A few handmade links

A dear friend gave me this mug for my birthday. It's handmade by artisans in Cameroon and distributed through PRESCRAFT, a Presbyterian Handicraft Centre, also a fair trade enterprise. I've been enjoying it daily for my tea.

This morning I discovered that one of the little girls in my class, her mother has an etsy shop called Woolflower Boutique. She makes knitted and sewn goods using upcycled fabrics and she has patterns too. I should have realized she is an artist because she and her daughter are always wearing something handmade! This gray scarf and dark teal button scarf are two of my picks and suitable for men and/or women.

Last weekend we toured the Final Fridays events here in downtown Lawrence. We purchased a small piece by local artist Jeromy Morris. (And he is a parent of a preschooler that was in my class last year!) Anyway, check out this series of portraits, they're pretty rad.

For those of you in the north central Massechusetts area, Kristen Kieffer a ceramic artist is having her annual Holiday Studio Sale this weekend, November 5-6. She is a friend of mine from an artist residency we did together in 1997-1998. I remember it was always exciting when she'd unload a kiln. At her Studio Sale she'll have new work available and you'll get a glimpse of her work space.

Have you seen the Pop-up-Shop Melissa will be hosting along with Marichelle on November 12? She has a great line-up of participating artists and designers; it will surely be a classy event. I like how she's bringing the work of online artists into her home, for a "fireside" shopping experience.

Have you seen Stephanie Levy is offering a Creative Courage e-course for winter? It will run January 9 - February 24. She has invited twelve guests for exclusive interviews, sharing "tips and advice on how to move more quickly in the direction of our goals, as these women us tell their personal stories and explain how they are finding and following their creative dreams." I'm excited to be among such great company as one of the guests! Check it out!