Hilltop Guild

The continued pandemic of 2020 has forced changes to the Hilltop Guild’s Christmas time routine this year. As we look forward to promising vaccines on the horizon, our annual Holiday markets and festive Holiday meal at Kelley House had to be cancelled.

Our Guild has still made its’ presence known in the area this season. The Old Gallery has been open on weekends with “A Happy Colorado Christmas Art Show and Sale.” The Old Gallery graciously invited The Hilltop Guild to display and sell our handmade items along with their other local artists’ works.

Dec. 19 and 20 are the final days for this Show and Sale. Perhaps you and your friends and neighbors will stop in and do some last minute Christmas shopping. There are many additional treasures to be found in addition to our Hilltop Guild items.

Here are some pictures of the lovely displays. We wish you a very blessed Christmas season and we look forward to seeing you all in 2021.

Friday, November 20, 2020

Today Faye Braaten completed her chainsaw carving and detailing of the Hilltop Guild Woman in front of Kelley House. She is accompanied by forest friends including a bear which is perfect for this, “The year of the Bear” at Kelley House.

Thank you Faye. What a wonderful addition to our property.

On November 17, 2020, Faye Braaten, the “Chainsaw Mama” started carving our large Ponderosa Pine Stump into a proud Hilltop Guild Woman. The top of this 30″ diameter tree toppled over during a windstorm in the fall or winter of 2019. A donation was made to the Guild to cover the expense of having this talented artist from Loveland, Faye, design and create Hilltop Guild Woman. Hilltop Woman will be joined by several craft items and forest animal friends before she is completed.

Faye said the process would take about three days to complete. By the end of the first day she was doing detail sanding on the sculpture’s head and face. It was fun to watch her work her magic. Guild Woman should stand proudly for many years to come – welcoming member, friends and guests to Kelley House.

You can see many more of Faye’s creations at her website: http://www.chainsawmama.com

Check back soon to see photos of the finished product. And have a blessed Thanksgiving next week.

Saturday, September 12 was the Hilltop Guild’s third and final Mini-Bazaar of 202o. Like the two previous Mini’s, this one was a big success. The early September snowstorm’s blanket of white from earlier in the week was only a memory and the sun and blue sky made for a perfect day.

Our COVID affected summer season was very different from normal ones and we missed seeing all of our members and friends weekly. We were glad, though, to gather for our fund raisers. Between discouraging the visiting BEAR and repairing his/her damage to the windows and interior, our members and “honeys”were kept quite busy. It was a banner year for Ponderosa pine cones, small rodents (mice, chipmunks, squirrels, etc,) and miller moths. We hope that next summer will bring a more “normal” season for the Hilltop Guild in what will be our 73rd year.

Check out some pictures from this fun day. Caption creation has evaded me, but the pictures tell the story pretty well…..

The Duck Race is September 19th, only a week or so away!  The Hilltop Guild will benefit from duck adoptions this year.  Please consider adopting a duck or two, and please mark the Hilltop Guild as the organization for your duck adoption.  We promise to put the proceeds to good use.  Please go to:  epduckrace.org/adopt-ducks/

Char Todd, Diane Turechek and Donna Squyres pick those elusive chokecherries to be juiced and made into jelly for next summer Guild sales.
    Other fruit picking days are being organized in coming days to gather crabapples, plums, grapes etc. Let us know if you have fruit to donate.

On Saturday, September 12 at the 3rd Hilltop Guild mini-bazaar of the summer, haircuts will be offered for a flat $20 per head.
Vickie Nolting of “Hair on Wheels” aided by Shauna Sutton will be giving cuts from approximately 10 a.m. To 1 p.m. All money raised will go to the Guild’s scholarship fund serving students from Lyons to Estes Park.
Additionally, baked goods, jams and jellies, embroidered tea towels, quilts, books and rummage items will be for sale. The bazaar will open at 9 a.m., rain or shine!

The Hilltop Guild
Our third Mini-Bazaar of 2020 will be
SATURDAY – SEPTEMBER 12, 2020
from 9 am – 2 pm
Available at our mini-bazaars: Boutique, weaving, books, white
elephant, collectibles, homemade candy, jelly, “country kitchen”
baked goods.
Pay with cash, check OR credit card (new this summer!)
Sale proceeds will go to our general fund for maintaining our properties.
Excess proceeds will go to local scholarships and community support
and our other philanthropic endeavors.