New Work...

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

One new thing I've been working on are these minis- an idea presented to me by a friend who thought some of my photos would works well on a smaller scale. The frames are 5x7" document frames which create a simple, clean look. The mats have little 2x3" openings that are 1.5" from the top. I actually had the mats commissioned by an Etsy supply seller, Q Branch Ltd, and they turned out great! I've been using photos that have bright, distinct colors as well as contrast-y black and whites. They debuted this weekend at JP Open Studios and got a positive response so I am excited to make more! They will be available on my etsy page soon, please contact me for more details.

Tag, You're It!

by Lynne of Cozy Cottage Creations

I’m very excited to say that I was recently invited to have my work represented in a Waldorf school. The Hartsbrook School, in Hadley MA is now carrying a line of my products in their school store. While spending most of September and October putting together their order, it occurred to me that I needed an official tag for my products!

Now, I’ve been tossing around the idea of tags since I first started my business almost two years ago, and up until now they haven’t really been necessary. With so many options out there, it was always difficult for me to make up my mind on which tags I liked best. But there’s nothing like a looming deadline to help bring a concrete decision! With my first real wholesale order, came my first real product tags.

Since my products are soft and fuzzy and made from natural materials, I wanted something that felt organic. I realized the only way to really get that handmade feeling in my tags was to make them myself!

They're completely DIY! I typed the text (with a little blurb about myself for the inside) on my computer, cut and taped the layout the old-fashioned way, had them printed at Kinkos, then cut and folded them myself. I gathered together scaps of some sheets of felt I had made, cut them into little cottages, and sewed them with my sewing machine onto the front of the tags.


The idea for the needle felted heart came in a surprising way. While sifting through my scraps of felt I came across an abandoned valentines project. That little heart was just the touch to complete the image I want to put out there for my products!

I’ll admit these tags are not the slickest or the most perfectly designed with every line of text being perfectly centered. But they’re homey and made with love, which is what cozycottagecreations is all about! And you can’t beat the price. The only thing I paid for was the printing, bringing the cost for 90 tags to a whopping $3.90!

Monday Mosaic - Taking Flight

The sun is coming out in Boston this Monday morning, the sky is vibrant blue. The birds are chirping, and stretching their wings. It's the beginning of another week and members of Boston Handmade are celebrating with a celebration of birds in flight:
Linda B. Dunn
MaJenta Designs
Kerry Hawkins Photography
Nancyrosetta
Vintage by Crystal
Lucie Wicker Photography
Elizabeth Brennick Designs
Fraske Designs
Christine Marie Art
Twigs and Heather
Mimi K
Sea Glass Things
Glamourpuss Creations
The Hole Thing

Boston Handmade at Gallery 9

by Nancy of nancyrosetta

Custom art Framing and Gallery 9 in Norwood center is a great place to check out some work from members of Boston Handmade. The Gallery recently added Vintage by Crystal to the group of many talented artists. We love her little creatures!
Kerry Hawkins Photography has been showing on and off at the Gallery for the last few years. We always enjoy the new photos she brings in, they are incredibly fun and colorful. She has a great eye for detail.
I have been selling my jewelry there since I started making it about 5 years ago. A few years before I even had my etsy shop nancyrosetta
I also work at the Gallery in the framing section. I cut mats, cut and join frame moulding and everything else that has to do with production and design. It is such a fun place to work, and to see Boston Handmade represented there really makes me happy.

Inspiration, Boston

By Kerry of KHawkinsPhoto

My mother visited us over the weekend. She lives in North Carolina but grew up in the Boston area. She loves Boston with all it's shops, museums, places to eat and of course, it's history.

We decided to forego the museums and walk around Boston, especially Beacon Hill. We went in many shops and I took tons of photos of the shop windows. My mom also, wanted to photograph Boston to show her co-workers the city. My mom makes art herself, she paints cards, glassware and tote bags. She was inspired by all the unique gifts and scenes we saw that day.

We made our way to Faneuil Hall Marketplace for some lunch and photos. She craved seafood, so we we had lunch at Kingfish Hall. She had this delicious Lobster Salad. I had a tasty fish and chips.
After our lunch, we did a little dash for the commuter trail train. It was a fun day and I love all the photo opportunities that I had and spending time with my mom.

Interview with Fraske Designs

by Allison of Fraske Designs

Tell us a little about you and your background:
My name is Allison. I graduated from Emmanuel College with a degree in graphic design and am currently a marketing coordinator north of Boston. I am a member of Boston Handmade and really enjoy being part of this great network of artists!
What first made you want to become an artist?
I’ve been artistic all of my life. As a kid, my favorite activity was always to create something, anything. Staying creative has always been important to me, whether it is as a career or as part of my personal life. Everyone needs to be passionate about something!

Please describe your creative process:
While I have dabbled in various mediums over the years, two constants have been photography and mixed/digital media. There is always a lot of trial and error for me in both of those mediums. For photography, I might take tens of shots but only have a couple of really good ones at the end of the day. For mixed media, I have many sketchbooks with a variety of concepts, but like photography, only a handful make it past the initial idea phase. I very much enjoy all the steps I take to get to the end result, though. I especially like when a mistake is actually a blessing in disguise!

