Deliver a Handmade Gift in Bellingham this Season

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NW Yarns offers a once-a-month felting class with Melissa Gragg and a Kids Crafternoon with John Dorrenbacher. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

When it comes to gift giving, there might not be anything more heartwarming than a handmade gift from Bellingham, made with love. Whether you have never made a gift before or are a seasoned crafter, Bellingham offers inspiring ways to get going on a project. From one-time classes to permanent drop-in style locations, check out all the ways crafters of all ages and abilities can cast-on, dip-in and stitch-up some fun.

Apple Yarns
1780 Iowa Street

Gather around the Apple Yarns class table for a chance to learn knitting or crochet at one of their class sessions. Ranging from beginning to advanced knitting techniques, you learn how to cast on and work your way up to cables and colorwork. Learn how to make cozy socks and hats for the whole family or kick up your feet in a clogs class.

You can learn a new skill and make the perfect holiday gift with the help of Apple Yarns. Photo courtesy: Apple Yarns.

Bellingham Public Library
210 Central Avenue

Offering a revolving array of classes, the Bellingham Public Library calendar of events provides numerous opportunities to attend one-of-a-kind crafting classes. Look for skill-share events or paper craft parties. Clicking on the event within the calendar will show class descriptions as well as what age range classes apply to. There are lots of options for school aged children, adults and seniors.

Creativitea
1312 11^th Street

Paint pottery or fuse glass. Creativtea offers ample space and incredible choices for hand-painting mugs, plates, bowls and more. Fused glass ornaments and dishes can be crafted with all the colors of the rainbow at your fingertips, ready to be set in place or sprinkled on. Enjoy your leisurely crafting time while eating delicious little sandwiches or sipping one of their wide selection of teas.

This whimsical Tomten is sure to brighten your mood. Photo courtesy: Fairhaven Toy Garden.

Fairhaven Toy Garden
909 Harris Avenue

Sign up for one of the Saturday felting classes where you might find a session dedicated to bookmark making or the construction of Tomten farm troll figurines. Fairhaven Toy Garden also offers a weekly Kids Club Event on Thursdays that often includes craft making. Check out their Calendar of Events for a complete schedule of crafting activities.

The Foundry
1515 N. Forest Street

No-sew fleece blankets, stencil place mats and hand-crafted cards? You can do all this and more at The Foundry. You can also make some serious gifts through 3-D printing, laser cut, woodshop machines and tools they provide. While you might have to take a safety class for some aspects of this maker-space, you won’t find anything else like it in town.

My Garden Nursery
929 E. Bakerview Road

Do you have a friend or family member that loves plants? My Garden Nursery offers fun plant related crafting events. Keep an eye on their events calendar for holiday inspired classes and more.

Sign up for Melissa Gragg’s once-a-month felting class at NW Yarns and bring home a new handmade item each time. Photo credit: Theresa Golden.

Northwest Yarns
1401 Commercial Street

Get into some really fun felting with Melissa Gragg’s once a month felting class at Northwest Yarns. With big eyed-turkeys inspired by her son to naughty and nice Krumpas dolls, expect to find a new creative project each month. Northwest Yarns also offers Crafternoons for kids with John Dorrenbacher. From potty-trained children up to age 18, John offers crafting activities every 2^nd and 4^th Saturday from 12:00 – 1:00 p.m. Look forward to your kids bringing home anything from pom-poms to crochet cozies, machine knit hats to woven pot holders. You’re also going to find a bounty of classes available. Keep an eye out for doll making, knitting and of course, spinning where you can learn to make your own yarn.

A handmade braided rug could be the perfect holiday gift. Photo courtesy: Ragfinery.

Ragfinery
1421 North Forest Street

Sign up for a workshop class where you can learn no-sew rug making, Shibori dyeing and more. Glean inspiration from your neighbor at one of the after-hours crafting sessions – a great way to craft if you know what you want to work on but just need to get out of the house to do it. A little dedicated time might be just enough to get you well on your way and you can also shop during this time for that little extra something your crafting project needs.

