Where to Find the {NewNew} May 22 + 23

Handmade Shopping Tip #3
Finding Your Favorite Handmade Artisan Again

You stroll through a spring market and pass by a booth with stunning handprinted tea towels*. You backtrack. You buy one, take it home, and realize it's not only the most beautiful thing in your kitchen, but it's super soft, super absorbent, and easy to clean. You want to buy 10 more as gifts for your entire family. But wait - the tea towel doesn't have the designer's name on it. You paid with cash, so you don't have a receipt. You go back to the market the following weekend and search through all the booths to locate the mystery tea towel seller, but you can't find her again. What to do?

The wonderful thing about handmade products is that it lacks that huge tags emblazoned with a company's logo. Unfortunately, it also means that you might not be able to find that artist that you love. Here are some tips to relocate your favorite handmade artisan.

1. Sign up to be on "the list". Many artists send out newsletters with information about new products, upcoming craft fairs they'll be selling at, or when there are special promotions. Be sure to join - you can always unsubscribe later.

2. Take a business card. But don't just grab a business card, throw it in your shopping bag, and throw it out when you get home! Take a second to make a note on the back about what product you like, or to write a reminder like, "Great gift idea for Aunt Sara!" That way you won't forget why you picked up that card.

3. Put the business cards you collect in one place rather than let them collect in your junk drawer. I like to punch a hole in the top left hand corner and then put them all on a metal book ring to keep them all together.

4. Find out if the artist has a blog. Then subscribe!

Now, put these tips into action this weekend, as there will be plenty of opportunity to shop for amazing handmade items from the {NewNew}!

This Saturday, Karen Sieger, the author of Markets of New York, will be doing book signings at the Brooklyn Indie Market. To help celebrate the event, {NewNew} artisans will be selling their wares! Stop by and check out WabisabiBrooklyn, KimmChi, KnitKnit, OffTheMat, OwlidayInn, MetropolisSoap, Fofolle, and MayLuk.
Location: Red and white tent at Smith between President and Union, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn. Saturday, 11am - 7pm.

Hester Street continues to get great press and large turnouts at this hopping Lower East Side Market. Get a taste of old NYC by visiting this historic hotspot. This Saturday you'll find the following vendors:
HeartFelt4Kids: Colorful and charming natural fiber and eco-friendly wool and bamboo felt children's apparel.
Elements4InspirdLivng: One-of-a-kind fashion accessories and unique decorative items for the home.
PriaVanda: Unique hand-woven stationary.
Location: Hester and Essex Street, Manhattan. Saturday and Sunday, 10am - 6pm.


The Brooklyn Flea continues to be a strong presence on the local handmade scene, and the {NewNew} table has yet another strong line-up of vendors. Keep an eye out for CardsInStitches, AdornmentsNYC, and BhekiPainting this Saturday at the Fort Greene Flea.
Location: 176 Lafayette Avenue between Clermont and Vanderbilt. Saturday, 10am - 5pm.

The {NewNew} team will have a curated table at the famous BUST Spring Craftacular with fantastic items from a variety of {NewNew} artisans. Be sure to look out for them at this fabulous spring event!
Location: The Warsaw, 261 Driggs Avenue, Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Sunday, 11am - 7pm



Karina




*The tea towels I'm referring to are from Cakehouse and ClaudiaPearson. I love both designers!

Where to Find the {NewNew} December 5 + 6

The big event this weekend, which we have all been waiting for, is the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade! With over 50 Metro New York artists, designers, and crafters bringing their handmade creations together for this one-day shopping event, this year promises to be even more fun and exciting than the last. Be sure to enter our free raffle for a chance to win some creations from participating vendors, packed up in hand-embellished tote bags. Raffle tickets are free with each purchase, so the more you shop, the more chances you have to win.... So join us for some holiday cheer in our handmade shopping wonderland. Spread the word, tell your friends, and we'll see you there!
Location: Openhouse Gallery, 201 Mulberry Street. Saturday, 11am-8pm.

