This Weekend, Too! Merry Mart

Merry Mart is a unique craft show featuring a diverse mix of art and craft from Baltimore and beyond. BEST's own Jen Menkhaus of The Littlest Bean and Allison Fomich of Tigerlillyshop helped to organize and run the event again this year!

This is a warm and fuzzy indoor show that showcases local Baltimore talent with unique handmade work. Shoppers will find one of a kind gifts, clothing, handbags, plushies, felt accessories, ceramics, soaps, kids toys, mixed media, amazing jewelry, and great art! If you are looking for unique items that will be remembered and appreciated for years to come, don’t miss this show. Shop local and expect to find great gifts at this handmade marketplace this holiday season!

You can find the vendor list and preview here: http://merrymartbaltimore.blogspot.com/

As always, it will be held at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson on December 4th, 2011, from 11am-5pm.

Holiday Heap 2011 this weekend!

Only 4 days until the CharCity Craft Mafia's Holiday Heap, and we can hardly wait!

This year's fair will have 60 of the best local and national crafters, as well as a yarn-spinning demonstration by Three Ravens and a raffle to win a huge basket full of goodies by supporting Arts Every Day! Check the CCCM blog to see vendor interviews and raffle basket sneak peeks.

GrrChe, a local food truck, will be outside for lunch and snacks.

Check out the vendors beforehand by visiting the vendor page. The show will be held on December 3rd, from 10am to 5pm inside St John's Church at 2640 St Paul Street, Baltimore MD 21218.

Calling all Friends and Fans!

In the spirit of the holiday I am thinking of all of my beloved friends, fans, and loyal customers over the years and I want to give back! I'll be doing some giveaways over the next few months and am excited to offer a peek into the studio more often with a newsletter that will be sent out every other month.

You can sign up for the behind the scenes newsletter by clicking here, just fill in the form and I'll send you a 10% off coupon to my Etsy shop!


Over the next few months, I also want to give a little shot in the 'ol arm to this little blog and my photos on my Flickr page, get better at connecting on Twitter and Tigerlillyshop Facebook AND on Allison Fomich Upholstery Faceboook. Yes it seems like a lot to do, but I miss my online community! Let's reconnect!

More galleries, gift shops, and brick-and-mortar stores are carrying my jewelry work. I feel like my hard work is taking me on a slow meandering successful road. I am feeling good about the upcoming season.

I hope to see many of you at my holiday craft shows, maybe we can even connect with a personal studio visit!

Easter Sunday

Christmas Break

Our Christmas cactus is blooming, a reminder to me that it is time for a break.

It's been a good year full of home renovations, great vacations, and new growth in our business. I tackled the most challenging upholstery projects I ever attempted and did the worst craft show ever. This time of year is so nice to relax, eat some chocolate and reflect on the things we did all year long while being surrounded by family and good friends.

I hope all of you out there have a great holiday break and get the rest and rejuvenation you need.

Thanks to all of my customers, friends, family and business ladies that help make the year manageable! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

Christmas Cooking

I am trying to squeeze in some baking this season. It is important to me to at least make some cranberry bread and a few cookies. I can't go too overboard since we are still working on furniture around here....

I had to get a picture of these loaves, they we so warm and cozy in there. This is the same holiday bread that my mom makes every year -minus the nuts thank you! For as long as I can remember, I have watched this stuff rise and brown in the oven. Yummy.

Now, back to this chair that is staring at me in the studio. And one more (maybe not the last) trip to the post office for my rush orders.

Chocolate Crackle-Tops

I was given a cookie cookbook one year as a Christmas present from a good friend who loved baking. I have used this book over and over to make the best cookies ever, hands down. The recipe in this book for roll out/cut out sugar cookies is better than my mom's. The lemon shortbread recipe is to die for. I have tired fancy cookies that looked too hard for me to even attempt, and those came out beautifully! So when I saw this recipe, it was one I had to try.

These chocolate cookies are one of my favorites for the holidays. They are pretty, fun to make with my daughter, and delish to boot. The better quality chocolate you use, the better the taste. The trick to this recipe is to keep the cooking temperature low at 325 as to not melt the powdered sugar coating.

