More Signs of Spring

More Signs of Spring

with the Hudson Valley Etsy Team 

Hydrangea Card by Cynla

Sunshine Pillow by Quarter Life Luck

Little Bunny Keychain - Crochet PDF Pattern by the Pudgy Rabbit

Flower Bouquet Hair Comb by Pulp Sushi

Jody

a Studio by the Sea

Spring Green Is Here

Not to get too ahead of ourselves with the warmer temperatures we've been having in Hudson Valley but we are antsy to see some GREEN! Click the below image to check out one of our latest team Etsy treasuries curated by Hester from Hester Studio.

The Hudson Valley: Crawling with Yarn

Notes From the Road

by Kathryn Hunter Luciana

Front window of The Perfect Blend Yarn & Tea Shop, Saugerties, N.Y.

  Though it was officially Spring, March was going out like a lion; cold, wet and bleak, but for the avid fiber fool and her intrepid companion that was no deterrent to the quest. The Spring Yarn Crawl was in full swing. For those unfamiliar with a Yarn Crawl, let me enlighten you. You've heard of Pub Crawls and Wine Trails, well yarn crawls are pretty much the same thing. You follow a map throughout the region leading to designated stops along the way where you can indulge in various "varietals" of fiber. Shops, mills and farms sign up to participate. They open their establishments to the public, sometimes offering special deals to the "crawlers:" goodies, samples, and a peek into how their products are made.
   The farms are of particular interest to me, because I love to learn about the animals from which the fibers originate. Many farms are not open to the public, so "crawling" offers a great opportunity to see them. This year I set out to visit two farms first, but unfortunately I read my map wrong and arrived at one farm too early, and the second on the list was not open. Dejected, I told my companion not to worry, that we would soon turn our luck around, and finally in Red Hook, we did.
   As the drizzle increased, we pulled into Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool Company and opened the door to a warm and friendly greeting. This shop is also on a farm. Mary, the owner, explained that she raises Icelandic sheep, most likely brought to that country by the Vikings, and Shetland Sheep from the Shetland Islands north of Scotland. They process the fiber into yarn right there. You can't get more local than that! I was given a short tour of the processing room by Mickey and was particularly keen on the large felting table.  After experiencing the process of wet felting by hand the previous weekend, renting this table for a project seemed particularly appealing to me. I purchased skeins of Shetland/Icelandic Lopi blend yarn for felting and some scrumptious merino/silk blend for a soft next-to-the-skin something.

Raw fiber drying on the screen

Felting table

The spinning machine drafts and twists the fiber roving to produce yarn

   Sunday dawned not much better weather-wise, and it was tempting to stay home, but the Call of the Crawl was strong, and we ventured out again. This time we had our sights set on an interesting sounding shop in Saugerties called The Perfect Blend Yarn and Tea Shop. We found the shop easily in its location in the quaint little village of Saugerties, and the charming exterior and antique spinning wheel in the window looked inviting. The shop didn't disappoint. Mary Ebel, the shop keeper has perfectly blended her wonderful selection of locally sourced yarns and fine quality commercially produced yarns with an equally scrumptious  selection of teas.

Arturo Ceballos and his needle felted sculptures

   As I looked around I was drawn to the back of the shop where a gentleman, sitting at a small table, was working on the most beautiful menagerie of needle felted creatures: perfect portraits of little rabbits in various colors and aspects. His name is Arturo Ceballos.  He teaches needle felting at the shop and also also sells his wool sculptures at Cottage on the Hudson Fiberarts Studio. Many examples of his work adorn the shop. Still further, in a second room I found a diminutive lady, serenely sitting at her small spinning wheel spinning fiber into yarn. Not unusual for a yarn shop, but as I looked more closely, I realized that in her lap, under her arm was a large, very fluffy, very quiet rabbit, and she was spinning the yarn directly from her fur.

Mariepaule Rossier spinning fiber from her Angora rabbit

Beautiful Angora Rabbit taking a break

   Mariepaule Rossier explained that since the Angora Rabbit was shedding, she was able spin directly from her fur. Mariepaule showed me around and talked to me about her beautiful fibers. What a wealth of knowledge she is! I had a difficult time choosing, but I finally purchased some of her Cormo sheep/kid mohair blend yarn in teal. Mariepaule is also part of The Cottage on the Hudson Fiberarts Studio with Arturo, teaching classes, and selling her hand-spun yarn and garments. After chatting with shop owner Mary, sampling and purchasing some organic tea, and saying goodbye to Mariepaule and Arturo, my intrepid companion and I made our home with my treasures. The next "crawl" cannot come too soon for us.

