We’re joining over 300 other vendors this weekend in Brooklyn at the Renegade Craft Fair.  Come by and see us at Booth #8 (right next to BurdaStyle) if you’re in the neighborhood.

Clay Wood & Cotton will have booths at some of the biggest and best indie craft fairs this spring. We’re kicking off our spring tour this coming weekend, May 15th & 16th, with not one but two great shows:

We’re really excited to part of the first ever Renegade Craft Fair in Austin. Yeehaw! We’ll be in booth number 87.

And we’re just as thrilled to be part of one of our very favorite shows, the excellent Art Star Craft Bazaar in Philadelphia. Clay Wood & Cotton will have booth number 70. And since Kristen & Kristy will be in Texas, the lovely Nguyen of KnitKnit will be holding things down for us in Philly.

If you’re in the area, stop by and see us!

Our 1st Annual Cookie Bake-Off was a whole bunch of fun, and we’re already looking forward to the 2nd annual….

All of our entries were delicious, but of course this was a contest, and there had to be winners.  Sadly we don’t have a picture of the People’s Choice Award winner (as decided by a vote of everyone in attendance), the simply perfect Beacon Blue Chip chocolate chip cookies.

The winner for best appearance was never in doubt… The Texas-sized Recycled Peep cookies took it easily.

And the Overall Best prize went to the rich and decadent Chocolate Sparkle Cookies (center in the picture below) that made the trip all the way up from Brooklyn to take home the prize!

And we have the recipe for you right here–enjoy!

Chocolate Sparkle Cookies

(originally from Senses Bakery in Vancouver)

*The dough needs to be chilled overnight, so plan ahead.
*Be sure to beat the egg-sugar mixture to ‘ribbon’ stage and to chill the dough thoroughly.

1/2 pound bittersweet chocolate (this is one box with 8 cubes)
3 tablespoons butter, room temperature
2 eggs
1 tablespoon honey
1/3 cup sugar, plus more for rolling
3/4 cup ground almonds (optional)
2 teaspoons cocoa powder
Pinch of salt
Powdered sugar, for garnish

1. Melt the chocolate on top of a double boiler, over simmering water.  Remove from heat.  Cut butter into small pieces and mix into the heated chocolate until melted.

2. Beat eggs with electric mixer, gradually adding the sugar and honey until light and the mixture falls in a thick, smooth ribbon from the beaters (about 10-15 minutes, could be even longer). Fold into the chocolate-butter mixture.

3. Mix the cocoa powder and salt (and the ground almonds, if using); gently add to the chocolate mixture.  Cover and refrigerate overnight.

4. Preheat oven to 325.

5. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Use a cookie scoop (or a spoon and your hands) to form the dough into 1-inch balls.  Working quickly, roll the balls in granulated sugar.  Place on the baking sheet about 2 inches apart.

6. Bake at 325 F for 12 minutes, until the centers are moist, but not wet.  Cool on the cookie sheet a few minutes and then move cookies to a wire rack.

Makes about 36 cookies.

Looking for something to do this Saturday? Head over to Beacon’s Main Street and join the Dutchess County SPCA & Beacon Barkery for their 4th Annual Beacon Barks Parade!

The Dutchess County SPCA, The Beacon Barkery and the City of Beacon invite all dog lovers to “Beacon Barks!” on Saturday April 24, 2010 from 11am-3pm on lower Main Street Beacon.

Parade line up is at 11:00am in Peace Park at Bank Square. Everyone is invited to march with us. There will be trophies for “Best Canine Group”, “Best Canine Marcher” and ” Best Canine Spirit.” Put on your dog’s finest and support the homeless dogs of the Hudson Valley.

Dogs will be welcome in many shops that day and welcome at many restaurants. Just look for the special “Beacon Barks! Welcome Here” signs in the windows. The Dutchess County SPCA will be selling Beacon Barks! Bucks coupon booklets and the proceeds will benefit the animals in the Dutchess County shelter. The booklet will have special offers or special price coupons for use at many Main Street stores and restaurants. Beacon Barks! Bucks will be available for sale in advance at The Beacon Barkery and on the day of event.

There will be demonstrations and performances throughout the event.

All funds raised will benefit homeless dogs.

For further information please call the Dutchess County SPCA at
454-5345 ext 100 or the Beacon Barkery at 845-440-7652 or
beaconbarks.com or beaconbarkery.com

Calling all cookie bakers — and cookie eaters!

Clay Wood & Cotton is hosting its inaugural cookie baking contest Saturday, April 17 from 2-4pm. We’ll have prizes for Best Overall and Best Appearance as decided by our esteemed panel of judges, plus an Audience Favorite Award.

Contestants should bring a dozen of their best cookies — 2 or 3 dozen if you want to be considered for the Audience Favorite Award.

