Fait Main: French Local Meets Berkshire Local at Dottie's Coffee Lounge

Fait Main began in a suitcase, a suit case full of little wonders...

Fait Main is a happy exchange where a little bit of the French summer market is brought to you, where ever you live.

"Hand made" in French for Good Girl means the joys of summer in the South of France, the smells and colors and sounds that blanket me while there, the conversations with local artisans at French markets and the beauty of something made by hand, from another country, from another world.

For the purposes of convenient travel, I have started with small, light weight, hand-crafted, pretty objects that I have gathered from the French markets - pottery, scarves, cotton tops, jewelry, sandals.

Filling a suit case full of Good Things Made by Good People in France made me incredibly happy. I delighted in the conversations I had with artisans, visiting them each week at the market, or discovering them while exploring different regions. Bringing home their hand-made objects and then sharing them with friends in America made me even happier.  In fact, it has been so much fun that Good Girl Go Go Go will launch Fait Main on-line in 2015. That way, I can open my suitcase and share the little wonders with you, too!  

This Christmas, Fait Main will be part of a local market in America, bringing French local to Berkshire local at Dottie's Annual Manual on Monday, December 22nd in Pittsfield, MA. 

Good Girl Go Go Go loves showcasing Good Things Made by Good People.  Fait Main objects are made by French artisans, people I know and visit each year... and yes, it is so incredibly easy to shop local in France and it would be so tempting to over-load but I can't. I am only permitted to carry over a certain amount to meet customs allowances. That means many of my pieces are one-offs and my inventory is small, very small. There is a beauty in this type of exchange because it keeps things simple: what's there is there and when it's gone it's gone.

It also ensures that you are buying something that no one else has. It keeps your Fait Main experience unique and special, just like the objects I carry home and deliver to you by hand. Rest assured, there's always the option to special order items, but only if you are truly patient and able to wait for special items to be made-to-order and then... wait some more for the French post to arrive...but we all know that Good Things Made by Good People are always worth the wait. 

A Manual for All Seasons

Are you beginning to feel like you're running out of time to find a really unique gift that will surprise the pants off your nearest and dearest? Have you been working too much, focusing on your year-end deadlines instead of your heartstrings? Procrastinating for lack of creative juices? or Heaven Forbid, experiencing a genuine fear of stores and parking lots and all those insane people?

My friend, worry no more. There is a pleasant [and wicked good fun] way to shop this holiday season. Dottie's makes it possible to get far from the madding crowd end enjoy local shopping at its best. 

Jessica Lamb, proprietress at Dottie's in Pittsfield, MA, hosts a fun event that takes the stress out of gift-giving and puts the magic right back in... and she calls it A MANUAL ... but don't let that cheeky Christmas pun fool you: it's geared for guys and girls. It's not always easy to find a truly dazzling gift but Jessica has a way of making shopping fun and light and meaningful and isn't that what Christmas is all about? 

You can sip and shop at Dottie's MANUAL where beer and wine flow under twinkly lights and mistletoe... I guess that means you can kiss, too, while you're at it. If a one-stop, lip-smacking, sip 'n shop isn't enough to make you want to go to Dottie's on Monday, December 22nd, then the fabulous line up of local, hand-made gift ideas is sure to lure you in.

Jessica has a solid knack for pulling people together and has aced the line up of unique and talented vendors for this year's MANUAL. She's made sure that you will find Good Things Made by Good People at the MANUAL:  Elemental Vintage, jewelry by Ashley Junod; Olde Soul, knits and Soap by Jenna Lanphear; Therapeutic Massage and Body Work by Lena Harrington; Berkshire Yoga Dance & Fitness; Chocolate Springs; Fait Main [Good Girl Go's hand-made treasures from France]; Diane Firtell Decorative Art; Odo Bat Company; Pangolin Clothing Company; Ancient Language yoga wear; and HA Designs. 

Just think, if you go to the MANUAL, you won't have to go to a huge mall, or brave crazy parking lots, or sit at your computer pressing buttons leading to no where good and getting side tracked by Kim Kardashian pop-ups. Come on over to Dottie's where the beer is cold and the vibe is warm. You can have a real conversation with a real person who makes something unique and special, so special it's capable of surprising the pants off of some one you love ... and maybe that's what Christmas is really all about [wink, wink]?

A Good Purpose: You're Made for This

Earlier this month Good Girl shared an upbeat story on Autism – Autism is a Green Light, Not a Dead End.  As follow up, here's another upbeat message on Autism that shows us another green light and a very good purpose, too.

The Good Purpose Gallery in Lee, Massachusetts isn't just a gallery. Just like the label says, it’s a gallery with a very good purpose.  The gallery works with professional artists who share their skills and passion through workshops, lectures and exhibits. Working together, the gallery and the artists enrich lives through arts and creativity as they integrate young individuals with Autism and other Learning Differences into the surrounding community.