In addition to the Holiday Handmade Cavalcade tomorrow, you can find the {NewNew} at the following venues throughout the city:

WabisabiBrooklyn is back at the Brooklyn Indie Market both Saturday and Sunday. Stop by this friendly Carroll Gardens stomping ground and check out many amazing emerging designers!
Location: Red and white tent at Smith and Carroll Streets, Brooklyn. Saturday & Sunday, 11am - 7pm.

The annual BUST Holiday Craftacular is back again! It's an all day shopping and music extravaganza featuring the nation's hottest DIY talent. Over 200 crafty vendors will be present, including {NewNew} artisans Pulpsushi, BeaconBookmarks, Cakehouse, Nordea Soaperie, The Hand of Fatima, Charlie And Sarah, Wabisabi Brooklyn, Blue Stitch Books, Stereoette, Jantar.
Location: Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, NYC. Sunday, 10am - 7:30pm.


MayLuk will be selling her beautiful ceramic wares at The (Makers) Market at the (OA) Can Factory in Gowanus, Brooklyn this Sunday. Check out this bi-monthly market for great handmade finds.
Location: 232 Third Street at Third Avenue in Gowanus, Brooklyn. Sunday, 11am - 6pm.

See you at the Cavalcade!



Karina
Windows
Karina
WindowsOfAgate

Check us out at the BUST Holiday Craftacular

Once again, many of our talented local maker's of handcrafted wares have gotten into this Holiday's Bust Craftacular at the Metropolitan Pavillion on December 6, from 10am to 7.30 pm.

Go early to claim your swag bag and check out bold jewelry for funky personalities from Pulpsushi, handcrafted soap and other body essentials from Nordea Soaperie, Curious Handmade Jewelry For The Nostalgic Enchanted from The Hand of Fatima, Old English Meets American Prep apparel for children and adults from Charlie And Sarah, decoupage penny earrings made in brooklyn by Wabisabi Brooklyn with handmade gocco journals from Blue Stitch Books, jewelry ranging from hammered brass and silver to fired glass pieces by Stereoette and handcrafted jewelry using vintage elements from Jantar.

Admission is $2 - and the first 500 attendees get a super awesome Swag Bag, so put it in your calendar and make sure to stop by and say hello to your local makers

-Kimm
KimmChi.etsy.com

Bring the Fun of the Fall Cavalcade Home

It’s Sunday and you’ve enjoyed a beautiful day in Beacon, New York snatching up handmade wares from the {NewNew}. The feeling was so good, you want it to last forever. What to do? Make yourself some decorative {NewNew} Fall Handmade Cavalcade trees to enjoy all year long. These would make great wall decorations and can easily be hung anywhere. The steps in this project can also be applied to lots of other shapes - such as pumpkins for Halloween or turkeys for Thanksgiving. Maybe even tiny ones to hang on the Christmas tree?

For this project you need:
Card Stock
Newsprint paper or even an old copy of the NY Times Double-sided tape
Fabric Glue
Scissors/ Rotary blade
Cutting Mat
Colorful Quilting Fabric
Felt to compliment the fabric
Ribbon (we used 1/4" grosgrain)
Awl
Pins
Pencil
Ruler
Cookies and Milk (optional)

Create Your Pattern We made three sizes trees that were 28 inches, 22 inches and 16 inches tall. You can make whatever size suits your needs just keep in mind the final project will be hanging off a ribbon and will add a few inches in length. To make a pattern for the base tree start with the card stock. Take your ruler and measure out the length of your tree and mark the line with a pencil. This is the center axis of your tree. On either the left or right side of this line, draw a 1/2 tree. Cut this shape out. Now trace this shape on another piece of card stock. Flip the 1/2 tree pattern over, align the center axis with the shape you have traced, and trace the other half of the tree. This makes sure that your shape is symmetrical left and right. Once your symmetrical whole tree shape has been cut out, set it aside as this is the base.
Now roll out a section of newsprint paper. Trace your 1/2 tree shape onto the newsprint. Then inside that shape, draw a 1/2 arc that starts and ends along the center axis. It is helpful to do this within a tracing of your base tree so that you don't have to guess size and proportion. Now fold the newsprint along the center axis and cut out your center shape along the line you drew.
One pattern left, the felt trunk pattern. On newsprint again, take your 1/2 tree cardstock and trace just the bottom truck. Flip it over along the center axis to trace the other 1/2 of the trunk. Using a ruler, extend these lines up so that the length is about half of the total height of your tree. Extend branches from this trunk. Cut out your trunk shape and now all the patterns are complete! Take a moment for a pattern happy dance.
Fabric Time! Take the whole tree cardstock base that you cut out and apply double sided tape all along the edges. Stick this to the backside of one of your printed quilting fabrics. Using the edge of the cardstock as a guide, cut out the fabric so that it is the same size as your base.

