Arts & Crafts

Fashion an elegant, holiday decoration from fresh boxwood, velvet ribbon, gold balls, berries and naturally dried gypsophila. This tree makes a great gift that can be enjoyed for months.

Tuesday, Dec. 3, 6-8 p.m., 1 session

Course Fee: $17

Material Fee: $25, payable to instructor at class

Students will learn techniques for making beautiful handcrafted soaps utilizing farm fresh goat milk, natural colorants including clays, oatmeal, honey, herbs, activated charcoal, and essential oils for scenting. We will make two 5 pound loaves of goat milk soap. Each student will leave with a bar of previously made & cured soap. Back Fields Farm is the home of The Little Creamery and a herd of a beloved Nubian Dairy Goats. Michele is proud to hand milk and hand craft goat milk soaps & bath/body products. This small farm operates with a philosophy of compassionate sustainability: A no-kill farm where healthy, productive animals forage in organic pasture and woodlands and all born here live out long happy lives in our care. Bring to class: eye protection and wear long sleeves. Class size limited to 10.

Tuesday, Oct. 15 or Nov. 19, 6-8 p.m., 1 session

Course Fee: $36

You will make all natural holiday soaps. These soaps make the ideal handmade all natural gift and are the perfect addition to any holiday décor. You will make one snowman and one penguin from a provided soap base. Bring to class: students will need to wear long sleeves.

Monday, Dec. 2, 6-8 p.m., 1 session

Course Fee: $31

Students will explore a variety of wet and needle felting techniques to turn wool fleece into a standing sculptural bird. Students will learn how to make wire legs, needle felt a core with undyed wool, wet felt sheet felt to use as wings and tail. Students will assemble a sculptural bird complete with handmade glass eyes created by the instructor.  Students will also learn how to create sculpted beaks. This an amazing, colorful sculptural medium. Some felting or sculpture experience would be helpful but not necessary. This is a beginner friendly class, but students will hopefully gain the confidence to take on any felting project and more advanced students will learn a bunch of my tricks and techniques. Bring to class: a sketchbook for notes, an old bath towel (not your best), VERY SHARP scissors and bring LOTS of photos of your intended subject bird. A 3 needle pink Clover needle holder is my favorite and recommended. It can be found online or purchased from the instructor for $14

Tuesday, Oct. 1-15, 6-9 pm, 3 sessions

Course Fee: $95

Material Fee: $40,payable to instructor at first class(materials includes basic wet felting kit, extra felting needle, felting foam, glass eyes, wire, beak material and a variety of fleece. Extra fleece, needles and holders and glass eyes available for purchase.)

Jennifer Field is a mixed media artist living in Eliot, Maine. She travels all over the country teaching and showing her glass beads, jewelry and felted sculptures. Her work incorporates needle and wet felted wool, lampworked glass, enameled metal and other mediums into whimsical sculptures and jewelry. Her subject matter is inspired by nature: Birds, animals and flowers are among her favorite forms. With a background as a toy, fabric, graphic and product designer and an illustrator and after 20+ years creating lampworked glass beads and metal jewelry, Jennifer discovered felting with wool and it has become her primary passion. Jennifer maintains a colorful dreamy studio at Salmon Falls Mills in Rollinsford, NH.

Go beyond the Literal. Explore abstraction through progressive weekly fun exercises and projects. For all levels. All media: drawing, painting, collage, mixed media. Feedback and group discussions about the work. Exposure to contemporary work and ideas from Matisse to now. Bring to class: materials list supplied at registration.

Thursday, Oct. 17- Nov. 14, 6-8 p.m., 5 sessions

Course Fee: $67 

In this class, you will decorate glass wine bottles to create unique wine bottle lights, which make beautiful additions to any home or unique gifts. Bring to class: a wine bottle you can decorate; all other materials provided.

Thursday, Oct. 3, 6-7:30 p.m., 1 session

Course Fee: $21