Winter has begun!

We've had a perfect snowfall-- just enough to cover everything and stick to all the trees and create the beautiful dreamy landscape that I love... and it's been cold, so the snow has stayed. It all came down right before I was set to drive to Toronto, but the roads got plowed, and I got my winter tires on at the last minute ;)

I was loathe to leave my loghouse in this snowy paradise, where despite the cold, I can cozy up to the fire, but I was motivated by the promise of a craft fair, and the opportunity to showcase our commuynity of folk artisans to the broader public. So I gathered up all my things and made my way to Toronto the 1st of December.

As part of our Kosa residency at Hart House, we were invited to join the Arts Market organised by the students Arts Committee in the Great Hall. It was midday on a Tuesday, so it was tough getting enough artists from our community who were available, but a few were able to swing it, and in the end we had a very small but quite impressive representation of our community.

My display of "corn dollies" and straw talismans.

My display was mostly what is known as "corn dollies" in the UK, which is a carry-over from old times when the last sheaf of "corn" (the old word for grain) was collected to house the spirit of the grain from the fields in the house, in the form of a "dollie" or figure. In Ukrainian and Eastern European tradition, we still remember this old ritual, by bringing in a sheaf of grain and having it at the holiday feasting table. We call this sheaf the "didukh" (Grandfather Spirit), and it usually still resembles a sheaf, though it's often decoratively arranged or styled, (and increasingly smaller and stylized these days). I didn't have any proper didukhy on display, but Nadiia Voloschuk did-- and she made some beautiful tall arrangements. Neat to have these different European folklore reference points.

Nadiia Voloshchuk's gorgeous didukhy and also bridal wreaths made of handmade wax flowers.

The Great Hall was a beautiful location for the holiday market, with classical music (played by students) filling the old-fashioned space designed in the European neo-Gothic style. Though we were a bit different from the other vendors, it was pretty cool to shake it up with Ukrainian flavour, and also showcase some authentic folk art & craft, rustic, and sophisticated.

Mary Ptucha had her @botanette herbal & handstitched creations; Olha Turko (@olhaturko.art) was represented by her mom, who sold her embroidery & crochet, as well as Oha's paintings; Nadiia Voloschuk (@hopefolkart) had an array of her original didukhy, wax wreaths, pysanky motanky dolls, and beaded gerdany & folk toys made by friends in Ukraine; Olya Tkachenko (@olya_t_art) had vytynanky, as well as totes and prints of her original folk paintings, as well as illustrated bilingual Ukrainian folktales books; Iryna Bolodziuk had Petrykivka style folk paintings, pysanky and ornaments; Dayna Pirso, musician and storyteller, typed out poems on demand, turning some magic with student passersby.

It was beautiful to be vending serenaded by the impressive caliber of the classical music students!Thanks to Hart House for having us! Quite the contrast to where I had been making, in my humble home ;)

The mess of straw that makes Malen'ka very happy (here she looks pretty stoic, especially with her battle-scar ;)) but when she gets into the straw she is seriously in happy land purring madly)!

Teas I had photographed last year (I don't have my tree up just yet ;) Sold out of teas at the market, so will be bringing in more dried herbs from the barn and bagging them up for next week! Happy to make a special blend or fill a request, if anyone is interested (dm me <3)

The ever gorgeous forest around my home. Glad to be back and it's still all here! :) Though the -30 last night was a bit of a cold one, haha!

I'm back in the Valley, and will be hosting an embroidered ornament workshop this Wed Dec 10 at the Golden Gatherings shop in Golden Lake 4-6pm! Email me at thisfolklife@gmail.com to register.

Also, I will be vending at the Brooke Valley School Winter Festival & Market- Sat Dec 13! It's very near Perth, ON, and the sweetest lil spot! If you are in the area- hope to see you there! <3