Monday Mosaic: Happy New Year!

curated by Susanne of enchantedhue

May 2015 be filled with happiness, love, success, joy, creativity, health, and new beginnings.

A Very Happy New Year from all of us at Boston Handmade!

Yin Yang Sterling Silver Pendant by CristinaHurley

Tiny Original Collage Art on Wood by JessicaBurko

Desert Sunset by jbarrows

SuginTextiles

West Roxbury by ChrisLangPhotography

Chocolate: Assemblage of Computer Parts and Collage by Melsplace

Olive Tray - Pickle Tray - Cracker Tray - Snack Tray by jilljburns

Willow Green & Gray Open Weave Infinity Scarf by Loomination

Blue and Grey Leather Clutch by LidaBrookeDesigns

You Can Have It All - Mixed Media Collage by McDonaldMixedMedia

Silver Flower Ring Daffodil Ecofriendly Recycled Sterling Silver by Beryllina

Snow Dyed Silk Scarf by enchantedhue

Pretty Peacock Print by thepatternedpeacock

Jasper Copper Ring by PrunellasWorkshop

Drop Pearl Earrings With White Freshwater Pearls by Linkouture

Orange White Mini Chevron Zig Zag iPad Ereader Pillow Stand by abigailleigh

Simplicity Bracelet - Silver - Lush Beads Industrial by LushBeads

Embroidered Tea Cozy - with Steaming Kettle in Red and Aqua by straynotions

Gaga Fingering Weight Yarn by ladydyeyarns

Boston Skyline Print- 5x7- Boston Photography by LucieWicker

Monday Mosaic: Snow, Snow, Snow

curated by Susanne from EnchantedHue

Lady of the White - Collage Art by McDonaldMixedMedia

White Leather Card Case by LidaBrookeDesigns

White Pearl Bracelet by Linkouture

Snow Birds Photo Print by LucieWicker

Can't believe I am saying this, but I miss snow!

Thankfully, Boston Handmade members have created some wonderful pieces featuring creamy whites.

Hope soon we will have a lovely snow covering like the one Lucie captured!

Monday Mosaic: Happy Thanksgiving

curated by Susanne from enchantedhue

Thanksgiving Holiday Banner by thepatternedpeacock

Handwoven Tea Towel by Loomination

Custom Arts and Crafts Mission Style Table Linens by straynotions

Cocktail Napkin Holder by jilljburns

Are you hosting Thanksgiving dinner this year or are you invited? Is your house ready for guests? Have you picked your hostess gift?

No worries if not, BostonHandmade members offer a wide array of unique hand-created pieces to dress up your table and walls, and to surprise your host and hostess. If you are traveling and don't want to bring it in your luggage, your purchase can even be mailed directly to your destination, just request an alternate address at check-out.

To get you into the mood, here is my favorite Thanksgiving song!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Monday Mosaic: Warm and cozy

curated by Sharon, Stray Notions

 

1. Coffee Mug, Tea cup, Mug, porcelain, handmade mug, - Dandelion, Early Bird Designs

2. Felted Wool Coffee Press Cosy - stylized roses, Stray Notions

3. Handwoven Tea Towel in Raisin & Navy - 11 x 23" - 100% cotton, Loomination

4. Cup of Tea Print, The Patterned Peacock

Monday Mosaic: Bracelets Bangles Cuffs

curated by Susanne from enchantedhue

Hammer Textured Wide Brass Cuff Bracelet by PrunellasWorkshop

Hammered Silver Bracelet by Linkouture

Simplicity Bracelet by Lushbeads

Oxidized Sterling Silver Sparks Cuff Bracelet by CristinaHurley

Bracelets are my favorite pieces of jewelry. I wear them almost every day. From felt to brass, copper, silver, white gold, fabric, and gemstone; extra wide or narrow stacked; sleek modern or intricate vintage; tribal, ethnic, kitschy - I love them all!

