Fun Zipper Pouches, Paper Party Supplies, and More, Handmade and Curated in Montclair, NJ by Claire Cohen.
Cart 0

News

Claire Wear

30 Second Read

Claire Wear

When I first looked at this booth pic that an old friend recently sent me I was mortified. But when I took a second to put it in context I was able to get past the late 80’s parachute pants and appreciate the moment in time that it captures.  It was one of the first shows I did with a real booth. I used white grid wall to display the hand painted silk scarves that I created using Shibori and Gutta resist techniques. And it's the scarves that are the star of this image for me. My business was called...

Read more →


Handmade Masks

1 Minute Read handmade masks Montclair NJ

Handmade Masks

When coronavirus began presenting, and self-isolation was fresh, Montclair Made was gaining new wholesale customers on Faire and maintaining a storefront on Etsy. I was comfortable where I was, so confident of a future with a steady workload that I had already made the decision not to vend at any craft shows in 2020. I made this choice after traveling to shows for 3 decades, and enduring losses for the last few years. But I could justify the choice to save time and money by staying home and fulfilling larger orders that were rolling in since I joined Faire in...

Read more →


Bikepacking Prep

1 Minute Read bikepacking

Bikepacking Prep

Since last year I’ve been planning a bikepacking trip, a week of riding and camping, a late spring road trip. I have a list of necessary gear with a few items checked off, a touring bike on layaway, and good intentions for a “midlife” adventure that gets me outdoors, facing all the inevitable challenges head on and starting the summer off feeling strong and balanced. Though I still have a lot of miles to ride for practice and gear to acquire to be well prepared for a long distance bikepacking trip, I booked a campsite for my shakedown ride in...

Read more →


gLove Story Dolls v2.0

1 Minute Read creative reuse

gLove Story Dolls v2.0

In 2006, with the help of my daughter, I started collecting lost gloves, washing them, and turning them into dolls. Dubbed "gLove Story Dolls" by my mom, they feature button eyes and yarn hair. Over the years I continued to pick up a random glove here and there, but didn't have the same dedication to the project as I had early on. I still have a few dozen gLove Story Dolls, and nearly as many found gloves ready for their transformation. Now, 13 years after I started making them, I am rebooting the gLove Story Dolls! This v2.0 will still...

Read more →


ICYMI: Asbury Park Summer Bazaar

30 Second Read

ICYMI: Asbury Park Summer Bazaar

I've lived in NJ my entire life but, believe it or not, I've never been to Asbury Park! I jumped at the chance when I saw a social media post reminding applicants that the deadline for the Asbury Park Summer Bazaar was fast approaching. I was excited to be accepted, it was a fantastic last minute addition to my summer schedule!  This event is held indoors at the Convention Hall which turned out to be great protection from the rain that day. It also gave me more flexibility with my display. Since I didn't have to contend with the wind...

Read more →