What inspires you? Where do your ideas come from?
I am particularly fond of taking pictures of Boston, interesting signage, and the people who are near and dear to me. My mixed media work is often influenced by childhood memories, family, friends, and other personal experiences.

What do you love most about what you make?
Each piece of mine is a part of me, and I love when it also helps tell a story for someone else. People often buy my prints as gifts and sometimes they tell me why they are choosing it. One of my favorite stories is of a woman who bought “Out of Town News Stand” for her husband because that is where they first met.

What have been the most valuable lessons learned from other artists in Boston Handmade?
The importance of supporting other artists has really stood out through my experience with Boston Handmade. I have always been an advocate of supporting artists (and others in general). I appreciate everyone’s ability to share tips and ideas. We all help each other grow. We are a mini family!

Name some of your favorite books, movies, musical groups, and websites:
Books: Fast Food Nation by Eric Schlosser, Don’t Think of an Elephant by Chelsea Green, I like You by Amy Sedaris
Movies: What About Bob?, PCU, Annie Hall
Music: Letters to Cleo, Superdrag, The Beatles
Websites: Post Secret, Free Tetris, CraftZine

Is there anything about you that would surprise people to know?
Of course, but a lady must always have some secrets…

Workspace Wednesday...

by Jen of Blue Alvarez Designs

Lately I've been antsy about my full time job. Grateful, let there be no doubt. But antsy. I have a degree in engineering, and I work in customer service. It makes me question my sanity, at the best of times.

But I work CS at an apparel firm - knitwear, to be exact. And I don't exactly have a head set on all day, my job is a twee bit more interesting than that. Since it's so closely linked to what I do when I'm not there between 8 and 5 every day, it stands to reason that this wasn't a total accident.

And it wasn't. I am cleverer than I look. So in the interest of helping myself to see myself, and both my jobs, a little more clearly, I decided to do a Workspace Wednesday post comparing and contrasting my two work spaces.

Behold! My cubicle:


Glamorous, no? At first glance it looks pretty barren and typical, totally different than my workspace at home, I thought. Well, you be the judge:

Let this serve as Exhibit A. "Sterile" is the first word that comes to mind.

Now, granted, I moved into my new home in May, and that being the beginning of the seasonal crafting insanity, I have neither painted nor decorated. So, maybe I have an excuse. And I would allow myself to believe that if the similarities stopped there. However, they don't. Exhibit B, the maps:



I keep a map of China just above the "ironing board" (term used loosely) in my studio (AKA bedroom) because as I mentioned last month, 我學習國語，and I would very much like to 去中國旅行。

In true Sagittarius fashion, I also keep a map handy at my day job, and am surrounded (mostly on paperwork) by 漢字:



Exhibit C, the "Wall of Inspiration":

I keep all manner of clippings, mostly from WWD on the wall, not unlike how I used to do on my walls at home. Now, it's a little more demure, mostly books, but I am sure that will change once I finally decorate:

And Exhibit D, no matter how organized I am about some things, I will inevitably have some of my most important information written on napkins, old notebooks, and, yes, Post-Its:

I don't have a photo of the myriad of notebooks I have with my pattern notes at home, but suffice to say I wrote out a hat pattern today on the back of T ticket, so you get the idea.

Lastly, I spend all my time, at both jobs, working with big, humming machines - and in both cases, in the name of creating and shipping sweaters! I won't bother to introduce you to the computer at work, since she's affable but not really my type. So say hello to the ladies (and gentleman) who make coming home something to look forward to:

Roberta:

Harold and Maude, respectively:

And here's a group shot of H & M with Daria, at right:

I was once told that no matter how hard I try to be different things at different times, ultimately it's impossible. No matter what our underlying makeup, we take that personality with us wherever we go. I don't know if that means I am more at home in corporate American than I'd like to admit, or more artistically inclined than I realize - likely both. Either way it means I hate clutter, love knitwear, and am not afraid of a little hard work. And I can certainly live with that.

Another Etsy Tool

by Lucie of Lucie Wicker Photography

Alchemy! For those of you who have never heard of alchemy, it is a tool Etsy provides to help potential buyers commission custom orders from Etsy sellers.

Here's how it works:
1. A buyer dreams up an item they would like to buy (a gift for my flower-obsessed mother! a carrot costume for my 5 year old son!)
2. They use Alchemy to place a request for their item
3. Etsy sellers respond to the request with a bid, detailing exactly what they can do
4. The buyer reviews their options and accepts the bid they think is best suits their needs
5. Etsy seller posts pictures, payments are agreed upon and sent
6. Etsy seller sends out the item, the buyer loves it, everyone is happy!

This is a great opportunity to help spread the word about your shop and give your sales a boost. This time of year many people are looking for gifts, warm clothing, etc. so the possibilities are endless.

Example: while I normally do not stray too much from photography/design, I bid on a request for life-sized taco ornament a buyer wanted to give to her boyfriend. I had some polymer clay and thought it sounded like a fun project. I did a few back-and-forth convos with the buyer, sent a few pictures and she accepted it! The transaction went really smoothly and it was a sale I never would have made otherwise as I do not generally list clay food ornaments in my Etsy shop :)