Monday Mosaic: Around in Circles

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

1. Sterling Silver Necklace with Mobius Spiral & Freshwater Pearl, Linkouture

2. Simplicity Bracelet - Silver - Lush Beads Industrial, Lush Beads

3. Hammered circle earrings ecofriendly recycled sterling silver, Beryllina

4. Boyfriend Ring Sterling Silver Wide Band set with CZs, Cristina Hurley Designs

Monday Mosaic: Happy Halloween!

curated by Susanne from enchantedhue

Spider Pendant #7 - Rust and Mint - by LushBeads

Original Mixed Media Art by JessicaBurko

Orange White Mini Chevron iPad Ereader Pillow Stand by abigailleigh

Pleated Linen Tote in Taupe and Orange by LidaBrookDesigns

Halloween! That spooky time of year! Spiders and skeletons and bats and ghosts. Orange and black and blinking lights and scary sounds.

I love it! I didn't grow up with Halloween (in Austria, my native country, it was not celebrated at the time), so I am more than compensating now. Not sure what I like more: the eery decorations or being allowed to scare children. Well, just a little bit of scaring...

Happy Halloween, everybody!

Monday Mosaic: October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

While some might think there can be too much pink (myself among them) there is never too much awareness or effort in support of finding a cure for this and other cancers which claim the lives of too many loved ones each year. Abby of Abigail Leigh Handbags is donating 25 % of the proceeds from two of her specially designed clutches to support breast cancer research.

1. Pink Ribbon Breast Cancer Awareness Bra Print Wallet with Detachable Strap, abigailleigh

2. Maine pink tourmaline twist ring handmade with recycled sterling silver size 7, Beryllina

3. Flower Garden Cowl Infinity Scarf - Cotton Handwoven - Pink Variegated & Gray, Loomination

4. Upcycled Bike Gear Clock, Hacker Junk Creations

Monday Mosaic: Columbus Day Celebration

curated by Susanne from enchantedhue

'Use the 19th' A Morse Code Bracelet by LushBeads

Starry Night Origami, Mixed Media Collage Print by McDonaldMixedMedia

Sailboats in Harbor Photo Card by jbarrows

Brant Point Sunset, Nantucket, MA, Photo Print by LucieWicker

I never thought too much about Columbus Day. I knew it is the celebration of Christopher Columbus' arrival in America on October 12th, 1492. But that was the extent of it.

I did not know that this day is also celebrated in the Bahamas, Spain, Argentina, Belice, Uruguay, Italy, and many Latin American countries, although under different names. Columbus Day first became an official state holiday in Colorado in 1906. In 1934, President Franklin D. Roosevelt declared it a federal holiday.

But not all states honor Columbus Day: Hawaii, Alaska, Oregon, Iowa, Nevada, and South Dakota do not observe it as a holiday, although some mark the day with an alternative observance or commemoration. Hawaii, e.g., celebrates 'Discoverers' Day', which commemorates the Polynesian of Hawaii.

Happy Columbus Day!

Monday Mosaic: What's the buzz about bees

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

1. Blue Plush Dachshund with Bumble Bee Print, Stephanie Cave Design

2. Bee (11x14 mat), Jon Barrows Nature Photography

3. Honey Pot with dipper, Early Bird Designs

4. Embroidered linen placemats and napkins,keepsakes, bees, Stray Notions

Monday Mosaic: Morning Cup

curated by Susanne of enchantedhue

Felted Wool Coffee Press Cozy by straynotions

Coffee or Tea Cup Cozy by StephanieCaveDesign

Holiday Photo Mug by jbarrows

Unisex Sampler Scarf by Loomination

Mornings are getting colder and darker now. There is nothing better than a cup of hot aromatic coffee or tea to warm your hands and waken your mind and a nice warm scarf around your neck to make watching the sunrise more cozy.

Monday Mosaic: Less than 50 Shades of Gray

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

Somewhere between 38-46 shades less I'd say ... what about you?

1. Willow Green and Gray Double Infinity Scarf - Handwoven Cotton, Loomination

2. Maine tourmaline necklace with pebble ecofriendly recycled sterling silver , Beryllina

3. Oxidized Sterling Silver Sparks Cuff Bracelet with Cubic Zirconia, Cristina Hurley Designs

4. Market/Beach tote - Vintage barkcloth with a tropical vibe, Stray Notions

Monday Mosaic: Pumpkins!

curated by Susanne from enchantedhue

Handwoven Throw Rug by Loomination

iPad Ereader Pillow Stand by abigailleigh

Leather and Plaid Cluth by LidaBrookDesigns

Toucan Photo Art Card by jbarrows

The moment we flip the 'August' page on the calendar to 'September', it seems that every imaginable food item turns pumpkin flavored. At least here in New England. It is like somebody took a magic wand and *poof* - pumpkin!