Intrepid companion, April

 A visit to these local businesses supports our talented local artisans and is a wonderful way to discover the richness of the Hudson Valley.
Hudson Valley Sheep and Wool Company 190 Yantz Road, Red Hook, N.Y. 12751 845-758-3130
www.hudsonvalleysheepandwool
The Perfect Blend Yarn and Tea Shop 50 Market Street Saugerties, N.Y. 12477
www.yarnandteashop.com
Cottage on the Hudson 951-642-8750
cheltenhamcottage@hotmail.com

Kathryn - Huzzah! Handmade https://www.etsy.com/shop/HuzzahHandmade

Springing into May

The April showers have run into the May days, bringing a wet lush green with speckles of yellow forsythia and daffodils in the Hudson Valley landscape.  I am excited to be out of the house enjoying the spring flowers and preparing for summer's gardening.  I have begun my spring cleaning inside since it's too wet to catch up on the outside work just yet.

1. These Get Tangled pot scrubbers are great for scrubbing the winter out.  Easy to rinse and a rainbow of colors!  2. L and M Studio Cityscape Bud Vase is perfect to bring the first blooms inside as we get hit with a cold dampness in the early days of spring. 3. Speed up the smell of open windows with Medicine Gardens Meadowy Refresher spray. 4. Recycle your plastic bags and then run out with your Stone and Fiber Cotton Market Bag to the reawakened farmer's market.

Where To Find The Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend Part 2

We actually have members not just representing at Lyndhurst this weekend but in 3 other fairs as well. It's supposed to be a gorgeous weekend so go out and shop and support your local makers!

Five Etsy shops will be at the Hudson Valley Garden Association Garden Fair at Montgomery Place in Red Hook, NY this Saturday, May 3, from 10AM-5PM. Nothing better than the lovely outdoors, flowers and handmade and rolled together in one! Huzzah Handmade, Merry Alchemy, New Prospect Pottery, Digilio Designs and Rosey Morris will all be selling their creations.

Huzzah Handmade

Merry Alchemy

New Prospect Pottery

Digilio Designs

Rosey Morris

Pulp Sushi will be selling her jewelry at Bazaar-On-Hudson at the Living Room on Main Street in Cold Spring, NY, this Sunday, May 4, from 10:30AM-4:30PM.

Pulp Sushi

And last but not least Beyond The Picket Fence will be representing the Hudson Valley at Bust Craftacular's Primped event at the Brooklyn Night Bazaar space at 165 Banker Street in Brooklyn, NY, this Sunday, May 4, from 11AM-6PM.

Beyond The Picket Fence

Happy shopping!

Spring Flowers

Spring Flowers

from the

 Hudson Valley Etsy Team

Daisy & Zinnia Crochet Patterns by Knot by Granma

Honeysuckle Earrings by Merry Alchemy

Nasturtiums Print by Owen Art

Metal Primrose Necklace by Unnamed Road

Paper Roses by Amber H Lynn

Beanie Flower Hat by My Stitch in Time

Blue Green Glass Necklace by Get Glassy

Tulip Pendant by Pulp Sushi

Nasturtium & Moons Card by Medicine Gardens

Masquerade & Ball Mask by Dara Gallery

Jody Lee
a Studio by the Sea

Where To Find The Hudson Valley Etsy Team This Weekend

We're ba-ack! We're declaring craft fair season officially open!

While it might still be a little chilly out for a proper outdoor fair this weekend, but there is a new indoor market starting in Cold Spring, the Bazaar-On-Hudson. It will be open every Sunday from 10:30AM-4:30PM, beginning this Sunday, April 6, and continuing through July 27 and is located at 103 Main Street.

This Sunday three of the members of the Hudson Valley Etsy Team will be vending at the Bazaar.

Pick up some of Pulp Sushi's jewelry...

Pulp Sushi

Pulp Sushi

...one of Huzzah Handmade's felted or knit items...

Huzzah Handmade

Huzzah Handmade

...and a functional ceramic piece or three by New Prospect Pottery!

