The Market on 46th and 8th

Hello there!

Today's Christmas market was a serendipitous find. I was on my way to another market {one that I'll feature tomorrow} when this caught my eye:

A delightful wooden booth selling something that smelled good.

As I walked closer, I spied a huge grill cooking German sausages. The set-up looked exactly like the one in London's Winter Wonderland! 

After the sausages, leave some room for crepes.

The booths, painted in red and green, are really eye-catching. I bet the twinkly lights add some magic come nightfall.

The merchandise include clothes, accessories such as hats, scarves, gloves and jewelry, as well as some tech accessories like phone and tablet cases. 

Not much handmade items {one of the things I look for at markets}, but still interesting enough to check out.

In case you want to visit, you'll find it at the corner of West 46th Street and 8th Avenue in New York City.

New York City Christmas Markets

Happy Monday my dears! Last Friday, I told you about my first taste of a European Christmas market. Well, let me share with you a few more, this time in New York City. I hope this will be a helpful guide for you guys who are planning to come here in the next few weeks. 

First up is the Christmas Market at Grand Central Station. It's a beautiful landmark so it's no surprise that many tourists add this to their list of "Things to do in NYC". It's a working station with trains shuttling passengers to upstate New York and neighboring Connecticut. There are retail shops, restaurants, a food market, and a dining concourse inside. 

While you're there, make sure to look up and admire the breathtaking ceiling. 

Just off the main concourse is Vanderbilt Hall which is an open space for special events. This is where you'll find the market which they call, "Holiday Fair". It opened on November 12 and continues until December 24.

There are performers who will serenade you while you shop.

Booths like these make up the fair, selling anything from...

Clothing 

 Hats, bags and accessories

Art to keep or give away 

I particularly liked the following shops because they were selling unique or handmade items:

 Hand towels, ceramics and chopping boards

 Tree ornaments, stockings and soft toys

 Edible gifts all handcrafted in Brooklyn

I was considering getting this limited edition print. You see, Brooklyn has a special place in my heart because of its artsy-crafty-cool vibe. 

 Bags made from water bottles {blah to TADA!}

 A cardigan that can be worn in different ways

 Hand creams, soaps and candles {nice packaging, too!}

 Decoupaged trays, plates and coasters

Colorful jewelry 

 Even your pets deserve a little present!

 Bags in fun, geometric prints

Adorable kiddie clothing  

Plush pillows and throws to warm up the home

Please come back all this week -- there are more gift markets I'd like to tell you about!

Grand Central Station Holiday Fair

89 East 42nd Street, New York, NY 10017

Vanderbilt Hall

Monday to Saturday 10 AM to 8 PM

Sunday 11 AM to 8 PM

Christmas Eve 10 AM to 6 PM

The SoWA Vintage Market

I took a trip to Boston a few weeks ago and I'm sharing with you a few of my finds. Yesterday, I told you about the SoWA Open Market. 

Aside from a Farmer's Market and Craft Market, you'll also find a Vintage Market. Unlike the Farmer's and Open Markets that are only in business from May to October, the Vintage Market is open year round. 

It's held indoors allowing sellers, buyers and merchandise to be safe from weather changes. It's open from 10 am to 4 pm...take your time and get ready to hunt for treasure!

Here are some of the lovely things I saw:

Shabby meets industrial chic! If I had a
craft room, I would use this to store
my tools and supplies.

I wonder how many Grandmas' sewing
kits were raided to come up with this
collection. Oh, the stories they
would tell!

Floral dishes and intricate jewelry

Vintage fashion -- I'm fancying the bags!

Pins and brooches

Letters and numerals that I want to turn
from blah to TADA!

Postcards from all over the world

This makes me nostalgic. "Annie" was one of the
first movies I saw {and thoroughly enjoyed}.

I want to own one of these and really use it for travel.
Then I can use it for storage and as a decorative piece
in my living room.

I love this desk and the footstool {it needs some
new upholstery, though}.

This was one of my favorite booths, Recycled SilverWear by
John Atkinson {he doesn't have a website}. He fashions
rings, bangles and earrings out of vintage silver cutlery
like spoons and forks. For a closer look at his
creations, you may go here and here.
They're beautifully made...blah to TADA! indeed.

Thank you for indulging in my fascination with markets!

Inside the Closet

Sometimes, I think about my dream home and one of the rooms in it is a walk-in closet. Wouldn't you want one, too? Not that I have a huge wardrobe or a massive shoe collection; storage space is always welcome. Today, let me show you one walk-in closet that I covet.

via Time Out New York

It's owned by Mary Alice Stephenson, a fashion and beauty expert who's also a mom, and ambassador to the "Make a Wish Foundation."

via Time Out New York

Step inside her closet...TADA! It's an extra room in her Brooklyn brownstone home.

via Time Out New York

Apart from her sumptuous dresses embellished with beads, feathers, and prints...

via Time Out New York

It also houses her stilettos...

via Time Out New York

 And bags and clutches...

via Time Out New York

Plus her collection of sunglasses (it's representative of high and low picks from Balenciaga to Kmart).

via Time Out New York

There's a storage island with velvet-lined drawers that, when pulled-out, reveal the jewelry that she's been collecting over the years. OMG!

via Time Out New York

One of the reasons why I love Miss Stephenson's closet so much is how it's organized -- you can see everything, making it easy to get dressed everyday.

via Time Out New York

There are shelves that display framed black and white prints and fashion books that are both purposeful and pretty. 

Notice the blue boxes with black bows? They're Lanvin boxes. Aren't they lovely, all stacked together? They're the inspiration for today's blah to TADA! transformation. 

 blah: an empty cardboard box

 Make a lid with another piece of cardboard.

Attach the lid to one side of the box with packaging tape. You can then cover this with paper or cloth. But I still had some left-over picnic mat "fabric" from yesterday's project, so I used the same material to cover the box (attach with hot glue):

TADA! -- a homemade storage box for accessories.

It ain't Lanvin, nor is it part of Mary Alice Stephenson's closet, but I can line it in velvet, and it can hold all my favorite stuff that makes me squeal, "TADA!"