Please shop local and support your small businesses and farm markets too. I shopped at “Domesticities” located at 4055 State Rte. 52 in Youngsville last weekend and had a great time wandering through the shop, picking up some wonderful gifts for my family (and for myself). They specialize in Fair Trade, US, locally made items and some artists’ renderings as well as offering antiques and collectibles too! My favorite part of the shop is the kitchen area. It takes you back to “the old days” allowing me to remember my nana and the farm on Swiss Hill in the early days… Go in, look around and let Ann help you find the perfect gift with $10 off purchases over $50! Holiday hours are Friday, Saturday and Monday 11a.m.-5 p.m.and Sunday 11a.m.-4p.m. FMI: 845-482-3333 or thecuttinggarden.org.

Today I visited another new store at Diane C. Butler Real Estate located on Rte. 52 in Jeffersonville (across from the Jeff Bank). It is a Pop-Up Shoppe – “The Farmstead Mercantile.” Different vendors that design handmade items! “Elements” by Dianne Butler with many bracelets made with energy stones and wire wrapped crystals and necklaces too. “Morgan Chandler Designs” by Meredith Morgan with beautiful handmade jewelry containing stones representing different meanings. “SMC Creative Co.”, by Sarah Clark,  features lots of different handmade cat earrings – all different colors. Nancy showed me around the shop and showed me some fun handmade ornaments that she designed out of old spoons! They plan to expand in the Spring to more of a Mercantile-General Store business with more local Artisans. Hours:  Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 8a.m. to 1p.m. and by appointment only otherwise. FMI: 845-701-5753 or www.thefarmsteadatwillihill.com

Come and make pottery ornaments at the Jeffersonville Branch of the Western Sullivan Public Library on Tuesday, December 12th from 4-5:30 p.m. While having lots of fun, you will effortlessly learn how to work with thin sheets of clay called slabs to make beautiful, three-dimensional, super lightweight holiday ornaments out of stoneware clay!  Ellany Gable of Honey Hill Pottery will help you to learn the intricacies of gentle clay-on-clay adhesion in a wildly fun and decorative way. Each participant will be provided enough ‘slab’ clay to make three to five, three-sided ornaments, stamps and cutting tools, rolling, and scoring tools, glazes, brushes instruction and kiln firing. All supplies are provided but space is limited, so please register 845-482-4350 or www.WSPLonline.org

4-H Saturdays begin on January 13th at the Cornell Cooperative Extension. Join them from 10a.m.-12:30p.m. to learn of the many various programs 4-H offers. The day will be filled with multiple areas that 4-H covers including but not limited to cooking, healthy living, crafting, animal science, environmental, horticulture, community service programs and more! Youth may choose one, two, or all 4 activities offered throughout the day. Registration for this program is required, so sign up for a spot today by reaching out to our 4-H Youth Development Program staff at bjm292@cornell.edu. A great way to discover what 4-H has to offer your family!