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GL Discussion Group
Does anybody go to the craft shows that start up in the fall? I LOVE them!! This weekend, is the Village Peddler festival in Kirtland, OH. They have so many fall/Christmas crafts, my little mind spins!! They also have all kinds of yummy foods and beverages. There's also the big Indoor show in November at the IX Center in Cleveland, where there are 900 vendors and it takes an entire day to get through! Finally, at the school I used to work at, there's a Christmas craft show that is a fundraiser for the school. I'm in craft heaven!!
So, what kind of stuff does anyone else have? Or are you not into that sort of thing?
I Love, Love, Love them! I used to go to a bunch.
Like Q, we have both the upscale and the church-bizarre type of events. We went to one a few years ago at the local community college that Tom still teases me about - it was so lousy. They had some women with Santa hats singing carols (very badly/very off key, I might add) and the crafts were just pitiful...like decorated clothespins and homemade outfits for those outdoor goose statues! Not my cup of tea!
But there's a really nice one that we go to every year out in Ohio called the Shaker Woods Festival. It's comprised of these tiny little cottages tucked in the woods, all filled with handmade items that really run the gammut. I love it for the atmosphere, if nothing else. It's a nice drive (not too far, but long enough to feel like I've gotten away for the day). It's nice to be out in the woods, especially in early fall when it's just beginning to get chilly and blustery out, and the leaves are starting to turn. There's a strong smell of woodsmoke from the fire pits, wafts of kettle corn & apple dumplings, bagpipes and bluegrass music, and TONS of people if you like to people watch!
I always come away with something! We went in August (but they have another coming up next month), and I bought Andrew some really nice, intricate, handcrafted wooden trains and cars that I tucked away until Christmas.
Next month's is my favorite - Christmas in the Woods! I'm hoping to go on a brisk day when it's a little overcast. One year we went and it actually snowed a bit! Really put us in the Christmas mood! We had to bundle up in winter coats, hats, and scarves, and we bought cups of hot chocolate just to keep warm! I loved every minute of it!
We basically have two kinds down south: very upscale arts and crafts shows held in the coliseums in Winston-Salem or Greensboro, or church -type craft shows with crocheted toilet paper holders, various wooden cut outs on sticks that you can put in your garden - that kind of thing. The former has very expensive things, the latter doesn't really have much that grabs me.
My town does have a small group of artisans that, for the most part, have interesting things. Over Christmas, they rent an empty storefront and sell items that are great for Christmas gifts. There's a potter who makes wonderful platters and pitchers. They're rather expensive, but sometimes she makes smaller items like creamers and little cups and saucers. Someone makes jewelry, someone makes great Christmas throw pillows, there are beautiful (fake) wreaths and decorations, handmade soaps. The coolest thing they sell are hand made toys made out of wood. Most of the stuff is pretty tasteful and I often check out the store every few days since the stock moves in and out quickly.
So often I'll look at something for sale and think "I could make that for much less money". I find, however, that I DON'T make much any more these days...