Lengthy Island crafters are rising at a speedy tempo lately. Many credit score the pandemic for bringing forth additional downtime for them to rediscover their crafting hobbies. Others, who had been already experimenting with handmade creations, used the time to rebrand or excellent their craft. One factor these makers all have in widespread: They’re DIY lovers who’ve turned their artistic sides right into a revenue.
Get to know 4 native artists who’re making and promoting their crafts throughout Lengthy Island at upcoming avenue and craft gala’s:
Hayley Di Rico: Sea Schleps
Hayley Di Rico’s days of amassing sea glass date again to her childhood when “Uncle Eddie” would deliver her and her cousins to the seashore. It’s been a lifelong passion that got here to a halt when “life” took over: “I used to be busy with college, busy getting married, busy with a profession, busy with my kids,” the 35-year-old mom of 6-year-old twins says. “However, the pandemic gave me a reset; it gave me a possibility to return and do the issues that I used to like that I didn’t have the time earlier than to do.”
Di Rico, a graphic designer, spends a number of hours every week at varied North and South Shore seashores handpicking supplies for her initiatives, from sea glass and pottery and oyster shells to rocks, pebbles and driftwood.
Her most important creations are framed sea glass (beginning at $35) and embellished oyster shells (beginning at $12), the latter, that are decoupaged, set with amethyst or aventurine quartz or stuffed with resin. All are hand-painted. Di Rico has additionally added ornaments, coastal garlands and wine bottle charms, all that includes shells, to her choices.
SHOP THE FAIR: Discover Di Rico’s merchandise at The Backyard Farmers Market (67 Avery Ave., Patchogue) on Nov. 13 or on the Winter Wonderland Honest (1700 Wantagh Ave., Wantagh) on Nov. 27. Or, store at seaschleps.com; Etsy: etsy.com/shop/SeaSchleps; Hitch in Babylon; and Hive Market and Maker’s Area in Oyster Bay.
Kathleen and Joe Desiderio: Coastal Creations
It was throughout a hospital go to at South Aspect in Bay Shore in January 2020 that Kathleen Desiderio first checked out an artwork show that piqued her curiosity. “I had by no means seen resin earlier than,” she says of among the initiatives that had been displayed within the foyer. “I began researching, considering I might use it for my pictures, however then I noticed all that you are able to do” with it. By the top of the 12 months, Coastal Creations was born.
“A variety of stuff ended up within the rubbish,” she says of the way it began after relying on YouTube. “It has lots to do with temperature and timing.” As for the way it’s going now, Desiderio’s objects will be discovered wherever however the trash can: hanging on the wall within the type of artwork and mounted bottle openers; on the desk as charcuterie boards, trays, coasters and canisters, and elsewhere as key chains, ornaments, handheld bottle openers and ring dishes. Seize a keychain for $15 or wall artwork for $1,000.
Since launching, Desiderio, 58, the senior vp of promoting at Citigroup, has turned this right into a husband-and-wife operation, recruiting husband Joe, 58, to assist. His job? “I’m the all the pieces else-ist,” he says with amusing. That encompasses provide buying and gross sales and advertising, plus prep work and ending touches.
SHOP THE FAIR: Discover the Desiderios merchandise on the East Islip Excessive Faculty craft honest (1 Redmen St., Islip Terrace) on Nov. 13. Store at Bunger in Sayville, Babylon Cheese Cellar and One Love Seashore in Greenport.
Courtney Grace Ofeimun: CG Candle Assortment
Courtney Grace Ofeimun began her self-care enterprise in 2020. One 12 months later, she’s rebranded, renamed and expanded. “Folks actually beloved the candles” most out of the physique scrubs, shea butter lotions, chapsticks and soaps she was promoting final 12 months, so she “began to hone in” on what was driving gross sales, she says of taking a shot at a rebrand this September.
The 25-year-old sells a collection of 18 important oil-infused soy candles, 10 of that are mainstays, in scents corresponding to peach nectar, leafy lavender and coco mango milk. She — together with a employees of 4 — create about 200 four-ounce candles each two hours. Costs vary from $12 for 4 ounces (14-hour burn time) to $25 for 10 ounces (70-hour burn time).
The self-taught candlemaker needs to now focus extra on the house décor items that she provides, together with Buddhas and different statues that symbolize “earth, grounding and spirituality,” she says, together with assertion crystals and crystal candle holders.
Ofeimun has additionally created a touring “secret backyard” the place clients “with the intention to calm down and let go for the day” come collectively to make their very own candles, get massages and nosh on vegan and vegetarian eats.
SHOP THE FAIR: Discover Ofeimun’s merchandise on the Autumn’s Harvest Artwork and Meals Truck Competition on the Nice South Bay Brewery (25 Drexel Drive, Bay Shore) on Nov. 20. Or, store at cgcandlecollection.com.
Nicole Fodera: Nicole Diandra: I Make Stuff
When was the final time you checked out a button and noticed it as one thing extra? For Nicole Fodera, that was again in 2016 when she expanded her crafting enterprise, Nicole Diandra: I Make Stuff. With buttons, she creates tic-tac-toe boards, journey “I Spy” units, badge reels, magnets, coasters and handheld mirrors.
Look forward to finding merchandise with of-the-moment themes and decals, like “Schitt’s Creek,” baseball groups, mermaids, doughnuts, Mario Brothers and Disney characters. Costs vary from $3 for a magnet to $20 for a tic-tac-toe set.
As for experimenting with buttons, Fodera, 42, says, “I wished to make little button magnets. I assumed they’d be a cute reward thought and there have been infinite prospects … and it escalated from there.”
The store additionally sells Scrabble tile merchandise starting from ornaments to wine charms, key hooks and key chains.
SHOP THE FAIR: Discover Fodera’s merchandise on the Massapequa Chamber of Commerce’s vacation honest (American Legion Submit 1066, 66 Veterans Blvd.) on Nov. 14. Or, store at Etsy nicolediandra.etsy.com and Hitch in Babylon.
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