handmade in PA

serious cute: peachy tuesday

tara — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 05:00:37 +0000

i had the pleasure of meeting jen, from peachy tuesday at crafty by nature over the summer. not only is jen seriously adorable – not to mention her little ones – but her little textile collage creations are too. funky cute – perfect for the girl that know accessories make the look but isn’t into fairy princesses (at least not most of the time…).

from her profile: “My Name is Jen, and I have always had an addiction for Hair doodles of any kind. I could also spend hours of time looking at buttons and finding places to sew them. I came to realize I could make my very own hair accessories using these buttons I adore so much. I especially wanted to make these for my two beautiful little girls to wear. I started with some Holiday headbands. The response we received wearing these hair accessories inspired me to make more.”

Primrose Design, Simply Beautiful

kate — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:42:28 +0000

I was thinking about a plea to the dudes to go straight to Primrose Design (Scranton,PA), but I’ve reconsidered. This is just one of those things we just need to do for ourselves. These Vintage Handkerchief Sachets [filled with lavender] are absolutely beautiful. We will enjoy them for a long, long time.

Janet McCaffrey of Primrose Design creates pillows and home accessories from vintage materials. She collects her materials from, “flea markets, yard and garage sales, auctions, antique shops and on ebay.”

Janet shares on her site that she learned to sew and to embroider from her grandmother, Kathleen. She also mentioned that she left her “9-5″ job and is now creating pillows and accessories and freelancing as a graphic designer full time. Kudos to Janet! I ‘m heading off to order my sachets!

Kate, along with her husband, bring together farm, food and design at The Steel Fork. They also design and create sculptural metalworks using recycled farm machinery – Gatski Metal. Kate is also the mother of two busy little children.

Gift Guide – Little Treasures

jenya — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 05:00:52 +0000

1. Leather Inspirational cuff, Fear Nothing by MichelleVerbeeck - $17

2. The Three Little Pigs by MamaMadeThem - $20

3. Lime Green Monkey Baby One-Piece Bodysuit by tadpolecreations - $15

4. Earflap hat by IrishHooksAndYarn - $12

5. Simply Green – light green baby blanket by spinningsheep - $35

Jenya is a Philadelphia based artist who focuses on the concept of unique and original designs that are done using free form technique. Her forEvaMore handmade clothing line features one-of-a-kind pieces made with natural materials and her EvaForeva shop is full of hand knitted winter accessories.

i spy with my little eye…

elizabeth — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 05:00:26 +0000

tree inspired crafts in copper, bronze and sepia.

leaf pendants by wendy edsall-kerwin

bark scarf by kachina martin

tree tray by adrian bergey

all handmade in Central PA and exhibiting at Art on the Farm this weekend in Lancaster.

Elizabeth Sterling and her husband John market their one-of a kind furniture and jewelry boxes at shows in the Northeast and Midwest, through their web site, and their etsy shop, so wabi sabi. Elizabeth shares her life and love of all things handmade, homemade, and homegrown in her blog so wabi sabi.

Emeco Inspiration

kate — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 05:00:50 +0000

I think it’s rare and beautiful when… “what you are” and “what you want to be” line up to be the same thing [my latest deep thought]. Then, on top of that… do a stellar job marketing it. Meet Emeco (Hanover, PA). I was amazed by their chair designs, their story and their presentation. It was utterly inspiring. That’s when I thought to myself, they know exactly who they are.

Here it is [direct from their site]…
We make chairs. That’s what we do.
Handmade from 80% recycled Aluminum.
It’s not easy. In fact it takes 77 steps to get there.
Designed to last for 150 years.
Now that’s what we call sustainability.

Now that is beautiful [and rare]. I am very proud that a business like Emeco exists in Pennsylvania. They are a real inspiration.

need some experience? I Made It! Market is looking for an intern.

tara — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:00:23 +0000

Carrie Nardini – the brains and sheer force of will behind Pittsburgh’s I Made It! Market – is looking for an intern interested in gaining experience with all aspects of running an indie craft market!

Here are the details:

I Made It! Market, a nomadic indie-crafts marketplace is currently seeking an intern for the remainder of 2009 as well as for the Spring 2010 term. I Made It! Market partners with non-profit, arts and community organizations to raise awareness and funds for organizations working to improve our communities AND provides opportunities for local artists and makers to introduce their work in diverse neighborhoods.

