Vendor Feature: Red & Brown, Harp & Thistle, Tess & James, and L+M Studio

What do these four vendors have in common? They make great teams! Sometimes entrepreneurship can feel a little lonely, but these pairs have got a supportive spouse or a fabulous friend at their side, taking the crazy, creative ride with them! Many of our vendors are dynamic duos…meet a few of them who make amazing things together…

Red & Brown, Poughkeepsie, NY

Drawing from their backgrounds in event planning, catering, consulting, and production, Lauren (“Red”) and Jake (“Brown”) offer party planning, cocktail development, and other consulting services—and of course, their line of “the most delicious, high-quality cocktail products [they] think you’ve ever tasted,” which they’ll be offering at Hullabaloo! Their current offering includes Bloody Mary Mixers, Smoked Campfire Maple Syrup (the only smoked syrup on the market!), and Sweet & Spicy cocktail nuts.  Red & Brown’s products are FANTASTIC gifts for any cocktail enthusiast on your list, and they make great hostess gifts too…Plus, you’ll also want to keep some provisions on hand for holiday entertaining, of course. We’re thrilled that Red & Brown will be joining us for Hullabaloo and bringing their products to Kingston! Stop by their table and try their Maple Egg Creams!

Harp and Thistle Stitchery, Poughquag, NY

Erin and Corey of Harp and Thistle are Irish (Harp) and Scottish (Thistle), respectively. Using an ancient rug-hooking technique called punch needle (or needle punch), Erin painstakingly creates her adorable ornaments, wall hangings, wearable art, sachets, and more. Then Corey frames them, takes photos, and ships sales! Just in time for Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, Erin is stocked with pieces featuring pumpkin pie, cornucopias, Christmas trees, Santas and more! There are also quirky and whimsical everyday pieces like sushi rolls, her signature avocados, pretzels, anatomical hearts, and “beards of Brooklyn,” plus more traditional pieces like flora and fauna, snowmen, and Scandinavian folk art. The best thing about Harp and Thistle’s work?  They’ve got such seemingly-random-yet-charming-things that make the perfect gift for all those quirky people on your list. Seriously, what else could you get your beekeeper friend besides a punch needle honeycomb hoop? Need a teacher gift? The Back to School Little Red School House, of course. Admiring Corey’s beard? Erin’s immortalized it in punch needle, so it can be yours forever! We’re pumped to have Erin and Corey back for their third Hullabaloo! Stop by their table and make it a good one!

Tess & James, Rhinebeck, NY

Tess& James began with oatmeal baths that founder Jess made for her kids (Tess and James, of course) who had dry skin. One thing led to another and she teamed up with her friend and neighbor Angela, to make bath porridges and salts, lip balms, face masks, candles, and more…all from the best ingredients, packaged in ways that make the products feel luxurious before you’ve even opened them! Their pampering bath products are a great way to relax during the stress of the holiday season, detox after you’ve indulged in too much cheer, and nourish your skin in the dry winter air. They’ve also got a ton of lip balms in kid-friendly flavors and cute packaging that will encourage your little ones to hydrate those chapped lips. Tess & James uses natural, organic, and therapeutic-grade ingredients that feel great and smell amazing. They make such a great presentation too, so pick up a couple of jars as gifts for someone you want to impress. This is Jess and Angela’s second Hullabaloo and we’re thrilled to have them back! 

l+m studio, Catskill, NY

Lucie and Meg are L+M studio, makers of slip cast porcelain items for the home and garden. From their own recipe, they make white porcelain and design, make, glaze, and fire the pieces in their store-front in Catskill. The coolest thing about their work is that (while their sleek, modern aesthetic suggests otherwise) function trumps form. They set out to make containers and inhabitants for living things, and those living things are going to be mighty comfortable. Their birdhouses have a flanged lid for cleaning. Their cups are designed to actually be held by hands and drunk from by lips. Their vases and planters are designed to show off the natural beauty they contain. But what they’re most excited about? Their new noodle bowls! We CAN’T WAIT to slurp some ramen out of one of those beautiful vessels! Need a thoughtful gift for someone who loves minimal design, clean lines, AND noodles? Stop by L+M’s table! They couldn’t make the last Hullabaloo, and we’re so thrilled they’re back to join us in 2015!

Don’t Read This When Hungry: Grounded at Hullabaloo!

If there’s one thing we know about hospitality, it’s that you can’t invite people to something and not have anything for them to eat. And no arty party would be complete without some incredible local food!

