Art ' n ' Silk

           Certain people, if you're going to do something crazy or you don't know if you can pull off, you want them in the fox hole with you. Shannon and I have collaborated on more projects than I can count and had a great time doing it as well as sharing office space. She's a dyer, I'm a sewer. It's a good combination.
             She does lovely work in silk and cotton custom printing and hand painting one-of-a-kind pieces of art either by order or from nature.  She also teaches silk printing as one of the instructors at Techshop RD from time to time.
            If you want to get a unique gift for someone in your life who loves custom scarves and silk, I recommend dropping by her booth next week. She also does great custom cotton tees. Check out her Etsy shop here.

Melsie Glass

             There are certain people I just like being around. I always walk away from hanging out with them feeling better. Melanie is one of those people for me. She mixes a background as a corporate warrior before she walked away to pursue her craft on glassmaking with the whimsy of an artisan. Everything she makes is meticulously crafted with an attention to detail, while still having a lot of fun in the process.
              Whenever I have a long day or am feeling down about my craft, I wander over to her shop and a few minutes later I find myself chuckling. Just take her latest Christmas necklaces. Totally precious. I hope you have a chance to check out her booth at the show.
             And a warm congratulations to her for being picked for the VAE's retail incubator program in 2013. You completely deserve it!
             Check out her Etsy shop and look for some new pieces at the show in a few weeks.