I Made It! Market has been crafting it up since May of 2007 and will be busy in 2010. We work to provide opportunities and resources for artists and makers and really dig creating connections. Are you interested in crafts? Have you developed Social Media savvy? Do you like to meet new people and promote small businesses? Then we may be the right internship opportunity for you.

We are busy and could use your help! In return, we will work with your college or university to get some of those ‘ol credits for ya. I Made It! Market is based in Pittsburgh, PA.

Duties can include but will not be limited to:

o Copy Writing for ads, web, blogs, press releases and more
o Research into creating new partnerships on the non-profit, community and arts organization front
o Business Development for small businesses
o Event Coordination (including day-of activities like set up, break down, registration)
o Fundraising
o Graphic Design and Illustration experience appreciated

IMI Organizer, Carrie Nardini, who has more than ten years of professional marketing experience including managing University of Pittsburgh interns, will manage this individual. She can provide testimonials and access to at least 3 interns who she has supervised in the past five years.

Look for two I Made It! Market events in Pittsburgh coming up soon!
I Made It! Jr., Sunday, November 22, Children’s Museum of Pittsburgh, 12 – 4 pm
I Made It! For the Holidays, Saturday, December 5, Union Project, 12 – 5 pm

For more information on the I Made It! Market, visit www.imadeitmarket.com.

Find IMI on:
Facebook: www.facebook.com/imadeitmarket
Twitter: www.twitter.com/imadeitmarket
Blog: www.imadeitmarketblog.com

For more information and to apply, contact Carrie!

Gift Guides – Under $40

jenya — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 05:00:11 +0000

1. Golden Dahlia necklace by jibbyandjuna - $38

2. Mr Wrestling Number 2 Garden Cup and Saucer by khouser - $40

3. Recycled Coffee Tote Bag by kamatrice - $40

4. Apple – Upcycled Fabric Plush Stuffed With Recycled Shopping Bags by ArtTales - $25

5. wood paneling in bronze earrings by tundradear - $18

6. Toast Brown Fingerless Gloves by ginaminda - $30

7. Moby Dick GYOTAKU (fish Rubbing) Original matted art by Barry Singer by fishfanatic - $20

what works for…beeline studio

elizabeth — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 05:00:28 +0000

Last weekend we had the pleasure of having fellow Pennsylvanian, Deborah Bruns-Thomas of Beeline Studio, as our booth neighbor at the Providence Fine Furnishings Show. I first saw Deborah’s lamps and lampshades at the same show last year and loved the original designs and the unique materials she uses…paper from tea bags!

In her booth, she has a collection of collages hanging on the walls that feature drawings of her lamps. When I commented on them, she shared where the inspiration came for this unique merchandising approach.

“I was always looking through magazines like Architectural Digest or Dwell, and I would see ads and think my lamp should be in that picture. So I created the collages to give potential clients an opportunity to see how my lamps might be used in different settings.”

Beyond being an excellent merchandising tool for her lamps, the power of visualizing them in lovely settings has power in its own…it creates that reality.

You can behold the magical glow of Beeline Studio’s collection of lovely lamps and lampshades at high profile art and craft shows, such as the American Craft Council’s Baltimore Show, the One of Kind Show in New York City. Select pieces are featured on the Artful Home website and found in galleries in the northeast.

Do you have a tip to share about:

Your process
Finding inspiration
Time management
Advertising
Marketing your work
Networking
Working with clients/customers
Finding resources for your work
If you do, and you would like to share it through Handmade in PA, contact me!

first class at hello bluebird

tara — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 01:57:32 +0000

Interested? Click the image for more info.

new from the gatskis :: the steel fork

tara — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 05:00:16 +0000

i am so excited to tell you that kate – our reduce, reuse, recycle columnist and one-half of gatski metal – has recently launched a new retail website called “the steel fork.”

this site features some of the gatski’s signature metal work, smaller pieces in the same style, artisanal sausage, jewelry, and more! kate’s goal is to bring agricultural life to a whole new generation! with an emphasis on sustainable living and celebrating the land and its bounty, the steel fork present farm life in a fresh & original way.

from the steel fork blog: “It is farming. It is food. It is design. It is the continuation of a journey.”

i was lucky enough to be in on this project a bit (full disclosure!) and it is sure to be a stop on my christmas list this year!

congrats, kate & ben! to celebrate their launch, ben & kate are offering 10% off your order – just enter “thesteelfork” at check out!