Christmas at the Winery 

(in aid of United Way of Chatham-Kent)

The Erie Ridge Cultural Action Team (CAT) is collaborating with the CK Etsy Team and the New Hope Beaders at an artisan holiday market. 

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=118746154901581
“Buy Local, Buy Handmade”

Look for sterling & gemstone jewellery, candles & home décor, photography, bath &beauty, wearables, steampunk jewellery, infant & children’s gifts – and specialty coffees and desserts from DeKoKo’s Espresso and Dessert Café.



Elegant light refreshments by Brownie’s Catering are included in the $10.00 ticket.
A cash wine bar will allow participants to savour Chatham-Kent’s local wine while Tom Lockwood entertains on his guitar.

Community Futures Development Corporation is part sponsor of the event.

For further information on the event: 519 354 9143 or 519 784 2548.


To purchase tickets, please visit one of these locations:



Buxton Historic Site & Museum-North Buxton
DeKoKo’s Espresso and Dessert Café -Chatham
Downie Photo-Blenheim
Mitton’s Jewelers -Ridgetown
Smith & Wilson Estate Wines -Cedar Springs

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We hope to see you there! 

~ck etsy team

If you've been pining away for an original piece of art to add to your collection, visit Christy DeKoning's  Etsy shop this weekend when ALL original ACEO paintings will be on sale!

Starting Friday, June 4th, every single original ACEO painting will be marked down to $10 at www.christydekoning.etsy.com

"What's an ACEO?" you ask...

A - art

C - card

E - editions

O - originals

It's a collectible, affordable, miniature piece of art that measures exactly 2.5 x 3.5 inches (like a hockey card)

"Well that's all good, but what am I supposed to do with it?" 

1. frame it and stick it on your favourite wall

2. trade it with your other cool friends

3. prop it up in a little tiny easel

4. keep it in a collector's album if you have too many ACEOs to display, or if you visit ACEO swaps often.

Here's a site to go and read up on the popular trend of buying and trading ACEOs: http://www.art-cards.org/about.html - and then when you've decided you really need to start your own collection, don't forget to drop by www.christydekoning.etsy.com this weekend for her biggest ACEO sale of the year. 

Sale ends Sunday at midnight.

CAI: On the Edge

In celebration of the new CK on the Edge festival, July 8 – 18, 2010, ARTspace - our local artist-run gallery - is asking artists throughout Chatham-Kent to submit to the “On the Edge” juried community initiative! Participating artists are asked to respond to an edge through their artwork. This edge can be a physical edge, an artistic edge, or even a psychological edge. As the outline states, "This is a perfect opportunity to push your limits as an artist or artisan; all medium and subject matter are welcome." and as I always state...

It's time to push my growing edge!

I'm a busy girl this summer, so when another local artist - Christy Dekoning - invited me to join in on her On the Edge submission, I was over joyed. Christy, another artist on the CK Etsy Team, is an amazing fine artist, focusing many of her pieces in water colours. She does a lot of custom portraiture and how tickled pink was I when she asked me to pose for her painting?

Last weekend we trekked out to Lake Erie and pushed our edges. It was windy and the water was FREEZING. The sky was overcast and my clothes were blowing every which way... but we captured some (24) interesting shots and I am intrigued to see what Christy comes up with.

This initiative is open to anyone in Chatham-Kent and submission is only $5 (exhibiting members discount available). A cash prize will be awarded to the curator’s choice! All submissions are due at ARTspace by Wednesday, June 30th, 2010. No work can be accepted after this due date. An opening reception for this initiative will occur at ARTspace on July 8th 2010 @ 7:00! The exhibition will be on display at ARTspace from July 7 – 31, 2010.

CK Team Represents at Retrofest

Have you heard of Retrofest? It's a big deal, you know. A weekend (long weekend, this year, God Save the Queen -- Victoria--) of dreams for car lovers... check it out:

"Classic car enthusiasts and Chatham-Kent residents looking for some good ol’ fashion family fun will have the chance to flock to the annual Retrofest event in downtown Chatham. Sponsored by the Kent Historic Auto Club, more than 600 classic vehicles are expected to be on display. A Kid’s fun area will be available at the TD Canada Trust parking lot on King Street in downtown Chatham as well." (from CKDP.ca)

This year, the CK Etsy Team is jumping head first into the festivities. Several members will have tables in Downtown Chatham on Saturday May 22 2010. Want to know what else you can see that day? (Besides my friend Josh high-fiving the A&W mascot at Retrofest 2008...)

Enjoy a variety of foods and interactive entertainment all day long. Kids can visit the NEW "CK Children's Services Family Fun Area" located in the Downtown Chatham Centre parking lot. Also view the Twilight truck: "Jump into the twilight experience" with a virtually identical replica of Bella's truck from the first twilight movie, and the Mad Max car: A "spot on" recreation of Mel Gibson's mean ride from 'Mad Max', the General Lee from Duke's of Hazard and the Mayberry RFD Police car. Sing your heart out at the Kareoke booth in Zonta park.

Visit the Insurance Bureau of Canada's (IBC) Be Smart. Be Safe. Exhibit, next to the North Kent Mutual display in the TD Canada Trust parking lot. The exhibit includes the D.U.M.B. car, a simulator that tests drivers’ reactions to distractions. The car includes an actual-size driver’s seat, a gas pedal and brake, a steering wheel, a dashboard, and a plasma monitor.