7 oz semisweet chocolate, chopped
scant 1/2 unsalted butter
1/2 cup granulated sugar
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
scant 2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
pinch of salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar for coating

1. In a medium saucepan, over low heat, melt chocolate and butter together until smooth, stirring constantly.
2. Remove from heat, Stir in the sugar, continue stirring for 2-3 minutes until the sugar dissolves. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then stir in vanilla.
3. In another bowl, mix flour, cocoa, baking powder, and salt. Gradually stir into the chocolate mixture in batches, just until blended.
4. Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least an hour, until the dough is cold enough to hold it's shape.
5. Preheat oven to 325 degrees, Grease baking sheets. Place confectioners sugar in a small deep bowl. Using a round teaspoon or small ice cream scoop, scoop the cold dough and roll in to balls between the palms of your hands. Roll 1 1/2" balls.
6. Drop each ball into confectioners sugar and roll until heavily coated and place on baking sheets.
7. Bake cookies for 10-15 minutes, until the tops feel slightly firm when touched. When slightly cooled, move the cookies to a wire rack with a spatula to cool completely.

Buy Handmade and Help The MD Food Bank

It has been a difficult year for many Marylanders because of the tough economy. Many are without jobs and without food. In an effort to help those in need this holiday season, several BEST members will be donating a percentage of money from the the sales of their handmade items from December 1-14. Buyers will have a unique opportunity to support handmade and help feed hungry Marylanders.

The Maryland Food Bank provides nearly 14 million pounds of food annually to 1,000 Network Partners - including food pantries, soup kitchens, emergency shelters, low-income day care centers, after-school programs, senior centers, rehabilitation centers, and other feeding programs. They supply food for over 50,000 Marylanders each week who otherwise would go hungry or not eat enough, including families with children, the elderly, the homeless, the homebound, low-income workers, the recently unemployed, and people with AIDS and other health problems. For every $1 contributed to the Maryland Food Bank, they are able to provide 3 meals to Maryland’s needy families and individuals.

From December 1st through 14th, the following participating BEST members will be donating a percentage of their sales:

blockpartypress- 10% of Etsy sales
sweetpepita- 10% of all Etsy sales
jenmenkhaus- 10% of all Etsy sales
glowgirl - 10% of all Etsy sales
yummyandcompany- 10% of all Etsy sales
atelieradornments - 10% of all Etsy sales
lanabella - 10% of all Etsy sales
lolamiren - 10% of all Etsy sales
thebrokenplate - 10% of all Etsy sales
tigerlillyshop - 10% of all Etsy ring sales
greenstarstudio - 10% of all Etsy sales
vwstudios - 10% of all Etsy sales

Take some time to visit these Etsy shops, support handmade and know that when you make a purchase between Dec. 1 - 14, you will be helping to provide food and services to someone in need this holiday season. Here are some other ways to support the MD Food Bank:

* Make a direct monetary donation

* Purchase and donate food through the Food Bank's “Virtual Food Drive”

* Deliver the food directly to the Maryland Food Bank at 2200 Halethorpe Farms Road. Please call 410-737-8282 to arrange your delivery.

Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special

PeeWee Herman has been a marketing machine lately. He's on Twitter, Facebook, the Conan O'Brien Show, etc. He launched a great website, too, which I have been enjoying with my daughter! It may not be 100% appropriate fora 4 yr old, but it is so fun, I had to share.

The best part is, we have watched clips and even the whole episode of the Pee-Wee's Playhouse Christmas Special the on his website. The brings back memories of my 1980's childhood. so strange, so cool, so weird and funny. I have to admit, I love Pee-wee Herman!

Marry Mart at the Creative Alliance This Sunday!

Sun Dec 6, 11am-5pm.
Free! Cash bar. Lunch for sale catered by Water for Chocolate.

Avoid manic mall madness! Do your holiday shopping at The Patterson. 35+ fab local vendors with the best in regional crafts, arts, and gifts! Coordinated by Allison Dickinson, founder of Paper-Rock-Scissors Gallery.

These fellow BEST member swill be vending:

DesignByNight

JillPopowichDesigns

AtelierBeads

Buttons For Babes

Tigerlillyshop

Visit BEST at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights!

The BEST girls will be showing at the Greenbelt Festival of Lights this Saturday and Sunday.

Somehow a ton of local shows fell on the same 3 days this year. Not sure how this happened, but many of us are trying to show at all of them and are stretched pretty thin this weekend.