Social Fabric
1302 Commercial Street

Vinyl bags, fingerless gloves, plush pillows and monster dolls – these are just a small sample of things you can learn to make at Social Fabric. Here you can also learn beginning sewing and beginning pattern making, perfect skills for crafting the gift that fits and flatters.

Renee Sherrer and Molly Chambers model their fun, upcycled bags made from old vinyl banners. Photo courtesy: Social Fabric.

Stampadoodle
1825 Grant Street

You know that friend that seems to prefer the card over the present? Stampadoodle’s Tuesday card-making classes are just the place for making that personal handmade greeting card. Plan on making 3 cards during the session and don’t forget to bring your own double-sided tape and scissors.

Two Thimbles Quilt Shop
1805 Cornwall Avenue

It sure rains a lot here and while the common trend is to go out and brave it, you can stand out from the crowd with your own custom made umbrella. Two Thimbles Quilt Shop also offers hand-piecing and English paper piecing techniques that will get you on your way to making quilted gifts. Check out their Classes and Clubs page for a complete list of classes available throughout the year.

Jeff Klausman Receives the 2016 Lisa Ede Excellence in Teaching Award

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Scenic Whatcom County mountain — Photo credit: Justin Pedigo | FC Photography.

Submitted by: Whatcom Community College

Whatcom Community College English professor Jeff Klausman has been awarded the 2016 Lisa Ede Excellence in Teaching Award by the Two-Year College English Association of the Pacific Northwest (TYCA-PNW). Klausman, who has been teaching at Whatcom for 20 years, was honored at the association’s annual conference in October.

teaching-award-october-2016 — Dodie Forrest, TYCA-PNW chair and professor of English at Yakima Valley College, and Lisa Ede, Professor Emeritus at Oregon State University, pose with award winner Jeff Klausman.

The Lisa Ede award is given to those who exemplify innovation and creativity in the teaching of English, who have demonstrated outstanding teaching strategies that motivate students to excellence, and/or who have made a contribution to the field at the two-year college level. One award is given each year to both a deserving adjunct and full-time faculty member. Three other WCC English faculty members have received the award since 2005: Danielle Gray, Jim Spaich and Sherri Winans.

“I’ve been very fortunate to be able to work with outstanding colleagues at Whatcom and across our region,” Klausman said. “This award really reflects the work that I’ve been able to do only because of the people I’ve been able to work with.”

Klausman, who began teaching at Whatcom in 1996, has twice served as English department chair. His accomplishments include developing the teaching-for-transfer curriculum at Whatcom, facilitating a statewide initiative to align all first-year college English courses, and leading an effort to reform and streamline the English course placement process for students, a model that has been adopted by other colleges in Washington and beyond. He has authored several professional guides on developmental education reform and placement reform. Klausman also serves on the executive committee for the Conference on College Composition and Communication and will serve on the leadership team for the College’s recently awarded $150K College Spark grant.

“Jeff has demonstrated leadership and exemplary work in his field,” said WCC President Kathi Hiyane-Brown. “He has had a deep impact on the college and our students’ success throughout his 20 years of service.”

Plick’s Flicks to Provide Fresh Content, Mount Baker to Start a Fresh Season

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Jade Thurston

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Plick's Flicks first time shooting the famous Baker road gap produced this incredible shot. Individuals soar over Mt. Baker highway, WA-542, as vehicles pass by below. Photo courtesy: Plicks Flicks.

As most Whatcom county residents know, ski and snowboard season is just around the corner. In the familiar words of Jon Snow, “Winter is coming.”

Though our winters may never be as vigorous as those in Game of Thrones, Mount Baker is, in fact, predicted to have significant snowfall this season.

On the Mount Baker website, General Manager Duncan Howat said that this winter is expected to have a small La-Niña which could mean an early opening around Thanksgiving. Mount Baker needs about 18 to 30 inches of snow, dependent upon quality and how it packs onto the ground, to open.

Amid Mount Baker’s pre-snow preparations and seasonal crew training, there is another individual getting ready for the snow season: Katie Ann Plick.

