Upcoming Events

Becky from Gemini River Rocks will be at the Pakatakan Farmer's Market in Margaretville on Saturday May 29th from 10 am to 2 pm.

Green Thumb with NellesBelles

When she's not creating pretty mosaic pieces and creating jewelry, Neely from NellesBelles shares her gardening story....

I've lived in my house for 10 years now, which is long enough to have trees and gardens that have finally matured and taken on a life of their own. The stone walls I have built with my own hands now marry into the soil and root systems. My "little" pink dogwood is now a 10 foot beauty and my modest Japanese Red Maple is beauty with an 8 foot wingspan. My bell-shaped flower garden requires little of me except to beat back the more aggressive growers and not allow them to bully the more delicate specimen.

Last year my husband and I put up a fence and put in 2 4x10 raised beds for veggies. Today we put the garden in and it is lush with multiple kinds of lettuce, salad greens, 2 kinds of kale, collards and chard. There are carrots, pole beans and cukes. My herbs live in huge terra cotta pots on the deck. This year I had to put my tomatoes in pots on the deck as well as I was hard-struck by the tomato blight last year. The Cornell Extension said I should not plant potatoes or tomatoes in that soil for 4 years so I am embarking on the new endeavor of tomatoes in containers. Growing your own food gives one a feeling of wholeness and a sense of being "at one with" like nothing else I know!

Day Trip to the Hudson Valley

In case you missed it, another treasury has been put together featuring items from the group.

From top left: WickedMint, BlondeChick, BeyondThePicketFence, fofelle, WrenWillow, WoolSolution, MaryJanesHeirlooms, Moonfire Studio, Hobo Camp Crafts, Tinks Treasure, Angel Dog Designs, jjceramics, AbstractHeart, Pulp Sushi, Stella Hats, Amity Jewelry

Class of 2010

Another great treasury featuring members of the group put together by Marla from Wren Willow.

Members include:
AbstractHeart
Hobo Camp Crafts
MoonFireStudio
Pulp Sushi
Made In the HV

HVNY on YouTube!

Check out this great video put together by Luda from WoolSolutions

This Saturday...

There is a new market participating in Beacon's 2nd Saturday festivities starting on Saturday May 8th. Craft Stand will be held right at the start of Main Street and Rt 9D just outside of Bank Sq Coffeehouse (yum!). The market will be held the 2nd Saturday of the month from May until September featuring an ecclectic mix of crafters and artists who are interested in promoting handmade goods in the Hudson Valley.

From the HV team, Beyond The Picket Fence and Pulp Sushi will be at the debut so come pay a visit between 11 am and 5 pm and then enjoy the art openings and sales going on at the various galleries and boutiques.

WrenWillow will participate at Crafts In Chelsea in Manhatta on 21st street between 8-9 Avenues, NYC with The {NewNew}.

Ode To Mom 2

The women in my family have always been in to making things by hand, whether out of routine, necessity, or fun. My gran (mother's mom) passed on some incredible recipes down to the generations, she also taught my mom to sew and knit, which she passed on to me. My mother has always embraced the arts and creativity. I remember spending so many hours drawing, painting and creating with my mom and siblings. It was very much an interactive activity. Now that I make jewelry, my mom has been incredibly supportive. On my most recent trip to visit the parental units in DC, she handed over several bags of goodies: new and vintage beads, vintage jewelry that belonged to my other gran, and antique keys. She's also planning on hosting one of my jewelry parties! I have nothing but love and gratitude for my mom. ~ Judy from JSWMetalWorks

Being one of 5 children, I always felt a special bond with my Mommy. She and I shared a love for creating and it's still something that connects us today. My mom has always the most extraordinary quilts. I remember growing up she was constantly at her sewing machine making quilts for our beds, the couch or even mini versions for my baby dolls. About 6 years ago we both fell head over heels for scrapbooking. We both loved the idea of being creative while capturing our memories (and we LOVED buying new scrapbook products, too). I think my wonderful relationship with my mother was the reason I really wanted to be a mommy myself. She nurtured me to use my imagination and to be proud of my creativity. I still talk to her everyday and she is by far my biggest cheerleader for my jewelry designs and anything else I try. ~ Libby from BlondeChick

Mom bought me books full of craft projects. Lots of popcicle stick projects which were not as easy to pull off back in the days of no Michaels. I managed though and sooner than my mother would have liked, I needed another book because I had completed all the crafts in the book I had. She found this annoying, I found it frustrating. Grandma saved the day. She began to teach me the real deal. It began with crochet. She thought beginning with one needle was best for little hands. I would sit on her left, real close, and would follow her patient demonstrations. She was a good teacher and I was a better student. ~ Neely from NellsBelles

World Fair Trade Day

Saturday May 8th at the Poughkeepsie Plaza will celebrate World Fair Trade Day. They will host a number of DIY activities and workshops throughout the day:

*10:00am-5:00 pm: T-Shirt Designing
-The Marist College Praxis Project will be present as you design your own t-shirt. After making your design on the shirt, they will be sent to children living in dumpsites in Kolkata, India. These children will then embellish, embroider, and decorate the shirts, and send them back. The cost of this activity is $35, and this money will be used to buy an organic fair trade t-shirt, fabric paint, payment to the youth artist in India, and a donation to benefit these children.

*11:00am- 1:00pm: Fair Trade Earring Making Demonstration
-Learn how to use Fair Trade beads to make earrings for yourself or for that special woman in your life.

*11:00am-3:00pm: Fair Trade Bracelet Making
-Come make bracelets using Fair Trade beads and seeds from Costa Rica. A $5 donation benefits children orphaned by HIV and AIDS.

Visit the official website for more details