It's not too late to find a gift with meaning and as it happens… purpose.  And wow! You are in for a treat! With many beautiful, handcrafted objects on display, you are sure to find Good Things Made by Good People…such as hand bound journals by Michael Vincent Bushy; pottery by Michael Boroniec; jewelry by Elemental Vintage; pottery by Daniel Bellow; prints and cards by Laurie May Coyle; sea glass jewelry by Michael McManmon; and handmade wreaths by Daisy Stone.

Painting by Jimmy Reagan

Works by Jimmy Reagan are currently on view. Diagnosed at age three with Autism, Jimmy found art expression to ‘voice’ his dreams and experiences. His unique style is born out of a struggle to communicate his ideas. His art radiates his ability to bring fresh perspective as he re-imagines things in bright color and distorted, inverted shapes.

This holiday season buy local and you’re sure to find a gift with meaning. Not only will it give you a Good Purpose it will leave you feeling very Good all over. And Good is good.

But, wait! Finding a good purpose isn't just for Christmas. The Good Purpose Gallery has good things lined up all year long. Take a moment to follow the gallery on facebook or visit Good Purpose gallery for upcoming events.  There’s A LOT more good to be found here and like the gallery awning says: 

YOU WERE MADE FOR GOOD PURPOSE AND ARE INHERENTLY VALUABLE

Feel the Love Tonight

Can you feel the love tonight? If not, make your way to The Alchemy Initiative Handmade Holiday Festival this Saturday and Sunday, December 6th and 7th for the first stop in the December line up to shop local and handmade.  The modern craft fair is curated and features nearly 50 contemporary makers, artisans, designers, and food producers.

There will be loads and loads of "Good Things Made by Good People" and one of those Good People is our very own darling, Wendy Darling. A beloved Berkshire favorite, Wendy delights us all with her warm messages of Peace, Love and Understanding. It’s always heartwarming to stop at her booth and say hello and soak up all the love. She’s sure to leave you feeling twinkly all over, and isn't that what Christmas is all about?

Warm and fuzzies aside, Wendy makes some seriously amazing jewelry and it’s no wonder...she’s worked behind the scenes/stage with a number of stars, including Minnie Riperton, Stevie Wonder, Elton John, Alice Cooper and Joan Rivers.  It’s always fun to talk about the meaning of stone with Wendy and she’s sure to point you to the right rock to go with your current disposition. She also designs clothes, sells vintage and up-cycled items, and works as a stylist-costume designer. No matter what’s she’s doing, “it’s all about the love” and you’re sure to feel it when Wendy’s nearby. 

The Alchemy Initiative Handmade Holiday Festival takes place Saturday, December 6th 10am-5pm and on Sunday, December 7th 10am-3pm at the Paterson Field House at Berkshire Community College in Pittsfield, MA.  Click here for details and a map. Click here, to learn more about Alchemy Initiative

Shore Thing: Wellfleet Waters is Massachusetts-Made for Your Christmas List

Look at the State I'm In! From Plymouth Rock to Mt. Greylock, Massachusetts rocks it from its east coast to its western border. Massachusetts has a history of doing new and exciting things... just think, the Fig Newton was named after Newton, MA; Boston built the first US subway system in 1897; the birth control pill was invented at Clark University in Worcester, MA; the first Thanksgiving Day was celebrated in Plymouth in 1621; and Norfolk County Massachusetts is home to 4 US presidents. [Can you name them? If so, comment below.]

Massachusetts also boasts another first - the first time the federal government purchased land for a park with the creation of the Cape Cod National Seashore. Known for its beauty, the Cape Cod shoreline is inspiration to many artists, writers and poets but it is also revered as a sacred vessel carrying millions of precious childhood memories, and some grown up ones, too.  It's where Wellfleet Waters calls home. 

Beth and Maryann, the dynamic sister act behind Wellfleet Waters, took their childhood memories and translated them in to something bright and cheerful - just like a summer day on the cape. They created textiles to embrace the color and natural beauty of Cape Cod. The bold colors and simple designs conjure blues from clear waters, greens from dune grass and reds like bright beacons as the sun drops and the smell of pine rises with the night sky. 

Wellfleet Waters' unique patterns are printed on to 100% cotton duck canvas, an indoor and outdoor "waterside" fabric. The fabrics are printed in Massachusetts, are water resistant and mildew resistant, too.  Like most hardy New England things and people, the fabrics are wicked durable, too.    

Wellfleet Waters offers a range of pouches, handbags, totes, duffels, tablecloths, aprons, and place mats. They are affordable and make great gifts. Good Girl is stocking up on wine sacks to give as Christmas gifts [$22]. They're perfect for the great Outer Beach, on your summer table, or right beside you for the Boston Pops at Tanglewood.