Coffee, cream cheese, ravioli, ice cream, tea - even dog treats!

Since pumpkins have such a warm lovely color, I chose a few Boston Handmade pieces in this enticing shade of orange for you this week. Now you can sit on your rug, iPad propped up to play music, writing a little note to your friend who gave you that nice clutch as a present, all while sipping pumpkin flavored coffee and nibbling on a pumpkin macaron.

Monday Mosaic: Summer will be leaving soon

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

1. Bib - Autumn Trees, Stephanie Cave Design

2. Pillow Cover - Seasonal Tree - Wool Applique, Stray Notions

3. Leaf ring recycled sterling silver handmade ecofriendly, Beryllina

4. Fall Floral Handbag on Cream Audrey Bag Floral Purse, AbigailLeigh

Monday Mosaic: Happy Labor Day

curated by Susanne of enchantedhue

Annisquam Light - Gloucester, MA Matted Photo Print by LucieWicker

Footprint in Sand by jbarrows

Ecofriendly Triangle Necklace by Beryllina

Starry Night Origami Mixed Media Collage Print by McDonaldMixedMedia

Lazy days at the beach are almost over. School starts - or already has. Vacation is but a memory. And the first pumpkin flavored items are in the stores!

Enjoy your last days in the sun at the ocean. Happy Labor Day!

Why Handmade: The Birthday Tiara

by Lynn Mohney of Prunella’s Workshop

I have been living with a two year old Dr. Princess. She hits you, and gives you a pretend shot of medicine and a kiss to make you feel better. She doesn’t wear a stethoscope because she doesn’t have one. Instead, she wears her latest tiara. You can obtain a tiara for a dollar in a variety of craft stores. They break easily, but at least they are fun. However, when Mommy is a jewelry designer/metalsmith, you really need a real tiara, right?

In the meantime, I have an online friendship with a lady who I have never met in person. She lives just far enough away, it may never happen. She received wind my daughter was in need of a stethoscope and decided she wanted to give her one as a birthday present. My friend is currently undergoing cancer treatment, and she loves the idea of encouraging young girls who have expressed any interest in the medical field. Just turns out, I love the idea of encouraging middle aged women to feel like little girl princesses again. I decided matching tiaras was in order.

Making jewelry for children to sell is a very complicated expensive process due to requirements for product safety testing- specifically lead. As such, Prunella’s Workshop refrains from making items for children. However, this does not preclude making items for my own, as I am aware of what materials I am using in my work none of which contain lead. I determined brass to be the most appropriate metal for the circumstance. I don’t work in gold, and this would be an exceptionally expensive tiara if I did. Sterling silver may yield a higher quality item, but brass would give me the gold color best suited to my design. Brass is also a harder metal, which will hopefully be more durable to the hard play of a child.

Cheap plastic tiaras made for children often have a lot of bling. I wanted a design that would appeal to the eyes of a child, but would not be so over the top there was no possible way a grown woman would be willing to wear it. I accomplished this with the gold color, and incorporating one big stone instead of one hundred faceted stones. I chose blue glass due to the rich color against the brass, and the durability of the stone. It is harder to scratch a glass stone than many semi precious stones I had available, as it is harder. I am hoping this tiara will still be around that she may give it to a daughter of her own one day. I cut and shaped small flowers for other parts of the tiara for added interest.

I still needed to be certain I made the tiara over the top enough for a little girl while remembering the matching one was for a grown woman. The band for my daughter’s fits her little head perfectly, while the other band is adult sized; however, the focal point is the exact same size in every way from the flowers to the loops to the center stone. By making them the same size, instead of scaling my daughter’s down, the child focal point appears much bigger.

Now here is where it became interesting. Both of my girls were aware I was making a tiara. I needed my friend to know why her tiara was special once she received it, and I have shared pictures of my daughter’s tiara with her. She has no reason to believe there are two. Meanwhile, I needed my daughter to understand her new tiara was more special than her old ones. I didn’t let her see it, but I let her know I was going to go work on it again. The excitement in her voice has been priceless.

I had never made a headpiece before, but I am quite pleased with the results. I believe I will be making more in the future, as all women should feel like a princess on occasion. In the mean time, the only thing that would make this project better is if I had a picture of the princesses together!