Select a second printed quilting fabric, pin the paper pattern to it, and cut the shape out. Repeat this step to create your felty awesome tree trunk. Make sure your fabric is ironed and wrinkle free before you cut. Wrinkles ruin trees (or maybe you would call it character.) With your fabric glue (we prefer Beacon Magna-Tac 809 permanent adhesive), glue down the printed center of the tree to your printed base. Try to make sure you get the top points aligned and centered. Then glue your felt tree trunk on top.
Let it all dry for about 30 minutes while you admire your work and enjoy yummy cookies and milk. (Optional but recommended)

Alexandra and Virginia enjoy a not to vintage 2% and amazing chocolate chip cookie.
Finishing Touches Once your magical Fall Cavalcade tree is dry, carefully use your awl to poke a hole through and through about 3 inches from the top of your tree. From the good side of the tree, center your length ribbon on the whole and push it through. We used dull tweezers to push through as much as possible, and then pulled from the underside with a needle. You now have a loop coming out the back and two loose ends coming through the front. Tie these loose ends into a pretty bow.

Conceived by Jody and Alexandra Ferguson

With lots of help from Lauren, Virginia and Kelly

Reported by Kelly

Where to find The {NewNew} at Bust Craftacular tomorrow!


Click map to view larger. Print & bring to BUST with you!

14- Hand Of Fatima Design: Urban Jewelery Designed from Antique and Vintage Wears- Handmade in NYC.

25- Dirty Loves Clean: Vegan bath & body products including: holiday themed handmade soaps, lip balms, cameo-shaped soaps & gift sets.
25- Peppersprouts: New York themed shadow boxes and other hand-cut art

77- Red Bridge Studio: silk screened home & personal accessories, t-shirts

86- KimmChi: bold, abstract silkscreened women's shirts
86- wabisabi brooklyn: decoupage jewelry. handmade in the county of kings.

89- Charlie and Sarah
89- Chestnut Farmer

90- Cakehouse: Handmade Refashioned Home Accessories
90- Take Me Homeware: Handmade ceramics by May Luk

94- Lingua Nigra: Jewelry.

102- Metal Sugar: Deliciously Original Jewelry

119- Jill K Davis Jewelry: Sterling silver, brass and gold plated jewelry. Houses, trees and "Hi" and "Bye" earrings, necklaces, bracelets and charms.

166- Nordea's Soaperie: Handmade soap, whipped body butter, lip balms, & perfumes

178- Beacon Bookmarks: Wooden Bookmarks
178- Blue Stitch Books: Vintage inspired paper goods, journals and sewn accessories

We'll be at BUST!!


Some of our talented teammates got into this year's BUST Holiday Craftacular. Mark you calendars - Sunday Dec 14 at the Metropolitan Pavillion at 125 West 18th Street.

You can go by to check out - the combined housewares of cakehouse upcycled refashioned vintage and May Luk pottery and tableware, wooden bookmarks from Beacon Bookmarks with journals and cards from BlueStitchBooks,sterling silver jewelry from JDavisStudio, handmade vegan soaps by DirtyLovesClean, spfties and cards by peppersprouts, yummy, sweet treats made of mostly sterling silver (into jewelry) by MetalSugar, and jewelry inspired and using vintage elements TheHandOfFatima.

Congrats!

And some are still getting off the waitlist - so this list will grow in the coming weeks!

-Kimm
KimmChi.etsy.com