Sweater Weather Creations by Danielle Fontaine

The Gathering is pleased to introduce to you one of the newest of our growing family of artisans.  We are putting the spotlight on Danielle Fontaine of Sweater Weather Creations.  Danielle is a native of Illinois and attributes her love of art to her father, a talented painter and woodcarver.  Her commercial art career began in the 90's as a muralist and her portfolio includes many large scale residential and commercial clients.

To be able to spend more time with her growing family Danielle began sculpting bow centers for bow makers and boutiques around the country.  This quickly turned into making and selling her own bows and jewelry including her popular new line of magnetic jewelry and attractive accents.

Danielle is a married mom of 4 active children.  When she is not in the studio at work on her many wonderful creations, you will be able to find her in the recording studion or on the road with her family who travel and perform as the Christian musical group de la Croix.

Jacalyn Wingerter is a 6th grader at Donovan Elementary.She discovered her love of jewelry making over Easter break of 2010 when she went to visit a cousin who lived in Texas. Her cousin introduced her to a whole new world of crafting and beading, and she has been avidly fashioning her own artisan earrings ever since.  She enjoys not only crafting but scrapbooking, reading and playing softball.  All styles that we carry at The Gathering are her own designs and she is happy to take special orders!

The Cabinet Maker's Shop

Those of you who visit The Gathering regularly have by now discovered the treasures tucked away within our back Artisan's room.  We are proud to announce one of our newer additions: The Cabinet Maker's Shop, ( found at http://www.thecabinetmakershop.com/)  For those who own primitive or old country styled homes, you will be able to find perfect furnishings from this company...an all at wonderful prices.   Located in Gibson City, IL. between Champaign and Bloomington, IL. The Cabinet Makers Shop specializes in primitive reproduction furniture – and they are absolutely obsessed with perfection and quality! When you look at their one of a kind creations, you will see that they specialize in color over color, stains, distressed looks and crackle finishes. their Reproduction period furniture ranges from; country corner cupboards to Complete Kitchens-they claim to build your furniture exactly the way you want it.


All of their  Reproduction Furniture is handcrafted and hand finished with an attention to craftsmanship and detail that gives each piece of furniture a primitive appearance. Each piece of The Cabinet Makers shop's  primitive reproduction furniture is custom made to your specifications – you choose the size of your piece, the colors, the type of legs or drawers, panel type and even which side you want the handmade hinges! The design can be taken from a drawing or photo and will unify any folk art collection. They are capable or recreating the product using the lasted design software send back to you as a quote with a photo of your design. .

 the Gathering holds several examples of the fine work made by The Cabinet Maker's Shop and you can come in to take a close look at it.  Furniture can be purchased directly from the artist or from The Gathering. Catalogs are available at The Gathering for your convenience.

The Gathering Welcomes the newest artisan to our shop...

photographer Debi Trudeau of Watseka. Debi writes about herself and her photography art-cards:

Small town living with corn and bean fields surrounding you like a huge patchwork quilt, now that is the life! Others might disagree, but growing up in this area is what I know and love. “Bloom where you are planted” is what comes to mind, and I feel blessed the Good Lord “planted” me here. I am also grateful He has made my “roots” run deep and given me “eyes to see” the beauty of His work. Photography is my hobby and my dear friends are my encouragement.
My name is Deb Trudeau and I have been married to my husband and best friend, Kevin for over 30 years and have two sons, Dustin(at home in Heaven) & Cory (living on the Trudeau family farm). We are blessed with a grandson, Joseph and his 5 cousins that we consider grandchildren… Taylor, Mason, Ashton, Lathan & Kyah, their mom Casey is like our daughter. It all just means more HUGS!
After taking thousands of photos, and collecting favorite quotes and scripture for many years, my friends have encouraged me to start a line of cards. I am truly happy to share with you what I have discovered to be great treasures. The card line now contains a “Heritage Series” (Farm related), “Birds & Critters”, “Flowers”, “Butterflies” and “The Forrest Floor” (Mushrooms). Some of the shots are taken on my occasional travels or in friends’ gardens, but most of my shots are taken out my own back door. I do enjoy “playing in the dirt” and trying to tend to my flowers and “feathered friends” in the garden. Gardening is one of my greatest joys!
There are many cherished scriptures that over the years have become very significant to me. Also, I have collected hundreds of quotes from inspiring people who have encountered troubled times and nonetheless have prevailed. Wisdom is a gift and should be shared. I have included these on each card with a photo that I feel corresponds to the “message”….I hope that they in turn “speak” to you. Or perhaps, you can pass words of encouragement, love, or even hope on to a friend or someone you know might need them as you did when you first heard them.
My camera equipment is very modest and I rely on “natural” lighting for nearly every shot. Most photos are taken on a casual walk in the garden or while “inspecting” the newest bloom. My camera has been dropped in the mud, in the snow, and ice, and bounced along a pile of rocks while I slid along with it! It’s probably good that I don’t have expensive equipment! Remember, this is only a “hobby”! If you happen to admire a particular shot, please “give credit where credit is due”. The “creation” is not mine; I have simply captured the creation from the Creator! I hope the photos bring to you a moment of beauty, a memory or a treasure that you are able to share. It truly is all in the …
“Eye of the Beholder”.

