Cheery Observations

Yesterday, we got to be one of ‘those people who stand in lines’.  I see these random lines all over Brooklyn and New York City and I often have no idea what the line is for.  For example, when we were up here in October to find an apartment, there was a massive line on Atlantic Avenue (100 plus people) all of whom were being led down a manhole.  What?!  I never did find out what that was about.

Our line standing was because we were waiting to get inside the ‘Bust Holiday Craftacular’.  I had randomly seen something on Yelp about this and thought it might be fun to check out.  I don’t read ‘Bust’ magazine (and Justin definitely doesn’t), but hey, that didn’t mean I wasn’t up for checking out some amazing artisans.

The market was located in the Metropolitan Pavilion and was absolutely packed.  We managed to see a lot of creative vendors before reaching our claustrophic quota.  It was pretty exciting to see some vendors that I already knew about courtesy of Etsy.

Here are a few highlights (and people worth checking out and supporting!):

Kate Durkin:  A creator of whimsical pillows and prints with designs that are perfect for a child’s room or as an accent in a creative space.  I am always drawn towards anything with whales, so her pillows were why I initially stopped by.  Her designs are comforting and sweet, with great folk elements.

Ink and Wit:  I was quite pumped to see Ink and Wit, as I had highlighted one of their cards on Cheery Observations awhile back (’You are so Deer’).  I love Ink and Wit’s color and animal choices.  The designs can be minimalist but effectively convey a great deal of emotion (especially in the animals’ faces).  Ink and Wit also offer Graphic Design services.

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I’ve been taken with Nikki McClure’s designs for over a year now.  I first saw her work at Feast in Charlottesville last October and Justin and I spent a good 10 minutes flipping through ‘Collect Raindrops’.  We had never seen anything quite like it!  The book is divided into the four seasons, with the stunning illustrations punctuated by equally strong words:  breathe, integrate, prepare, onward.

McClure is a self-taught paper cut artist from Washington State.  Her images are clear; her people are endearing; and quite frankly, her subject matter is right up my alley!  The images in her books, calendars, and prints evoke a return to one’s roots and an acceptance of the changing of seasons and the power of nature.  Her images seem to be a suggestion to slow down and appreciate your senses: taste, smell, feel.  She focuses on new life, community, and subsequent changes for humans, animals, and nature. McClure’s color choices are thoughtful.  She never utilizes a great deal of color, so when she does, she does so purposefully, such as an orange sky or a vivid red apple.

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I thought I’d quickly link to R. Nichols’ website.  Using the tried and true ‘cut and paste’ method, he makes whimsical collages for stationary and grocery totes.

His totes are made from recycled cotton and plastic:  ideal for a trip to the farmers’ market or grocery store.

I especially like his ‘Garden’ collection of note cards:  the Weeders, Forsysthia (say that three times quickly!), Squash, and Hedgetrimmers:

Snapshots of Garden Collection Notecards