Christmas By The Sea

The village of Pugwash is full of artists and bakers, writers and photographers, as well as a lovely population of friendly, caring people. There is always a good energy about Pugwash (even when dealing with an economic crisis: http://www.thechronicleherald.ca/novascotia/228273-fine-salt-portion-of-pugwash-mine-to-close-leaving-42-jobless ) and my creativity gets fired up after hanging out there.

Christmas By The Sea is such a lovely name and it includes a Christmas house tour as well (which will be featured in this week's issue of the newspaper).
It also includes the annual Christmas Farmers' Market, held today at the Pugwash High School which provides lots of room for a variety of vendors. It gets bigger every year and there's always something unique to buy. I wish I'd saved more shopping money to treat myself to a couple of pillows handcrafted out of wool and fleece by an artist in Port Elgin.

Here is Wes and Maryanne Trenholm from Mount Pleasant with their homemade soaps and preserves. They are a young couple with three children (the youngest only 3 months old!) who are determined to make a living with what they can produce themselves.

Jenn Houghtaling of Pugwash sells her one-of-a-kind pottery. I'm looking forward to writing an article about her creative genius, which isn't limited to pottery; she also weaves, felts, knits, and cooks.

Louise Cloutier, who is the art teacher at Pugwash High, created these "tree sprites" out of driftwood and clay faces (which she made herself). Love these!

And this is only a taste of what is found in Pugwash and at the annual Christmas Farmers' Market. Doesn't it make you want to move to Cumberland County and breathe in some of this creative air yourself? At the very least, remember to check out Christmas By the Sea in 2013.