The Pussums Cat Company

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A purrrrrrfect gift for your feline friends, Dr. Pussums Catnip Toys delight cats from coast to coast. Located in the foothills of western Maine, The Pussums Cat Company is celebrating 40 YEARS of making catnip toys and related products! The Pussums Cat Company was founded in 1982 when one of the original owners’ cats, Mr. Pussums, was accidentally introduced as Dr. Pussums! That moment was the inspiration to create the highly successful range of products centered on Dr. Pussums Fancy Feline ElixirTM Catnip. The attraction to Dr. Pussums Fancy Feline Elixir is legendary! Our catnip toys are filled with only 100% of Dr Pussums Fancy Feline Elixir North American Catnip, NEVER any fillers! All of our catnip toys are 100% Insecticide and Fungicide FREE so they are safe and FUN for your feline friends!

All catnip toys are screen printed in Bethel, Maine with our unique graphics on fabrics carefully selected for their strength and permeability.

whopaints Gallery & Studio

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First and foremost my paintings are about people, nature and relationships and so people need access to original art- to a distinct, unique story. I do everything possible to keep my prices down. Recycling and reusing help. I work in different mediums allowing for a  wide range of costs. Some work takes hours and hours, some are quicker, spontaneous less worked. I price by materials plus time. A benefit of not relying on reproductions to boost inventory is I must paint constantly. This hones skills and vision. Another goal is to root my art and business in my community as well as provide the space, materials and knowledge for those wishing to explore the visual arts to do so.

Willy Wires

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I have been designing and handcrafting Willy Wires jewelry and ornaments for over 25 years. Using cold connected techniques, no soldering, I create a colorful and fun, contemporary look by forming my own unique yet practical shapes, combining sterling silver, copper and anodized niobium wire, along with a variety of glass beads and recycled tin cans.
My Willy Wires ornaments are fashioned without the use of a jig, by drawing in the air with brass wire and pliers and then hammered to create texture, catch light and help stiffen the piece. Most are finished off with seed beads and tied with golden thread for hanging.

Maine Garden Products

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Maine Garden Products offers garden products ranging from our ever popular “Garden Hod” harvest basket, raised beds and cold frames to our growing line of greenhouses made from locally sourced Eastern White Cedar.

Wayne Robbins Woodcarving

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My subject is marine creatures and birds that are sculpted from locally harvested woods that are finished in natural finishes. Each piece is designed to high-lite the natural grace and beauty of the animal and the unique features of the wood.

Bell Creative Arts

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I’m a transplant from Seattle. Having traveled in a VW bus around the US, living in several cities including DC, Santa Cruz, Sacramento and Seattle, I chose Maine as my place to settle down and get more serious about my creative work.

My work includes

I’m most widely known for my jewelry made from the copper reclaimed from the Maine State House Dome.

My studio, now fondly referred to as the “Belle” is located in Wilton, Maine.  Formerly known as the ‘Wells Fiddlehead cannery’ which operated for 4 generations canning dandelion greens and fiddleheads.  As I build it out, I will offer classes in blacksmithing, fold forming, pottery, jewelry and more. Please sign up on the website for updates about classes and events.

As a kid, being in my dad’s wood shop filled me with such curiosity. I loved the smell of sawdust and was fascinated with all the different tools. In high school I took a shop class where we made small wooden toys.

In my 20’s I took a welding class. The teacher determined immediately I wasn’t in the class to become a welder. He recommended I go take the blacksmith class, and that was it…I was hooked.

The relationship between the steel, the fire and the human with the hammer is the divine 3. Everything is transformed on a molecular level. To be able to heat and manipulate steel, changing the shape, never fails to fascinate me.

My desire to work with steel developed as I realized that soft isn’t always the way to walk. Own a hammer and know how to use it.
Having worked with clay for years before welding and blacksmithing, the concept of material manipulation was key to my interest that continues today with almost any material.

I’ve worked with different mediums over the years. These include reclaimed wood and found objects, pastels, watercolors, acrylic, and clay- hand building technique being favorite. Copper is my most current steady medium. I find it to be alive with possibility, warm and energetic.

Whether it’s a garden I’m transforming or a piece of metal, I am in a relationship or dance with the material and feel a freedom of expression that comes from somewhere outside of myself.

Heart, Head and Hands-the divine 3- again

 

Unique Fabric-ations

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Fabric landscapes are created by hand appliqueing different fabrics to a muslin base, then mated and framed.
Wall hangings are machine pieced flowers or animals used in the picture books. Thin wooden dowels and fishing line are attached for easy hanging.
Fabric animal picture books have 6 pages in each book. They are machine pieced and most faces have some hand embroidery. They are washable. I will take custom orders for books and wall hangings.

Two Little Beans & Co.

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Two Little Beans & Co. is a Maine-based clothing company that lovingly sews handcrafted baby clothes, including baby booties, bibs, and apparel.

Our goal is to create heirloom-quality baby garments that celebrate the magic of early childhood. Each Two Little Beans & Co. piece is soft and cozy without restricting movement – perfect for everyday adventures.

Saltbox Pottery

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Form follows function…

What is this pottery used for? How best can the shape promote its usefulness? These pots stack nicely in the cupboard. They fit and rattle around well in the dishwasher and have comfortable handles for many sized hands. They are oven, dishwasher and microwave safe and of course, lead-free.

That said, function isn’t the only determining factor. My influences through classical training or from ancient Greece, early American in old English pottery. I enjoyed a refined, uplifted form with a durable rim. My decoration is kept to a minimum with more emphasis placed on the shape and glaze.
I enjoy cooking and entertaining and always try to imagine a piece of pottery that will enhance the presentation of my meals. Whether it’s a piece to keep butter soft, to serve large salads and main courses or aid in the discrete disposal of olive pits, my pottery is thoroughly planned, start to finish. I am, in a nutshell, a practical Yankee!

Maine Bags & Goods

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All pieces are designed and hand crafted in Maine. Focusing on aesthetic and function, the rugged leather, waxed canvas, quality linens and brass hardware are the starting point. With the seasonal Maine elements in mind, I have created a line that can be packed up for a day at the beach or look great on your shoulder while trudging through a New England snow storm. The leather is sourced from a tannery in Maine which adds to each bag’s story. Marrying the leather with various fabrics creates many design options and the chance to build your own bag. The end result is a chic bag with a nautical and utilitarian flair.