16th annual Christmas in the Country

             Born of Swedish descent second in line in a passel of six children to a Presbyterian minister and his Southern belle, Sharon lived in California; Edinburgh, Scotland; Shawnee & Johnstown, Pennsylvania; West Seattle, Washington; and for the last thirty-seven years in an historic home on Blakely Harbor, Bainbridge Island, Washington. There with her husband, Steve, they raised three venerable children, Alicia, Dylan and Garrett.

            Being born two days before Christmas imprinted a propensity for Sharon to focus on the holiday for much of her creative, productive activities. Nearly fifty years ago she began by selling Christmas cards during primary school. After graduating from the University of Washington in Nursing where she whole-heartedly cheered on the football and basketball teams as a Husky Songleader, she married Steve and moved to Bainbridge Island. As a young married woman she created Christmas fund-raisers and programs at Rolling Bay Presbyterian Church on Bainbridge. A creative adjunct to this early event planning was her own talent in growing and drying flowers and foliage, collecting fallen bits of nature and shells or discarded historical refuse from the beach (remnants from the old mill that operated at Port Blakely) to create pinecone, herb & flower, or shell wreaths in a line she named “Artyfacts & Trashures”, now often referred to as “trash to treasure”. The motto for her home-based business, “Preserving and Designing Nature’s Art”, described the crafting of floral wreaths and arrangements and the teaching of wreath-making classes that occurred at her cottage industry, Rose of Sharon’s, up until 2005. In 1993 as an off-shoot of Rose of Sharon’s, Christmas in the Country was born. For twelve years, her floral design studio was a stop on the tour featuring her Christmas wreaths and Christmas décor handmade by local artists.

A new future for Bainbridge Island’s Christmas in the Country

Things change. Times change. Currently with many of our old-time favorite stores closing, or companies merging, or services being cut-back or eliminated, we often ponder what “used to be” with melancholy causing us to hold on tightly to those traditions we practice that provide us with a sense of place and stability in the midst of change. Sometimes change comes as “passing the baton” or “changing the guard” which leaves the integrity of the activity in place under the care or watch or energy of a new person. This is positive change evoking excitement rather than regret. Now a new era has begun for a Bainbridge Island family tradition, a positive change.  After sixteen years under the care and direction of creative director, Sharon Soames, the baton for Christmas in the Country has been passed. Personified as “bottled energy with an effervescent smile”, Sok Kheng Martz is off and running the next leg of the race to formulate plans for Christmas in the Country 2010, December 3-5, to keep this traditional community event a vibrant part of Bainbridge Island’s Christmas celebration.

Together with her husband, Tim, Sok Kheng, aka, “Soks”, will work closely with retiring Director Sharon Soames this first year for a smooth transition.  Soames has high regard for Soks as a person, as a crafter, and as a business entrepreneur with polished leadership capabilities. Immigrating to the United States from Cambodia with her family when she was ten, Soks found herself in the land of opportunity in the State of North Carolina.  There she learned English and fast-tracked her way to catch up with her undergraduate education. Throughout her life, she has capitalized on the opportunities afforded to her in this fine country.

In 1995 while waitressing, she dislocated her shoulder and was unable to continue her job. During convalescence, she tuned into HGTV and watched the process of making covered gift boxes out of cardboard. Using old cereal boxes and used clothing, she created a lovely gift box and took it down to the local craft store. The owner loved it, customers loved it, and soon she was engaged in making 20 boxes a week. Thus began her career in crafting. While shopping at estate and yard sales to get antique lace, silk ties, and unique fabric for the boxes, she discovered and acquired many very torn antique quilts and chenille blankets. It was then she began to create her own Santa and snowmen patterns using the antique quilts and chenille blankets to make their outfits.

Soks married and while in Ft Huachuca, Arizona, she became a member of the Military Wives Crafters Group and helped to organize, acquire sponsorships for, and promote their craft shows at the Officer’s Club.  In 1997, she moved back to Hendersonville, N.Carolina where she was President of the Henderson County Crafters recruiting new vendors, and helping to advertise and organize their craft shows, three a year in the local mall. Starting with 25 vendors, over 120 participated by 2001.  While in N.Carolina, Soks was also a member of Dogwood Crafters, an artists’ cooperative that required shared time running the shop, managing and promoting it. It was one of the biggest attractions in Dillsboro, NC.

In 2001 Soks moved to Bainbridge Island and debuted her antique quilted Santas at the BI Chamber of Commerce 4^th of July celebration in Winslow as an adjunct to her online store, Crafty Designs.  It was there that Sharon discovered Soks’ skill and unique craft and invited her to participate as a vendor in Christmas in the Country at Sharon’s home-based floral design studio, Rose of Sharon’s.  Unfortunately, because of her husband’s job and the tragic incidents of 911, Soks had to move again all over the United States. Finally in 2005 they moved back to Bainbridge Island and eventually settled in Kingston in 2006. Since returning to the NW, she has been a constant favorite crafter in Christmas in the Country to date, as well as the NK Festival in Poulsbo, the Kitsap Fair, Hansville Crafters, Port Gamble Art Show, and Kingston Art Festival and filmed a craft show segment on HGTV's, That's Clever.

In 2009, Soks remarried to Timothy Martz. They make a great team. Together they run a five acre farm with a few livestock in Kingston. Individually Tim is a tile setter and Soks is a Branch Office Administrator for Edward Jones investment firm.  They plan to keep Christmas in the Country a thriving part of Bainbridge Island’s culture.