LEETONIA Homespun Christmas tour takes visitors to artisans' workshops

Leetonia-area artists create handmade items from soaps to ironworks.
LEETONIA -- A group of Leetonia artisans is preparing to welcome guests to home workshops during the seventh annual Homespun Christmas, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 30 and Dec. 1.
Homespun Christmas is a tour of selected craft shops in the Leetonia area, with artists demonstrating their skills and selling their handmade items from soaps to decorative ironworks.
Ed and Margie Mullen create ink and scrub designs on a variety of wood items. India ink is used for the designs, and oil paint for the colors on switch covers, recipe boxes, calendars, mirrors and many other items. Their home is at 348 Pearl St., Leetonia.
Jo Ann Murphy creates primitive papier-m & acirc;ch & eacute; and wooden items at her home. Her collection includes Santas, snowmen, angels, dolls, ornaments and a variety of other items. Her shop is at 39543 Crestview Road, just south of Leetonia Road.
Artisans involved
Mary Lou Bontempt creates a variety of folk art for home decorating. Primitive Santas, dolls, wooden and papier-m & acirc;ch & eacute; boxes, cupboards, samplers and herbal wreaths are among her offerings. Bontempt's shop, the Salt Box, is at her home at 39866 Crestview Road, 0.2 mile east of Leetonia Road.
Monica Hoperich creates hand-woven items. She will also have soaps and other gift items. Among her hand-woven items are rugs, checkerboards, place mats, table runners and woven coasters known as mug rugs. Her home is at 5210 Leetonia Road, 0.2 mile south of Lodge Road.
Ken Crawford creates many functional and decorative iron items for the home, garden or back yard, including custom-built handrailing. Crawford Iron is at 4392 state Route 164, midway between Lodge Road and state Route 558.
Sue Hahn creates baskets, quilts, hand-spun and hand-woven items. She makes grapevine items and functional baskets of all shapes and sizes. Her shop, Old Times, is in a log house at 41547 state Route 558, 1.2 mile east of state Route 164.
Visitors may start at any one of six shops, all in and around Leetonia and accessible from state Route 11.
Directions
Leetonia is between Youngstown and East Liverpool just off Route 11 on state Route 344. Margie and Ed Mullen's home is the stop closest to the Route 11 Leetonia exit. To begin there, from the Route 11 Leetonia exit go west on 344 (Columbia Street), then at the Sunoco station turn left (south) onto Lisbon Street, then left on Pearl Street.
There will be maps and brochures available at the Mullens' home and at the other five stops.