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Totes To Make You LOL: Interview with Leslie Jowett Astor of Astorknot

Leslie Jowett Astor of Astorknot, Featured Vendor at the Brooklyn Craft Central Holiday Craft Market

Leslie Jowett Astor of Astorknot makes fun, vibrant, and somewhat irreverent appliqué tote bags, fusing brightly colored fabric on more brightly colored fabric. These are the totes you notice at the Greenmarket that make you actually LOL. I had the chance to ask her a few key questions.

Your totes strike a funny, ironic note. Where do you get your ideas? I have a deadpan sense of humor, and I get ideas from all over the place. My teenage nieces inspired the Text Message Totes. I’m amused by their Facebook postings, the way communicate such emotion with letters rather than words, like OMG and LOL. Pop culture is a source of inspiration.

Also, everyday stuff out of context just seems funny and maybe provocative. I like it when people on the subway start conversations about the tote bag I’m carrying. I have a friend who is a very busy mother, and knitting is her escape from the daily stress of being a parent. She inspired the tote that says, “I Knit So I Won’t Kill.”

Will you be bringing other items to the Brooklyn Craft Central Market? I only sell totes, but I’ve been playing around with other things. So I’ll be bringing some tote making kits. I sold them at The {NewNew}’s Crafts in Chelsea event, and people liked them. They are an non-intimidating way to do crafts with your kids, rather than filling your house with plastic toys. Of course, I have three sons, so my house is full of plastic toys.

Your Etsy bio says that you knew you wanted to be an artist when you received your first Crayola Caddy at age 7. What is your favorite crayon color and why? There are several new colors that are interesting, but I love the classic red crayon. Red and green are my favorite colors. Red is everywhere. Blood is red, and yet red can also be beautiful. Red is intimidating and soothing at the same time. I love red with everything. The classics never die.

Why did you choose tote bags as your artistic medium? Tote bags are another way of being expressive. Like it says on one of my totes, “Remember that you’re special just like everybody else.” I try to strike a balance between my creative life and my family life. It can be tough, but it’s so worthwhile.

You can find Leslie and her totes at these events:

Sunday, December 5th: Brooklyn Heights Synagogue Book & Craft Fair, where she’ll be selling custom challah covers.
Saturday, December 11th: Artscetera Pop Up Shop, 12 Smith Street, between Baltic and Butler Streets in Brooklyn
Sunday, December 12th: Astoria Market
Saturday & Sunday, December 18th & 19th: Brooklyn Craft Central Holiday Craft Market

Pick up a tote from Astorknot, and you’ll never want to leave home without it!

Market Events and Highlights This Weekend

Looking for the perfect thing to do on a cool fall weekend? Visiting New York and want to see something really special? In addition to the amazing weekend markets, including the Brooklyn Flea, the Brooklyn Indie Market, the Hell’s Kitchen Flea, all the Greenmarkets and so many more, I highly recommend these events for shoppers, foodies, and explorers alike!

Saturday, October 16:

Crafts in Chelsea: The {NewNew} Artisan Group is taking over the bucolic block of 21st Street between 8^th & 9^th Avenues in Chelsea to bring their beautiful, innovative, and incredibly diverse designs to the street. Not to be missed! Saturday, 9AM – 5PM.

Grub Street Food Festival at the Hester Street Fair: Normally, Grub Street is virtual wonderland of food, leaving you drooling on your keyboard. But this weekend, Grub Street comes out in 3D!! Maybe even 4D, based on the amazing lineup of delicious local food purveyors. Sponsored by Grub Street, Hester Street, and New York Magazine. Foodies – get there early! 10AM – 6PM

Special Grub Shout Out: Brooklyn’s own Anton Nocito, also known as P&H Soda & Syrup, is raising $18,000 IndieGoGo.com in one month to launch his soda and syrups business in a big way. P&H sodas are made from local ingredients where possible, as well as organic or fair trade fruits, sugar and spices. Even Mayor Bloomberg would approve! Please click through and make a contribution to his project! Meet Anton at the festival and be a part of this awesome fizz!

