Happy New Year!!!
I am looking forward to 2018 with immense anticipation, but let’s not throw out all of the old year for the new. We want to take with us our best discoveries of 2017. In the vein of Barack Obama’s Favorite Books and Music of 2017 list (part of a tradition he started during his presidency), here is my New York Makers spin:
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New maker in 2017: Cheryl Pagano of The Highlands Foundry. My love for antique textiles is strong, and Cheryl is a brilliant maker with a great eye. Aesthetically-speaking, her totes and pillow covers really speak to me.
New product in 2017: The “New YorkHer Necklace” by Joan Hornig Jewelry. I loved meeting Joan and her team and coming up with the idea behind this exclusive-to-New-York-Makers piece. We knew we wanted to use Herkimer diamonds -- what could be more New York? -- but then Joan masterfully surprised us with the use of seven crystals to represent the number of letters in “New York”. These necklaces make perfect Valentine’s Day gifts -- plus the proceeds can be donated to the charity of your choice!
New York Makers article in 2017: “Through The Looking Glass With Corning” by Kathleen Willcox. What a revelation for me to discover the many Corning inventions and products that have truly shaped our world -- just one being Gorilla Glass, which makes our beloved iPhones possible.
New side to a maker discovery in 2017: Crown Maple Estate. I call it the “Disneyland of Maple Syrup”. Crown Maple knows hospitality very well, offering a variety of free events year round. From the outside fire pit that greets guests (it’s often burning and visitors can roast provided marshmallows), to the maple market and cafe selling everything from maple sugar to homemade turkey chili, their team works hard to make guests feel so welcome that they never want to leave! Crown Maple is hosting a Hot Chocolate Festival on Saturday and Sunday, January 6 and 7. Sounds warm and toasty, right?!
A New New Year’s Eve location: I took my first trip to Callicoon, New York for New Year’s Eve festivities at a Catskills farmhouse nestled in a dreamy snow scene. All ten house guests enjoyed a sweet butternut squash lasagna dinner made by new friend Olga, a New York City-based fashion designer turned chemical engineer (apparently this is a thing now — fashion designers are getting into “green” engineering in hopes of improving material industries) before dancing joyously in the living room for hours, each of us sharing the “best” things that happened to us in 2017. Mine was expanding my pet family to include a stray cat — I like to say we “found” one another, and he made my year extra special.
Callicoon New Year's Eve dance party!
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I have yet to make a formal New Year’s “resolution”, but there are a few contenders. Of course, I want to get healthy and more organized — according to Moneyish, these are two of the five most common resolutions — but don’t we all?! I want to restart as a hands on maker. Jewelry making is something I always enjoyed, but it has been years since the last necklace I made for myself. I think I’ll start there, metalsmithing, and then perhaps move onto knitting scarfs (it is 8 degrees in New York City after all), thanks to New York maker Jessica Meyrowitz of It’s a Yummy and her cool, new Today Show-approved kits!
Now, armed with these special finds to get us off to a good start, I say on behalf of all of us at New York Makers, “Look to enjoy a New New York State of Mind, and perhaps discover the new maker in you as we leap into 2018!”