Friesen crafts handmade snowmen from wood

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This article was published 27/11/2018 (2513 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CARBERRY — Snowmen of all shapes and sizes decorated Kathy Friesen’s garage Monday.

They’re all unique pieces that Friesen has created with her business Kathy’s Collectables. She has always been creative, and she said this was the perfect outlet.

“I’ve worked in the art industry, so it’s in my blood, I guess,” she said. “I was a custom picture framer, so I’m very detail oriented, and I’m retired now so now I have some time I can put it all together.”

The finished products that line her garage are a combined effort between Friesen and her husband. He cuts down the tree for the log pieces that make up the body of the snowman, and she does the rest.

“He’s the chainsaw master,” she said. “He cuts down a few trees every year, poplar and birch.”

Then, Friesen glues everything together and decorates them with different items, including rocks and natural minerals and different colours. Everything is done in stages.

She used to only make large snowmen, but as her business has evolved, she has realized that people like different sizes, she said.

“We have a lot of elderly people who can’t fit them into their space or some people like to buy a big one and a little one,” she said. “It’s nice instead of just a big one, and then storage is better.”

They’ve also gotten more elaborate throughout the years, with more decorations added. There’s snowmen on platforms, some made with the addition of a wine bucket and some with lights.

Her favourite part of the process is getting to bring the items to craft sales, and seeing people’s reactions when they see the items she’s created, she said.

“When they go by my table like the kids run up to them, they sit on the floor, they just have these big eyes,” she said. “I do this really for the joy of meeting other people, getting to know other crafters and just getting out and being social.”

In addition to snowmen, Friesen uses a wood burner to create different designs on spoons. They’re all created freehand.

“I’ve always drawn so I just put the two together,” she said. “I sit here, I relax, I don’t watch a lot of TV so I found it very therapeutic just to sit and draw, and I think they make a perfect gift because they’re very affordable.”

Friesen said she can also create custom designs on the spoons if someone contacts her requesting one.

This is the first year that she has added Christmas ornaments to her business, which she also creates using the wood burner.

“Everything has just evolved because of the wood burner and trying to find new things, because I don’t like to repeat myself so I’m always evolving and trying to push myself,” she said.

Next year, her goal is to hit more Christmas markets with her products.

“I want to go to more cities. I want to branch out more, not just the local area,” she said. “I think my product is unique, and I think it would be kind of nice if I went other places to show it off.”

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