News

Holiday shopping is in full swing this season! And whether you're browsing online or in-person, there are great opportunities to find the perfect gift or something special for yourself...or both!Read on for details about wonderful local shopping that also supportsa Montclair institution, and online shopping with the best selection of the year- at a discount (with local pickup available too)! Emilie's handmade trees and ornaments are made with vintage fabricsalvaged from the historic Charles Schulz house! So cool!_ _ _ Lana is the the Farm Director at Montclair Community Farms!_ _ _ Everyone's favorite Jersey-centric shop isoffering a variety of Montclair products!_ _ _ "Inspired...

Like the consistent use of text as a design element in all my creations, marking anniversaries or special dates has become a familiar characteristic of my products.  For example, the bird ornaments I make from vintage calendar tea towels can be customized with an embroidered circle around the date on one wing and the month on the other. Apart from marking an occasion, I often consider the duration of time that goes into making something. I was recently confronted with an alarming reminder of how long it's taken me to complete a project I started in 2019 - how has...

When I first looked at this booth pic that an old friend recently sent me I was mortified. But when I took a second to put it in context I was able to get past the late 80’s parachute pants and appreciate the moment in time that it captures.  It was one of the first shows I did with a real booth. I used white grid wall to display the hand painted silk scarves that I created using Shibori and Gutta resist techniques. And it's the scarves that are the star of this image for me. My business was called...

When coronavirus began presenting, and self-isolation was fresh, Montclair Made was gaining new wholesale customers on Faire and maintaining a storefront on Etsy. I was comfortable where I was, so confident of a future with a steady workload that I had already made the decision not to vend at any craft shows in 2020. I made this choice after traveling to shows for 3 decades, and enduring losses for the last few years. But I could justify the choice to save time and money by staying home and fulfilling larger orders that were rolling in since I joined Faire in...

Since last year I’ve been planning a bikepacking trip, a week of riding and camping, a late spring road trip. I have a list of necessary gear with a few items checked off, a touring bike on layaway, and good intentions for a “midlife” adventure that gets me outdoors, facing all the inevitable challenges head on and starting the summer off feeling strong and balanced. Though I still have a lot of miles to ride for practice and gear to acquire to be well prepared for a long distance bikepacking trip, I booked a campsite for my shakedown ride in...