Madison Square Market: This market is so lovely, with a wonderful variety of fine handmade designs and some of the best food in town, including great stuff for kids! And this Saturday is the Madison Square Park Kids Fall Festival! It’s a perfect family day in the park! The Madison Square Market runs daily 11AM – 8PM through 10/23.

Sunday, October 17:

Pickle Day: Sunday is the 10^th Annual NYC International Pickle Day! Held on Broome St. at Essex in the Lower East Side, it feature some of the greatest pickle, kimmchi, cheese, and other food vendors from all of the markets around the city – and a whole lot more! I recently had Ronnie Sue’s Dark Chocolates Pickle Bonbon. Seriously. If you love pickles, you will LOVE that bonbon.

The New Amsterdam Market: I am so happy that the market has become a weekly event. In addition to all the bounty from the fall harvest, Good Food Jobs is going to be at the market.

If you have a great event not listed, post it here as a comment!

See you at the markets!

Photo of the Day – September 27, 2010: Paperelle

Lightbulb Full of Stars by Lauren Donnelly of Paperelle

Paperelle is all sorts of wonderful ideas rolled into one: origami, upcycling, decoupage, design, handcrafting, and whimsy. Talented artisan Lauren Donnelly creates colorful, paper jewelry and other objets, such as this lovely lightbulb full of tiny, plump origami stars, each one made carefully by hand. She also makes bangles and other pieces of jewelry using bits of paper that she carefully selects: Japanese Manga, an upcycled physics textbook, or a map of the State of New York. She even puts junk mail to good use. Paperelle pieces are all one-of-a-kind, dainty, and sweet. And if a lightbulb full of stars doesn’t inspire you to dream, well, we need to talk.

She sells her work on Etsy.com, and she is a member of The {NewNew} Artisan Group, selling her pieces at markets in New York City.

Video of the Week: Windows of Agate and The {NewNew}

You may have noticed my project on IndieGoGo.com to add video to this site. The project is starting to gain momentum, and so I wanted to give you a preview of the kinds of video features we are planning to do a lot more of with the video equipment. So last weekend, we took the ferry to Governor’s Island to see The {NewNew}’s Treasure Chest boutique one last time. We shot this bit of video with our regular still-photography camera (Panasonic GF1). It was great fun, and I can’t wait to see what we can do with an actual video camera!

The {NewNew}’s Treasure Chest was held in an historical home on Governor’s Island transformed into a handmade wonderland. I wanted to document this shop and show it to you in case you didn’t get a chance to visit in person. We were fortunate to find the talented Karina Glaser, the artisan behind Windows of Agate, a line of soft and fun children’s toys. She agreed to be our first video story, and I’m so happy she did. Have a look!

The {NewNew]’s Treasure Chest boutique is closed for the season. Hopefully they’ll be back next summer. The great news is that you can find these artisans and their treasures at the markets and other events all during the year. The {NewNew} is an association of 250 artisans from the New York area who sell their work in the markets, on Etsy.com, and in other related events during the year. Check out their website for events and updates.

Please support our IndieGoGo.com project so that we can start having even more fun with our videos! And please share the link!

Photo of the Day – August 11, 2010: Fisk & Fern and “The Walrus Wonder”!

Walruses have been woefully underrepresented in the markets of New York City. But no longer.

I’d been reading online about a wonderful children’s book from Fish & Fern, especially from her colleagues in The {NewNew}. I finally saw it for myself at the Hester Street Fair two weekends ago and bought it for my darling nieces. But I just can’t let it go quite yet.

Laura Fisk is an expert illustrator and printmaker. She creates cute, funny and whimsical images and prints them on notecards, aprons, journals, tea towels, and more. The pancake monster apron is one of my very favorites.

And then there are the walruses. This book is called The Walrus Wonder. It is beautifully illustrated, with strong characters and a great story about these wonderful creatures in their frozen world. Oh – there’s dancing too! I won’t give the story away, but trust me when I say that your kids will want you to read it over and over to them.

Meet Ms. Fisk in person at the markets. Find Fisk & Fern Products in the online store, several fine shops, and on Etsy.com. You’ll also want to follow Fisk & Fern on Facebook and Twitter!

