Carve and paint your own traditional pull-toy with award-winning woodworker, Geoff Davis at Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village, October 4th-5th.

Family-fun activity awaits you at Shaker Village. Work together as a family to create an adorable set of felted soft toys with professional crafter Heidi Boyd on October 5th.

NEW GLOUCESTER — Sabbathday Lake Shaker Village in New Gloucester will offer a two-day woodworking workshop Friday, October 4th through Saturday, October 5th titled “Carving and Painting Traditional Pull Toys” with craftsman, luthier, and musician Geoff Davis. In this 2-day workshop, students will choose Geoff’s original elephant or giraffe toy design. Each piece will be carved and assembled from native Maine woods and will include elements made from horsehair, bone, and leather. Each carved animal will be mounted on a found wood platform with cast pewter wheels. Students will also have the opportunity to paint and distress their work in an authentic fashion. These pull toys are exquisite designs based on old-time toys and traditional techniques. The finished sculptures are sure to be a mantle-piece. Though Geoff is a multi-talented, he considers his first calling to be teaching. He grew up dividing his time between Indiana and coastal Maine and has spent over 30 years teaching in public schools before opening his own teaching studio, Workshops of G.B. Davis, in Noblesville, Indiana.  Pre-registration is required at maineshakers.com or call 207-926-4597. Some wood working skills helpful but not necessary. Those needing overnight accommodations will be given a special discount code for Poland Spring Resort. All supplies are included and the workshop fee is $235.

In the family-friendlyworkshop on Saturday, October 5th from 1pm-3pm crafters of all ages and levels of experience will hand-stitch two bushy tailed squirrels and their charming acorn house with professional crafter Heidi Boyd. Participants will cut pattern pieces out of wool felt and learn how to sew them into three dimensional soft toys.  These whimsical playthings are one of several adorable kits that Heidi creates and sells on her own and in the Shaker Village gift shop.  Heidi designs and manufactures stitching kits in Brunswick, ME, her motto is “sewing smiles one stitch at a time.”  She is the author of 15 craft books, licenses her artwork for fabric and machine embroidery, has been featured in national publications, and she’s appeared on HGTV.  Families are encouraged to work together on this project, each taking one of the three pieces. All supplies are included and cost is $40 per set of three pieces.  Pre-registration is required at maineshakers.com or call 207-926-4597.