What do you create?
Blank books, bookmarks, pen boxes (I paint them), booklets (these are filled with positive journal prompts).
​
How did you get started and what motivated you to start?
When I was a small child, I bound paper together with yarn, and sometimes with ribbon. For decades I didn't create a book until I needed to create my own for the great deal of journaling I was doing. I bought a bookmaking kit and was hooked again. I used to be a bookworm. I don't remember how I got into making bookmarks, but I enjoy that quick, easy activity. The bookmarks feature African and goddess symbols. The pen boxes I decided to add as a complement to my journals. Almost all of them feature African symbols.

Sarah-Anne of Anchor & Wings creates skin care, bath & beard products as well as wood burned cutting boards, coasters and ornaments. What motivated her to start was "Wanting natural body products, but being unwilling to pay the high price associated with marketed 'natural' products, I started researching ingredients and trying combinations."
She has the most fun creating lip balms. "I like the lip balms. Most people use lip balm in winter, and I like to be able to provide a natural option that people enjoy, and options for flavours." When not creating, Sarah-Anne says she is "Researching something! I love learning new things. From stargazing to gardening to soaping... and pretty much anything."

To occupy her mind while working, Sarah-Anne says, "I love to listen to music while mixing products and listening to something a bit more intellectual when labelling." Sarah-Anne says the most difficult part of the process is labelling. "Labelling, since all my labels are coloured by hand. I enjoy it, but it is really time consuming"

You can buy Sarah-Anne's creations from her Facebook page, or 30 Craft Market on December 9 at Sadleir House (751 George St. North),

You can meet Kelly at 30 Craft Market on December 9 at Sadleir House, 10:30 - 3:30.

"I knit toques! All are multi-coloured and most are one-of-a-kind. My mother got me started on the toques. She used to knit mitts for the "bag ladies" in Toronto and we got together and made "sets".

I then gave most of my toques away to either her or to the homeless shelters in Peterborough.

When asked what the most difficult part of the process is, Leslie says, "Some yarns that I use are a bit thick and have many strands, I have to be careful that I only pick up one strand when knitting." Despite this, "many of my toques turn out to be favourites."

Donna Boyle creates rock people. "After a long-term partner passed I spent a lot of time on the lake shore balancing small rocks and came to love the balance/sensation of them." When not creating, Donna writes. The themes she pursues are love and intimacy. When creating her rock people, she works on her back porch in silence or while listening to the radio.

"Rocks are like people, they come in every shape & colour and are equal in the eyes of the universe."

You can meet Donna at 30 Craft Market on Dec 9 at Sadleir House (751 George St N) between 10:30 and 3:30.

Andrea Sabo says, "I create many knitwear items from a pattern free perspective. 

Everything from mittens, toques, slouchy hats & headbands to sweaters, cowls, bow ties, blankets, wine bottle covers, art cards & yarn art - the list goes on and on. My nana taught me to knit when I was a little girl and over the years I had made myself, family & close friends mittens, toques & scarves which they enjoyed and appreciated. 

It wasn't until a few years ago, during the winter season, when I was looking to spend as much quiet indoor time as possible with our aging dog curled up beside me, that my small business was born. Before I knew it I had made several pairs of mittens & toques, and it was suggested I sell what I had made. From there I created my Facebook Page and started posting those very items for sale. Custom orders started coming in so I opened up my Etsy Shop and things have evolved from there."

When asked what she has the most fun making, Andrea says, "It's hard to choose just one as I enjoy & have fun making everything that I do but to highlight one item it would have to be my YarnArt. There's just something amazing & different to me about painting a canvas and combining it with something I've knit or crocheted and hanging it on your wall."

"When I'm not creating I'm thinking about creating & what my next project will be (even though I've always got several on the go). I also really enjoy baking & gardening and the simple things in life like spending time with family & friends. 

I work on my creations everywhere ! From the comfort of my own home, trips in the car (where I'm the passenger), or when I'm waiting at an appointment. I generally have a ball of yarn & a crochet hook or knitting needles with me."

To occupy her mind while working, Andrea has either the TV on or she works in silence. She also works regularly because she is inspired to do so. "Inspiration for me comes from colours in my day to day environment and sometimes it comes from the simple necessity of needing something useful." 

"Sign Design does custom wood sign designs as well as other generic wooden signs. We make signs for every season as well as holidays. We also make lamps and solar lamps out of logs and beaver stumps. We basically work with wood and design many different decorations for inside and outside your home.

Sarah was the one that got myself (Krystal) into it. She took a few classes and started making different signs for her home and families' homes. I saw that she could make them and wanted to make them myself. We started making signs together and selling them on Facebook. We liked it so much and had so much fun making them together. We decided to not just make them to sell on Facebook but to do different shows. Sarah has since stopped making the signs and I enjoy making them so much I have continued. I work a very busy job in a kindergarten classroom and sign making has become my release and relaxation at night. ​

When not creating, Manon takes care of her 5-month old son. And when she is working, most of the time she just enjoys the silence. "I work a lot throughout the day. It's a great way to combat boredom if the baby is sleeping. It's also a great outlet for creativity."

About the most difficult part of the process, Manon says, "Wet felting and sewing, because it always takes the longest! The challenging part is trying to hold/soothe/feed a baby all the while ... so needless to say it takes a long time!"

Manon's favourite piece is a custom mobile she made (see above). She sells her creations at Watson and Lou on Water St and the Play Cafe on Chemong. You can meet her on December 2nd at 30 Craft Market (90 Hunter St East, 10:30-3:30)!

