This Needs No Explanation

Down East Magazine's Maine-Made Gift Guide

Exciting news from Lofted Designs headquarters!!! Our pet tags are being featured as part of Down East Magazine's 2013 Maine-Made Holiday Gift Guide!

(I created this sweet little badge to commemorate the occasion!)

Down East is known as the magazine of Maine, evoking and illuminating the spirit and culture of my great state and available at newsstands and stores nationwide.

The publication approached me in the early fall about the possibility of featuring Lofted Designs pet tags and I mailed off five ID tags to their editorial team for review.

Thanks to the USPS for helping me make the submission deadline!

Ultimately, they selected three of the pet tags ("squirrel chaser," "i ❤ maine," and "stinky breath") to feature on their Furry Friend gift page.

There's a lot going on in this collage of creativity, but Lofted Designs is #1 in the upper left corner!

Here's a snapshot with our tags highlighted to help you find them.

And a close-up!

If you can't quite read the tags in print, luckily they were kind enough to also feature them online with a link to my Etsy shop! Here's a link to all 133 of their Maine-made gift selections online.

Down East has been in print for nearly 60 years! I am so honored and thrilled to be part of this time-honored publication with a readership of more than 400,000 people. Be sure to pick up a copy, available on newsstands this week!

Etsy Maine Team Online Cash Mob In One Week

The Maine Team Cash Mob on Etsy is just one week away! Show your support for the truly talented members of the Etsy Maine Team.

Thursday, October 25, 2012

Nearly 700 shops represented!

Now with over 13,000 unique handcrafted and vintage items!

Here's how it works:
1. Visit Etsy.com (or use the Etsy app on your tablet or smartphone)
2. Type "maineteam" into the search bar (one word)
3. GO SHOPPING!

For more specific results, you can also search for "maineteam jewelry" or "maineteam pet tags" (for example) to narrow your search.

You do not need to live in Maine to participate in our cash mob. This event is open to the world. Many shops will also be offering coupon codes and discounts valid on this day only (check individual shop announcements on Etsy for details).

Come join the fun, get a jump on your holiday shopping and show your support for Maine's online small businesses. Here's an easy link to take you directly to "Maineteam" items on Etsy: click here and start marking your favorite items now!

First Annual Open House

Hi friends,
I'm trying something utterly new and different this year – a holiday open house! You see, I have bunches of beautiful handmade jewelry left over from the festival and fair circuit. Why should I keep it all for myself when it could be brightening someone's holiday or stuffing someone's stocking?

Saturday, December 17, 2011
Noon - 5:00 pm
The address can be found here.

Find great last-minute gifts and stocking stuffers at the first annual Lofted Designs Open House!
Visitors can enter a drawing to win a free pair of sterling silver earrings. And I have a feeling not that many people will show up, so your chances of winning would be pretty amazing!

Bring a friend or two. There’s no pressure to buy like those other jewelry parties...just come browse and enjoy light refreshments (cookies and cider, anyone?) and good holiday cheer.

Preview a sampling of my work at www.LoftedDesigns.com. Much more will be available in person.
 
RSVP for the event on Facebook.

Cash, checks and credit cards are all welcome.
Hope to see you!

Craft Fix - Kittery, Maine - This Sunday!

Buoy Gallery — 2 Government St., Kittery, Maine

Sunday, November 27th, 2011

11 AM - 6 PM

Craft Fix is back for another year! So happy to be participating in this creative event. 

After you support Buy Nothing Day on Friday and Small Business Saturday, come over to Buoy in Kittery for CRAFT FIX, where you'll find locally handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list! Some of the seacoast's most talented artists and craftspeople will be there, so skip the outlets and malls and head downtown.

Sneak Peek at some Lofted Designs goodies for Sunday!

All types of handmade crafts will be represented including handcrafted jewelry, tote bags and purses, greeting cards, sculptures, pottery, photography and more. RSVP here or just show up! I'd love to see your face supporting handmade businesses this season!

***Note: If we are very, very lucky, the brand new Black Birch restaurant may be open in time for this event. It is right next door and looks very promising. Like them on Facebook to learn when they open.

Artsy Affair - This Thursday, Nov. 10th, 5-9pm

Well, the outdoor shows are over for the season and the tent has been stashed away until next summer. This Thursday marks the official start of my holiday craft fair season! I am excited to be trying out a new fair in Maine — Artsy Affair.

Thursday, November 10

5:00 - 9:00 pm

The Inn at Brunswick Station

Brunswick, Maine

visit this page for directions

Artsy Affair is the self-proclaimed "indie style craft and artisan fair" featuring craftspeople from Maine's mid-coast region and a few of us from beyond (like me from York). They are doing a great job of highlighting participating artists on their blog each day leading up to the event, so be sure to check it out for a sneak peek.  Several of my products were featured on the "7th day of Artsy" post!


Artsy Affair is juried (i.e. not cluttered with junk...only the best handmade goods around) and offers a unique holiday shopping experience for the community where shoppers can meet an amazing group of artisans and enjoy the start of the holiday season with delicious food, live music and local art.


