R + D
There’s nothing on Etsy quite like the
quirky products offered by Sunnyside
resident Rebekah Thornhill. The artist’s
business page, R + D, teems with fun,
original 3-D printed goods, primarily
earrings.
“All of my pieces are designed
by me and then 3-D printed. This
method of rapid prototyping allows
for a lot of fun in the process — I can
quickly create things that are kitschy
or funny,” Thornhill said, “For example,
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after one friend saw my Taco
Tuesday design, they joked about
wanting best friend pendants for her
and pizza. By the next time we saw
her (which was for pizza and wine) I
had a new pair for her.”
A glimpse at R + D tells you that
Thornhill puts a lot of thought in fabricating
specific designs for a variety
of people. She sells various minimalist
dangly earrings, some of which are
great for bookish types, and others
that would appeal to an edgy skull
enthusiast. There are also multiple accessories
for nature lovers.
“I draw on any number of things
when creating earrings — popular culture,
nature, friends. I like to have fun
when creating designs and don’t take
things too seriously. I’ll make something
just for a laugh,” Thornhill said.
Conrad Crafting Co.
Astorian Sarah Conrad began screen-printing
when she and her husband decided to
design and make their own invitations, place
cards and gift bags for their wedding. Now
she sells her screen-printed goods on her
Etsy shop, Conrad Crafting Co.
“A few years ago, I noticed that there were
a lot of shops selling shirts, hats and bags
with ‘Brooklyn’ across them. The Queens and
Astoria shirts were far and few between. So I
made my own. Now there are so many cute
boutiques in Astoria that sell lots of Queens
pride items,” Conrad said.
While the Astoria screen printer creates other
graphic tees and even tea towels, she primarily
designs Queens and Astoria pride
T-shirts and tank tops.
“The other day, my friends and I were at
Veronica’s Bar on 36th Avenue and discovered
they were about to celebrate their
20th anniversary. Such an occasion needed
some T-shirts, so I took a few pictures
of their signs and turned them into graphics.
Occasionally I will hand-draw some elements,”
Conrad said. “I currently do not sell on
any other sites, but do take custom orders. Just
please don’t ask me to make Brooklyn shirts.”
Photos courtesy of Conrad Crafting Co. Photos courtesy of R+D
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