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Made in Vermont: Solid Snowflakes

Newport, Vermont - October 20, 2006

With most of the leaves in the Northeast Kingdom blanketing the ground, Betsy Sylvester is looking forward to winter. She says, "They're just awesome, the different snowflakes!"

The Derby woman worked as a coach for start-up businesses, then decided last year to launch her own company called Snowflakes from Vermont. She sells the wooden designs in about fifteen Vermont gift shops, and plans a flurry of expansion activities.

Sylvester says, "This January, I'm going on the road with my snowflake business. I'm hoping to bring my snowflakes to the South, because I feel they need snowflakes, too. I'm headed to Snowflake, Arizona maybe!"

Sylvester says she admires and is inspired by another snowflake artist, Jericho's famous "Snowflake Bentley." She sketches her snowflakes using computer software, then sends the images to Newport's Linda Tetreault.

Tetreault carves the shapes out of Vermont maple. Her machine also burns slogans or dates into the wood. She explains, "This is really just like a big printer."

People marvel at Mother Nature's snowflakes because no two are alike. But Tetreault jokes, "Ours are!" Thank laser precision for that.

But the designer points out there are differences from flake to flake. Betsy Sylvester explains, "The grain of the wood, I think, differentiates them."

The coming holiday gift season means production will heat up for these Made in Vermont snowflakes that never melt. Sylvester's wooden designs retail for eight to ten dollars.

Jack Thurston - Channel 3 News