Author: bouquetofbaskets

I am a self taught basket maker. I have been making baskets since 1989. I love to weave and much of my free time is spent weaving, thinking about and designing baskets. I also like to woodwork and paint as a team with my son Daniel.
craft show · Fiber Art · fiber arts · handmade baskets · Local Shows

Just checking in…..

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First I’m just checking in with any locals that are here!!! My next in person show will be in October 12TH and 13TH at the Cortland Repertoire Theater 🎭. I’ve included their website below so you can take a look at the latest details.

https://cortlandrep.org/little-york-fall-fiber-arts-festival/

It’s an amazing venue with so many wonderful artisans. I’ll be selling and hopefully demonstrating the art of basket weaving

Hope to see you there.

The end of summer approaches!!!

Summer is coming to an end here in Central New York. The Great New York Fair starts next week and to me it’s the official end of summer. It’s been a hot one but very productive on the basket front. I’ve been keeping up with all the orders, AND stocking up for my in person shows. My new work space is working out well and I’m finally getting used to it.

So I’m wishing you all a great rest of the summer and hope you are looking forward to fall as much as I am.

Did you know Basket Weaving is a Fiber Art???
craft show · fiber arts · handmade baskets · Local Shows

Did you know Basket Weaving is a Fiber Art???

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And that my first show of the year is less than a month away!!!

I’ll be demonstrating and selling at the

CNY Fiber Arts Fesival

CNY Fiber Arts Festival
June 8 – 9, 2024

Butternut Hill Campground
6893 U.S. Route 20
Bouckville New York


Click Link Below

Festival

CNY Fiber Artists & Producers will hold its 13th annual and best-ever festival on June 8th and 9th in 2024.  They expect a full complement of 120 booths filled with fleeces, yarns, fiber equipment, fiber animals, and all manner of finished fiber products.   They will have a full schedule of exciting lectures and workshops, our weaving competition, fleece sale, shearing demonstration, weaving booth, and children’s activities. 

Hope to see you there !!!!!

fiber arts · handmade baskets

A Little Sale

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Just wanted to quickly drop a line and wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

May the days ahead be filled with joy, productivity, and a sense of calm. Cheers to a fabulous holiday season!

Use the code thanks10 and enjoy a discount of 10% on your entire order when shopping on my website. Don’t miss out on this offer! Click on the link below!

www.bouquetofbaskets.net

merry christmas sign
Photo by Brett Sayles on Pexels.com
Attention all my local friends!!! Two upcoming shows in time for Christmas!!
craft show · fiber arts · handmade baskets · Local Shows

Attention all my local friends!!! Two upcoming shows in time for Christmas!!

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I’ll have handwoven baskets, hand loomed potholders and my daughter-in-law will have her crochet beauties. Below is the latest information-

Cayuga Community College Craft Fair

We’ll be set up in the same spot as last year!!!

Saturday, December 2, 2023
10:00 am – 4:00

Sunday, December 3, 2023
10:00 am – 3:00 pm

Shop Small- Shop Local

See link Below for more information on the event

48th Annual Holiday Festival Craft Fair (cayuga-cc.edu)

red nosed reindeers ornaments
Photo by Leeloo Thefirst on Pexels.com

And Immediatly following the next weekend…………

_______________________________________

Southern Cayuga High School Craft Show

Saturday December 9 10:00 AM – 3 PM

LOCATION: Southern Cayuga High School

2388 RT-34B, Aurora, NY 13026, United States

I just added these two Local Events to my summer/fall schedule. Links are belown for more information!!
fiber arts · handmade baskets

I just added these two Local Events to my summer/fall schedule. Links are belown for more information!!

bouquetofbasketsLeave a comment

EVENTS/FESTIVALS 2023

Golden Harvest Festival

Saturday, September 9, 2023
Sunday, September 10, 2023
10:00am – 5:00pm

ADMISSION:
Cash ONLY is accepted at the ticket booths. 
$5 – adults
$1 – children (6-17 years old)
Free – 5 & under
An ATM is located inside the Festival at the Visitor Center and many vendors accept credit cards. Clink on link below for more information……..

LOCATION: 
8477 East Mud Lake Road
Baldwinsville, New York

Golden Harvest Festival » Onondaga County Parks

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________

THE 2023 LITTLE YORK FALL

FIBER ARTS FESTIVAL

CRT’S 11TH ANNUAL FUND RAISER FESTIVAL WILL BE HELD ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 14 FROM 9:00 – 5:00 AND SUNDAY, OCTOBER 15 FROM 10:00 – 3:00.

At the national historic Little York Pavilion in beautiful Dwyer Memorial Park on Little York Lake.

GPS Address:
6799 Little York Lake Road
Preble, NY 13141

$5.00 Admission.  Kids 12 and Under: Free!

Featuring a wide variety of vendors with unique fiber products!  Supplies and gifts!

*Handmade Baskets *Knitting, Spinning, & Felting Supplies * Yarn * Pelts * Raw Fleeces * Blankets * Shawls * Clothing * Roving* * Crafts * Christmas Gifts * Jewelry * Handcrafted Wooden Bowls * Soaps and Lotions * Candles * Maple Products * …and so much more!

Soups, chili, hot dogs, snacks and coffee will be available for purchase.  All refreshment proceeds benefit the CRT Guild

Festival Dates are October 14-15 2023.

