On the weekend of the De Herdt Gardens’ Artisan Christmas Market, winter’s wicked side was on full view. Snow and ice were everywhere, and the cold seemed to scald the skin.
Inside, the store it was like a tropical paradise. There was warmth, festive music and the blended fragrance of Belgian waffles, baked treats and hot chocolate.
No wonder so many flocked to Southside Greenhouses, as it is still commonly called. No wonder so many lingered by the tables, taking in the extravagant display of local talent covering art, crafts and homemade cooking.
In the background, for almost as far as the eye could see were poinsettias, the most popular of Christmas houseplants.
The Leader spent a good hour on Saturday, Dec. 7, talking to vendors and sampling the atmosphere. When we arrived The Madrigal Singers were performing a selection of Christmas songs, while nearby Trudy Gammel served hot chocolate and Belgian waffles.
The waffles drew a steady stream of visitors, who have Koen De Herdt’s mother to thank for their flavour.
“I phoned my mother for the recipe,” he said.
“We’ve had a really good attendance today,” said Gammel. “People love the waffles. They are like a party in your mouth.”
Here are some of the other highlights of the market:
Kallal has her daughter to thank for opening up to her the joys of making earrings about two years ago.
“I like colour, I like texture,” she said. “I try and play with them and put them together,” she said.
Kallal, a self-confessed bling lover, said she uses surgical steel back hooks for people with sensitive ears. She also works with Swarovski crystal.
“It’s the real deal,” she said.
“I do this as a hobby, not as a business, so I don’t charge very much.”
Since about 1970 Florence Close has been putting her creative talents to use in a one-woman cottage industry.
Her table on Saturday was full of handmade items suitable as Christmas gifts, from scarves and microwave potato bags, to little angels designed from fabric and lace.
She was also selling reversible aprons; they have patterns on both sides.
“I just do this at Christmas,” she said.
Sometimes referred to as the two Ms, Barrhead Art Club members Jefferies and Flinn have provoked a lot of interest with their Paverpol sculptures, some of which were on display on Saturday, along with other artwork.
The pair have become Paverpol art instructors in Barrhead, Westlock and Edmonton. On Saturday, people had a chance to sign up for their February workshop.
“We’ve had lots of interest today,” said Jefferies. Jefferies and Flinn will also be taking part in the Home and Garden Show in Edmonton in March.
Asked about appeal of Paverpol art, Jefferies replied: “I think it’s the whimsy of it. It’s a form of artwork you can put in your house or garden. You can even put it in a potted plant.”
Inspired by what they saw on a computer website, the Van Loon family created a new line of Christmas characters – treemen.
It became a first-of-its-kind Christmas project for the Tiger Lily family.
Their creations require going out into the bush to find poplar, birch-type trees, cutting branches to the right size and shape, and putting on decorations.
“We played with the idea, and made it our own,” said Ilse Van Loon. “At home we have treemen that are twice as big. We made smaller ones to sell here.”
Ilse and her 12-year-old daughter, Lisa, manned the table on Saturday. Next to the treemen were little snowmen, made out of four-by-fours and lots of socks.
“A lot of people have come up to have a look,” said Ilse. “They say what we are doing is a nice idea. Hopefully, they will return to buy.”
Next spring, a 35-strong Neerlandia Christian Reformed Youth group will be going to Honduras. The team will be supplying clean water for families and building relationships within the community.
“We are trenching water from the mountain and making a cistern,” said Evelyn Krikke. “Then the locals keep on trenching down and it leads water to three communities.”
Krikke has been helping to raise funds for the service project trip, which is being organized through World Renew.
On Saturday, she and Heather Holwerda were selling baked goods. “I don’t know how much we have raised today,” said Krikke. “Each kid has to raise $2,100 to go. We are pretty excited about the trip.”
