Tina Gleisner

Probably my favorite arts & crafts event in NH is the annual Open Studio weekend at the Button Factory in Portsmouth, NH ... so let me tell you all the things I love about this event ...

History - The event takes place in some old mill buildings (red brick with really tall ceilings) dating back to the late 1800s. The name comes from the fact that they used to manufacture buttons there, when people wore high-button shoes ... a long time ago. More recently, 2 entrepreneurs bought the building and turned it into artist studios.

Event - This year celebrates the 25th year as an artist's building, and I continue to be amazed at the incredible array of talent that I see there each year. My favorites are the woodworking (some incredible furniture & clocks) and fabric crafts (I'm a quilter) and then there is my love of color, so most things with lots of bright color are fun for me.

When you go to this event, you're not just seeing the creative products of many artists ... you also have a chance to chat with the artists on almost any topic from how they got started, what inspires them and so much more.

Who's There - The official website says there will be 70 artists and craftspeople showcasing their work, and almost all of it is for sale ... so a great opportunity to find holiday gifts for that special person. I personally think there are quite a few more artists as often they share space so one studio will have 2 or 3 artists exhibiting. They include painters, woodworkers (furniture makers, boat builders and toy makers), jewelers, photographers, sculptors, bookbinders, framers, fabric artists, metalsmiths and more.

Where - The Button Factory is on Islington St in Portsmouth, NH. It's not right on the street and it might be easier to find by locating Plaza 800 and Hannaford's Supermarketing (used to be the Pic 'n Pay) and the Button Factory is on the other side of Islington. For a map & directions ...

When - ... how could I forget this important detail? The open studio is December 4-5, 2010

My favorite artist, that I met at the Button Factory many years ago is Suzanne Roskowick

Usually we think of Halloween and we think of trick-or-treating, the haunted house or a hayride ... any one of the numerous activities to celebrate the holiday. Sometimes we may be too busy to get to these events but we still want to enjoy the spirit of the holiday and Portsmouth is one town that lets you, ... in fact reminds you, of the Halloween spirit any time of day or night during October.

Portsmouth has added lots ofpumpkin scarecrows throughout the city. They're actually quite fun to see, all a little different and what's important is they're simple reminders that make you smile each time you walk, bike or drive by them.

So if you're thinking about a nice walk around town, or a trip to Market Square for a cup of coffee ... then keep on the lookout for our scary friends this October (wonder if we'll be getting snowmen next?)

PS Justy trying to think about the questions you might want to ask so ...

• Are the scarecrows all dressed in black? Yes, I've seen about a dozen and they're all wearing black but you never know when someone is going to surprise us with a new costume.
• What are the hands made of? They're not tree branches like you might guess, but appear to be made of metal so they're taken down each year and stored until next year.
• Are they real pumpkins and if yes, how long do they last? They are real pumpkins and I'm afraid I don't know exactly when they're put up ... but towards Halloween, some of them are starting to look rather worn out.

When I'm not busy running my businesses, I love to quilt. It lets me play with color and create things that are simply what I can imagine ... and sometimes there are great surprises too.

Right now I'm way too busy getting new websites and businesses up and running ... so I visit local arts & crafts shows instead. This lets me find beautiful gifts and support local artists which is so important to keep our communities strong and vital.

One of my favorite artists in southern NH is Amalia Flaisher, who is also a member of 4 Walls 1 Roof. She creates the most amazing artwork out of glass, including a stained glass condo at my home.

She just sent out her holiday newsletter and I was thrilled to learn about an art show in Portsmouth, the Seacoast Fine Art & Gift Market on December 10-12 (you can find an amazing collection of art shows throughout the northeast by checking out the ones where Amalia will be exhibiting).

Here is a peek at her new ornaments for this holiday season

When the holidays come, it often means getting together with family and friends. We're much more aware that this isn't possible for families with one or more family members in the military. For my family, the next best thing is hearing from ... and then seeing your Navy son (wearing Navy whites and tour guide) on a video as his ship docked in West Palm Beach yesterday. Join the mayor and local TV station as they tour the USS Carr and learn about life in the Navy. When the guys say they are looking forward to stretching their legs, they mean it. There are 3 bunks, top to bottom and very little room to move around, i.e. just enough space to crawl into your bunk bed. I've toured the ship and it's true there are movies running continuously in the dining room. It's also more like your elementary school cafeteria with old fashioned booths (think MacDonalds but the food is pretty healthy) and total capacity for maybe 50 to 60 sailors at any one time. Other than this room, the only bigger space indoors is the garage for 2 helicopters which doubles as a work-out gym.

Enjoy Your 4th of July!

These days we use holidays to reconnect with family and friends, and that's a good thing.

At the same time we can honor the traditions behind the holiday. July 4th or Independence Day is about earning our freedom, and so it's sometimes appropriate to go back to our roots.

Strawbery Banke Museum 14 Hancock St. Portsmouth, NH is a great place to visit when you want to learn more about our country's history. This July 4th, theyhave lots of fun things planned ... and yoy won't find these anywhere else.