Katie Ann Plick, 25, owner of Plick’s Flicks, cherishes the balance between filming and snowboarding on her own time at Mount Baker Ski Area. Photo credit: Corey Warren.

Plick, 25, is the owner and director/shrEDITOR of Plick’s Flicks, a small, talented, female crew in Bellingham that does cinematic storytelling. Plick’s Flicks has been an official business for about a year and a half, but Plick had a camera in her hands long before that.

Plick recalled making videos early in high school, but just as a hobby. Born and raised in Hawai’i, Plick ventured to Washington to attend Western Washington University, where she earned a degree in English literature and language while furthering her videography skills with film and video editing classes.

But the Pacific Northwest had more to give.

“I spent the months following my graduation, a snowboard bum at Mount Baker, shredding powder by day and editing videos by night, motivated by the great outdoors Washington has to offer, which anyone who has driven the winding Mount Baker Hwy. can attest to,” Plick writes on her website.

Katie Ann Plick uses a FS700 camera for the filming of the 30th Banked Slalom at Mount Baker. Photo courtesy: Plick’s Flicks.

Though Plick’s Flicks does anything from Instagram clips, to music videos, to wedding packages, some of her most familiar work is through Mount Baker. In fact, Plick’s Flicks is one of Mount Baker’s sources for commercial advertising.

Specifically, Plick produces monthly “shrEDITS,” Mount Baker video content that typically drop the first of each month during Baker’s season. A shrEDIT lasts around one to two minutes. However, content for the video can take weeks to retrieve.

“Filming is difficult when you have to romp around a snow-covered mountain with a bunch of gear,” Plick explained. “Setting up for every shot takes around 10 minutes, when usually it would take just two to three.”

The gear that Plick must take with her, even on the ski lifts, includes her camera worth thousands of dollars, her tripod, her slider, and up to four of her lenses. That’s a lot to protect from snow, slush, and fog.

Snowy days at Mt. Baker provide some of the best, but sometimes most difficult, moments to film. Photo courtesy: Plick’s Flicks.

Plick also said she aims to haul her gear out to Baker to shoot footage four days out of the week. Some of those days start at sunrise to capture the early-risers tearing through fresh powder.

Plick is dedicated to getting the right shot, sometimes undergoing a four-hour-long period of posting up in one spot and waiting for the precise moment to film. Knowing what kind of content to shoot was an initial challenge.

“Snowboarding videos have a certain edgy style to them,” Plick said. “I like how I’ve learned a lot about combining my smoother, cinematography style with sharp, snowboarding action shots. It’s a great experience.”

Katie Ann Plick marvels over Mount Baker as it peaks above a sea of clouds. Photo credit: Dyrland Productions.

Due to Plick’s Flicks consistent work, the business itself has become well-known up on the mountain. It’s not uncommon for Plick to film semi-pro snowboarders or to have some of her best content shared on other snowboard/skiing outlets, like Teton Gravity Research.

In the cold months to come, when you, yourself, are not gliding down Mount Baker, be sure to fill that void with Plick’s Flicks’ creative content. It will not disappoint.

To learn more about Katie Ann Plick and Plick’s Flicks click here.

Village Books’ Giving Tree Returns

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LocalTalk Contributor

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Submitted by: Village Books

It is that time of year when the collaboration among book lovers, Village Books, and several community organizations provides the gift of reading to local children and families through Village Books’ Giving Tree. For the past 20 years we’ve provided books for thousands of kids who would not otherwise have received them. Last year alone, because of your generosity, we gave books to almost 1,300 children through eight local organizations!

Village Books Lynden — Village Books and other community organizations give the gift of literacy. Photo courtesy: Village Books.

The Giving Tree is available now through January 1 in both Fairhaven and Lynden.

How can you help?

Choose an angel ornament from the tree in the store and purchase a book for a recipient. You will be offered a 20% discount for your Angel book purchase. The books will be distributed to kids, through community organizations, in the weeks before Christmas.

