Upcoming Shows

First, I want to thank everybody for a great farmers market season. I want to acknowledge that Peaceacre kind of fell off the farmers market map there toward the end, but our loyal customers kept telling us we needed to take our show on the road and so we did. The success we had at some of the out of town shows has enabled me to invest in  bigger and better soap making equipment. I had trouble keeping up with demand in the past, making small batches, but with the new equipment, that should change. This is my second year in business, and I am learning as I go. Thanks for your patience! I could not have done any of this without my local loyal customers - Thank you! Thank you! Thank you!

Enough traveling for now. I am back in the area and will be at three major shows right here at home between now and Christmas.

The first is the annual craft show at St. Andrew's Lutheran Church in Stockton on Saturday, November 13th.

The second show is Amanda Kenter's fantastic Lamar Handmade Boutique, Saturday, November 20th at Memorial Hall in Lamar.

The third event is very exciting. Beginning during Lamar's "Home for the Holidays" celebration on the Square, December 4th, lots of very cool stuff is going to be going on in the Arts Council building at 206 West 10th Street, on the northwest corner of the Square.  Downstairs in the Gallery, Lamar jewelry artist Joanna Turnbull is hosting an "Artist's Market" featuring the work of a variety of artists from far and wide throughout the four state area. Upstairs, the Arts Council will host a handmade store along the lines of what I did last year when I opened Peaceacre to the public for the holidays, only MUCH expanded and full of surprises. It's going to be really cool, featuring awesome handmade items, demonstrations, even a rummage sale! So, to all you crafty ladies out there, if you are interested in taking part, email me at peaceacre@ymail.com ASAP! It's going to be fun! Visit this website frequently for updates!

Make It a Handmade Valentine's Day!

I finally took the "Handmade Pledge," though we've been trying to move toward as total a handmade lifestyle as possible for a long time now. From what we've seen on the web, a lot of people seem to be moving in this direction. We didn't do as good a job of sticking to the pledge at Christmas as we would have liked to, but we did buy handmade Christmas cards off Etsy, and put together some wonderful gift packages for out of town relatives with a variety of handmade and local products. My husband and I also made our gifts to each other. It's the kids that sent us into a  panic. It's hard to buy (or even make) handmade gifts for an eight year old boy. I don't know how to make LEGOs... yet...

But, everyone please note that Valentine's Day is on the horizon, and that's pretty much a grownup gift giving holiday. So this would be a great opportunity for all of us who have vowed to do better on our pledge to go 100% handmade! Start now, and build up you stamina toward next Christmas!

Here's a great start for handmade Valentine's Day gifts. My new friend Heather at "My Curly Red" makes amazing handcrafted jewelry, and here's a sample gallery of some of her work:

I bought a pair of earings for my daughter for Christmas from Heather, and I can personally attest to the beauty and quality of Heather's work. Her store, again, is located at http://www.etsy.com/shop/mycurlyred. She also has a blog at http://curlyreds.blogspot.com/. And thanks, Heather, for spreading the word about Peaceacre down there in Arkansas!

Wrapping Up the Farmers Market Season

Saturday, November 21st will be the final Saturday for this Farmers market season. We said in an earlier post that we were moving indoors a few weeks ago, but the weather improved, it's the last day to see our market buddies, so we'll be there on Saturday. Think Christmas! We'll have Peaceacre gift bags and baskets, cool stocking stuffers, etc. We'll also have some wonderful handcrafted datebooks and calendars and a really cool recipe box created by Gayla Miller from Liberal. Come see us!

The Perfect Hand Crafted Mother's Day Gift

If you're looking for a perfect Mother's Day gift, check out Chippingstone Cottage, my sister-in-law's website showcasing her fabulous hand crafted ceramic pincushions and clocks. Here's how she describes her own work:

My pottery is hand crafted in Vermont. Each piece is individually created and artfully decorated; therefore, no two are exactly alike.

The crafting of the pincushions has drawn upon both of my long-term interests; ceramics and the textile arts. The base is hand thrown from a white stoneware clay followed by decoration and glazing. The cushion is made from 100 % cotton fabric, lined with muslin and firmly stuffed with virgin Vermont wool. This pincushion may be displayed wherever you enjoy sewing.

I was lucky enough to receive one of her pincushions as a gift, so I know first hand the quality and artistry involved in everything that she does.

And while you're there, be sure to check out the free whole wheat bagel recipe she has posted on her website. I tried it out recently. Its a simple recipe, and the bagels are delicious.

Chippingstone Cottage