It pleases me to take amateur photographs of my garden, and it pleases my garden to make my photographs look professional. ~Robert Brault


You can find Debi's work at the Gathering displayed through out the shop. If you have a hard time locating it when you stop in, be sure to ask one of the shop attendants to assist you.

Introducing Clint Perzee, founder of Buckland Seasoning and Spice Co.

Attention Deer Hunters!

Tired of dry deer burgers or tasteless ground deer meat?
Buckland has the answer you may have been looking for.....Buckland's signature Seasoning For Ground Deer. It is Guaranteed to get the most use out of the deer you harvest for your family. It is more economical and better tasting than grinding beef, pork, fat or bacon into your meat. It has the capability to turn straignt deer meat into burgers just as moist as hamburger or pork burger! Seasoning for ground deer will prevent meat from drying out when cooked on the grill or in the pan. It has a great onion and garlic taste, burgers are already seasoned inside and out. Use seasoned meat for all your dishes in place of hamburger.

My family loves it, I know yours will too!!!

Introducing: Glass artisan Amy Simpson

Glass fusing is the process of using a kiln to join together pieces of glass at temperatures between 1300 and 1500 degrees Fahrenheit. This complex and compelling art form first captured my attention in 2006, when, after repeated recommendations from fellow artists, I enrolled in a class at my local community college. Though I have a background in painting and metalsmithing, fused glass has become my medium of choice.
The infinite possibilities presented by glass fusing keep me intrigued and challenged. There exists a level of surprise in the creation of each piece as fusing results differ with the slightest alteration. Colors can change during firings due to chemical reactions. Variances in heat produce different results and textures. Firing schedules can sometimes yield disasters, but most often deliver shining and glorious results. There is no formula for any given piece or firing. Each success is a little bit of magic and a little bit of science.
My concentration in fused glass is glass pendants, plates, and art panels. My work draws from a desire for beauty in everyday life and is strongly influenced by Asian styles and themes. I feel that even the smallest pendant should be a showpiece…a miniature painting in glass, if you will. It is the individual wearer who breathes the energy into the shimmer of glass and whose personality frames each piece.
All of my glass work is hand cut, assembled, ground on a lapidary machine, and fired in a kiln. Depending on the desired results, each piece is fired up to six times. This process takes several days for each firing. Every item is one of a kind and cannot be reproduced.

-Amy Simpson

Handmade Soap by Rachel Wehrle

Home made lye soap…just the way great-grandma made it!

Our featured artesian is Rachel Wehrle of Danforth, Illinois. Rachel uses the same methods in her soap making, that have been used for over 200 years! Her passion for this craft stems from her daughter’s sensitive skin and eczema. When store bought soaps seemed to aggravate the problem, Rachel started researching lye soaps, and what began as a help to her family, has now become a business. After using the lye soaps, her daughter’s skin became smooth with hardly any break outs, others noticed this and asked Rachel to make soaps for them. Today, Rachel’s wares include: soaps in several scented essential oils, oatmeal soaps, poison ivy soaps, bath salts, oils and more! Stop by The Gathering to see and sample a full line of Rachel’s products!