Dee's Delights

Dee and her Family

Dee Milliken’s table of handmade beaded jewellery and bags at the Sackville Farmers Market is simply breathtaking! Exquisite necklaces, bracelets, and earrings all intricately pieced together with one-of-a kind, some handmade or antique beads and buttons woven into hemp or leather, result in some of the most beautiful pieces on the market today. Spectacular necklaces in macrame feature special accents such as Celtic beads or Mexican beads and are sure to add just the right accent to any outfit. With such unusual jewellery items destined to become conversation pieces in any setting, Dee makes it s special point to search for unusual items in flea markets, yard sales, and antique stores. Especially known for her lovely sea glass jewellery made from authentic pieces of glass lovingly sanded over time by the action of the waves and picked up along the shores of some of the Maritimes most pristine beaches, Dee encases these pieces of glass, found in almost every colour of the rainbow, in copper, brass, or silver wire adding unique sea-life charms as accents. These are truly a gift from nature skilfully wrought into lovely items by the hands of Dee Milliken.

Dee is a busy mom who resides in Moncton with her husband and daughter. She makes the weekly trip to the Sackville Market where she has been welcomed by this warm community, quickly becoming an integral part of the Farmers Market scene. As Dee says, "My family and I have been made to feel very welcome here and all the time, effort, and artistry I put into my pieces have been well received and appreciated. It has been very gratifying to have customers realize the unique quality of my handcrafted items, all of which are original works of art and not the result of an assembly line mass production." Indeed, Dee’s beautiful beaded items and handwoven , sewn, and macramed bags, some edged with carefully chosen recycled trim or antique beads and buttons offer a rare quality not found in the profusion of mass-produced goods at the heart of today’s commercialism. Dee can be contacted at 854-6857 or at lunastar@nb.sympatico.ca. In the market for something special from the heart and mind of an artist? Visit Dee at the Sackville Farmers Market and treat yourself or a friend to a gift from a master craftswoman!

One Crafty Mama

One of the most fascinating tables at the Sackville Farmers Market is that of Jessi. Also known as "One Crafty Mama," her lovely display of framed artwork, all-occasion greeting cards, and unique bookmarks are all works of original art in their own right. In a distinct departure from the ordinary, Jessi’s carefully handcrafted items combine a number of mediums to produce items that exude a casual classicism, whimsical yet sophisticated, using decoupage, collage, scrap-booking techniques, paper sculpture, and miniatures all in tandem with each other on personalized keepsakes destined to become family heirlooms for all time. Often accented with three-dimensional objects such as feathers, beads, buttons, cloth, felt, lace, and other miniature objects in unusual combinations, Jessie’s creative cards often denote a theme - Mother’s Day, Happy Birthday, Wedding Invitations, Birth Announcements, Christmas Greetings, Graduations, and Thank You as well as custom orders tailored to any customer’s requirements, all lovingly done to achieve a highly artistic showcase for the complexity of mind and illumination of spirit of the artist.

A busy mother of two small boys, Jessi finds her artwork is a haven from the hectic demands of motherhood and a way to express her considerable creativity. How fortunate for the public, then, that she is willing to share her talent with us all. As Jessi says, "I never throw anything out. Any item, no matter how humble, can become a valuable component of my vision for whatever I create." All highly individual, Jessie’s one-of-a-kind creations are a real departure from the "cookie cutter" fare often found at commercial retail outlets and can be had at a fraction of the cost. Looking for a special card for a loved one? Contact Jessi at 1-902-661-3746 or email her at onecraftymama@hotmail.com. Choose a Jessi original that is sure to be a gift in itself!

Sackville Farmers Market

The Farmers Market in Sackville, NB, is undoubtedly the smallest farmers market in Canada, but what it lacks in size, it more than makes up for in charm! Held every Saturday morning at one of this lovely town’s most popular meeting places - the Bridge Street Café - this market offers a variety of unique and intriguing handicrafts, home-cooking, and authentic items created from the hearts and minds of each of its dedicated members forming a community of enterprise and entrepreneurship at the very centre of the “grass roots” nature of farmers markets everywhere.

The picturesque Town of Sackville lies just a leisurely 20-minute drive down the TransCanada Highway from the Greater Moncton Area, and has many charms to tempt the visitor. Home to Mount Allison University, it is the intellectual Mecca for great minds; also, the home of the Sackville Waterfowl Park, it offers a great venue to explore the area’s wetlands; over 100 years old, this town is rich in history with many stately homes and businesses still intact; and as a centre for the arts, it houses many fine art galleries, among them Mount Allison’s own Owen’s Art Gallery and the Fog Forest Art Gallery just a few doors away from the Bridge Street Café, which is a popular place for young and old alike to meet and share ideas over their excellent fare in a bohemian atmosphere. It’s certainly worth a trip to Sackville to visit the Farmers Market and enjoy all the attractions this historic town has to offer.