An Autumn Studio Tour in Upstate New York

Have you all met Maya? Yes? And you love her too? Oh good…then you’re in great company. If you need a refresher on our beloved artist Maya Donenfeld, go ahead and peep her trailer here.

We asked Maya to share some inspirational photos with us and answer a few questions about what Autumn is like at her home in Upstate New York. So curl up with some hot cider and follow us as we go on a Creativebug Studio Tour. We can almost smell the wood stove burning….

CB: What’s your favorite thing about Autumn in New York?
Maya:  I love watching the leaves change colors. I had never experienced the brilliance of fall foliage until I moved to the east coast. I get excited each October as if it’s the very first time. My children and I have many favorite trees on our land… they feel a bit like old friends. This time of year we love watching them take on new personas. During the summer they are all similar shades of green, but today some are yellows and others firey oranges and reds.  It’s as if they are getting dressed up for a fancy party.

CB: Do you and your kids do anything special this time of year?
Maya: We begin using our wood stove. It draws us to its warmth, and all of our activities tend to be centered around the hearth. This includes my crafting. I love my studio, but it’s in the coldest room of the house. Right about now my work travels to the dining room table. Nothing beats having a hot fire in front of you. It pulls my children in close, as well. We all end up working and creating together in our cozy country kitchen. This works perfectly since my passion for baking increases as the days grow colder. The delicious smells of apple, pumpkins, and cinnamon are often wafting from the oven as we hunker down to pursue our making, writing, and reading.

CB: What craft projects are you most excited about right this moment?
Maya: I’m getting excited for Halloween. This year my daughter wants us to have matching costumes. That’s a first, and I’m getting ready to start making our wings. That’s my only hint. She often changes her mind a bunch of times until the week before. Fingers crossed that she will stick to her first idea, because I’ve already started making our masks.

Thanks for the tour Maya! If you want to see just how clever she is with that carving tool, check out her Upcycled Pouch class on CBug where she shows you how to carve a sweet feather. You can also keep up to date on her crafty whereabouts through her blog Maya*Made.