3rd Annual Holiday Open House
Hello Colorful Friends:
First things first today ---- I would like to invite you to the 5th Annual Holiday Open House my family and I are hosting here at our Leyden Glen Farm on December 7 and 8th. Never could I have imagined when my artist friends and I hurriedly cobbled together our first Holiday Open House back in 2015 that we would still be doing this in 2019. Back then, our farmhouse was featured in Yankee Magazine. You can see that article HERE. For those of you not familiar with Yankee Magazine, it is an old-fashioned print publication that has been in business since 1935 - a real accomplishment in this day in age. It features really interesting stories about the folks and places in New England. It still has a devoted subscription base of 300,000. I wanted to take advantage of the good fortune we had of having my work and home featured - knowing that nothing like that would ever happen again. I rallied some artist friends of mine and we threw together a lovely event that features a self-guided house tour, refreshments, and beautiful handmade things for holiday gifts. Five years later, we are still doing it.
I hope you might be able to make it this year!
Last night we had our "organization meeting" and divvied up responsibilities. We've got some new things planned which I am very excited about. There are many people who have come for all five years and I don't want it to get stale and boring. In my next newsletter, I will preview some of the work that will be featured. Suffice it to say, there will be something for everyone - jewelry, textiles, yarn, silks, ornaments, pottery, handmade soap, lamb for holiday meals and dog treats. There will also be a self-guided tour of the handmade, handpainted farmhouse.
Here is some more information on the Open House along with a link to how to get to our farm. We are approximately 2 hours from Boston, 1 hour from Hartford and 3 1/2 hours from NYC.
I'm in the homestretch of my #100daysofvases over on Instagram. Only 5 days to go. This has been a great personal challenge for me to keep making and posting - even when I do not have the time. See the most recent posts below. Follow me on Instagram HERE. Thanks so much for the cheering me on from the reaches of the internet.
Tomorrow morning I will unload my latest kiln firing and head off to the LAST Amherst Farmers Market of the season. Maybe I will see some of you there. My Saturdays will be my own again until next April.
It has been a good long time since I have been excited about a new book. My friend Melanie Falick (and former co-author on Knitting for Baby), has written an amazing book called Making A Life: Working by Hand and Discovering the Life You Are Meant to Live. Add it to your Christmas wishlist or if you can, get it right away. Making A Life explores why we make along with profiles of many interesting makers from all over the world. I'm only 2 chapters in and I don't want it to end. Most of the people profiled were new to me. Melanie is a genius at finding people to profile in the outer bits of the world - not just folks with huge social media followings. Melanie is doing a Book Tour and she might be coming to your town soon. Check out the schedule here.
Here are some links that I found interesting. A bit slim this time because it's been pottery, pottery, pottery making.
• The most beautiful fabric store in the world - Delectable Mountain Cloth in Brattleboro, VT is closing December 31st. Make a pilgrimage if you can. You won't regret it.
• Farrow and Ball - the high end British paint company was parodied on Saturday Night Live. Funny. Watch it here. There is an interesting article about them in The New Yorker here.
• Today I started thinking about decorating the house for the Holiday Open House. It reminded me of the birch house village I made several years ago and that I pull out this time of year. Here is a tutorial on how to make them. It's a great project to do with children or friends.
• The While She Naps podcast is now called Craft Industry Alliance. Same content but a different name. You can listen to it here.
• I'm looking forward to the new season of The Crown. Are you?
I hope you can make it to the farm for the Open House. Bring a friend, your Mom, your sister, your kids. It is a joyous event celebrating color, creativity and life. AND there will be refreshments.
Questions? Respond to this email!
Directions here.
Hope to see you soon.
XO
Kristin December 7/8
10 to 4
31 Glen Road
Leyden, MA 01301
Directions here. ****
**** Our farm - Leyden Glen Farm - is located 2 hours from Boston and 3 1/2 hours for NYC. Just 15 minutes from the Greenfield Rotary (exit 26 off of I-91 North).
My super easy Christmas Stocking Pattern Collection uses only one color per round or row. Purchase for $12 here.
My classic Christmas Stocking Pattern Collection features 6 different designs and many variations and sizes. Purchase for $12 here.
My Knit It Felt It Tech Cozies. They are for more than tech though - use them for business cards, makeup, notebooks and more. Purchase for $6 here.
A quick project to use up your odds and ends of wool yarn. Purchase for $3.50 here.
A preview of our farmhouse in a video shot by Houzz.com
My Google Talk which I presented at Google's Cambridge offices this past June.