Loose Leaf Notes

-The following first appeared with a slightly different selection of photos in The Floyd Press on December 7, 2017.

Shoppers mingle at the 23rd annual Winterfest Arts and Crafts Festival, the Floyd Center for the Arts longest running event.  The Saturday through Sunday event, December 3rd and 4th, featured more than 30 vendors of regionally made arts and goods.

Bronwen Valentine’s paintings made a striking display. Valentine sits with her daughter, who also had original art for sale.

Mary Hadden’s ceramic fairy chimes, clocks and bowls drew a lot of attention.

Shoppers study the unique Altered Art jewelry made of recycled electronic parts by Denise LaRue of The Family Jewels.

Artist Deborah Carrino adjusts one of her framed watercolor batik paintings.

Woos Q gourmet BBQ sauce vendor passed out samples throughout the two day event.  The photography of Aileen Fletcher is also pictured.

“Shop Local,” said this shopper after purchasing some honey and beeswax candles from the Locust Grove Apiary, a family business.

The Festival of Trees returned to Winterfest for the 4th year.  Over 50 businesses stepped up, decorating trees that were silent-auctioned off to benefit the Floyd Center for the Arts.  Decorated wreaths were also included this year.

A young boy with a wolf face painting admired a tree decorated with candy. “Look at the top!” he said, pointing to a giant tin-foiled wrapped chocolate.

Many trees had treasures and gift certificates hidden in the branches.  Floyd’s Fiddlesticks Farmhouse B&B, home of the Manor House Teas, contributed a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party tree that included a gift certificate for an overnight stay at the Farmhouse and tickets to a Holiday High Tea Party. The tree was topped with a miniature tea cup and sign that read “Drink Me.”

Volunteers served up refreshments at the Winterfest Café.

Betse Dunham (far right, smiling) has been supervising children’s art activities at Winterfest since her now 18-year-old son was a young boy. She thanked Pinterest for some of her art-making ideas.

Woodcarver Lanny Bean presented his whimsical carvings. Some of Bean’s carvings seen around town include the bear and horse at Wills Ridge Supply.

Michael Diaber’s Fancy Scrap booth featured his upcycled lamp sculptures and lighted Christmas trees and stars made from found costume jewelry.

Do Not Open Till Christmas! Twenty-three days left, read this sign at the Frog Hollow Pottery booth.