Busy weekend at Busy Hands

Large crowds attend annual craft sale in Wellington

Thousands of people descended upon the Wellington and District Community Centre over the weekend for the 26th annual Busy Hands craft sale. Seventy- four vendors offered a variety of crafts and products from leather goods and ceramics to fibre products and jewellery. There were even mushroom growing kits as well as a selection of tart vinegars and decadent Ukrainian sweets. As in previous years there was a good selection of prepared foods from Paper Kite Farms, Stella’s Eatery, Peg’s Patties and Papa Ghanoush and Momma Hummus. Organizers Bay Woodyard and Vicki Emlaw selected the vendors so that each would offer a unique line of products and there would be more of a spirit of collaboration rather than competing for the same sales. The craft show is at its heart a community

event, with as many conversations happening along the aisles as friends meet up, as are happening between vendor and customer—although in many cases these are friends and acquaintances as well.

The Busy Hands craft show began in 1999 when Ms. Emlaw and Ms. Woodyard were sharing a house together and were looking for a way to sell some of their crafts and food products to earn some income past the tourist season. They invited a few friends and family members to join then as they held the first sale in their living and dining rooms. It was a huge success and paved the way for the future. Several of the original vendors are still taking part to this day, including Chrissy Poitras, who as a 13-year-old was selling handmade cards and wallets. “I don’t remember too much about that first one, but there was a pot of cider on the stove and it smelt like Christmas,” she said. Ms. Poitras has taken part in almost every Busy Hands show since then, and now runs a successful printmaking business with her partner, Kyle Topping. This year they offered the opportunity for visitors to make their own reliefprinted card, where Mr. Topping demonstrated how to ink the printing plate and then use a book press to create a greeting card.

The craft show has nurtured several young craftmakers over the years. Hannah Melnyk started off helping her mentors Maggie Murdoch and David Drown in their pottery business and then had a small shelf for her own work in their booth at Busy Hands. She now has her own studio in Bloomfield and offers a full line of pottery products, each year bringing out new colours and designs. One of the young craftmakers this year is 13-year-old Aubrey Demianchuk. Three years ago she started making Christmas cards at home with her mother, and earlier this summer she decided to become more involved. She created a number of watercolour designs that she had commercially printed for this show. She was very excited to take part in the show. “It gets very busy very fast,” she said. “But I feel that’s a good thing. All the people here have been very nice.