silhouettes and Scherenschnitte.  . The skill involved in her work is amazing, and I love the faux wood grain frames and the hand painted backgrounds in each piece. What can I say, I'm a sucker for my dogs!  Wendy's work makes an attractive addition to my home that brings me pleasure every day, and knowing that Sue was so successful warms my heart.

With Heart and Hand's collection of silhouettes

Just one of a collection of vintage trailers at the entrance to the fair. Fun!

Old trailer with an eclectic assortment for sale

Kathryn - Huzzah! Handmade

Meet our new members! October 2013 part 1

Hope you're ready for some great new member shops!  There were so many great ones that I have to split it up into 2 posts.  We certainly don't want to overwhelm our readers with so much wonderfulness at once!  As always, our members are artists, crafters, and creators from all around the Hudson Valley and I hope you'll give them a warm welcome.

Made with Love super sampler by Made With Love

First, I've got for you a member who actually joined a few months ago but sadly got left out, Made With Love.  Michele Tomasicchio creates scrumptious body lotions, potions, and butters in New Paltz.  All are made with natural ingredients and without chemicals that could cause harm.  A very welcome (if belated) hello to you!

Navy waxed canvas tote with leather by Lark Practical

Lark Practical makes some wonderful leather creations in Rhinebeck!  They have everything from bracelets, wallets, to that lovely tote you see.  All made with high quality materials that will age wonderfully as you take them through life with you.  Great to have you!

Moonbeam Blue Pendant by RGClayDesign

Roberta Green of RGClayDesign fires and assembles her work in Warwick.  She specializes in wearable art making them in clay along with fused glass and other beads.  Each creation is one of a kind and truly lovely.  Welcome to the team!

The stargazer's mirror by hArtandSoliMprints

hArtandSoliMprints is run by Vito and Claudia, who also work in Rhinebeck.  They paint and charge unique abstract paintings with healing as well as other intentions to help whoever receives one of their art works.  This truly one of a kind process has created some gorgeous artworks, if I do say so myself!  Much light and love to you, too.

Organic Romance Tea by TeaandSensibility

TeaandSensibility is possibly my favorite new member in this batch (what can I say? I adore tea!).  Jules blends her creations in Maybrook.  She offers Organic teas and all the accessories you need to enjoy it including teapots and infusers, I can almost smell it from here.  Hope you like it here!

Well, that's all I've got for this round, check back for part 2 where I'll feature 5 more awesome new member's.  Until then, I hope you'll stop by some of these shops and welcome them. Hey, they might just be your neighbor!

Enjoy!
Amber

Secret Shopping Destinations

Recently, Refinery29 published the article 5 Secret Shopping Destinations Less Than 3 Hours From NYC which included towns like Hudson, Rhinebeck, Saugerties and more.  For each area they include several links of small businesses to check out.

Personally speaking, exploring towns like the ones listed in the article is one of the reason why I am happy that I moved out of the city.  Unfortunately I still have to commute to Manhattan daily but it's nice to know that there are so many more wonderful options to enjoy outside of the five boroughs.

Crafts At Rhinebeck

One of the biggest craft shows in the country will once again take place this weekend (October 3 & 4) at the Dutchess County Fairgrounds in Rhinebeck. The team's own Becky from geminiriverrocks.etsy.com will be present selling her lovely handpainted pins, pendants, and more!