Sunday, November 13, 2011

On the Road - Hot Cup o' Handmade at Molten Java in Bethel, CT

There's nothing like being on your home turf when doing a show. Not only is traveling a breeze but you also get to see many familiar faces. This was definitely the case at Hot Cup o' Handmade last Tuesday. It was great to see many friendly visitors from around town, and my school. Plus, I was surrounded by some of the most talented local craftinistas in my favorite coffee shop - Molten Java in Bethel, CT.
Molten Java - hot stuff!
Michele and Jeanny stopped by to say hi.
Sue and Mark perked me up!
Lys Guillorn of Little Cowgirl was saddled up next to me at the show. This creative gal really does it all, and her table was a great reflection of her many super powers. Besides being a very talented photographer, Lys sews bags with whimsical prints, creates a cornucopia of kitchy tiny pins with vintage ephemera, and fashions colorful jewelry out of buttons. I am now the proud owner of one of her button necklaces in red with a white heart detail. My husband Thom couldn't resist getting a few pins as well. In addition to exploring the wide world of crafts, Lys is a gifted songstress and performer. You can find her next at the Hot, Rock, & Holiday Party in Windsor, CT. Behold the power of Lys' crafts and music!

Lys Guillorn of Little Cowgirl
pin up!
Lys' photography is indeed the BESTEVER!
The clothing designer extraordinaire (and my often time craft show travel companion), Grace Napoleon of Folk Couture, represented with racks and racks of new and amazing designs. Her hands have been on overdrive getting ready for the upcoming holiday season and it was great seeing all of her new sweaters and dresses in person.  Everyone at Molten Java was treated to a little fashion show every time someone tried on her unique "clothes out of clothes." The only thing that was missing was a red carpet! She's all over the place in the weeks to come, including Wellesley Marketplace in MA, Festival Fete in RI, and SoWa Holiday Market in MA. Visit her on Facebook to see where else you can find her in the weeks to come.

Grace Napoleon of Folk Couture
roses n' ruffles
Folk Couture's recent display at Handmade Arcade in Pittsburgh. Love the bear!
When you walk up to Jen Matlack's table you feel like you're strolling through an enchanted garden. Milly Gilly House and Garden (aka Daisy Chestnut on Etsy) offers mysterious terrariums with hidden treasures, hand-stamped vintage platters, and a whole variety of hand illustrated note cards/paper items. What Jen is best known for is her garden marker spoons and silverware garland. She embellishes vintage silverware with lovely hand drawn illustrations of herbs, vegetables, and plants.  Her items are so treasured that she got on Etsy's front page as a featured seller! Dontcha just love it when a local gal goes big? I fell in love with one of her terrariums in a mason jar, and just had to bring it home. You can really see and feel the amount of care and detail that go into each and every piece. If you're looking for the perfect holiday gift for the garden/nature lover in your life, take a romp through Jen's world.

Jen Matlack of Milly Gilly House and Garden
the right utensils for the job
pleasant under glass
At Hot Cup o' Handmade, I displayed a lot of new pieces and many went to great homes. My friend Karin swung by and treated herself to an early birthday gift. She looked fantastic in the vintage rouge locket necklace called "Feather in the Heather." Two of my favorite pieces also went to familiar faces:  "Eye-Lash-Ine" with a 1920's tin, monocle, and diorama & "Oh Deer, Oh Deer" which held a nature scene with two gold tone deer in a watch parts tin. Many thimblism necklaces went a-jinglin' out the door and several folks requested custom necklaces made with their own thimbles. I just love making pieces out of other people's treasures!

the birthday beauty
"Oh Deer Oh Deer"
Eye-Lash-Ine
on the flip side
Wendy, the owner of Molten Java was there to partake in the crafty festivities. Most recently, she shared the exciting announcement that Molten Java will soon be relocating down the street into an amazing Victorian house. She's been hard at work painting, uncovering the beautiful wood floors, and getting the space ready for its opening. Read all about it here in the Bethel Buzz News. I'm so proud of Wendy, that I just want to stick a giant gold star in the middle of her forehead. 'Like' Molten Java on Facebook to get the most up-to-date info on the big move.

I love Wendy for many reasons. Giving me a zombie finger puppet just added to the list.
Molten Java's soon-to-be new location! Oooh! Ahhh! Ohhhh!
a sneak peek of the new space - colors abound

And finally...drum roll please...I am excited to announce that Hot Cup o' Handmade will be returning for a holiday show on Sunday, December 4th! We are still hammering out some of the details but will post more info soon. In the meantime, save the date and spread the word. Thank you to all who came out to the show and supported the local craft scene. Hope to see you again come December!

You can find me at these upcoming holiday shows:


Wellesley Marketplace - Saturday, November 19 at the Wellesley Middle School in Wellesley, MA.

Hot Cup o' Handmade - Sunday, December 4 from 12-4 at Molten Java in Bethel, CT. Facebook invite to follow soon. Follow Twitch and Whiskers on Twitter or Facebook to get the official announcement. 

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