Come to compete, or come to taste, just come on by!

Join us Saturday, April 10 from 1 to 4pm for an afternoon of crafty fun with author Kayte Terry!

Pick up a copy of Kayte’s new book, Appliqué Your Way, and have it signed by the author herself. Appliqué Your Way goes beyond traditional quiltwork with 35 sweet stitching projects from crafter extraordinaire Kayte Terry. Master decorative stitches, create original templates, and much more. The book is designed for easy use with a lay-flat Wire-O binding and a handy back pocket that holds pattern and template pieces. No more wrestling with a copy machine to enlarge or shrink! Stitchers will find everything they need to create a Gone Dotty A-line Skirt, a Reverse Appliqu Market Tote, a Felted Faux Bois Scarf, and 30+ more projects ranging from the sublimely simple to the ultra-chic.

Besides signing copies of Appliqué Your Way, Kayte will be leading a Scrappliqué Workshop: Bring in any item of clothing or cloth housewares (dishtowels, pillow covers, etc) and Kayte will help you spruce it up for spring! She’ll have plenty of pretty scrap materials from her private stash, and will teach you fun appliqué techniques and give you plenty of ideas to give a new look to your wardrobe or your home.

Kayte Terry is a crafter, writer and stylist living in Philadelphia with her husband and rabbit/muse Potato. By day, she works in the Visual Department at Anthropologie’s home office. By night, she dreams up crazy craft projects, pens a blog called This is Love Forever and writes books! Appliqué Your Way is her second book; she is currently hard at work on a third. To learn more about what Kayte is up to, check out her blog at thisisloveforever.com.

Drop in and make a friendly (or not-so-friendly…) plush monster! We’ll be set up for monster making Saturday, April 3 from 10am until noon. All ages welcome, $10 a child.

• 20th – Jewelry Making with Kids. $30 + $10 materials fee. Jewelry designer MaryAnne LoVerme of Wabisabi Brooklyn will guide kids age ten and older  through the process of designing and creating an original bracelet, necklace or ring. They will learn to work with jewelry tools to create their own unique designs using a variety of new and vintage materials.
  
• 27th – Knitting 101 Part 1. $60 for both classes + optional materials fee. Never picked up knitting needles before? We’ll get you started in this 2 part class. You’ll learn to cast on, bind off, the knit stitch, the purl stitch, and get going on a simple project—and get the pattern to take home! Part 2 is April 10th.

April

• 3rd – Monster Making Workshop for Kids, $10 per participant. Drop in and make a friendly (or not-so-friendly…) plush monster!   10 am  -12 pm.
• 10th – Knitting 101 Part 2.
• 10th – Appliqué Your Way Book Signing & Demo with Kayte Terry. 1-3 pm.
  
• 17th – First Annual Cookie Bake Off! 2-4 pm. We’re hosting our inaugural cookie baking contest. There will be prizes for Best Overall and Best Appearance as decided by our esteemed panel of judges, plus an Audience Favorite Award. Contestants should bring a dozen of their best cookies (2 or 3 dozen if you want to be considered for the Audience Favorite Award.) Come to compete, or come to taste, just come on by!

About Our Classes

All classes are held from 10:30am-12:30pm unless otherwise noted.

A 50% deposit is required to hold your place in a class. Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to the class in order to receive store credit for your deposit.

Knitting & Crochet: Students may bring their own supplies, email info@claywoodandcotton.com for details.

For more details on any of our classes call (845) 481-0149

There are two ways to reserve a spot: 1) Drop by the shop! We’re at 149 Main Street, and are open every day 11:30 – 6pm, except Tuesdays. 2) Give us a call at 845-481-0149 during store hours.

Tara & Jeff, makers of the wonderful Meow Meow Tweet soaps, are performing a new art project called “In the Belly of the Bear.”  It’s a musical shadow puppet show and the performace at ARTJAIL is for kids.  So if you’re in the NYC area be sure to check them out!

More info here.

March 7,  1pm in the afternoon
Site Fest (Bushwick)
3rd Ward
195 Morgan Avenue
Brooklyn, NY  11237

March 13, 1pm in the afternoon
ARTJAIL
50 Eldridge Street
6th Floor
NYC, 10002

Come spend an evening at Clay Wood & Cotton!  Nic Taylor, of Thunderwing Press and the School of Visual Arts, will teach you the fine art of bookbinding. This special four-hour class will include time for instruction, making your own book, and a critique. Plus beer and snacks!

Cost: $40 + a $10 material fee

A 50% deposit is required to hold your place in a class.
Cancellations must be made at least 48 hours prior to the class in order to receive store credit for your deposit. Give us a call during store hours at 845-481-0149 or stop by the shop to reserve your spot!

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