Although I won't physically be there manning the table, some of my work will be at this show. My generous lady friends agreed to host a couple of trays of button accessories for me! So look for button rings, plastic rings, button earrings and hair ties at the BEST tent. My trays are filled with deals at $6.00! All one of a kind, all handmade, and great for a quick gift!

Ok, see you around this weekend!

3rd Anual Holiday Heap This Saturday!!!

It is that time of year again! This local craft show is my favorite of the season. The venue hosts a handmade loving crowd, the building has a warm and fuzzy feeling. Grab some coffee, listen to the DJ and feel good about shopping local.
This cool Charm City Craft Mafia show never lets us down!

Don't miss it!
10am-5pm
Saturday, December 5th
Saint John’s Church, 2640 St. Paul Street, Baltimore, MD 21218

Not only can you buy handmade, but there will be an awesome gift basket raffle benefiting Art with a Heart, a local non-profit providing access to art activities for disadvantaged families, children, and people with developmental and physical challenges. Take a chance and give back.

We hope to see you this weekend! The following BEST members will be vending this year:

TigerLillyShop
Jen Menkaus/Littlest Bean

Sweet Pepita

Elisa Shere Jewelry

The Broken Plate Pendant Company

Yummy and Company

Block Party Press
JennyJen42

BEST

Christmas is coming!

One little collage to get us ready for what is to come. Snow, presents, and family. Cheers!

Dangling Ponies

The monster blue chairs are gone. It is time now to focus on the holiday selling season and our own family Christmas preparations. This year seems more daunting than past years with the New York show looming in the near future.

It is easy for me to loose sight of the little things every day that make for a happy family and happy life. I promise myself this year to stop and have some fun during this chaotic time. Even if it means having to work extra late some nights or spending money I don't have. My goal is balance this season, it may be harder to achieve than I expect, but I feel with the right mind set, I can do it.

I will enjoy this season, I swear it.

St. Patrick's Day Parade, Baltimore

Happy St. Patty's Day!
We celebrated at the parade on Sunday. Here are some highlights:


We saw almost everyone finish the 5k run that precedes the parade -who are all of these crazy people? So fun to watch! It was a rainy cold gray day, but the annual St. Patrick's Parade never disappoints!

'Tis the Season!

my -weakness, my -love, my -stuff them down before anyone else knows i am eating these b/c i don't want to share. so happy to see these in stores, i mean in my hands now! lol.

Closed for the Season, aka Burned Out

Image from daveelmore on flickr.
This is how I feel! LOL. So, time for some relaxation and real family time.

After filling countless wholesale orders and doing 11 shows since September, I need a break. Brett and I have worked our poor fingers to the bone. But I must say it was all worth it. Lots of connections were made ie: possible NPR online selling for Mother's Day, a few boutiques and galleries in Pittsburgh and New Orleans, and the Alt Craft section of the American Craft Council's Baltimore show is just around the corner in February! We are in pretty good shape going into the new year.

Thank you all out there for your support. I appreciate each and every customer and the network of friends who have helped me this year. The Baltimore Etsy Team totally kicked ass this year, you guys are amazing!

Happy Holidays and have a great New Year!

Make Your Own Virtual Snowflakes

I love cutting paper snowflakes this time of year. I found this site one day while researching how to make them. I thought I would share this great site with all of you!

Chocolate Raindeer Cookies, Fun and Delicious Holiday Recipe!

My daughter made these with our wonderful caregiver yesterday! They were so cute and tastey, I thought I'd share;)

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
1-1/2 cups sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
3-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
72 small pretzel twists
72 candy-coated milk chocolate pieces
36 small red gum drops

Directions
In a large mixing bowl beat butter with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar, cocoa powder, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt. Beat until combined, scraping sides of bowl occasionally. Beat in eggs and vanilla until combined. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Using a wooden spoon, stir in any remaining flour.
Divide dough into 6 equal portions. Wrap portions in waxed paper or plastic wrap. Chill for 3 hours or until dough is easy to handle.
On a lightly floured surface, roll each dough portion into a circle 6 inches in diameter. Using a knife, cut each circle into 6 wedges. Place wedges 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
For antlers, on each triangle lightly press a pretzel into the upper corners. Press in chocolate pieces for eyes. For a nose, press a red gumdrop into the dough triangle about 1/2 inch from the point.
Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 7 to 9 minutes or until edges are firm. Do not overbake. Cool on cookie sheet for 1 minute. Transfer cookies to a wire rack; cool. Makes 36 cookies.

our turkeys