Whether you pick up one angel this year, or ten angels, you can appreciate that the children of our community will enjoy a happier holiday season because of your gift.

Books are distributed through the following organizations:

Chuckanut Brewery Taps Special Lagers for the Holidays

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LocalTalk Contributor

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beer, cup, glass, goblet chuckanut, brewery — Indulge in a good lager for the holidays. Photo courtesy: Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen.

Submitted by: Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen

It’s not often that a small craft brewery can say they have Marzen Lager and Baltic Porter for the holidays. But November is a lucky time to be drinking some great Chuckanut beers with these two special craft lagers on tap in the Pacific northwest. Both beers are malty, drinkable beers with distinct features highlighting the use of specialty malts and European hops. Balanced and food friendly Marzen is copper in color with a complex malt structure that goes great with roasts. The Baltic Porter is deep in color, rich, and a full bodied aged lager. It goes great with winter squashes however they are prepared.

chuckanut winter bock — Toast your friends and family with a specialty lager this holiday season. Photo courtesy: Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen.

Chuckanut Marzen is incredibly smooth with a slightly sweet palate, and an almost spicy flavor complemented by a deep toffee like aroma. Chuckanut’s Marzen lager has an appetizing bitterness that serves to balance rather than challenge the malt underpinnings. At a strength of about 5.7 percent, it’s slightly stronger than Pilsner, but not as strong as a Bock beer. Marzen pairs great with roast turkey, char-broiled steaks, pizzas and burgers. It’s absolutely terrific with ham when it’s glazed, honeyed, or peppered. Chuckanut Marrzen has won numerous awards both nationally and statewide and is always sought out when available. It will be served at several festivals, at Chuckanut Brewers nights around the Puget Sound this holiday season, at the Kitchen in Bellingham and at the Tap Room at the Port of Skagit.

Chuckanut Brewery’s Baltic Porter has been aged a year and is being released in very limited quantities the day after Thanksgiving as thanks to all the loyal Chuckanut fans who have been supportive during 2016. This amazing lager historically was brewed in the Baltic countries and fashioned after the British Porters and Russian Stouts using traditional lager yeast. Baltic Porter is a high alcohol beer with just enough bitterness to balance the sweetness of its dark malts, lots of dark fruit aromas and flavors, and a smoothness that deceives its high alcohol content. Available only at Chuckanut’s Kitchen in Bellingham and the South Nut Tap Room make sure to get in before it’s all gone.

Chuckanut Brewery and Kitcehn — Chuckanut Brewery is the perfect place to raise a glass this holiday season. Photo courtesy: Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen.

Both Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen and Chuckanut’s South Nut Tap Room will be closed on Thanksgiving Day so staff can spend time with family and close friends. Both locations will open again on Friday, November 25 during regular hours with the tapping of the Baltic Porter. Don’t forget to do some of your holiday shopping at Chuckanut as gifting the new line of schwagg is a great way to show your love of family and friends!

Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen, located at 601 West Holly Street in Bellingham, was awarded the National Small Brewpub/Brewer of the Year 2009 and National Small Brewery/Brewer of the Year 2011 at the Great American Beer Festival in Denver, CO.

Experience these special craft lagers for yourself:

The full service “Kitchen” serves from 11 am every day to guests of all ages with an eclectic, fresh, local menu. The South Nut Tap Room at 11937 Higgins Airport Way in Burlington is open Monday, Wednesday and Thursday from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. It serves all ages. You are welcome to bring your own food or get some food from the trucks – Pizzaza (Friday) and Vagabond (Wednesday) or other guest trucks when they are present. Check out additional information about Chuckanut Brewery & Kitchen on their website.

A Plethora of Fun Events Await at Village Books this Holiday Season

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There will be an excess of fun at Village Books this holiday season! The Grinch is coming yet again. This time he will pay two visits to the Fairhaven store, both on Friday, November 25. Then he will be in Lynden on Saturday November 26 for one appearance. While I’m on the subject of visits, Santa and Mrs. Claus will be following the Grinch in Lynden on Saturday, December 17 so folks can get their pictures taken with them too! In addition, a series of other fun events await.