We know that shopping can make people hungry, so we’ve enlisted the help of Linda from Grounded (downtown at 83 Broadway) to offer breakfast, lunch, and on-the-spot snack options during the event!

On both Saturday and Sunday, Grounded will be on-hand with coffee, pastries, and a scrumptious lunch menu. We love going to Grounded’s café in the Rondout district in Kingston for the almond croissants, breakfast specials (keep an eye out for the cinnamon roll French toast!), and Forty Weight coffee. At lunchtime, there are delicious soups, salads, sandwiches, and hot entrees. You can even shop for specialty items like cheese, pate, and house-made frozen foods to keep on hand for easy dinners. Grounded also does catering for all sorts of events and makes wedding cakes: Check out the website for more information: http://www.groundedny.com/ . Every menu, whether in the café or at your own site, is fresh, and based around local, bio-dynamic, sustainable ingredients. We can’t wait to see the menu (and eat the food) that Linda creates for our hungry vendors and shoppers!

Also, our friends at Monkey Joe’s are going to be open on Sunday, special for Hullabaloo! Just a literal hop, skip, and jump directly across the street and you’ll be noshing on pastries and sipping the best coffee Kingston has to offer—freshly roasted in the store! Thanks, Monkey Joe’s for keeping us caffeinated!

Still got a craving? There are numerous casual eateries in the immediate area—get your pre- or post-Hullabaloo hot dog, sandwich, wings, or pizza fix right on Broadway! Heading out for a nice dinner after a hard day of shopping?  Kingston is chock full of great restaurants—just ask for a recommendation at the Welcome Table!

Hungry yet? Leave room in your budgets and your bellies for breakfast, lunch, and maybe even an early dinner at Hullabaloo! Like good hostesses, we won’t let anyone go home hungry!

Sponsor Shout-Out: The Mighty Mite (“That Friend” That You Need!)

Holly J Coley has always been “that friend”—you know, the one who knows all the good vegan restaurants and recommended that natural face scrub you now can’t live without? What!?!? You don’t have one of those friends? Well, let us introduce you to The Mighty Mite!

Like so many of us, Holly J (who lived most of her life in the Hudson Valley, now living and working in Beacon)  was briefly convinced she’d have to work in the city to do anything creative. But again, like so many of us, she wasn’t keen on giving up the pleasures of Hudson Valley living, and knew she could create something meaningful here.   

Knowing that this area needed a place for health-conscious people to find all the places and products she’d been telling her friends about, and aware that many people want to be healthier but don’t know how to find the resources here at home, she drew on her experience as a certified Nutrition and Wellness Coach and a writer for a variety of publications (including SHAPE, New York House, and currently, Organic Hudson Valley Magazine). Soon she was ready to introduce that meaningful project to the world... The Mighty Mite, the Hudson Valley’s premier wellness hub, officially launched earlier this year! Check it out at themightymite.com!  

The Mighty Mite showcases wellness-based businesses and spotlights local people, places, and products that serve as healthy inspirations. The site’s content covers the valley, plus select parts of NYC, NJ, and CT, appealing to our commuter population and introducing us to hidden treasures both here and nearby.

We love the way The Mighty Mite is organized: “Fuel” (favorite posts: the benefits of local honey, a recipe for a healthy alternative to soda, and “a day in the kitchen of” posts), “Move” (adventure at a local preserve, reviews of the latest workout fad, and features on local fitness studios), “Polish” (the beauty “column,” where you’ll meet great locally-produced natural brands and learn why Vitamin D is so important) and “Wellness” (wisdom about everything from naps to food documentaries). An “event” section and “directory” round out the content…and to make a great thing even better, The Mighty Mite will soon add a shopping feature!  

But Holly J’s mission is bigger than just a blog—she ultimately wants to create the kind of business that people want to work for, and provide opportunities for local creatives to share their work, both as contributors to the site, and as featured people, businesses, or products. Eventually, she plans to add editorial staff, partner with other companies, and, of course, have an online retail feature.  If you’re interested in advertising, being added to the directory, sharing your story, or submitting, email Holly J at hollyj@themightymite.com.

We were thrilled when Holly J contacted us about sponsoring Hullabaloo because she’d discovered so many great people and products at last year’s event!  And we love that we have so many amazing vendors to introduce her to this year! We’re so grateful to have support from The Mighty Mite (and someone to recommend a great gluten-free bakery!)! Thanks, Holly J!