Oh, my goodness, are we in the thick of it now! For crafty biz people like me it's like final exams every week for a month, with the biggest, baddest exam coming up this weekend, the last shopping weekend before Santy Clause makes his annual visit. It's so busy, I'm taking cat-naps on the couch, eating mac and cheese at the kitchen counter, walking the dogs at all hours of the night, and probably not changing my clothes often enough.

Getting ready is as much mental as it is physical (in the sense of making enough stock to satisfy the hoped-for overwhelming demand). For me it involves coaching myself not to freak out, to just keep cutting, sewing, gluing, painting. Sleep can wait. It's a long slow winter.

To see the results of my and over 80 other local artisans' "making" madness (including that of many NewNew members), swing by the first ever Yelp Giftacular Holiday Market in downtown Manhattan this Saturday and Sunday, December 17 and 18, from 12 to 6 PM. And/or check out any of the numerous other local handmade holiday markets happening throughout the City. For a comprehensive list of these happenings, visit the Markets of New York Holiday Market Guide. It rocks.

Happy handmade holiday shopping!

Until next time -

Linda/Purty Bird