Village Books is thrilled to be hosting Kathleen Dean Moore on Saturday, December 3 to present her first novel, “Piano Tide.” Known for her brilliant environmental writing in books like “Wild Comfort” and “Moral Ground” it is so exciting to now be celebrating her first foray into fiction!

Peter Ames Carlin, author of “Homeward Bound: The Life of Paul Simon,” will be here on December 6. This follows closely on the heals of his bestselling book, “Bruce” about the Boss himself. Peter Carlin will be playing some songs of Simon’s.

Unless otherwise noted, all events are free and take place in the Readings Gallery at Village Books at 1200 11th Street, Bellingham, WA, 98225.

To see all the fun events happening at Village Books & Paper Dreams, check out our community calendar or the Village Books website.

Village Books & Paper Dreams New Store Hours:

Fairhaven: Monday-Thursday: 9:00 a.m. – 9:00 p.m.; Friday – Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m.; Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Lynden: Monday – Saturday: 9:00 a.m. – 8:00 p.m.; Sunday: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Thanksgiving Eve hours: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Thursday, Thanksgiving Day – Closed

Christmas Eve: 9:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m.

Closed Christmas Day

New Year’s Eve: 9:00 a.m. – 6 p.m.

New Year’s Day: Fairhaven: 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. Lynden: 11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.

Shopping Local for the Holidays: An Experience as Good as the Gift

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LocalTalk Contributor

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sustainable connections, buy local, holiday — Supporting local businesses keeps our community healthy and strong. Photo courtesy: Sustainable Connections.

Submitted by: Sustainable Connections

With the holiday season here and all the trips, gifts, and stress it can entail, Sustainable Connections would like to share its top five tips to enjoy holiday shopping!

Selecting just the right gift can be as fun as giving it. Photo credit: Megan Gehring.

Tip #1) Keep it local: This may be the number one way to enjoy your holiday shopping. Find the perfect gift and strengthen our community all at the same time. Peruse welcoming and unique shops with knowledgeable staff, maybe with a pastry from the bakery down the street. Feel good about getting that one-of-a-kind gift for your special someone while supporting our neighbors and local economy. It beats the long lines and crazy crowds hands down!

Tip #2) Knock it all out at once: Head out November 26^th for Shop Small Saturday. Tick off all of your shopping to-dos with local independent businesses around Whatcom County while having the chance to win incredible prize packages all at the same time. Participating businesses will be handing out shopping passports, so get a stamp at each store and be entered to win. Plus enjoy the extra holiday festivities happening in downtown Bellingham the same day.

Tip #3) Use the Buy Local for the Holidays Shopping Guide: It will make figuring out what to give a snap, with hundreds of local gift ideas and exactly where to find them. You can look for the Guide in the Cascadia Weekly during the week of Thanksgiving, Bellingham Alive’s December issue, at local businesses or online at SustainableConnections.org.

The shopping experience at Fringe is as delightful as the clothing they sell. Photo credit: Megan Gehring.

Tip #4) Make it a community affair: Visit one of the many local artisanal markets or attend a holiday event to shop and celebrate with your community. Don’t miss the Allied Arts Holiday Festival with live music, the Bellingham Farmers Market and their tree lighting on December 4^th, and the Fairhaven Holiday Festival in November to name a few. For a full listing of local events visit our website. The more the merrier!

Tip #5) Treat Yourself to a Local Meal: Eating local food during the holidays is a great way to show your love for your family and yourself – grab a bite at one of the restaurants in town that sources locally while you’re out getting gifts, or pick up some local treats for dinner. The flavors are incredible, fresh feels the best, and you can make new holiday traditions with fantastic local ingredients. You can also take the Eat Local for the Holidays Pledge and get some new recipes by visiting our site.

Shopping at neighborhood stores is a powerful way to build our community. When you shop with locally-owned businesses they invest twice as much money here and keep it recirculating three times longer. This means more jobs in the community, more vibrancy and variety – ultimately a more unique place. Here’s to a relaxing holiday season with the ones you love and to creating an incredible community with every purchase!