5 Fun Things To Do At The Markets This Weekend – July 17 & 18, 2010

Life actually IS a bowl of cherries at the Markets of New York City

It’s going to be a scorcher this weekend! So grab your nalgene water bottle, your sunblock, and your market tote, and head straight out to these market events:

Kidding Around: The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} are teaming up for “Kidding Around,” another Sustainable Living event this Saturday. Bring your kids or come out and pick up some wonderful handmade clothing and toys for them, as well as some pretty baubles for yourself! Saturday, July 17, 11AM – 7PM under the red and white striped tent on Smith and Union Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn
Ft. Greene Artisan Market and Greenmarket: Spend Saturday in Ft. Greene Park, designed by Olmsted and Vaux and one of New York City’s fairly unsung green glories. Start off by strolling through the delightful Ft. Greene Artisan Market, featuring talented local artisans and designers, and then onto the Greenmarket right up the sidewalk. Pick up some cheese, bread, and a couple of perfect peaches, and head into the park for a picnic. (NB: Once you’re finished napping in the shade of a black walnut tree, the beloved Brooklyn Flea is a short walk from the park.)
Summer Camp Craft Session with Etsy and The {NewNew} on Governor’s Island: Who says kids have all the fun? Join in on Governor’s Island this weekend for Summer Camp Craft Session and learn some crafty techniques from the experts of Etsy and The {NewNew} Artisan Group. After you’ve made something endearing for your mom at camp, swing by The {NewNew}’s pop-up shop on the island for something really great for yourself. With over 200 amazing and diverse artisan members, The {NewNew} is everywhere we want to be this summer! Craft Camp – Saturday, July 17, 2 – 5PM, Parade Grounds on Governor’s Island
Go see the “New Lenses” Art Exhibit at the Fulton Stall Market: The weekly Fulton Stall Market at the Seaport commissioned six talented artists to create works specifically for the market. The works are hung each weekend behind the market vendors, making this already picturesque produce, food and craft market even more so. Saturday and Sunday, 11AM – 6PM on South Street between Fulton and Beekman
Cold Summer Soups at Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket and the Park Slope Flea Market: The Grand Army Plaza Greenmarket holds delicious food demonstrations, as do many of the the greenmarkets around town. This weekend is no exception when Ronna from Park Slope’s Purple Kale will teach how to make delicious cold summer soups. Free samples for all! After you’ve filled your tote with produce, it’s a short walk over to the Park Slope Flea Market for some additional treasures to bring home. Food Demo – Saturday, 10am – noon. Flea Market – Saturdays and Sundays on 7th Avenue between 1st & 2nd Street at PS 321 in Brooklyn.

Here are some words of advice about market shopping in this week’s Time Out New York! Have a great weekend and don’t forget to put sunblock on your ears!

This Just In:

Volley Ball Tournament and Mist Tent at the Hester Street Fair
Scavenger Hunt at the Brooklyn Flea (I already know one of the hunt items, but I’m not telling!)

The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} Present “Kidding Around” This Saturdayl

Matryoshka Doll Tee and Colorful Balls by Felt It

The Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew} Etsy Artisans Group have teamed up this summer to bring us several special events focusing on sustainable living. The first one was “Handmade Hearth and Home” in June, featuring gorgeous handmade home decor items.

This weekend’s event is Kidding Around, focusing on handmade items for children. The participating artisans create a collection of handmade treasures that you just won’t find in a store. Here is a sampling of the kinds of wonderful things you will find this Saturday, from colorful soft toys and organic crib bedding, to all kinds of fun clothing and things to decorate your kid’s room:

Felt It – Eco-Felt Hand-Applique Items. The photo above is Felt It’s Matryoshka Doll tee and handmade soft felt balls.
Rosirouge - Handmade Children’s Clothes and Blankets
Over All Baby – Handmade Overalls for Infants and Toddlers
WoollyBoo – Handmade Organic Crib Bedding, Crib Sets, and Sleep Sacks
Purty Bird – Art and Decor Featuring Mostly Flowers and Several Monsters
Playground Rockstar – Great T-Shirts for Kids

They are also holding a book swap for children’s books! So bring the one’s you and your kids have already memorized, and take home some new ones.

