top finds at the 2010 scattered seeds spring show in Winnipeg

We attended the 9th annual “Get it Together” Scattered Seeds spring show this past weekend at Assiniboia Downs in Winnipeg. Long time readers of the blog may recall I previously wrote about Scattered Seeds last April. For some of my perennially favourite exhibitors, please check out last year’s post at: http://doreenisthewizardofwords.blogspot.com/2009/04/scattered-seeds-spring-show.html.

We rarely miss the Scattered Seeds show, and I’m always thrilled at the quality and selection of handmade products available to purchase — especially the edible ones! We have our favourites and always head to certain booths like Bella’s Gourmet Honey Products. The orange butter honey is fantastic!

We’ve also discovered the amazing organic coffee roasted locally by self-confessed coffee fanatic, Derryl Reid, owner of Green Bean Coffee Imports. I’ll have to become a regular customer’s of Derryl’s as he roasts his beans just 15 minutes from our home in Matlock! (Green Bean is located in Clandeboye.) Check out their website at: http://www.greenbeancoffeeimports.com.

But Scattered Seeds also provides plenty of visual treats, if you’re looking for something special for your home or garden. I collect wood carvings, so dropping in to see what’s new with Brock Blosser, carver extraordinaire from Kenora, Ontario is always atop our list. Brock has been carving wood for 38 years — the last time he shaved! I guess whittling the wood has taken the place of shaving his face!

The faces Brock creates with his wood tools are whimsical and full of character, thus the name of his business, “Wood with Whimsey!” The above pic is a shot I took at the floor-to-ceiling length carving that Brock did for the Hoekstras, and can be seen (and enjoyed) at their Sandy Hook Cooking School. See more of Brock’s work on his website at: http://woodwithwhimsey.com.

I also discovered Heidy Friesen, a creative young woman making journals and bookmarks out of Manitoba Bison hide. The bison leather is amazingly soft and subtle, and Heidy has created some stunning colours for her products, including a very enticing purple!

Visit Heidy’s website at http://www.ForeverRememberJournal.com.

I was also impressed by the vibrant colours in the artwork of Elena El, who has vividly captured the beauty of various scenes around Winnipeg in her paintings. Here’s a nice pic of Elena and her art.

See more on her website at: http://www.artelstudio.com.

I really could go on and on, as there were more than 150 exhibitors at the Scattered Seeds show. But we’ll write about more in a future post. The next show is the Christmas Craft Show & Sale, October 22-24, 2010, to be held in the new building at Red River Exhibition Park (adjacent to Assiniboia Downs.) More at: http://www.thescatteredseeds.com.