Monday Mosaic: Nesting, Migratory Patterns of Boston

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

'Tis the season.  No, not that season.  'Tis the season and specifically the week, when the streets are jammed with Uhaul trucks, the curbs are filled with discards (or perhaps upcyclable treasures?), the pizza joints can't keep up with the delivery requests. The students are coming, returning or simply moving. I'm sure there's some statistic about the number of apartments that turn over on September 1st but we don't really need that to know, do we? After the trip to the box store of choice you may find your nest "fully-equipped" but lacking in charm and personal touches -- we're here for you, with original art for your walls, handmade dishes and mugs for your morning coffee, even a cozy place to to rest your tablet. Check out some handmade goodies to truly make your house, dorm room or apartment your home.

1. Baker's Kitchen Art Print, The Patterned Peacock

2. Yellow White Vintage Floral Tablet Pillow Stand, AbigailLeigh

3. Hosta Flower photo mug (11oz), JBarrows

4. Espresso Set, teapot, espresso cup, coffee -- Faux Bois pattern, Early Bird Designs

Monday Mosaic: Is It Too Early To Think About The Holidays?

curated by Susanne of enchantedhue

Assemblage Found Computer Parts Victorian Girls Clock by Melsplace

Original Collage with Encaustic and Upcycled Materials by JessicaBurko

Hammer Textured Brass Cuff by PrunellasWorkshop

Meadows - 220 yard Peruvian Wool by ladydyefiberarts

We at Boston Handmade certainly don't think so! After all, Christmas is only 128 days away (here is a handy dandy count-down clock, in case you want to keep track).

Planning for the Annual Boston Handmade Holiday Gallery is in full swing. Since 2008, we bring unique handmade creations to the Boston area. You will find fiber art, photography, pottery, mixed media, art glass, bath and body products, jewelry, and many more in one space. Most are one-of-a-kind, all are handmade by the artists who also staff the gallery. This gives our customers the opportunity to chat with the creators, learn about techniques, and receive answers to any questions they might have.

The first point on the agenda is finding an appropriate space. We are looking for:

1000-2000 sqft

vacant retail space at street level

high level of foot traffic

convenience to public transportation

availability from November 15th through New Year's Eve

Target neighborhoods:

Belmont, Leonard Street or Cushing Square

Brookline, Coolidge Corner

Downtown Crossing, Washington Street

Jamaica Plain, Centre Street

Waltham, Moody Street

Do you know the perfect spot for us? Where would *you* like to see the Gallery?

Please leave your suggestion in the comments or email to bostonhandmade@gmail.com , we are curious to see your ideas!

Monday Mosaic: Well worded

curated by Sharon Fischer, Stray Notions

1. Think Like a Mountain Photo Art Card, Jon Barrows photography

2. Serving Tray Delicious - Apples, Early Bird Designs

3. Encaustic collage art with vintage ephemera, Jessica Burko

4. Thank you Banner, The Patterned Peacock

Monday Mosaic: Quick Summer Dinner

curated by Susanne of enchantedhue

Vegan Broccoli Necklace Eco Friendly Recycled Silver by Beryllina

Honey Pot by jilljburns

Coffee or Tea Cup Cozy by StephanieCaveDesign

Handwoven Tea Towel by Loomination

I don't know about you, but I don't feel like spending a lot of time in front of the stove cooking dinner during the summer. Neither do I feel like washing tons of dishes.

So I am always looking for short cuts or quick and easy recipes. Preferably One Pot dishes.

How about a No Pot dish? Oh yes, it can be done!

Barbecue! The meat eaters amongst you put a steak, chicken breast, or a salmon filet on the grill. Only needs a bit of herbs and pepper, maybe some salt and lemon juice and olive oil, and it's ready to go.

As a vegetarian, I love to grill portobello mushrooms, peppers, or eggplant slices. They can be seasoned the same way as meat (or is the meat seasoned the same way as the vegetables??).

But there is a different way of preparing vegetables on the grill. Take broccoli, for example. They dry out easily and are not the best candidate for barbecuing. However, if you put broccoli flowerets - seasoned with olive oil, lemon juice, a few drops of honey or maple syrup - on a piece of aluminum foil that you fold up to make a little package, you can put that on the grill and have beautifully steamed broccoli in no time. And you can even grill meats at the same time without having your vegetables contaminated!

Bon Appetit!