The date: Friday 26th April.

The time: 6pm

The venue: Belvedere House and Gardens

Jane Walsh better known as “The Button Girl”! – Button Studio, making beautiful jewellery from buttons,

Anne Marie Griffin – Anne Marie Griffin Knitwear, designs and produces a stylish range of elegant knitwear,

Emma Noonan – Emma Noonan Textile Artist, combining paper and machine embroidery to create large works of art and digitally printing to create elegant scarves,

Laura Feeney – My Grandmother’s Closet, restoring and redesigning vintage and antique jewelry,

and Deirdre Clogher, beautiful stitched book covers.

Best of luck to you all and have a great show.

Application forms for exhibitors are now available by emailing annualwinterfair@gmail.com. Closing date for applications is Sept 3rd.

Check out Food and Design Winter Fair Facebook page to keep up to date.

Dates for your Diary………Craft classes 9^th – 15^th July 2012 in MULLINGAR.

Monday 9^th July
Claire Delabre – Explore and enjoy the creative pleasure found in working with textiles.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Made in Westmeath Pop up shop, Mount Street, Mullingar.

Tuesday 10^th July
Patricia Gibney – Sit down with the author herself and learn how to draw the illustrations from The Spring Sprong Sally Books.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Made in Westmeath Pop up shop in Mount Street, Mullingar.

Thursday 12^th July
Anne Marie Griffin – Get a hands-on experience with this fun class learning age-old techniques in handloom knitting.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Made in Westmeath Pop up shop in Mount Street, Mullingar.

Thursday 12^th July
Deirdre Brady, Abbey Soaps – Learn the creative process behind the making of natural body products.
Adults class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue - Annebrook Hotel, Mullingar.

Friday 13^th July
Patricia Gibney – Demonstration, meet Patricia and follow her through the creative process in creating a piece of art.
Adult class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue - Made in Westmeath Pop up shop in Mount Street, Mullingar.

Saturday 14^th July
Mandy McAnaney – Introduction to beaded jewellery making, make your own piece of jewellery on the day.
Kids class 11am to 1pm and Adults class 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue - Annebrook Hotel, Mullingar.

Saturday 14^th July
Antoinette Glennon – Creative textiles. Make your own fun hand puppet from found fabrics and materials.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue - Made in Westmeath Pop up shop in Mount Street, Mullingar.

Saturday 14^th July  – EMERGING MAKERS DAY
Come along and meet new & emerging craft makers show their work for the first time. A unique opportunity for you to view and buy work from the future big names in westmeath craft.
Venue – Annebrook Hotel, Mullingar.

Sunday 15^th July
Rosemary Horan – Introduction to creative machine sewing and make your own piece of fabric craft.
Adults class 11am to 1pm and 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Holmes Emporium, Mullingar.

Sunday 15^th July
Wendy Clinton – Embellish and adorn your own wooden hanging decoration.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Made in Westmeath Pop up shop in Mount Street, Mullingar.

Dates for your Diary……Craft classes 17^th – 22^nd July 2012 in BALLINAHOWN.

Tuesday 17^th July

George Dempsey – A fun way to discover your creative side! Learn the Art of Japanese paper folding with craft maker and artist .
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Celtic Roots Studio, Ballinahown Craft Village.

Tuesday 17^th July
Clonmacnoise Pottery – Come along to the studio and try your hand in an introduction to wheel and slab work.
Adults class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Clonmacnoise Pottery.

Thursday 19^th July
George Dempsey – Origami – A fun way to discover your creative side! Learn the Art of Japanese paper folding with craft the maker and artist.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – The Hall in Ballinahown Craft Village.

Thursday 19^th July
Jeanette Everson – Enchanted Fairy Workshops. A fun and spellbinding childrens craft workshop.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – The Hall in Ballinahown Craft Village.

Thursday 19^th July
Craft Makers open studio Trail.
We are delighted to invite the public to visit a selection of existing makers in their Westmeath studios during the Event.
Damien O’Brien – Clonmacnoise Pottery.
Helen Conneely – Bog Oak Designer.

Friday 20^th July
Helen Conneely – Introduction to Bog Oak carving. Visit Helen in her own studio space and learn about the techniques used in this fascinating process.
Adult class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Celtic Roots Studio, Ballinahown Craft Village.

Saturday 21^st July
Basket Weaving – Sit down with basket maker Padraig Larkin and make your own piece of wicker craft at this demonstration in basket weaving techniques.
Adult class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue - The Hall in Ballinahown Craft Village.

Saturday 21^st July
Beaded Jewellery – Join Mandy McAnaney for this introduction to jewellery making and make your own piece on the day.
Kids class 11am to 1pm and Adults class 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – The Hall in Ballinahown Craft Village.

Saturday 21^st July  – EMERGING MAKERS DAY
Come along and meet new & emerging craft makers show their work for the first time. A unique opportunity for you to view and buy work from the future big names in westmeath craft.
Venue – The Hall in Ballinahown Craft Village.

Sunday 22^nd July
Encaustic Painting with Rosemary Langtry. Master the creative process in producing a piece of art in this fun and easy style of painting with wax.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Celtic Roots Studio, Ballinahown Craft Village.

Sunday 15^th July
Illustration – Sit down with local author Dolores Keaveney and learn how to draw the illustrations as seen in her book collection.
Kids class 11am to 1pm or 2.30pm to 4.30pm.
Venue – Core Crafted Design.

Classes: €5 per person

For more information on all events contact, Martina – 0906 430222.

Experience Westmeath will run from 8th to 22nd July and will bring together the very best of Westmeath’s unique craftmakers.   From jewellers to textile designers, woodturners, milliners, felt makers and fashion designers to many more. It will also create opportunities for hobbyists/emerging craft makers to showcase their work through two craft events which will be open to the public at two locations during the event, Ballinahown Craft Village and in Mullingar.

In Westmeath there is a growing craft presence which has been strengthened in recent years with the opening of Core Crafted Design, the development around Ballinahown Craft Village and the formation of MADE in Westmeath. Groups such as these represent craft makers in Ireland who are creating these handmade pieces in what is mainly a rural location.

It has to be noted that consumers are making a conscious decisions to buy local, it has never been more important to support local enterprises and sustain local employment. If we are to succeed as a nation globally we need to recognise the huge significance of what is happening in our own local communities and towns

Some existing craft makers in Wesmeath will open their studios to the public during the event. Groups will attend workshops delivered by the craft maker.

Craft makers will also run a series of training workshops during the event at the two locations, Ballinahown and Mullingar.

New Craftmakers

Two one day shows will be organised for emerging new makers allowing them the opportunity to showcase their work.  Again the locations will be in Ballinahown Craft Village and Mullingar. For these shows, hobbyists/emerging craft makers who are not already selling or wholesaling are invited to take part. They will be trained by two existing craft experts in setting up sales stands and selling. The event will be open to the public and during the day they will be adjudicated by a panel.  Interested new makers are asked to apply by phoning Core Crafted Design on 090 6430222 or emailing info@corecrafteddesign.com.

More details will follow in the newspaper on the exact dates, locations and classes which will be on offer.  This project is supported by Westmeath Community Development under the Rural Development (Leader) Programme 2007-2013.

We’d love to see you so please come and visit us ! Open 7 days a week.  Remember to say you viewed our website and ask for special offers.