Black Friday

Some pictures of my visit into the City tonight.
Macy's tree lighting ceremony turned Downtown Crossing into a human zoo. The crowds were incredible!





Katy, Jessica and Jen manning the store on the second shift of the day.

The store full of customers, how cool is that?

Boston Handmade Downtown Opens for Business!

What could be better than buying presents for your loved ones this holiday season that are made from the heart?

No mass produced items, nothing made in factories, in fact everything is made by hand! Imagine that!

Come join us on our first day open for business at 505 Washington Street, Boston, MA, in the heart of Downtown Crossing!

This very unique store will be open November 28th - December 28th Thursdays through Sundays from 11am - 7pm.

I hope to see you all there!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!

It is cold outside, but the Mashed Potatoes will keep us warm, don't you think?



Ann Gorbett's painting of her family during the holiday season in 1967. Life is a bowl of Mashed Potatoes!

Ann Gorbett is the featured Frist Friday Artist on Friday December 5th at Custom Art Framing and Gallery 9. Stop by for some wine and cheese and shmooze!!! Hope to see you there!

We are almost ready to open!

There are just a few exhibitors left who still need to get their items into the space tomorrow, but it is looking fantastic! Tomorrow all the last minute details will be done like vacuuming and washing the mirrors. I am so excited for the Grand opening on Friday!

Downtown Gallery recap

For a recap of the goings on at the Boston Handmade Downtown Holiday Gallery, please visit this post by Jessica.

There is a wonderful time line at the beginning of the post. Seeing the dates all in a row like that makes me realize how quickly things have progressed. I am so proud of everyone involved for making this happen in such a small amount of time. And I am so proud to be a member of such a wonderful community of artists and crafters.

Don't forget, we are opening on November 28th! That is this Friday!

Inventory is in.

Most of the exhibitors have dropped off their inventory as of tonight. I think a few more have yet to do so, but definitely the majority of it is in.
Displays are starting to look full, and things are being rearranged as need be. All in all it's coming together.

Once the hanging art is hung, I think this place is going to really come together.
As of right now, the jewelry section is not worked out yet, so I have no photos of it. I dropped off my jewelry tonight, but since the section was in a bit of chaos, I left it until things get figured out. Tomorrow, Betsy and Lisa are going to be working on that section, and if I can get out of work a little early, I will pitch in and help as well.
So, I'll end this with a couple of photos of how great the windows are looking...

6 Days and Counting

Yesterday the crew brought over all the display stuff from the empty store down the street. Kerry wrote about it, check it out on her blog. Jessica also made a post about our progress so far on the Boston Handmade Blog things are looking great.


Today, exhibitors have started to bring in their inventory, and we are setting it up as we go. I made some wall panels and hung them up for jewelry display, but I haven't brought my inventory in yet, I'll be doing that tomorrow.

We are starting to get a little press about the store, too. Artsake, the Mass Cultural Council blog has a blurb about our store in the first paragraph of this post how exciting is that?
I can't wait to go in tomorrow and start setting up my jewelry!

8 Days and Counting

I took the 'T' today for the first time in about 12 years. I had a little culture shock, but I got over it quickly (been in the 'burbs so long). I drove down to Forest Hills and took the Orange Line with Jessica this morning. It brought me back to the early '90s when I worked in an office on Temple Place, about a 40 pace walk from the BH Downtown Store, but I digress.
As promised, here is a view from the other side of the store. Sorry about the morning sun and the tall buildings. Not a good picture at all. But again, our shop is the one with the grate half open.

Betsy met us at the space. While she put the finishing touches on the fabric covered lights, I took out all the long fluorescent bulbs in the windows (we have other lighting plans), and Jessica was on window washing duty. At noon, we went a short block down the street to meet with the owner of an empty storefront for some pillaging. The place was a disaster, but it had so much great display stuff just abandoned. I have only this one fuzzy picture of the mess, but Jessica took pictures of everything we were interested in, while I kept a list.

We have our eye on some great stuff! We didn't have much time there, so we carried/rolled what we could back to the space today. Whoever is on the roster for tomorrow will be heading back to the disaster area to bring all the wonderful displays back to our space.
Here is one of four clothing racks that I think are going to be wonderful!

And a shot of the space as we left it. It's looking good!

We also added some printed signage, so people know what's coming.

Renovations have begun!

Today we finally got into the space to start making it beautiful. Apparently the previous tenants didn't believe in cleaning, but we are giving the place a BH blue facelift!
By the time Kim and I arrived, most of the taping, spackling, and sanding had already been done by Kiki, Jess and Brooke.
The space is huge and has wonderful potential! This pic is from about halfway into the shop pointing to the front windows.

This photo is from the alcove of fabulous window space in the front.

This is a photo from the street. Our shop is halfway down the right side of the photo...the storefront that has the front grate halfway open. On Thursday, I will get a picture from the opposite vantage point, I don't know why I didn't tonight.

We painted all night, made some great headway on the look of the space, and brainstormed a bit. You can see Jess and Brooke working here. This photo is taken from about a quarter of the way into the store to the back. I didn't get photos of the other rooms, there is a dressing room just to the right in the back, and also a back room, they both need some TLC but we will make it work!

We really made a dent today. I am back in for more renovation work on Thursday, I can't wait to see the progress from now until then.
Stay tuned!!!

Boston Handmade Downtown!

Boston Handmade is set to open an 1800 square foot retail gallery in Downtown Crossing, Boston. Grand opening will be on Black Friday, Nov. 28th!!! What a great day to open! The City has some scheduled festivities set to start that day in the same area.

