Holiday market brightens West Cornwall

Holiday market brightens West Cornwall

Michele Paladino, left, of “Lindera” had a display of wreaths and decorative arrangements. She gathers seeds from native plants and grows them to make her creations. On the right, Helena Barnes of Sharon Valley Honey had three kinds of honey: raw, whipped, and honey butter on sale. The honey comes from bees from her own hives in Sharon. They were at the West Cornwall Holiday Market on Nov. 30.

L. Tomaino

Despite finger numbing cold and a light dusting of snow the night before, on Saturday, Nov. 30, the West Cornwall Holiday Market, held on the lawn of The Wish House, attracted many shoppers.

Ashley Parsons, of “Parsnips Playful Creations” filled her booth with her handmade crocheted and playful teddy bears, dragons, snowflakes, dogs, mushrooms, gnomes, rabbits, and crocheted plants whose leaves, when pulled, became coasters.

Parsons has been making her crafts “since the pandemic.” She just started selling. “It’s a new adventure.” she said.

Lauren Kendrick shared a booth with her mother Treasa Pattison. Lauren said, “I usually paint but have been getting into sewing this year.” She makes “Lauren’s Little Birds” and “teabag” bookmarks made of cloth.

Her mother, Treasa Pattison, who organized the holiday market, had her “Mother Tree Remedies” on sale. Pattison is a medicinal herbalist. Her products “are made from herbs that I either forage for or grow.” Among her products are Sleepy Tea, Poison Ivy Bug Bite cream, Elderberry Elixir, and Arnica Oil.

Michele Paladino of “Lindera,” had wreaths made of grape vine, and decorative arrangements for the holidays. Paladino “Collects native seeds from this region and grows them,” for her products in Falls Village.

Sharing her booth was Helena Barnes, proprietor of Sharon Valley Honey. The honey comes from her own hives. She had three kinds of honey: raw, whipped, and honey butter. She noted “the color of honey is tied to the flowers.” Golden rod, for example, makes darker honey.

At the Birch Lane Rustics’ booth, Matt Wabrek from Canaan, explained how he got started making things. “A cherry tree fell in my yard. I didn’t want to waste the wood.” He milled the wood himself and made a table and charcuterie boards. “I have a welding background and so I could make the legs. I like mixing metal with wood.” He “repurposes and upscales things,” using horseshoes, skis, pickaxes, hoes, hammers, and other old tools in his creations. Birch Lane Rustics will be appearing at craft and artisans fairs in the coming months.

At Lynette’s Precocious Preserves, her helpers, dogs Reese and Rita, wore reindeer antlers and greeted customers. Lynette Hatfield makes the preserves herself in Kent. “Strawgasm,” a mix of strawberry and rhubarb, is a best seller.” She grows her own rhubarb. Other flavors include Black Bear Jam and Mushroom Magic.

Next to Lynette was Pebbles, a French bakery which makes organic and locally sourced baked goods, including scones, Madeleines, tarts, and Coffee Ganache Cake. Owners Ji-Won Lee and Alex Delletery, make all the pastries themselves.

Jewelry maker, Rose Fitch and her twin, Indigo, sat with earrings and necklaces Rose made. Rose explained the jewelry began as her “capstone project at Housatonic Valley Regional High School.” Capstone projects have to show responsibility and problem solving. She moved on to selling her designs.

Ann Gold had a table with homemade jams and hand sewn potholders. All the proceeds from items sold go to the Chapel at All Saints. Jams include Plum Apple, Apple Pie, and Pear Jalapeno.

After the event organizer Treasa Pattison said, “It was a great turnout and a ton of fun!”

Many of the vendors have Instagram or Facebook pages and also sell their goods at local farmer’s markets and at The Local, a new store in West Cornwall that sells products made by local residents.


L. Tomaino

Matt Wabrek of Birch Lane Rustics, with one of his garden sculptures. He repurposes and upscales old horseshoes, skis, hammers, hoes, shovels and other old tools in his sculptures and furniture. His work was on view at the West Cornwall Holiday Market on Nov. 30.

Latest News

Connecticut contributes to America’s Tapestry

Betty Thompson of Salisbury added the necessary embroidery to the outline of a cannon on the Connecticut panel of America’s Tapestry.

Patrick L. Sullivan

SALISBURY — A group of youngsters and seasoned stitchers gathered at the Scoville Memorial Library on Saturday, Oct. 25, to do their part in creating Connecticut’s contribution to America’s Tapestry.

America’s Tapestry features embroidered panels, one from each of the 13 original colonies. “The panels illustrate the diverse stories of individual contributions – many overlooked – that reveal each colony’s struggle for Independence” (from the America’s Tapestry website). The work will be completed in time for the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 2026.

Keep ReadingShow less
Medical experts discuss rural healthcare challenges

Employees of the Community Health & Wellness Center, Elizabeth Russ, nurse practitioner; Sarah Humphreys, chief medical officer; and Joanne Borduas, director; spoke at the Scoville Memorial Library on Oct. 21.

Ruth Epstein

SALISBURY — With cuts to healthcare insurance and delivery on the horizon, the Community Health & Wellness Center, a federally qualified health center, is taking creative steps to safeguard its future and maintain patient care.

CHWC currently operates facilities in Torrington, Winsted and North Canaan, serving about 6,700 individuals.

Keep ReadingShow less
Birthday party planning continues for U.S.A.’s 250th

CORNWALL — Looking ahead to the nation’s 250th birthday in 2026, Cornwall started coordinating with nearby towns to plan events.

“We’re trying to spread them out and not overlap too much,” said First Selectman Gordon Ridgway at a regular meeting of the Board of Selectmen Tuesday, Oct. 21.

Keep ReadingShow less
Sharon moves money for transfer station cleanup

SHARON — At a sparsely populated town meeting on Oct. 9, $50,000 from the town’s Undesignated Fund was approved to be allocated towards covering clean-up costs of the old Salisbury-Sharon Transfer Station site on Sharon Road.

The work included building demolition, ground leveling, concrete and metal removal, and the extraction of contaminated soils.

Keep ReadingShow less