Get a jump start on holiday shopping and keep it local.
Hope to see you there!


P.S. Like their Facebook page for updates leading up to the event.

Picnic Portland Holiday Sale - This Weekend

Maine Irish Heritage Center — 34 Gray St. & State St., Portland, Maine

Saturday, December 11th, 12pm - 8pm
Sunday, December 12th, 12pm - 5pm
FREE admission!

Shop like a rock-star and celebrate the local handmade movement. Find one-of-a-kind gifts for everyone on your list at this vibrantly out-of-the-ordinary event! The 2nd Annual Picnic Holiday Sale is TWO days this year and will feature more than 60 creative vendors selling clothing, jewelry, prints, accessories, bags, plush, stationery, photography, housewares, fine art, vintage goods and much more.
 more info

Shop-A-Do Craftastic Art Sale

SPACE Gallery — 538 Congress St., Portland, Maine

Friday, December 3rd, 5 PM - 9 PM

Saturday, December 4th, 10 AM - 6 PM

I am excited beyond words about this show. I will be sharing the floor with some of my very favorite crafters and artists and will probably get most of my holiday shopping done in this one room! I encourage you to do the same. You'll find something for each person on your list at this funky and fabulous art sale! more info

There is lots of other cool stuff happening Friday night as well during Portland's First Friday Artwalk. Check out all of the galleries downtown, then make your way over to the State Theater for 1930s Night! Enjoy live music in the vaudeville style from Over A Cardboard Sea at 5:30pm, followed by a showing of The Wizard of Oz on the big screen at 7pm. Or show up later at 10pm for a screening of the movie with Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon as the soundtrack. Tickets to each screening are only $5! more info

Celebrate December with FREE Shipping

Here it is, my gift to you! From now through December 12, 2010, enjoy FREE SHIPPING on all purchases from the Lofted Designs Etsy shop. Free shipping will be automatically applied to your order.


Thanks for supporting the handmade movement this holiday season!

Get Your Craft Fix - This Weekend

Buoy Gallery — 2 Government St., Kittery, Maine

Saturday, November 27th, 10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday, November 28th, 10 AM - 5 PM

After you get your fix of doorbuster deals or finish celebrating Buy Nothing Day on Friday, head on over to Buoy for CRAFT FIX, where you'll find locally handcrafted gifts for everyone on your list! Some of the seacoast's very best artists and craftspeople will be there, so skip the outlets and head into town. more info

2010 Holiday Show Schedule

The Lofted Designs holiday schedule has been set! I applied to five juried craft fairs and art shows this season, thinking I'd get accepted to one (at best). Instead, I got into three for a very full schedule starting this coming weekend.

I'm so excited to announce the dates, and I hope to see some of you at the following events. All of them offer FREE admission and tons of fantastic holiday shopping. If you love to buy handmade and support local artists, here are three great events for you:

CRAFT FIX

Buoy Gallery — 2 Government St., Kittery, Maine

Saturday, November 27th, 10 AM - 5 PM
Sunday, November 28th, 10 AM - 5 PM

SHOP -A-DO Craftastic Art Sale

SPACE Gallery — 538 Congress St., Portland, Maine

Friday, December 3rd, 5 PM - 9 PM
Saturday, December 4th, 10 AM - 6 PM

PICNIC PORTLAND HOLIDAY SALE
Maine Irish Heritage Center — 34 Gray St. & State St., Portland, Maine
Saturday, December 11th, 12pm - 8pm
Sunday, December 12th, 12pm - 5pm


Details to follow soon! Of course, if you live far away you can always shop online.

4th Quarter Earnings

As you may already know, I choose a non-profit organization each quarter to receive a percentage of my sales. This is my way of paying forward the generosity and kindness I've received in support of Lofted Designs. I probably wouldn't be making jewelry at all if not for the help, confidence and support of many wonderful people. So, in turn, each quarter I donate a portion of my proceeds to a local non-profit organization.

Choosing my 4th quarter recipient was easy because I have an entire team of craftspeople behind me. More than 40 members of the Etsy Maine Team have decided to donate 15% of their sales between November 13th and 19th to Preble Street, an organization based in Portland, Maine, striving to turn hunger and homelessness into opportunity and hope. Preble Street's mission is to provide accessible barrier-free services to empower people experiencing problems with homelessness, housing, hunger and poverty, and to advocate for solutions to these problems.

In addition to all of these really talented Etsy sellers donating 15%, I will base my donation upon all Lofted Designs sales from October through the end of the year. Happy shopping!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween is (and always has been) my favorite holiday. I love all things spooky and scary, but so far just haven't been able to bring myself to make any Halloween jewelry. When I tried to think of ideas, I couldn't get the image of those cheesy store-bought pumpkin pins out of my head. Maybe next year.

In the meantime, I wanted to share some photos of where I live. These were taken a few days ago in Southern Maine. This spooky old graveyard is in the center of York Village and one of my favorite places to visit around Halloween. Tombstones here date back to the 1600s!





Limited edition autumn leaf necklaces inspired by New England fall foliage are available here and here.