[uhp-steyt fan-see] - adjective

1. not exorbitant or extravagent by city standards, however in a rural setting (like upstate new york) it is in fact, quite fancy.

2. a wonderful blog dedicated to art, design and other things that are indeed upstate fancy.

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Nov
30 holidays
WINE GLASS CHARMS are so 2008

I hope everyone had a safe ad happy holiday. Perhaps while you with family and friends this weekend you used some of those whine glass charms around the base of your glass, so as not to accidentally pick up someone else’s drink. I’ve always loved the idea of drink markers but never really been a fan of having to add more jewelry to a wine glass then I wear on my own neck. Which of course is why i love these little suction markers from Vacu Vin. They come in a variety of designs, but because Christmas is right around the corner, I find myself drawn to these Christmas Markers most of all. Check them out all available through amazon.

wine_glass_stickers

Nov
25 Uncategorized
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to my fellow statesmen

I want to wish those of you in the states a safe and happy Thanksgiving. Enjoy your friends and family and some delicious food. I know some of you are planning on doing some heavy shopping on Black friday as well. Please be safe and respectful to your fellow bargain hunters and especially to the employees who are doing their best to make the biggest shopping day of the year a safe and happy one. A Nintendo Wii or a GPS unit is not worth getting hurt over. I do hope that many of you will forgo the bigbox stores this year and instead shop from local makers, mom and pop stores, and check out the world of handmade goods springing up all over the place. But of course if your reading this blog you already know that. Take the handmade pledge and start shopping.

thanksgiving

Nov
24 food
ALREADY NIBBLED gingerbread men

I pretty much love everything Fred makes. These ABC Gingerbread Men Cookie Cutters are no exception. They come in three different “already been chewed” shapes. I think these would be a great addition to any holiday party. Maybe bake some for your child’s school, or those snobby neighbors who never seem to have a sense of humor about anything, I guarantee it will put a smile on their face.

fred_gingerbread_abc_cutters

Nov
23 design
PEPPERSPROUTS site launch

If you read the blog often you know that I also have a line of homegoods and other fun things called Peppersprouts. The last year I have been selling my wares on Etsy while dreaming of a site of my own. I’m so happy to share with you the brand new peppersprouts website. I’m really happy with the way it turned out. So stop by, sign-up for our mailing list, and maybe pick up a few things for someone on your shopping list!

peppersprouts

Nov
20 art
TIM BURTON and the power of direct mail

Direct mail is alive and well. Just ask the MOMA (museum of modern art in nyc). They have $75 more from me than they had last week because of the envelope that arrived at my apartment this week. I’ve know for quite a while about the upcoming Tim Burton retrospective the museum has scheduled this month but hadn’t given much thought on when I would get a chance to check it out. Well inside this little marketing gem from the museum was the opportunity to view the exhibit before its official opening date this Sunday, simply by becoming a member of the museum. SOLD! So tonight Matt and I will be checking out the exhibit for the first (and certainly not last) time. The exhibit is on view until April, so there is plenty of time to check it out. I’m very happy to be a supporting member of the MOMA.

tim_burton

Nov
19 fashion
STAY WARM and fashionable

I was recently browsing the pages of etsy looking for a scarf for a very feminine lady on my christmas list and luckily I came across artlab. Of course there is so much more than just scarves in this lovely shop. I absolutely  love the ruffles and can’t wait to see them peeking out of a winter coat. Each piece from artlab is made to order, so place your order very soon for that hard to shop for lady on your list.

art_lab

Nov
17 paper goods
THIS BOOK belongs to

I loved going to the library when I was younger. I was always bad at returning books on time though. I often had to ride my bike to the library with my pockets full of pennies to pay the late fines. Now I find myself buying books to create my own personal library instead of having to return these precious gems to the vault. Which, of course, is why i love the ex libris kits by hachalon. There are currently 4 designs available which are illustrated by Avital Manor. Each kit comes with a rubber stamp, stamp pad, printed stickers and booklet all packaged in a wooden box. Mark your books as your own and then lend them out to friends to enjoy. These would make a great gift for the book lovers on your list.

ex_libris

Nov
16 design
FOLDABLE. REUSABLE. REFRESHING.

We are all trying to be more eco-friendly. One easy way of course is to cutdown our use of plastic bottles. A lot of us carry around those aluminum canteen like water bottles which can sometimes be a bit bulky especially when its empty. The new vapur bottle allows you to carry the same refreshing water but when it’s empty it folds up small enough to fit in your pocket. It still has that ever convenient  carabiner so that you can hook it to your bag or belt loop, it also will still stand upright when filled with water. And with a price tag of $9 it’s a no brainer.

vapur

Nov
13 Uncategorized
A GRIZZLY BEAR you can cuddle with

You may have seen the faux bois knitted logs from Chic Sin Design, but have you seen this knitted grizzly bear bean bag? This oversized floor furniture looks just like a sleeping bear, but don’t worry  it’s perfectly safe to cuddle up on him and read your favorite book. How cute would one of these look in your kids room, or even  in the corner of your own living room.

bear_beanbag

Nov
10 Uncategorized
ENTER TO WIN: top picks from our 2009 gift guide

Thanks to some very generous independent makers and artists, I am absolutely thrilled to announce the first annual Holiday Gift Guide Giveaway. After you find the perfect gift for everyone on your list from our handmade gift guide, enter to win a little “after the holidays present” for yourself. Check out what’s up for grabs and find out how you can have yourself a very happy new year…

giveaway_1

(1) Artist Series #1 Book Covers -$12- from Book City Jackets (2) OctoKitty Button & sticker set –$7- from Dennise Rodriguez (3) Cozy/Cuff -$20- from Megan Auman (4) DIY Complete Kit in a Box -$9- from Goose Grease Undone (5) Forest Magnet -$4- from iamhome (6) 7up Poundcake Soap -$5- from Dirty Loves Clean

But wait…. There’s so much more…

giveaway_2

(7) Set of Japanese Masking Tape -$22- from Happytape (8) Abominable Snow Bunny -$18- from Bunnies Inc. (9) 2010 Tidal Wave Letterpress Calendar -$8- from Oddball Press (10) Itty Bitty Cloud Stud Earrings -$15- from Catherine Marissa (11) Lightning Bug Zipper Pouch ($8) from The Dainty Squid (12) Scarf Bunny Journal -$10- from Argyle Whale (13) Heartasaurus Brooch and Camera Patch -$3- from Loverly Ink (14) Home Sweet Home Coasters -$26- from Peppersprouts (15) Paisley Scoop Neck Shirt -$28- from Kimmchi

and some last minute additions!!!

giveaway_3

(16) Matted print – $12 from dot + jim (17) Koala plush – $20 from talkproof (18) Schmetterling pin pack – $10 from Miniature Rhino

THREE WAYS TO ENTER:
– Check out our Full Holiday Gift Guide and tell us your favorite find in the comment section below.
– Sign-up for our Mailing List (click here)
– Twitter users – Tweet “Check out the Handmade Holiday Gift Guide & Giveaway at UpstateFancy. http://tiny.cc/aGD8A “

You don’t have to do all three, but each one gets you an extra entry. Winner will be announced January 1st. Happy Gifting!

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