The 1840s saw the introduction of the mass-produced valentine in the U.S. We can thank Esther A. Howland, known as the “mother of the valentine,” for that. But even with […]
Makers
BEHIND THE WHEEL
The Long and Winding Road to Restoring a Classic
Notes on bringing back one of the last of the muscle cars
For those of us who are pretty much swamped during the summer season, but not the kind to close up shop in the winter, this is no time to kick […]
GREAT OUTDOORS
The Accoutrements of a Cold-Weather Cookout
Set up strategically, build a big fire, and tell your pod it’s b.y.o. blanket
The drifts of snow last week confirmed the reality that is winter. And if there ever were a winter to dive under the covers and not come out until mid-May, […]
TOOLS
When Chefs Go Home, It’s Simplicity They Seek
Cooks share their hardworking, multitasking, real-life favorites
Those who work in professional kitchens have a multitude of tools to get them through the daily grind. Some are workhorses — a heavy-duty mixer or a deep stack of […]
POST-HOLIDAY HOW TO
The Art of the Handwritten Thank You
It’s like sending a hug with words
“Gratitude.” I feel like this word has taken on such power in recent times. I know I am not alone in trying to make being mindfully thankful a daily practice. […]
D.I.Y.
A Make-Believe Mantelpiece
This one’s not for knickknacks
“The fact that ‘hearth’ is synonymous with ‘home’ in so many tongues is sufficient argument for a fireplace,” writes Bradford Angier in his 1952 book How to Build Your Home […]
MEET THE MAKER
The Art of Doll Making
A doll’s eyelashes inspire devotion to duplicating antiques
EASTHAM — Dolls are a special holiday gift many children hope for. But dolls really had their heyday about 150 years ago. Those who are intrigued by antique dolls know […]
MEET THE MAKER
Painting Without a Brush
Fibers make for tactile reflections of nature’s texture and color
WELLFLEET — I am an artist who “paints” with fiber. Inspired by my grandmother’s skilled needlework and embroidery and a lifelong desire to paint, I developed my own technique by […]
DESIGN
Set It Like You Mean It
A colorful table says ‘thank you’ to the company you keep
Thanksgiving is a time to tend your table in such a way that it will bring on a smile. Kevin O’Shea, who knows from hosting — he and his partner, […]
A TRURO THING
Kurtzman Nominated For ‘Artists Under the Dome’
Susan Kurtzman, who owns Jobi Pottery in Truro, with state Sen. Julian Cyr, who nominated Jobi for inclusion in Artists Under the Dome, an annual State House event. “It was […]
MEET THE MAKER
The Tiny Pricks Project Is a Stitch
Textile artists use the president’s own words to needle him
The Tiny Pricks Project began in 2018 when Diana Weymar, a Canadian-born, Princeton-educated textile artist, heard the current president say, “I am a very stable genius,” and found herself stitching […]
LOST & FOUND
Combing the Beaches for Art
Found objects become design when they bring back memories of favorite walks
I found it along the shoreline: a wooden board with blue paint flaking off to reveal layers of underlying paint colors. With a long and triangular shape, it couldn’t be […]
MEET THE MAKER
Chair Caning for the Generations to Come
A seat weaver matches the material and weave to the chair designer’s vision
My great-grandmother Bernice Newcomb did chair caning out of her home in Wellfleet in the 1920s and ’30s. I grew up in that house, where my mother did chair caning, […]
MEET THE MAKER
Bowled Over
Segmented turning produces one-of-a-kind wood designs
I learned the basics of turned wood bowls in junior high school wood shop, and the challenge of it has fascinated me ever since. But college, then family, and my […]
PLANTCRAFT
Journaling With Flowers: Creating an Herbarium
Preserve some wonder from your garden or favorite walk
By the time Emily Dickinson was 14 years old, she had compiled a collection of over 400 pressed flowers and leaves. “Have you made an herbarium yet?” she wrote to […]
