The Halifax Crafters Holiday Market happened back at the turn of the month and it was a pretty darn hopping event, I tell ya. What a great weekend. The Olympic Center was packed and bustling and it was such a pleasure to be out and amongst it all. So much work goes into pulling those shows together…from the crafters, each making their magic, to the organizers and vounteers who pour their time and energy into all the behind-the-scenes, and of course all the lovely people who come and fill the space out with their good energy and support for hand-making. Good stuff all around, THANKS EVER SO MUCH!
(Arsenic & Old Lace Table)
Of course, the place was so packed with incredible work…temptations abound! I kept returning to Arsenic & Old Lace’s table (they were Fresh Catches this time round) with their lovely carved ceramics, tattoo-ed oranges and glass curiosity boxes. I eventually came away with a couple of pieces, one from each of the two makers (Anna Bald & Andrea Thorne). Here’s a couple of snapshots of the collection of goods I came away from the weekend with, happy to be supporting makers and ever appreciative of trading wares:
Handmade knickers by Hanna Broer Design, big ol’ beeswax candle by Mike Bienstock of Medway Candle and Essentials (who was my neighbor at the Crafter’s Market…what a treat to have that smell wafting around all weekend!!), ceramic ornament and curiosity box by Arsenic & Old Lace. (I can’t track down any online info for these lovely folks, so I can’t provide a link, but I noticed that some of their work is available in Plan B, on Gottingen Street in Halifax, NS).
These playfully solid ceramic cups are by Bridget Fairbank ofBPractical Pottery. She had a great display set up right across from me so her work had been flirting with me all weekend—-I am now so thrilled to have these cups as a part of my days, especially in this season of tea drinking. Bridget seemed like a stand-up gal and has a great blog worth a peruse. As someone who spent a while dug into ceramic work, scrolling through her blog is inspiring, stirring up urges…but for now I must stay focused, and maybe drop by the Lingo section of her blog on occasion for small tastes of the language, at the least.