Bellingham Mariott Hotels Want to Reward You for Your Business

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LocalTalk Contributor

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TownePlace Suites by Mariott — Grab a happy hour drink and a bite to eat at the Chuckanut Lobby Bar. Photo courtesy: Mariott Properties.

Submitted by: Marriott – Bellingham

SpringHill Suites and TownePlace Suites by Marriott – Bellingham, leaders in the Bellingham hospitality industry, want to show their thanks for business booked at their hotels through Marriott’s Rewarding Events.

Marriott Rewards, Marriott’s award-winning rewards program, pays out earned points or airline miles for every dollar a member spends at the hotel. Marriott Rewards points can be used for complimentary room nights at Marriott hotels world-wide and airline miles used for future flights.

But why stop there? Your travelers will still enjoy the benefits of earning Marriott Rewards points/miles when staying with us but YOU as the meeting/travel planner will also earn for their stays! That’s right, you don’t even have to be a guest at the hotel to earn up to 50,000 Marriott Rewards points for booking your next group or event with us. That’s enough points for two complimentary room nights at a Marriott 5-Star resort! Marriott Rewards Events will pay out 10 points to you for every dollar your group or meeting generates at either of our Bellingham hotels. Now that’s a “suite” deal!

Our Marriott Bellingham Hotels provide complimentary hot & healthy breakfast, 24-hour shuttle service, complimentary parking above or secured underground. Guests can workout in the 24-hour Fitness Center, relax in our indoor pool and hot tub, take advantage of the complimentary self-serve laundry, free high speed Wi-Fi, and a business center with PCs and a printer. Beverage and other snacks are available around the clock in our Markets with nightly dining options in the Chuckanut Lobby Bar.

The SpringHill Suites by Marriott Bellingham is a 122 all-suite hotel with refreshing amenities including an in-room microwave, mini-refrigerator and coffee service, separate areas for eating, working and sleeping, a large well-lit desk and a pull-out sofa bed.

Welcome to Real Living – The TownePlace Suites Bellingham offers 83 spacious extended-stay guest rooms which include studio, one and two-bedroom apartment-style suites with functional space for living and working. Each suite features a full kitchen with stainless steel appliances and granite countertops, adjustable work spaces with built-in shelves and lighting, a large flat screen TV and Marriott’s luxurious new bedding.

Contact the Sales team at (360) 714-9700 or email to book your next Rewarding Event!

Home for the Holidays—Buy Locally-Made Gifts This Festive Season

By

Patricia Herlevi

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home for the holidays, shoping, christmas, market, store, — Customers check out vendors at the Home for the Holidays show. Photo courtesy: Joyce Hill.

How many miles did your holiday gift travel? Imagine meeting the craftspeople who produced the gifts you give to your loved ones. From luxurious personal products and gourmet food, to jewelry and art, the Home for the Holidays bazaar brings it all under one roof—the Bellingham Cruise Terminal from November 17- 19.

The 35th Annual Home for the Holidays takes place at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal. Photo courtesy: courtesy Joyce Hill.

Expect a diverse array of gifts from over 60 vendors during the 35^th annual event. Joyce Hill launched the holiday event in 1982, out of a passion for holiday decorating. She held the event in her home. The show would eventually land in several homes including the Lairmont Manor, Bloedel Donovan Field House and the Assumption Church before arriving at the Bellingham Cruise Terminal in 2004.

While the majority of vendors hail from Washington State, five travel here from Oregon and Utah. According to Hill, “This year promises a fabulous selection of seasonal creations to trim your ‘Home for the Holidays,’ distinctive gift items, a few antiques and delicious gourmet foods. The vendors who participate have been hand-picked for their very special creativity. They are a collection of some of the very best in the Northwest.”

Sara and Brent Whitehead own and operate a lavender and honey farm in Lynden. Their unique products will be on sale at the Home for the Holidays Bazaar. Photo courtesy: Sara Whitehead.