Check out the website Boston Handmade Downtown for more information on exhibitors and directions! I hope you all will make this your shopping destination for this holiday season! I will be working every Thursday from 3-7pm along with a couple of Saturdays and some other shifts scattered throughout the duration. The actual store hours are November 28th-December 28th Thursday-Sunday 11-7pm. Stop by whenever you can! And please stay tuned here for more information on our renovations and setting up shop.

Tomorrow we will be painting the walls!

Small Works Show at Gallery 9

GALLERY 9 at custom art framing
SMALL WORKS SHOW

opening reception
Friday, November 14th from 5-7
& Saturday, November 15th from 11-3
light refreshments will be served

GALLERY 9 is showing wonderfully petite pieces
at perfect price points from now through year's end.

Select a piece for yourself or as a wonderful gift
while supporting local artists and small business.

It's the season to BUY ART and GIVE ART!

Want more information?

679 Washington Street, Norwood, MA
(right near Perks Coffeehouse in downtown Norwood)
781-762-3300
www.customartframing.com

Hope you can stop in!

-----------------------------------------------------

The above announcement was taken from Frame of Mind Thanks to Kim Weineck for writing this up!
I'll be there!

More cherry blossoms

I just can't help but saw/pierce out these freeform twigs and blossoms.
I am not totally sure yet what these will become, but I am thinking bracelets and pendants. I will keep you posted! Sorry for the crappy picture, but these make me so happy that I can't wait for a good picture to show.

And I have a better picture of the previous pendant to share...

Can you tell that I am obsessed with cherry blossoms now that winter has almost arrived? I love winter, but it's totally apparent that I am a spring baby.

Cherry Blossoms

I am loving making these tab style pendants. This is my newest version. A single branch of a cherry tree with a couple of blossoms.
Pierced from sterling silver sheet, totally freeform.


This one is 9/16" wide by 1 5/8" tall (15mmx42mm) not including the bail. I think I'll make some smaller ones.

A glorious end to a wonderful week

It's been an incredible last few days. There is something churning in the city of Boston that I want to shout about from the rooftops, but I think I will save that for later until more plans are in effect.

I had a fantastic time at my 'First Friday' gallery show. I made some sales and chatted it up with some friends, and made a few more.

I think mine was the first 'First Friday' that Dave attended (not totally sure, but he was a prominent guest at my show). Here he is with my mother early on in the evening. Later on, she was still in his charge, but was oblivious to his head being in the small trashcan all night.

I think everyone had a good time, we drank some wine and schmoozed it up.

After the show, I went home and got Rusty and went over to Japisuze for some pasta and sauce and some beer...a great end to the evening.

Also, today I just got my invitation to join Raverly an online knit and crochet community. I am excited to figure out how to use it to store patterns and my stash of yarn, and get to know the community. I have already found 3 people in Boston Handmade that are members, it should be fun!

Tagged...twice this time

Cristina and Lucie have both tagged me recently, so I thought I would do this.

The rules of tagging:
1. Link to tagger & display these rules on your blog.
2. Share 7 facts about yourself - some random, some weird.
3. Tag 7 people at the end of your post by including links to their blog.
4. Let them know they've been tagged by commenting on their blogs.

7 Random & Weird Facts About Nancy:

1. My dad wanted to name me Lucy Rosetta (after an aunt of my mothers), but my mom didn't. Guess who won?

2. I love avocados, but they give me a tummy ache so I avoid them.

3. I am an administrator on a jewelry artists forum.

4. I spend entirely too much time on the computer (see answer 3).

5. My car will be 10 years old in April and I still love it. I dread the day I have to search for a new one.

6. I'm finally accepting the fact that I can actually train a dog.

7. I have a secret crush on Alton Brown.


Since most of the blogs that I read on a regular basis have all recently been tagged, I think I'll spare them the extra tagging.

First Friday

I am the featured 'First Friday' artist for November at Custom Art Framing and Gallery 9 this Friday night!!



Reception will be from 5pm-7pm with light refreshments.
Please stop by and have a glass of wine with me if you are in the area!

679 Washington Street
Norwood Center

Get out there and VOTE!

Please be prepared before heading to the polls, the forecast for today is for record numbers of citizens getting out there to cast their votes.

There is nothing worse than watching the clock while you wait for a booth to open up. Believe me, in my smallish suburb of Boston, we have only about 25 booths and lots of people to use them!

Respect those in line behind you by being PREPARED, make some notes to bring with you if you have to, and get out there and cast your VOTE!

Nantucket Window

Some Kerry Hawkins type photographs of a shop window on Nantucket. Kerry has a great eye for window photos, and I thought I would give it a try. This shop had the most wonderful display of cast toys. It was closed when we were browsing the windows.




I love the last photo with the standing frog.

Scarf!

I finished my scarf last night.

It was actually a challenge for this experienced crocheter. I had never used true handspun yarn before, and this particular yarn had incredible fluctuations in the thick and thin. I found it very hard to keep my stitches loose enough and actually pulled the whole thing apart twice before I was happy with it. The yarn I bought from Knittydirtygirl is called Godzilla eats Pumpkins and it has incredible color and texture. My photos don't show the true vibrancy of color, the true color can be seen here or here.

What a great model!


I had a lot of fun tearing this apart and re-making it and in the end, I think I have a fantastic scarf. I only wish that I had enough yarn to make a hat, too.

Two skeins 80 yards each.