Kidding Around – Saturday, July 17, 11AM – 7PM at the Brooklyn Indie Market on Smith and Union Streets in Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn

Tonight’s Tenement Talk – The Resurgence of Markets in New York City

Please join us tonight, Tuesday, June 15, for the Tenement Talk at the New York Tenement Museum. I will be discussing the recent resurgence of markets in New York City with Anne Saxelby, Proprietor of Saxelby Cheese in the Essex Street Market, and Kimm Alfonso, Designer and Printer of Kimmchi Silkscreened Apparel. Kimm is also a director of The {NewNew}, a group of New York metro area artisans who work together to foster creativity and commerce in the handmade markets.

Refreshments will include a selection of regional cheeses from Saxelby Cheese and artisanal beef jerky from New Jerk City. Rumor has it that tonight is the debut of New Jerk City’s Manhattan flavored beef jerky!

See the listing in the Books Section in Time Out New York for more details and map to the Museum!

Events of Note at the Markets this Weekend!

Take a Free Pedicab Ride to the Makers Market at the Old American Can Factory in Gowanus!

There are some wonderful, creative, and tasty events going on this weekend in the Markets of New York City!

Friday, June 11: The Inaugural Pushcart Market, sponsored by The Pushcart Project

The first ever Pushcart Market [Friday, June 11, 10AM - 6PM on Park Place between Broadway and Church Street] brings some of NYC’s best street vendors together on Park Place. Shop for jewelry, gifts, crafts, clothes and more from boutique vendor carts and enjoy a panoply of appetizers, entrees, nibbles, and sweets including:
* Jamaican jerk chicken and grilled fish by Vendy Awards finalist Fauzia Abdur-Rahman from the Bronx’s foodcart “Heavenly Delights”
* Indian/Mediterranean biryani by Vendy Awards Finalist and People’s Choice Award Winner Bangladesh native Meru Sikder from “Biriyani Cart”
* Seasonal vegan/vegetarian delights and desserts by vendor star Cinnamon Snail
* Handcrafted ice cream by vendor rookie Guerrilla Ice Cream, and more!!

Saturday, June 12: Handmade Hearth and Home

Presented by The {NewNew} at the Brooklyn Indie Market [Saturday, June 12, 2010 11:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Rain or Shine.
at the Brooklyn Indie Market, the red and white striped tent on Smith and Union Street, Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn]

This weekend marks the first in a series of special shopping events sponsored by the Brooklyn Indie Market and The {NewNew}: Keep it Local, Handmade, and Sustainable: Mindful Shopping Made Easy. It is a series of curated market events, starting with handmade homewares and home decor! The next event is “Kidding Around,” featuring handmade clothing and toys for children, on June 17. The third event of the series on September 18, will be “A La Mode,” which will bring together some of the most creative independent fashion and accessories designers in New York City.

All of the items in this series are handmade locally. And if you cannot make it out to the Brooklyn Indie Market, you can purchase every item featured, and much more on Etsy.com.

Sunday, June 11: Pedicabs at the Makers Market at the Old American Can Factory

[Sunday, June 11, 11AM - 5PM: 232 Third Street at Third Avenue, Gowanus, Brooklyn]

The Makers Market will have two Pedicabs to carry you to between the Farmers Market on 5^th Avenue and the Makers Market!

And next week:

Tuesday, June 15 Tenement Talks: Panel on the Resurgence of Markets in New York City with Kimm Alfonso, Anne Saxelby and Karen Seiger

New York Tenement Museum, 108 Orchard Street, 6:30 PM

I will be hosting a panel featuring Cheesemonger Anne Saxelby and Silk Screen Artist Kimm Alfonso. We will be discussing the resurgence of markets in New York City in recent years. Refreshments will include artisanal American cheeses from Saxelby Cheesemongers and handmade beef jerky from New Jerk City!

Have a great time and let us know what you find!

Loads of Market Events This Weekend June 5th & 6th!

Sarivole Bakery's Organic Mocha Almond Cookies!

I caught your eye with the ridiculously delicious cookies from Sarivole Organic Bakery, didn’t I? You can shop online or in person at the Hester Street Fair!

Since there is so much happening in the Markets of New York City this weekend in addition to the wonderful weekly markets, I am posting several key events for your shopping pleasure!