Try Handmade

Shopping blog featuring products made by people not factories.

Behind the scenes at Authentic Arts

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Hi! My name is Jenny Hoople and my business is Authentic Arts. I make glamorous, colorful, natural jewelry.

My workspace is… the coffee table in my living room! I sit on the beanbag chair to be at the same height as the table and there’s a huge north-facing picture window right over my shoulder. My little bunny helper (she’s under the table in the pictures) hops around trying to steal seeds and leather cord from my materials boxes and begging for attention. I keep my laptop handy on the couch next to my napping husband.

I’ve always needed to work in the same space I live in. I wouldn’t mind having a desk, but then the bunny would miss having me within arm’s reach!

What’s new in the Gallery

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There’s great work in the Gallery this week:

And check out the rest of the beautiful work shown in our Handmade Gallery – you can even submit your own!

RAGGEDedge

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I’m in love. I was searching Best of Handmade for ‘zipper totes‘ to find something to schlep all my junk to work, and I discovered RAGGEDedgeGear.

We use cutting edge fiber technology originally developed for aerospace and military applications to build you the ultimate civilian gear. Bags and wallets made out of carbon fiber, Kevlar, aramid and other high tech materials. You haven’t seen anything like it. Every item is handmade by us.

Like all things awesome, RAGGEDedge started as an idea in the mind of a smart and motivated individual. That was 12 years ago, sometime in the middle of 1997. Originally, the idea was simply to make ourselves useful stuff out of the pile of old sails we seemed to be collecting. We’ve evolved immensely since then, but at our core, our focus is still function and usefulness. Every product that makes it to our lineup gets there because it serves a unique purpose for us or for someone we know.

Truly amazing!

Spring Organization: Workspaces

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I’m so pleased to introduce our newest columnist, Sarah Simpson. She’s going to be writing on organization and simplification of your life – something we all need. Please welcome her to Try Handmade and let her know of any topics or shops you’d like to suggest to her in the comments!

Spring is here! (I bet so many of you have been dying to finally get to say that). What better way to lose those winter blues and clear you mind than to get your workspace de-cluttered and organized? Organization doesn’t necessarily have to mean sorting your belongings into those horrid plastic bins. It can be functional, beautiful, and…earth friendly!

The desk caddy pictured above, by PegandAwl, is handcrafted from reclaimed wood from antique floors in Philadelphia homes built in the 1800s. Holes varying in size are drilled to hold all kinds of office supplies and keep them within easy reach. Use it at home to sort crafting supplies, at your work office for pens and pencils, or even in your garage to organize tools and hardware.

One of my favorite office “must haves” right now is a good old fashioned chalkboard. Chalkboards are EVERYWHERE right now. They’re convenient, they’re adorable, and they’re very easy to make. Just about anything with a non-porous surface can be painted with chalkboard paint that you can pick up from your local home improvement store. Having a visible “to-do” list near your workspace will de-clutter your desk and your mind. Check out these beautiful handmade chalkboards made from re-purposed cabinet doors from FunkieFinds.

Whether you use your workspace for office work or as a studio/crafting space, your most often used items can be sorted and organized so you always know where to find them. To add some color and flair to your space, use an assortment of handmade pottery dishes from TheMudPlace to organize paper clips, thumbtacks, beads, and so on.

You can find so many unique items online, at flea markets, and at seasonal crafts shows to help create a well sorted workspace in no time. Use your imagination and design a custom space that allows you to keep everything in order with as little effort as possible.