Legendary Tributes Entertainment presents a 50's styled Sock Hop at The River Rock. Relive the spirit of the 50's while dancing to a live tribute band and artists of famous musicians such as Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, Patsy Cline, and more. Prizes will be awarded for best costume. Tickets are only $20.00 and are selling fast. Purchase your tickets online by visitingwww.legendarytributes.com. Doors open at 6:30.

Sock hop? I'm there.

JR Out!

Blood Ring

Christy Dekoning has been playing with paper. And metal.

And blood.

She says "I have a fun new ring called "Spatter Pattern" that I created while thinking about Dexter. Weird but true. I'll have a lot of new rings, each one completely one-of-a-kind, at RetroFest on Saturday May 23rd. I'll also be representing the team in some way out at Erieau for Art on the Boulevard on July 31st."

Want more? Visit Christy DeKoning, Fine Artist, at her website.

CK Etsy Team Easter Trunk Show

The CK Etsy Team would like to thank local photographer Julie Rhodes-Welch for hosting a trunk show and open house on March 27, 2010. It was a fun, successful event and best of all - filled with colour and sweets!

Team members ItLooksGood, ReJoyceDesigns, London.Art.Girl, ChristyDekoning, ItsMineandAnns, and ModOwl all seemed to have a good time, as did visitors. Congrats to all involved on a successful day!

Wings of Spring

A few members of the CK Etsy Team were vendors at the Wings of Spring event held at Rondeau Provincial Park this past weekend. Here's what they had to say...

"Had lots of fun Sat and Sun at Rondeau with Shannon and Christy. We chatted, we discussed, we needle felted, we visited with other vendors, even saw some birds and made a few sales. Christy did a lot of running here and there taking pictures, even lying on her belly in an attempt to befriend a cagey chipmunk who quickly saw through her ruse. She was then upstaged by my husband Doug who had no problem at all convincing 2 chipmunks to pose only steps away from him. While there weren't as many visitors to the park as expected, which meant our sales were down, it was a lovely way to spend the weekend. So pleased I got to know my 2 cohorts a bit better, even meeting some of their family members. I'm now looking forward to September when we can do it all over again, this time outside, at their Monarch Migration Festival."

...   Ann K.

"Even though it was quiet, I had a great weekend and it was so much fun learning how to needle-felt. I'll def be there for monarchs (Monarch Migration Festival).

- Christy

Shannon makes no formal comment, but I overheard her say that she made some sales and had a good time with her friends from the CK Etsy Team. Shannon's a seasoned Rondeau pro, so you can expect to see her at the next event.

Local Photography and Local Artisans = Spring Trunk Show!

Thank you Julie - of Julie Rhodes Photography - for having us! Come by to check out Julie's amazing photography studio, and view handmade work by these local artisans:

 

ReJoyceDesigns

SunnyDayRain

ItsMineandAnns

WearableArtbyKathryn

MunchkinBabyDesigns

ChristyDekoning

 

We are so happy it's SPRING!!!!!

Red, White and Maple - Citizens of the World, welcome to Canada!

Last night I couldn't sleep, so I hopped on my computer and around 3:30am snagged a treasury. I wasn't sure exactly what I wanted to feature, but being the Olympics, I thought it'd be nice to showcase some of the beautiful red and white handmade goods available from Canadian artisans. I did my best to feature artists that belong to the Chatham-Kent Etsy Team (ChristyDekoning, DancingJellybeanDesigns, TwentySix7, TwistedByShannon, London.Art.Girl, MunchkinBabyDesigns, PurplePeony, SunnyDayRain and me, JenMerritt) or the TransCanada Etsy Team. From across Etsy I searched for red items that were Canadian Made and caught my eye.
Which of these catches yours?

Go Canada!
xoxo Jen

A Spot of Colour by Jenny O

Jenny O of TwentySix7 did it again - another treasury featuring CK Etsy Team members! You may notice ChristyDekoning, PurplePeony, JenMerritt, SunnyDayRain, and TwistedByShannon. All aglory in red and aqua. Come visit us at A Spot of Colour.

Thanks Jenny!

Chase away the clouds - CK Etsy Team members featured in treasury

This treasury was put together by PersephonesPlunders and features artists from the Chatham-Kent area (and a bit beyond).


I have an item featured in this treasury! The sushi set (third row, second from the left) is mine. Other team members included are: Christy Dekoning, Brenda Braun, Shannon McDowell, Jess Wyma, Christina Seagrave, Laura Tetreault, Jenny Oriet and Steph Temesey. We would be grateful if you stopped by to visit the treasury, you see, the more views, the better! And who doesn't benefit from a bit of sunshine on an otherwise cloudy day?

"Take a bit of sunshine and the whole world looks different."

xoxo Jen

Painting with Wine, with Christy DeKoning

Christy DeKoning is an active member of the Chatham-Kent Etsy Team, and in February she will be teaching a class at the Thames Art Gallery. Read below for more information.

 

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Painting with Wine, with Christy DeKoning - Use wine as your medium and
your muse!
Wednesday evening, 6:30 - 9:30 pm; Feb 3.
$25 +gst (membership discounts available)

 To sign up or for more information, please contact:

 

Thames Art Gallery
75 William Street N
Chatham, ON  N7M 4L4
T: 519.360.1998
E: CKCCC@chatham-kent.ca
www.chatham-kent.ca/tag
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