Crafty Holiday Event Round-up

Yup, the BUST Craftacular wins for best show I've been to in a while, biggest and great selection with 2 floors at The Metropolitan Pavilion, nice.

Even Amy Sedaris was there signing her new book, which cracks me up: Simple Times, Crafts for Poor People.  I can't show what I bought for gifts, but I did buy myself a small present: delicate hammered silver knotted bangles by Baublettes by Beth who I bought a pretty ring from in April at the Not Yo Mama's Craft Fair.  They're sitting on a pretty leather journal gift from Hermes, yay holidays!

Also went to the Handmade Cavalcade in a new location at the OpenHOUSE Gallery.

And to the very cool Brooklyn Kitchen to see pastry chef Joanne Chang demo her recipe for a roasted pear and cranberry crostata.

Man, was that good, so flaky and yummy and Joanne really explains the science behind baking for everyone who's ever wondered what's going on in the oven.  She's also just about the nicest pastry chef I've ever met. 

The recipe's in her new book Flour: Spectacular Recipes from Boston's Flour Bakery + Cafe (and her famous sticky buns beat out Bobby Flay in a throw down!) so trust me and stop by one of the Flour locations if you're ever in the Boston area.  You can also read more about her tasty treats on Justin's blog.  Then we checked out the Degenerate Craft Fair for a change of pace.

Bunnies painted on a diaphragm case anyone?  Hmmm...and not, but not least, was an event at White Castle to celebrate their hamburger candle (yup, that's right...)

The proceeds from the sales helped to raise $500,000 for Autism Speaks, wow!  And attending?  Martha Stewart!

And Vera Wang.

Celebs, martinis and fried food for a good cause, I like it.

Braving the Cold for Martha

Saturday, December 4th 2010: a grey near freezing temperature day by the Starrett-Lehigh Building that houses the Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia Offices, just a block away from the wind whipping along the Hudson River.

The line for the 2nd year of their Holiday Craft Sale actually didn't look too bad until I realized it wrapped around a corner and came back the other way, but even the chill couldn't keep me away from another visit to those hallowed halls.

Almost there...

There was another line to make your own glittery ornament.

And yet another for the 2nd room they added this year.

But in the middle were lots of pretty things, including setups from this month's magazine.

There were paper flowers by the Martha Stewart team,

and pretty gift tag ornaments from La La Laurie.

Purl Soho had a great table

and then I bought a MSL snowflake punch from the craft corner and was so inspired by the 50% off a Michael's purchase coupon they handed out that I headed way uptown to buy some glitter.  And what do you know -- another line!

Later on I walked by Carlo's Bakery, home of the Cake Boss to see more people waiting in the cold.

Guess they really wanted some holiday sweets!

Anyway, it was all worth it...Martha, you've stolen my heart again.

'Tis Craft Fair Season

Even when I'm busy up to my ears I still miss things, but I'm so glad I snapped this picture on the L train from Brooklyn this weekend.  This papier-mache sheep was actually life-sized and the artist was protecting it so gently and agreed to having his pic taken.  I've started a list in my sidebar to keep track of upcoming crafty events.  Here are some I went to recently: I'll try to keep up to speed!

Saturday, April17th: Not Yo Mama's Craft Fair, Parlay Studios, Jersey City

Walking through the 2 rooms of the warehouse-y Parlay Studios, I admired feltwork by Anne Messley of Felt It, picked up a postcard from sewing website BurdaStyle, bought 2 card prints of Liberty State Park by Billy John Moore Photography, met his girlfriend Alice, CEO of James John Lip Balm, and bought a lovely glass bead wire ring from Beth Fliegler of Baublettes by Beth.

Saturday, Aprl 24th: Handmade Cavalcade, Berry Park, Williamsburg, Brooklyn

At this 2-level bar/restaurant/rooftop terrace space I met Rachel from Swap-Bot where you can join in and swap your creativity with other crafters by mail, learned more about The {NewNew}, the group of independent artists and designers in the NYC area, talked to Juan Arango Cano of Caja Jewelry about his amazing, hand-cut, eco-friendly pieces, marveled at the hand-punched cards and lampshades by warpeDesign, admired the handprinted dresses by Karin Persan, founder of the Better Than Jam Handmade Co-Op, loved the messages in a bottle, personalized embroidery and vintage-inspired letter books from Miniature Rhino, bought a glass tile magnet from Linda Catalano of Purty Bird, enjoyed the adorable animal drawings by Jess of LittleBunny and adored the vintage lucite beaded jewlery from WishbyFelicity (and I do WISH I had bought a specific necklace I was admiring, so I'll have to visit her Etsy shop!)

Saturday, April 24th: opening party for the new Purl Soho Store, NYC

I've been looking forward to the new digs that are now the joint home of Purl and Purl Patchwork and it did not disappoint: a beautiful light, airy space for fibers and fabrics...and a lovely gift bag, so much inspiration...where to start?...!

Just In Time...

It's my 50th post and I finally finished a knitting project!  I can't even remember the last time I could say this, but today I completed my merino candle flame cowl from this pattern by Sarah E. White.  Yesterday I visited the Totallysuperdeluxe pop-up sale hosted by Jocelyn Joson in her husband's video studio in Soho and found out they have these every other month, cool! 

I bought the frosted glass buttons above and wasn't sure what I'd use them for until I was finishing up my cowl...

I started this at the beginning of the month with Organic Merino Wool DK from Sublime that I got at Gotham Fine Yarn in the Lower East Side and thought the buttons would be a nice, little touch.

I admit that I sometimes start more projects than I finish, so it was good to get one done just in time for what will hopefully be a spring warmup soon after not such a great weekend. 

I also bought some bright daffodils to cheer me up and put them on my beloved desk next to an Easter project I started.  Hmmm...still have to finish that hat for my Dad too...but gotta post this before it's tomorrow, right now it's 11:59 p.m....

Michael's Haul and Martha's Craft Sale

[source: Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia]

Right before Thanksgiving I picked up the December issue of Martha Stewart Living and got inspired: time to get creative again.  After many attempts were refuted by work and guilty pre-turkey-day trips to the gym, this week I finally trekked up to Manhattan's first Michael's craft store!  

For 2 hours it was like being back in my little hometown again (and 15 years old, with so much more free time). 

And Martha has a whole line of beautiful craft supplies sold there: glitter, paper punches, scrapbooking supplies, ribbon...very exciting.

And even more so, Martha Stewart Living is having a holiday craft sale today, December 5th!  I've been struggling with the crocheted snowflakes on their website.  I asked a salesperson at the otherwise lovely Purl Soho shop if he knew what crochet cotton was and all I got was a "no, I don't" and that was it.  Humpf.  I soldiered on and bought a ball of lovely, soft, snow white Rowan 100% cotton and it was all going so well in Pattern 1 until it came to "8 ch???s".  

I tried to wing it despite the typo, but ended up at the end of one tip, not knowing how to get back into the center.  Hm, Martha what did I do wrong? 

Well, I'm still really looking forward to the event, maybe I'll get even more ideas.  Such a short month: Christmas is less than 3 weeks away!