We've Got You Covered!

Many of my friends prefer fall to any other season and look forward to the cool, crisp air, gorgeous colors, and crunchy leaves underfoot. As a summer-lover myself, I get through the second half (the cold half) of fall by anticipating the warmth and laughter the Holidays always bring. That and my wood stove. As tradition in my family, we do a gift swap with the recipient drawn ahead of time. Although it is only one gift, there is a certain amount of pressure to get the perfect gift for your chosen person. Designing Women has bailed me out of embarrassment for several years. My search for the impossible person year after year always seems to end at a Designing Women Show. With the age of online shopping and far-reaching ad campaigns for the greatest new thing, it is great fun to be surprised by the ingenuity of a local artist/craftperson who created the perfect gift with their hands.

To aid your Holiday Shopping expedition, here is a list of our remaining shows:

Nov. 16, 2013 from 9am-4pm
Freeport
Merriconeag Waldorf School
57 Desert Rd.
*Benefiting non-profit: Partners for Rural Health in the Dominican Republic

Nov. 30, 2013 from 9am-4pm
Portsmouth
The Frank Jones Center
400 Rte. 1 Bypass
*Benefiting A Safe Place

December 14, 2013 from 9am-4pm
Portland
Ocean Avenue Elementary School
150 Ocean Avenue
*Benefiting the Ocean Avenue Elementary School PTO

Kennebunkport Support

Oodles of new work and over 20 amazing artisans await you at our Kennebunkport show. We are excited to be in the port and to support the Children's Program at Graves Library! If it seems to early to holiday shop, (it isn't), stop by, say hello, browse, converse, and be delighted! 

Meditation Bowls by Cathy Cantara

Show Details: 

October 5th from 9am-4pm

The Consolidated School

25 School St., Kport

Great fall patterns and hues - bring on the plaid!

Wool/silk blend scarves by Paula Robert Handwovens

 

Outside!!!!!

Ahhh! The crisp fall air is upon us! Our 2013 show season begins with our only outdoor show this year at the beautiful Longfellow's Greenhouses. Every year we look forward to this most wonderful event and are doubly excited for our 7th annual return.

Joining the 20 amazing lady artisans will be Winthrop's own children's author, Lynn Plourde. She will be on hand with Apple Valley Books to autograph and sell copies of her new book, "You're Wearing THAT to School?!" Feel free to wear your own twirl-worthy skirts and dresses - and bring your little ladies in their finest get-ups!

Additionally, we will have a stationary smoothie bike blending fantastic smoothies! 

What more could you possibly want out of your Sautrday - art, books, plants, and smoothies! Please join us! We cannot wait to get started with our 2013 season! 

Show details:

When: August 24, 2013

Time: 9:30am-4:30pm

Where: Longfellow's Greenhouses, 81 Puddleduck Rd., Manchester, ME 04531

Cost: Suggested $2 door donation and all luncheon/snack proceeds to benefit Winthrop's Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center

 

Holiday Fever

Happy Holidays!

We've rounded the corner of our show season and have firmly arrived at a wonderful place: Our Annual Portland Holiday Show! I love this lively show as it is always buzzing with amazing, happy energy, and filled with creative, fun, and festive gifts.

Paintbox Collection Placemats, Suzanne Connor

This year, we are at a new location: the Ocean Avenue School. Fittingly, our benefiting non-profit for this show is the Ocean Avenue School PTO. Snacks and luncheon items will be readily available for purchase. All the proceeds from the food/beverage sales and the suggested $2 entry fee will be donated directly to this wonderful non-profit. Thank you for helping support our little ones, their teachers, and their school!

Puddle Boots, Wendilee Heath O'Brien

Doors will be open from 9am-4pm on Saturday, December 8th.

We look forward to seeing you and celebrating this most joyous season with you!

Being Thankful

With this Thanksgiving season upon us, we have much to be thankful for: Living in a glorious part of this free country, receiving and sharing loving support from family and/or friends, an abundance of good, local food to eat, and, two hands to create with. Our shows are a great way to share our thanks with you, and to help thank and support other non-profits who assist women and children in our local communities.

Shouldering the Thanksgiving Holiday, we have two shows: Freeport and Portsmouth.

Our Freeport show will take place on November 17th at the beautiful Merriconeag Waldorf School on Desert Road. Doors will be open from 9am-4pm. Our benefiting non-profit this year is the most wonderful Hardy Girls Healthy Women. We are thrilled to partner with such a positive organization that is dedicated to the health and well-being of girls and women.

Lynette Breton

Our Portsmouth Show will feature over thirty lady artisans at the Frank Jones Center on November 24th from 9am-4pm. The benefiting non-profit for this show is A Safe Place, whose mission is to prevent and eliminate domestic abuse.

Linda Perrin - Atlantic Art Glass

Please join us at one or both of our Thanksgiving shows. Thank you for supporting Designing Women and helping our local non-profits flourish and continue to do good works!

We wish you a most memorable, loving, and wonderful Thanksgiving!








 

Fall Harvest

Happy fall!!!

Our only Bangor show this year is upon us! We are most excited to help support the amazing non-profit, Spruce Run. We have twenty beautifully talented artisans and craftswomen ready to help you usher in the Thanksgiving season! 

Addie Peet - Floorclothes

Enjoy the opportunity to meet our artisans, and join us for a wonderful selection of jewelry, handwovens, home accents, handblown glass, and more! 

Susan Watson of Midsummer Nights Meadow Farm

Doors will be open from 9am-4pm at the Center for Family Business, located at Husson University. The suggested $2 door donation as well as all luncheon and snack proceeds will go directly to Spruce Run. 

We hope to see you at our lovely show! 

Summer into fall

It's mid August. Already we are seeing flashes of yellow leaves. Can summer be winding down already?

To usher in the end of summer and welcome fall, we have two great upcoming shows.

Sally Bags

The first is in Manchester on August 25th from 9:30am - 4:30pm at the beautiful Longfellow's Greenhouses. Longfellow's are fantastic hosts and offer great end of the season sales as well! We are thrilled to return for our fifth consecutive year with over twenty talented lady artists and craftswomen! Our Manchester show is a wonderful way to peruse and discover great art and to meet some of our amazing lady artisans!

Shipyard Point Glassworks

The suggested $2 door donation and luncheon/snack proceeds will directly benefit the Sexual Assault Crisis and Support Center's vital services. A list of exhibitors can be found on our website or our FB page.

The following weekend, on September 1st, from 9am-4pm, we can be found in Camden at the First Congregational Church on Elm St. As always, Camden is a beautiful show, brimming with great energy and amazing art.

Catherine Worthington

The suggested $2 door donation, lunch and snack proceeds will benefit New Hope for Women.

Soon we will be welcoming yellow school buses, preserving the last of the seasonal harvest, and enjoying the crisp fall air. Savor the last gasp of summer and visit us in Manchester and Camden.