The creation of warpeDesign

Ever wondered where I started?   I sometimes laugh at my own path... It sure does wander.  Well, there's a taste of my back history posted on the {NewNew}'s blog.   I'm super flattered that they chose me.   Enjoy!

Shows for 2010

So I'm finally getting myself booked into a couple of shows this year.  Yay!   The best part about doing the shows is meeting all of you.   As lovely as any sale is online, I find the direct sales much more satisfying.   I get to see you flip through the boxes of cards.   I see you touch the samples that are out.   I hear your discussion with your spouse/friend/sister/etc about which card would be right for x, y, or z...   And I get to answer all your questions about how I make the punctured paper artwork, what inspires me, what challenges me, and what motivates me.   It's your chance to get to know me.

and then I turn the tables and ask you questions.   Yes.  I do ask.  I want to know:  what pulled you to my booth?  What you look for in cards?  What do you like about the lamps?  What else would you like to see me make?   The information flows both ways and we have a chance to get to know each other as people rather than just buyer and seller.   It's pretty great.

Sooo... .next opportunity for a Q&A will be this very weekend at the Maker's Market.  I will be there from 11 to 6 with cards, lamps, and tea light covers on Sunday, Feb 7th.   I'll be back on Sunday March 7th for another go around.  

Next big show after that will be the Brooklyn Lyceum Craft Fair on May 1st & 2nd.

I will start posting other shows on Etsy at least a month in advance and I'll get my blog calender updated soon!   Hope to see you soon!   To tide you over, enjoy a little bit of love from warpeDesign!

Thing a day 2010

As a fun challenge, I've joined this year's Thing-a-day challenge.   I want to get back to my sculptural crochet, so this will be a good time to start that.   Have fun.  and stay tuned on Twitter and FB for updates... or just stop by regularly my personal posterous site regularly.  (I am still trying to figure it out, so give me today to do that!  lol) 

First item that went up was this tiny, TINY pear....

Valentine's Day is around the corner!

It's here again....   that oh so tough holiday where you must be more romantic, more in love, more, more, MORE!    Well... I try to help out a little with my cards.   If you haven't visited my shop and peaked into the "Love Cards" section, here's what you are missing!

 

Two Hearts Beat as One 

Heart 2 Heart

Fill this Heart

Holiday Party at the Maker's Market

Last Sunday, while at the Maker's Market, I was chatting with a customer about the show.   It was a dreary, rainy day and yet there was still a decent amount of foot traffic.   We were both happy about that, and then he said something about that really caught my attention...

"It's like being at a museum.  The quality of the work is so amazing!"

wow.   I've always thought we were a pretty classy, talented bunch, but that was even higher praise than I'd ever expected.   But if the shoe fits....

If you'd like to get a taste of our "museum" quality work, this weekend will be a fantastic opportunity to do so.  Here are a few of the fabulous people who will be showing and selling alongside me.   Wipe that drool off your computer, put your party pants on, and come play with us!

Christine Vasan Jewelery

May Luk Ceramics

Fisk & Fern

MOS Atelier

Schoolhouse Kitchen

Wabisabi Brooklyn

The challenges of booth set up at Gifted

Last Wednesday I had the pleasure of spending the day with Felicity of Wish by Felicity and Debbie from Milk Made at the Brooklyn Flea's Gifted show.   The {NewNew} team had arranged to purchase a table that their members could share for the day.   For those of us with a thin wallet but big hopes, this is a fantastic opportunity.   The challenge was how we'd fit us all on one table!

We're each used to having at least a 2'x4' table to spread out our goodies.  At Gifted all we had was one 2'x6' table.   Which, divided by three people, gave us each 2' square.   It seemed ridiculous.  I know I thought it'd be a disaster.

But it turned out great!   Limitations sometimes push you.   And this pushed each of us to find the essence of our lines.   As you'll see in the pictures below, we found ways to make our products look great while keeping the table top from falling into chaos.

Walking in from the front door, we were towards the back wall by the Lafayette Street side window which gave us fabulous light (which my poor lamps fought against...).

 

Felicity had fun rearranging her set up all day, but she really caught the essence of her fun and colorful jewelry with these pieces.

Debbie and Felicity's work is very different, but since I was the 'non' jewelry person (and the last one to show up for set up...heh), I got the pleasure of setting up in the middle of the table.   It actually worked out well as your eye seemed to rise UP the table following the increasing heights of our displays.

And then there was Debbie's milk bottle cap inspired jewelry mountain holding down the end of the table.   I love that she brings along an old fashioned milk bottle with cap.   I didn't know you could even find them any more!

The view for us was pretty great too.  We had a good angle to observe the crowds and see people shopping handmade!

If you were one of those people... I hope you had a fun time and found lots of goodies!

An invitation to the Brooklyn Collective and more...

I'm thrilled to announce that warpeDesign will be available at two stores in the very near future.

Starting on December 11th, Brooklyn Collective will be hosting several new artists and designers including yours truly. Sharing store space with General Nightmare Antiques, the Collective is a great place to stop and shop for the holidays. If you want to meet the artists, come by the "Holiday Opening Event" on Friday, December 11th from 7pm-midnight. There'll be wine and refreshments all night as well as a special live performance by The Static Jacks. And yes, I will be there... just look for the little redheaded girl with a silly grin.

Later this month, you'll be able to find warpeDesign tea light covers and lamps a little north of the city in Beacon, NY at Clay, Wood, & Cotton. This hot, new shop is the brain child of Kristen of Cakehouse and Kristy of Beacon Bookmarks. After paying their dues selling on the craft circuit in many a fair, they joined up with Kelly, the creator of beaconcitizen.com, to create a home online and in the real world to house and sell the kind of products they love and to represent the people that make them.

I am so thrilled to be a part of both of these stores.  They are not only the kinds of places that I want warpeDesign to be in... but they are the type of stores that I myself love to shop in.