Marketplace Finds

by Jessica Burko of Reclaimed to You

The 3rd annual Boston Handmade Marketplace took place on July 11th and a wonderful day was had by all! The weather was beautiful, the music was festive, the craft demonstrations were inspiring, and all the hard work putting the event together felt well worth it.

I particularly enjoyed the show this year because it was the first art/craft fair I've done with my son Zachary in attendance (last year I was very pregnant with him at the Somerville Marketplace). As an event producer or as an exhibitor I usually don't have time to roam a show, but this year with my husband at my booth, my son in my arms, and with all the new exhibitors participating in the 2010 Marketplace I felt an extra strong urge to walk around and treat myself, mostly by getting things for Zachary.

The first purchases I made were from new Boston Handmade Member, Arthur Halvorsen, and from Lucky Monkey, a Rhode Island artist who returned to the Marketplace after having to miss it in 2009. Ceramics is a weakness of mine and I love using handmade functional pottery wherever I can at home. Arthur's little birdie dish (see above) now resides on our kitchen counter, and we are using Maddy Macedo's small cup (photo to the left) on our bathroom sink to hold Zachary's toothbrush.
I couldn't resist getting another figurine from veteran Boston Handmade Member Vintage By Crystal for our small but beloved collection. The dalmation on the right in the above photo is our newest acquisition from Crystal, and the small group of party goers (I always picture them at a party) is on a handmade woooden shelf in our son's bedroom.
In the fiber category, I made a special purchase and received a very generous gift. I purchased some beautiful blue merino hand-spun wool from KnittinK, a new invited guest to the Boston Handmade Marketplace, and I'll surely knit it into something cute for my son. The gift was a real unexpected surprise from Common Cod Fiber Guild Founder, and great friend of Boston Handmade, Guido Stein, who gave Zachary a beautiful hand-knit jacket.
Another surprise gift came my way in the form of a handmade key chain from Stitchy McYarnpants, new to the Marketplace, and a delight to work with. It was perfect timing too because my felted keychain just went to accessory heaven the day before.

Want to see more from these exhibitors and check out a full list of everyone who participated in the 2010 Boston Handmade Marketplace? Visit the Marketplace page for links to all the exhibitors, and to photos from the event.

I feel so lucky to be surrounded by creative people every day, and so happy to have a home filled with handmade goodness at every turn. Hooray for local artists and craftspeople!

Photos by Jessica Burko.