New Prospect Pottery

New Prospect Pottery

And while you're in the area don't forget to stop by The Tailored Mermaid in Beacon :-)

Happy shopping!

Saying Goodbye to Hudson Valley Winter!

Winter is coming to an end

Underneath a hardened snow bank, running along the front of my house, is the garden bed that last summer was full of vibrant colorful flowers, attracting bees, butterflies, Cicadas, and hummingbirds. I am ready for spring, and long for summer.

I am not a fan of winter, and this one has been particularly brutal. The last snowstorm dumped over one foot of new snow over an existing six inches of snow, already on the ground. My poor husband spent time on the roof breaking icicles, cracking ice out of the gutters, and pushing snow down to the ground, which created the snow banks that surround the house.

Our house has made winter more tolerable. On frigid nights, and cold weekend afternoons, we usually light a fire in the fireplace, and lounge on the cozy couch, wearing warm slippers, and drinking tea.

While sitting at our kitchen table for meals, we can look out of the window at the snow covered backyard that seems to go on forever. We watch the deer, hawks, and the variety of birds that nibble seeds and suet. We can measure how much of the snow has melted by how much more of the wooden picnic table becomes visible. 

Today, the temperature was in the 50’s, and more snow melted. Tomorrow is predicted a heavy rain storm, and behind the storm, the temperatures will plummet back into the 20’s. I can tolerate the final blasts of winter, because the days are longer now.

It will probably take another month or more for all of the snow to melt away. Once spring arrives, forsythia, tulips, and daffodils will bloom, and the colors of yellow and red will surround the house.

Once the snow bank in the front of the house melts, and the dirt in the garden bed is warm and soft, I will plant the same variety of vibrant colored zinnias that grew there last summer. The roses will bloom again, and I will add more flowers. The hummingbird feeders will be hung once again. The blueberry bushes outside of our kitchen window will bear their fruit, and the dogwood trees and lilac bushes will bloom. I will plant the vegetable and herb garden that I am planning.

I know that spring is just around the corner.

Jenny - Reclaimed Design

Groundhog Day Inspiration

Groundhog Day is one of those holidays that you don't really think about until it arrives.  Then you see on the news that night that Punxsutawney Phil did or did not see his shadow that day and you chuckle because you KNOW winter is going to last 6 weeks more.  Hello, it's only February in the northeast!  We'll be lucky if the snow is gone by April.

Punxsutawney Phil in 2005 courtesy of Wikipedia.org

To celebrate Groundhog Day this year, let's look at some charming items from the beloved Hudson Valley Etsy Team that may warm you through the rest of Winter and encourage dreams of the spring to come.

My Blood Type is Coffee Scrabble Pendant Charm by Tarry Tiles on Etsy

Rococo Hand Knit Shawl by ElenaRosenberg on Etsy

Handspun Merino Worsted Weight Singles Yarn in Desert Rose by theKnitChix on Etsy

Snowgazer Plaid Winter Coat by meerwiibli on Etsy

Felted Wool Vase Cover Cozy with Ruffles by HuzzahHandmade on Etsy

Print of Original Blue Bird Art Collage Acrylic Painting by digiliodesigns on Etsy

Art Nouveau Marriage Certificate by RichHoursArt on Etsy

Hudson Valley Etsy At The Annual Garden Fair

Time to get back to the garden! On Saturday, May 4th from 10am to 4pm, several members of the Hudson Valley Etsy Team will be among the featured vendors at the Annual Garden Fair, sponsored by the Hudson Valley Garden Association. The fair will be held at the Orange County Arboreteum, Thomas Bull Memorial Park, Montgomery, N.Y. The fair is the place to buy all your plants, see demos of new products, and sign up for educational lectures.



As an added bonus you'll meet team members: Patti Ursel of GetGlassy with fused glass home decor; Lisa Walbridge of merryalchemy with floral and nature-inspired jewelry: Lynn Isaacson of NewProspectPottery stoneware pottery for the home; Sue DiGilio of digiliodesigns, folk art soft sculptures and works on paper, Karen Berelowitz of Karmabee, nature inspired paper goods, and Kathryn Luciana of HuzzahHandmade, felted wool bowls, vases, market bags. This event is perfectly timed to kick-start your gardening season, shop for Mother's Day the following weekend, and perhaps pick up some lovely handmade items for yourself.



For general fair information: http://www.hvgardenfair.com