One of those vendors is relative newcomer Bee in Bloom. “They have created a line of bath and body products that they hope will comfort your skin and that you will enjoy the essence of the lavender and honey every time you open a Bee in Bloom product. Sara is in her booth the entire event and welcomes you to stop by and try her products,” Hill says.

To get a better appreciation of the work that goes into vendors offering their products, Sara Whitehead, co-founder of Bee in Bloom describes her preparation for the holiday event. “I start working on holiday gift ideas as soon as harvest wraps up in August,” says Whitehead. She and her husband, Brent Whitehead offer a product line of honey and lavender products year-round that they grow on their Lynden farm.

“Joyce told me, when we first met, that I should always have a lot of stock on the shelves,” says Sara Whitehead. “She said full shelves of product sell. Empty or sparse shelves don’t. I stock up on all of the products that we make. The list is quite extensive, so that means a lot of time. I am also making bar soap with our lavender essential oil and honey and lavender buds specifically for Home for the Holiday. I like to have something unique for each show that I come to. I make holiday gift sets that range from $10 to $30.”

Shoppers can buy unique clay jewelry created by Carolyn Oltman at the Home for the Holidays Bazaar. Photo courtesy: Carolyn Oltman.

A Home for the Holidays veteran, Artist-Jewelry Maker Carolyn Oltman also began preparing for the event earlier this year.

”I’m always working on polymer clay jewelry throughout the year,” Oltman says. “My new work each year is the result of experimenting with clay and pushing it beyond the usual methods used by others. I like to have several new lines of jewelry ready for the Home for the Holidays Show. No matter how early in the year I start, I am always working on more new ideas the night before the show opens.”

Unlike the Whiteheads, who offer product lines, Oltman offers unique jewelry. “I avoid making mass quantities of pieces of jewelry,” Oltman says. “I’m more interested in keeping new pieces coming. I may have 25 pieces in a certain collection. When they are gone, they are not duplicated and a new design will replace them. Only one necklace, my Big Bead Necklace, is continuously available but the beads are never the same. I sell enough jewelry each year to keep me very busy.”

Customers peruse vendors at the Home for the Holidays show. Photo courtesy: Joyce Hill. — Customers check out vendors at the Home for the Holidays show. Photo courtesy: Joyce Hill.

When asked about her participation with the annual event, Oltman mentions that she looks forward to the Home for the Holidays show. “The people attending the show are interested in meeting the vendors. I enjoy talking to people about my work as there are always a lot of questions about it. The number of people who attend make it the best show I have been in,” remarks Oltman.

Hill agrees. “Home for the Holidays is an annual shopping event that I hope you’ll enjoy as much as we love putting it on for you. This year’s show is holding a drawing for six gift bags. Each contains an assortment of gifts and décor provided by the vendors. Also tucked inside are several gift certificates from local merchants for dining, merchandise and spa treatments.”

Home for the Holidays
Thursday, November 17 from 5:00 to 9:30 p.m.
Friday, November 18 from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Saturday, November 19 from 9:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Admission and parking are free.

A-1 Builders – Fulfilling the Desire to Age at Home

By

Theresa Golden

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a-1 builders — A-1 Builders and Adaptations Design Studio owners, Cindi Landreth and Rick Dubrow, pause on a hike at Artist Point with their grandchildren. Photo courtesy: A-1 Builders.

Home is where the love is. It’s the place memories are made, friends and family gather and day to-day life happens. It’s also a place many people imagine growing old in. Cindi Landreth, design manager and co-owner of A-1 Builders & Adaptions Design Studio, helps people to do exactly that. Working hand-in-hand with clients and universal design solutions, Cindi and her team strategize to find the best suited changes for home owners to help them live comfortably and confidently at home throughout their aging years.

