Category Archives: shopping

art, art news, encaustic, encaustic & collage, flowers, Karen Tashkovski, nature, shopping

Lotus Again

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It’s time to purchase more wax, damar resin and colors to continue on the path of the lotus.  I have expanded to include thistles this time, as well as Japanese lilies.

I have a thing for Ancient Egypt.  I also have a thing for Scotland.  And everything Japanese.  My paintings do tend to blend these cultures like a reincarnated melting pot of who I might be.

Sharing the current in progress situation.  Paintings situated on my living room floor.  It is good to take a breather from inhaling beeswax (which is completely intoxicating) and ponder my next decisions.

In a perfect universe, I could have all my pancake griddles going a once so that I can access every color in my repertoire, but I don’t have the room in my studio nor the electrical power to accomplish this – or do I?  Maybe I just need more extension cords and another table and another griddle or two….

I will figure it out.  Love that art can be both challenging and fun.

abstract, acrylic, art, art for sale, art gallery, art group, clay, clothing, cooperative, design, encaustic, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, leather, mixed media, oil painting, pottery, retail, shopping, silk

Betsy Menson Sio

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On a recent visit to Cazenovia Artisans, 39 Albany Street, Cazenovia, New York, 13135, I met co-op member Betsy Menson Sio, a former art teacher in the Jordan-Elbridge School District, now working as a full-time artist and jewelry designer.  She is selling earrings made of vintage tins that speak of recycling paired with sterling silver.

The pieces are whimsical, meant to be worn for fun with everyday casual gear.  She calls her business East Street Tins.

This is a materials driven art form.  She must first find the vintage tins – soda cans, candy or coffee canisters, perhaps even motor oil containers – then decide on the shape and cut forming two symmetrical bespoke pieces.

She also creates necklaces and bracelets when not taking her weekly turn as salesperson at the gallery.

As mentioned, Cazenovia Artisans is a co-op.  Artist members must be voted in with the understanding that they will commit to retail sales as well as providing cohesive artwork for sale and paying a monthly fee.  There are other avenues as well – offering work on consignment or being considered as a guest artist.  All information is listed on their website.

Current hours of operation:

Mon

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Tue

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Wed

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Thu

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Fri

10:00 am – 06:00 pm

Sat

10:00 am – 05:00 pm

Sun

10:00 am – 04:00 pm

accessories, art, ceramics, design, furniture, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, nostalgia, pottery, retail, shopping

Mia Galletta Home & Design

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The Yard, at 604 E. Manlius Street, Manlius, New York 13104, is a conglomeration of shoppes, cafés and such built on the site of a 19th century lumber yard.  They have a brewery on-site as well, and often schedule festive musical events.

The newest resident of The Yard is Mia Galletta Home & Design.  This shoppe is located at the top of the compound, next to Café Jarosz and adjacent to the parking lot.  Open from noon-5:00 PM Wednesday – Sunday, Mia Galletta sells an eclectic mix of furniture, home furnishings and women’s accessories while also offering her services as a real estate agent for Howard Hanna.  This includes home buying and selling, and home staging with some custom design options.

It is a powerfully vibrant space – fuchsia and lime walls, tangerine chairs, floral motif pillows and colorful resin chunky jewelry abound.  If you are looking for bright options, this is your jam – but you will need to be quick because it is mostly bespoke and my thought is the store will look different each week due to sales.  She’s only been in business for two-weeks so far and has already had to redecorate due to sales.  The merchandise is very reasonably priced.  It’s a fun shopping experience!

I hadn’t seen Mia in over forty years – we graduated high school together.  Since then she has graduated from FIT and worked in the fashion industry, mainly in accessory design, in New York City (where she still keeps an apartment) and oversees, even working in China for a time!  She recently returned to this area to be closer to family and will remain here at least a year – the duration of her store lease.

Welcome back, Mia!

interior decorating, Karen Tashkovski, shopping

Eastwood Home

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How great is it to discover a new local business (in this case a home goods and interior design services store) inspired by the Covid lockdown?  Five years ago former social worker Kimberly Sieburg spent lockdown dabbling in interior design consulting as Forged Home Decorating & Consulting.

Yes, this is a case of following one’s passion, and through a series of existential coincidences she is now the proprietor of Eastwood Home, a gorgeous modern vintage-ish furniture and home accessories shop located at 3501 James Street, Syracuse, New York 13206,  in the Eastwood Plaza.

