Rene Trim's arts & crafts: Round-up of upcoming Ottawa craft shows

It has been well over a month since the final Christmas craft show of the season closed its doors and – if you’re like me – you have started to display symptoms of a condition known as “craft show withdrawal”. Fret not, the 2015 spring event season is upon us so synchronize your calendars with the (preliminary) list below and dust off your shopping bags!

It’s a bit of a drive but if you are really motivated (or desperate) to get your hands on some handmade goodies, I suggest you head out to Cornwall this Saturday for Purely Handmade: ** Purely Handmade Cornwall Art & Craft Winter Show ** February 7   10 am to 6 pm 70 Vendors Cornwall Civic Complex, 100 Water Street E, Cornwall Admission $2 – visit website here (Purely Handmade will be coming to the Glebe Community Centre on August 28/29)

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Shards of Time Stained Glass Art is one of the participating vendors at Purely Handmade[/caption] ** ** ** For the Love of Winter ** February 14   11 am to 4 pm Over 30 local crafters will be showcasing their wares at this Curious Collective event! Expect to find pottery, prints, jewelry, toys, clothing, housewares, soaps, tasty treats, and tons of fun Valentine’s Day activities for couples, families and friends! Swag bags for the first 30 visitors. Knox Church, 227 Elgin Street (corner of Lisgar) Free admission – more info here ** ** ** Hot Potato Night Market & Disco party ** February 21    8 pm – 2 am Ottawa’s Hottest Night at the Museum of Nature - a fundraiser for the Ottawa Food Bank - includes music, food, martinis, wine….and 25+ of Ottawa’s leading female artists who will create a mixed media painting entitled “Mother & Child”, which will be donated to Jillian O’Connor, an Ottawa native who is pregnant with her third child and has Stage 4 breast cancer Admission $25 - more info here ** She Creates One of a Kind Show (Kingston) ** February 28   11 am to 4 pm 70 Vendors Portsmouth Olympic Harbour, 53 Younge Street, Kingston Free admission – more info here ** That Handmade Artisan Trinkets (T.H.A.T.) Craft Fair ** March 21   10 am – 3 pm Swag bags for the first 50 visitors. Donations to a local not for profit dog rescue, New Beginnings Pet Rescue, will be gladly accepted. Jack Purcell Community Centre (room 203), 320 Jack Purcell Lane, Ottawa. Free admission – more info here ** Urban Craft ** March 28   10 am - 3 pm _ 50 Vendors from Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal & beyond _ Glebe Community Centre, 175 Third Avenue. Free admission - more info here ** Ottawa Artisans Guild Spring Craft Show & Sale ** March 28/29   10 am – 4 pm daily Local juried artisans only. Donations to the Ottawa Food Bank are gladly accepted. Lester B. Pearson High School, 2072 Jasmine Crescent, Gloucester Free admission – visit website here ** Vibrant! - OVCC | Artisans @ Archives ** April 25 / 26   10 am – 4 pm daily. Artisans’ market featuring local vendors only (juried event). Library and Archives Canada, 395 Wellington Street, Ottawa. Admission $2 – more info here ….and let’s not forget the Ottawa Farmers' Market : every Sunday in the Aberdeen Pavilion at Lansdowne.

As mentioned above, this is only a preliminary list; more events will follow once details become available so check back here every week for the latest on Ottawa’s arts and crafts.

Have a creative week, folks!