A lot can go into the comfort and care of a home suitable for aging family members. And there can be a lot to consider from a community level all the way down to a minor interior change to a home. When it comes to community, an individual’s ability to age comfortably can depend on ease of travel and close proximity to senior centers, cultural centers or simply access to those particular things that make each person uniquely happy. For aging drivers, safely and easily getting in and out of the driveway and around town can be a huge help. While some driveways and remote home locations might not be entirely alterable for everyone, adaptations such as having an indoor garage built or a carport installed can help provide comfortable and safe conditions for getting in and out of vehicles no matter the weather. For someone who cannot drive, it can make a huge impact to have safe paths and maybe even a bus stop nearby. Pathways from the home to neighborhood sidewalks without challenging level changes or breaks between steps and with hand rails can really help individuals get around more independently. It can mean the difference between still being able to run their own errands, get themselves to doctor visits and pick up groceries versus having to rely on someone else to get them there.

It’s known that the potential for falling can be a tremendous concern when it comes to aging. “Falling is a big issue – the texture of sidewalks and whether there’s a lot of lumps in the sidewalk, that’s prohibitive to someone who can’t pick up their feet very well,” Cindi explains. Fortunately, quite a bit can be done in and around the home to create safer day-to-day situations. Smooth well-lit paths are a good choice for the outside of homes. One level floors with all the necessities on it such as a kitchen, bedroom, bathroom and laundry provide easier access and lower risk when accomplishing daily needs than a first floor with level changes or a multiple story home with stairs. One story homes can even have safety features installed that smooth out transitional changes between rooms so there isn’t an extra element to trip on. If a home does have steps or stairs, features such as a sturdy weight bearing wall hand rails, lifts and even elevators can be installed to make aging in place more feasible.

There are also a lot of modification options for adding lighting to a home to help with security or anxiety caused by diminishing vision or just the tendency to become more anxious as we age. Thoughtful placement and selection of light switches can be installed to keep anyone from having to walk down a dark hallway or into a dark room where there may be tripping hazards. Plenty of lights around the home can help people feel safer and less vulnerable as well. Light can also help with mood. “Natural light is amazing at how it affects a person’s happiness,” Cindi shares. “As we age, a lot of people can get depressed or sad and maybe are more sensitive to seasonal affective disorder. Having a lot of natural light and having it come from more than one direction is a really good thing to add.” Natural light solutions can come in many forms such as skylights, solar tubes and by adding extra windows.

While most hope to age well, and many people do, there are also many instances where more extensive care may need to be provided. Someone who may need a walker for daily assistance or a wheelchair may find that in order to stay at home, movement related modifications to the house might need to be made.

“With the goal of keeping a person as independent as possible, for as long as possible, wide hallways and doorways are an advantage. Turning corners into rooms or even just turning around in the hallway when using assisted mobility devices requires more space. Ideally, doorways will become 36” and hallways 42” wide.” Cindi explains. “It also helps when a person needs assistance with their mobility.” Having plenty of room around furnishings is also a big help. Walk-in tubs, curbless showers, washlets, and grab bars in the bathroom can really improve self-care. Even a small change in faucet handles can mean the difference of being able to turn on or off water when needed.

Through Adaptations Design Studio and A-1 Builders (they are the same company), a designer can discuss aging needs on a personal level. Clients can access a checklist where they can go through and decide what the must-need alterations will be based on their own perception and experience of their home. “Most people, when we first meet with them when they want to do an aging-in-place consultation, are very much focused on low-maintenance of the house,” Cindi shares. This involves focusing on changes that can make the home easier to manage as a whole. Cindi or one of her team members can do a walk-through to determine potential problem areas related to aging or even problem areas associated with the general health and wellness of the house. A-1 Builders can even provide a realtor to discuss the potential value that remodel plans can add to the home.

Bellingham is a popular area to retire and home remodeling can give an advantage to an on-the-market home that already provides aging-in-place adaptations. While aging is often something people think about for the future, remodels and feature changes can take time and it is best to have those changes in place well before they are actually needed.

To learn more about aging-in-place, visit www.a1builders.ws. For an aging-in-place consultation with one of the designers, Cindi Landreth, Maggie Bates or Sharon Petker, call 360-734-5275 and ask for Rick Dubrow.

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Apple Yarns
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