Inside I viewed one-of-a-kind pieces that have been carefully selected/curated to create a sense of tranquility for the home.  Scented candles guided this mini journey.  The price points are surprisingly reasonable, especially with regard to the vintage trinkets.

The vignettes provided me with a satisfying stroll through the space, which was formerly the Sacred Heart Gift Shop.  Rooms to discover and imagine as one’s own – I imagine many of you have the post-Covid nesting “bug” because I’m right there with you.

There is a bedroom space,  an office, a living room and a dining room, a bath and even a kitchen sink!  The entire store is akin to a large studio apartment with bookcases purposed as walls,

Included in this journey, aside from furniture and tabletop items (new and vintage) are spices/meat rubs, honeys and other foodie lover bits.  This is the definitive place to come to for bespoke hostess gifts.

There are plans for outdoor events paired with the other businesses in the outdoor mall, and an expansion is in the mix.  Stay tuned by following them on social media or visiting their web-site.

Hours of operation:  Wednesday-Saturday 11:00 AM – 6:00 PM.

acrylic, angels, animals in art, art, art for sale, art gallery, art venue, collage, encaustic, encaustic & collage, heart paintings, hearts, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, leather, mixed media, oil painting, ornaments, painting, products, retail, shopping, Tashionista, TASHKOVSKI jewelry

Come one, Come All

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My holiday merchandise is ready for tomorrow night’s Sip & Shop event at AFL STUDIO, 301 E. Seneca Street, Manlius, NY 13104.  I think I will be sharing my gallery space with the Apricot Lane proprietor.

There will be a Botox medical professional and a “permanent” jewelry business there as well as light food and drinks.

I will be there at 3:45 PM, if you would like to come and shop early.  Hours for this party – 5:00 – 7:30 PM.

I created notecards that double as holiday ornaments and other special things including one hundred twelve hand painted postcard paintings of angels.  Prices are as marked on the package.  My jewelry collection is all marked as well.  The 36″ x 36″ oil and collage paintings are only $800 and the 18″ x 24″ oil and collage paintings are only $200.  The encaustic hearts with the stands are $75.

I will try to get my Square card reader operational to take charges.  You can also pay cash or use PayPal or Venmo.  Will I have cash to make change?  IDK.

Hopefully, the weather will cooperate and it will be a fun and festive evening!

See you there!

antiques, ceramics, Karen Tashkovski, pottery, retail, shopping, vintage

Dalton’s

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Shopping for Stickley furniture at Dalton’s is a lesson in the history of the early 20th century’s Arts & Crafts movement.  Proprietors David Rudd and Debbie Goldwein have been in the business of selling antique/pre-loved Stickley furniture for over forty years at this establishment.  Their customers include celebrities and other prominent A&C lovers nationwide (and someday, me, and maybe you!).  Their business is both in person and on-line. The furniture sold at this shop is original Gustav Stickley pieces and early works by Leopold and John George Stickley, items that pre-date the Audi family’s tenure at Stickley.

Rudd is a former decades long President of the local Arts & Crafts Society and current President of the Gustav Stickley House Foundation.  It was such a pleasure to chat with him as he shared the provenance of the exquisite pieces displayed in vignettes alongside pottery from the same period, accessories – candlesticks, ashtrays, and books, lamps, clocks, really everything you need to fill the living room of a Craftsman home.

Gustav Stickley owned a factory on what is currently Burnet Avenue in the Eastwood neighborhood of Syracuse, a hop, skip and jump from this fabulous antique shop located at 1931 James Street, Syracuse, New York 13206.

It is a beautiful thing to see the care that has been taken in keeping the Mission-style spirit alive.  I felt like looking for a portal in the store in order to time-travel my way back to one hundred years ago, especially when I stared at  that photograph of Gustav on the wall, lol, it reminded me of the movie “Somewhere in Time” with Christopher Reeve.  I am in love with this period of furnishings and I am probably the only one in my family to have this passion.  I didn’t grow up with it.  Mom liked a French Provincial living room and Colonial-style bedroom furnishings.

Some of the pieces at Dalton’s are a better bargain than buying new and others costs tens of thousands.  In addition, they have an affinity for Native American textiles and pottery, and the collection is quite impressive.  It’s all for sale even though everything is museum quality.  You can sit on the settles and chairs as you imagine living with them in your own home.

I took so many pictures of this chair (above) – I can’t stop thinking about it!  LOVE!