(9am-5pm Saturday 10am-pm Sunday)

Please check out the link below for all the details. I will be located inside and will have Baskets and Weavings for sale.

Little York Fall Fiber Arts Festival | Cortland Repertory Theatre | Official Site

Hope to see you there!!!

Ready For The Day…
handmade baskets

Ready For The Day…

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Thursday Morning- Making few orders.

Here are the raw materials I use to create some wall baskets. Included are 1/4” Flat Oval Reed, 1/2” Flat Reed, 5/8” Flat Reed and 1/4” Flat Reed.

Reed For Weaving

For these particular Wall Baskets , I’ll be using some Oak Handles. These are used to create the unique shape of these baskets.

Two types of handles here. 8” X 12” Tapered Oak Handles and 5” X 14” straight Oak Handles.

Here are the baskets I’m making with the Tapered Handles in mid production.

And here are the Baskets I’m making with the taller, non-tapered handles. Although the handles are slightly similar, the baskets will be totally different.

Below are the baskets finished for the day

They will dry the rest of today, and tomorrow I’ll stain and trim them.

The finished product.

Hope you have a magnificent weekend!!!

green plant in white ceramic vase Loom Weavings
fiber arts

Loom Weavings

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Basket weaving is my profession right now after being in the workforce for the last 25 years. I have done it part-time since 1990, YES, that’s a long time ago, doing in person sales/ parties and craft shows while working a full time job. How I started weaving these potholders, I don’t know. Well I guess I do. I saw someone doing these on Instagram and couldn’t believe the colors she had. And I couldn’t believe the heavy duty metal frame she was using. When I remembered that the process is actually the same technically as basket weaving it peaked my interest even more. I had to try it even though I currently have 50 or so hobbies or crafts I like to do.

I recall being young and going to the playground club. We used to make these potholders, much lesser quality of course and only in rainbow colors. We had cheap plastic looms that always broke and it was really hard to get the potholder off when you were finished. My how the supplies have changed. When I saw you could actually buy more neutral colors and deeper hues, I was hooked. When I saw the heavy duty metal frame was only around $20 and would last forever that was then it. The company that makes the looms loops is actually located in the United States and their specialty is wool for weaving wall art and rughooking. But I know they sell alot of these supplies because there are so many people making them.

The colors of the above weaving or potholder are Ochre, Chocolate and Winter White. This might be my favorite combination I have done so far. I sell mostly combination colors but I do get requests for single colors only. Mostly in the neutral tones: Winter White, Flax and Autumn. These weavings pair nicely with my handmade baskets and I’m going to get some more pictures of them working together. (That’s on the list.) Right now all of the weavings are on sale on my website. Just go to my website and you can find them under Baskets for Sale.

The weaving below is of the Swiss Cross design that was a customer request, so I listed it on my site.

Spring is on the way here in Central NY so I’ll hopefully be outside more working on those outside hobbies that I have. (Gardening, Hiking, Camping etc…) But right now I have a little pile growing of these cuties and you can even catch them on sale.

Happy Almost Spring!!

handmade baskets

Who loves miniatures?

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Everyone loves miniatures. Baskets are no exception. You can put these cuties in your dollhouse, I might have a few, put them on a small shelf or add to your mini collection

See below for how adorable they look in my dollhouses. Just an FYI- these minis can take just as long to weave as a small hanging wall basket. But they are so fun to do.

So be sure to check out these dollhouse baskets. They are available on my website. Link below ⬇️⬇️⬇️

https://atomic-temporary-69919000.wpcomstaging.com

Watch my latest video of my latest designs. So many baskets… so little time…

Check out my new Little Easter Baskets and this beautiful lidded Storage Basket. These are also available now on my website

https://atomic-temporary-69919000.wpcomstaging.com

Happy Sunday and I hope the daylight savings time isn’t too disruptive for you. I know it takes a couple days here in the northeast to adjust.

handmade baskets

Waiting on a Friend….

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So I’ve been on Etsy since 2015. My shop is one of their more successful shops if I say so myself. The reason I know this is that when you searched handmade baskets, or handwoven baskets, my items came up on the first page. I’ve worked hard for many years to accomplish this. No ads on my end either.

This past week, however, I’ve found out how detrimental it is to have “all your eggs in one basket!” I tried to input a bank account number and some test deposits one too many times, and they immediately suspended my account. Now granted, I confused the numbers with my other Etsy account, but suspension!!! Never late on a payment, never copyright infringement, never any complaints and just like that: SUSPENDED.

I’m not complaining, well maybe, but it has been close to a week, with multiple emails, and only this morning I got a note back. I still have to confirm that the account is mine, providing them some information and it still says they’ll still have to get back to me.

My biggest takeaways are the following: 1- Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 2- Etsy does not allow their customers to CALL them. As ludicrous as it sounds, it’s true. 4 days of trying to find a phone number, looking at websites, looking at previous threads etc and it’s nonexistent. 3. Keep your website up to date (refer back to #1

So that’s what I’ve been doing and is working a little, but it’s a whole different realm. But I’m still learning.

So again, here it is for you to take a look at and see all the new items I’ve added. Hope you have a great Sunday and I’ll be over here tweaking my site. Website that is.

https://bouquetofbaskets.wordpress.com/