For Lorel, the most difficult part of the process is the finishing. "I hate sewing in the ends of yarn. LOL I think a good many knitters would understand that!" Her favourite piece is a sweater she made for a customer. "I've now added it to my line as it was such a success."

As for the most memorable responses she's had to her work, Lorel says "Some children think my animal-inspired mitts are puppets, and want to play with them. One girl actually created a special home for her hedgehog mitts and her mom says she treats them more like a pet!"

Lorel sells at shows and through Kijiji. "Some of the shows I will be at this fall are the 30 Craft Market on December 2 at the Mark St United Church, and the Cottage Craft shows in Peterborough, Morrow Building November 26, Lindsay Exhibition Grounds December 3 and the Morrow Building December 19th and 20th."

"I make beautiful and comfortable reusable cloth menstrual pads, incontinence pads, bamboo nursing pads, period underwear, and a great many other reusable cloth items for the family.

I loved using the cloth menstrual pads myself and, when my friend told me about the issues she was experiencing with disposable menstrual pads (unbearable rashes and irritation!), I knew I could help her with cloth pads. Her mom also wanted some for incontinence. And a business was born! 

I really enjoy sewing all my products because I like to play with the fabrics and colours to make an interesting product. Also, I really enjoy selecting cheeky fabrics, like the "Burley Beavers" for my pads. It's just a bit of fun during a sometimes less-than-enjoyable week. ​

I have 4 kids, a husband, a day job, and a VERY messy house! Needless to say, I almost always choose sewing over cleaning the house! I have a sewing and fabric area set up in our basement which is just perfect to work while kids are playing behind me and it also allows me to work into the night when everyone is in bed."

When working on her creations, Maureen listens to the radio or finds a great show to binge-watch online. "I try to sew every day but it's not always possible given all the other things that need to get done in a day. Often, I end up sitting down for a long period of time and banging a whole wack of pads out."

When asked where she gets her inspiration, Maureen says, "Ooooh, the fabric!" For Maureen, the most difficult part of the process is explained as "cutting all the pieces that go into my pads really just takes time, as opposed to being difficult. I am beginning to learn that cutting a whole bunch of one thing at a time and getting a good stock built up is really the best way to go for me."

"My name is Andrea and I make monsters … and other fun plush creatures!  Last summer my father found a second-hand sewing machine and I thought it was a great chance to I teach myself to sew.  

When I started, I used a simple pattern from McCall's to learn the basics and those creatures are what I call a Beevil.  Then I decided to make a triangle-shaped monster which I call a Tricket (both Beevils and Trickets are sewn using my sewing machine and the button eyes and felt heart are done by hand).  My hand sewing skills grew as I started making a furry monster which I call a Fuzzling.  By far, my Fuzzling monsters are my favourite to create.  They are hand-stitched, except for the ears and face, and they do take more time to create but each has such a personality that it is totally worth the extra work.  

I'm very proud of the scratch of Fuzzlings that I created for my first show in 2015 - I had made 10 Fuzzlings.  (I coined the term "a scratch of Fuzzlings" to mimic the grouping that you would use for other species… a warren of rabbits, a murder of crows, etc). 

For me the most difficult part of the process is finding materials.  There are lots of places online to purchase fabric but I need to feel the fur before I buy it.  I look for bright or fun colours and I want to make sure that the faux fur I use feels as soft as possible.  I use new materials for most of my creatures; anything I make using felt I try to use EcoFelt or similar which contains recycled contents.  The easiest part for me is naming each monster.  I have a notebook on my worktable and when I am in the midst of creating I look at the monster and write down possible names.  Each monster is named and the name is written on a tag which I attach to the plushie.  I'm sure some people have changed the name of their monster but I think it's important to give each monster a name so that their personality shines through when waiting to be picked up, squeezed, loved and taken home by someone.

We have an extra room in our home which we use as an office and my craft area.  I have a shelving unit where I keep my fabrics and other bits in clear totes -- otherwise one of our cats might think the faux fur is a new bed for them to sleep in!  I'll often go down to that room and spend a few hours creating a monster or two.  I like to have the TV on in the background, but I have be known to blast the radio with some tunes from the 80's.  

I follow a few sewing blogs and I spend some time on Pinterest to see what others are making and to help me with ideas.  I have a website which links to a few online shoppes where I sell some of my monsters.  I also have them in a few brick and mortar shops (The Artist's Loft in Smiths Falls and the Merchant's Mill which is in Consecon).  I have found that I don't sell as many monsters online as I do at shows and I think it's because people need to touch and squeeze plushies.  Most people who have seen them smile when they see their silly faces and fuzzy fur.  I've had more adults purchase my monsters for themselves rather than for a child.  One of the best reponses to my Fuzzlings was a lady who came by and purchased one for her daughter.  She came back before she left the craft show to purchase another one for her daughter because the original one she decided she wasn't willing to gift it to anyone because she loved him too much to give up! 

Gail began painting in a decorative art style and has transitioned into realism. A memorable response she has had to her work: “One of my paintings is a winter scene with an old brick farmhouse and barn. Many people have commented that that is the house that they grew up in. One lady even ‘knew’ it was her home in Manitoba. It is so special to mer that so many people can relate to something in my painting.”  

When not painting, Gail enjoys “spending time with grandchildren, family, doing photography and dancing.”