Currently, there is a selection of wood-block printed designs by Rochester-based artist Laura Wilder.  They are displayed beautifully in oak frames.

If you wish to luxuriate in this experience, Dalton’s is open Monday-Friday 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM and Saturday 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM.

art, art for sale, art venue, encaustic, encaustic & collage, encaustic horse paintings, heart paintings, hearts, horseshoes, jewelry, Karen Tashkovski, leather, painting, shopping

The Booth!

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Saturday, September 28, 2024.  Sunday, September 29, 2024.  10:00 AM-5:00 PM.

It’s the CAZENOVIA ART TRAIL!!!!

My location:  American Legion Post 88, 26 Chenango Street, Cazenovia, NY 13035.

It is #15 on the Cazenovia Art Trail map.

There will be food trucks in the parking lot!

I accept PayPal, Venmo, cash and I also use the Square for credit cards!

I am so excited to share my heart and horse-themed artwork and jewelry with you!  See you soon!!!

Karen Tashkovski, shopping

The Boutique

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Find The Boutique at 52 Oswego Street, Baldwinsville, New York 13207. It is a lovely little shop in the village that sells clothing for women and babies, as well as accessories and other knick-knacks, and gifts.

I really enjoyed shopping here!

This is the brick and morter store of a former vendor truck. The official name includes the sub-title Fashion Rescue 911. Find them on Facebook here.

They are open Wednesday – Friday noon-5:00 PM and Saturdays 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. Call (315) 857-6690 for more details.

sculpture, shopping

The MOST

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I went to the MOST yesterday. I was not there for long – it is a “science” museum for kids. I couldn’t take all the running around and screaming, and that was just me (ba-dum-bump).

There were activity stations, a colossal and fully padded tri-level jungle gym, and different vignettes set with dramatic lighting throughout the maze-like venue to satisfy the children (mainly pre-school and elementary-aged), while their parents either engaged alongside or sat together sipping cold drinks.

I did like the dinosaur exhibit. I mean – so fake, but they were substantial rubber or mache creatures with animatronic gestures and, maybe, it sort of, looked like they were looking my way as I took the photographs.

And, of course, I liked the gift shop. That was fun.

If you’ve never been there, it’s worth a look. And here’s the secret: get out your Onondaga County library card and head to one of the local libraries that have the free pass. It pays for up to six people! How cool is that? Especially if you are a teacher and are on your last summer dollar before the next pay day.

The Milton J. Rubenstein Museum of Science and Technology is located in the Armory of Armory Square in Syracuse, New York.

500 S. Franklin St.
Syracuse, NY 13202
315.425.9068

They are open Wednesday – Sundays 9:30 am – 5:00 pm.

Check out their web-site for more information including parties and school trips.

animals in art, art, art for sale, art gallery, Arts & Crafts, bracelets, ceramics, festival, ice cream, Karen Tashkovski, oil painting, oil pastels, restaurant, retail, shopping

Skaneateles Artisans

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Retail space is at a premium at Skaneateles Artisans. This is the gallery on the lower level of the Old Stone Mill, located at 3 Fennell Street, Skaneateles, New York 13152.

Teresa Vitale is the owner. She is also a very successful artist who creates faux finishes on furniture and fireplace mantles in homes. Some of her work is on display in the gallery as well as paintings, ceramic and glassware, jewelry and trinkets created by over one hundred local artists and artisans.

It is a gift-giver’s paradise.

There is so much from which to choose. I was telling my friend Janine that I was so overwhelmed by it all that I would have to go through my pictures to really digest everything and I would probably see things in the pictures I didn’t remember seeing in person. In that regard, this gallery is a place one must frequent often. That and the fact that stock gets replaced often. It is a cash and carry business, unlike other galleries where the exhibit must conclude before one can take stuff home.

The Skaneateles Curbstone Festival continues today, July 21, 2023, from 9:00 am to 8:00 pm. This gallery did not have an outdoor presence but over forty other vendors are sidewalk sale-ing it. In addition, there are magic acts, balloon animal makers, musical guests, sightseeing cruises on the lake and many fine dining restaurants to experience.

We visited yesterday and had such a wonderful adventure of discovery while shopping the numerous stores on Jordan Street and West Genesee Street, as well as Fennell, culminating in a watermelon and feta salad lunch at The Sherwood Inn followed by custard ice cream from Doug’s Fish Fry.

So fun! <3