Saturday, November 14, 2009

Deck the halls...

Despite the absolutely gorgeous sunshine and nearly 20 degree weather today, it is still only six weeks until Christmas! One of my favourite things about the pre-Christmas season is the appearance of church bazaars and craft shows. I love to make things for my family and friends but I am not a super crafty kind of girl -- most of the things I know how to make I've already given in years past. So, bazaars and craft shows are the next best thing; handmade crafts by people from my local area. I have the satisfaction of knowing I am supporting local business and finding some great, unique gifts. Today I had the chance to go the to Rotary Club's "Rotary Arts and Crafts Christmas Show", an annual tradition. It's a large show with crafts, jewellery, cosmetics, food products and even some books and music. I bought a variety of items, but this is my score for this year:



(the crazy pencil in the background is there for size comparisons!)

Utterly new and unlike anything I've bought there before, these are pins created from the pages of vintage dictionaries, hand colorized, and lacquered. The artist, Vivian Hutcheson, is from a small town just down the road called Shakespeare, where she runs a wonderful shop called Green Cottage Gallery. She specializes in masks, as seen on her Etsy page, but has a variety of other things like these pins (and others using poker cards & sayings) as well. How could a good, book loving librarian pass up one of these pins? Well, I couldn't, and although I wanted to buy about six of them, I kept myself under control and only bought one for myself and one for a gift. I couldn't resist the hoop skirt pin for the lovely image and for the addition of the word "hoose-gow" at the bottom ;)

So many great discoveries to make at shows like this, and they make me admire crafty people even more. I will be participating in a craft show myself again this year; but it is more of a small, inhouse one with only a handful of participants - I am making pictures with quotes and dried flower bits, they are one thing I can make and enjoy creating - but will mainly be featuring my health products (it's a show for anyone who has a side business besides the one we all have in common, to raise money for the United Way). A much craftier participant is my coworker who has an Etsy page as well, Needle Pulling Thread. Looking forward to some fun and some fundraising!

9 comments:

  1. So often, the Craft Fairs I've been to have been aptly named "Crap Fairs" by one of my closest friends. But, your pins are a great find! Someone will be lucky to receive one, besides the one you bought for yourself. A good idea! ;)

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  2. Dolcebellezza - haha, yes, that is definitely a danger when attending craft shows. That's why I prefer juried shows; church bazaars are best for the church lady baking that's on offer, I think.

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  3. I love these, too! We've been to several craft fairs already this year, but we missed one this past weekend that I was really looking forward to. Great finds! I love those pins.

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  4. The pins in the photo are gorgeous. I love your using the pencil for comparison.

    I also love the NaNoWriMo quote for the month. Very eye-opening.

    B. Lynn Goodwin
    www.writeradvice.com
    Author of You Want Me to Do WHAT? Journaling for Caregivers

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  5. Andi - hope you had luck at your craft fairs too!

    Lynn- thanks for mentioning the quote! I found it in a book from the 30's that I was cataloguing at work and thought it was perfect for NaNoWriMo.

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  6. Hey Melanie:

    Those pins are great - and not too far up the road for me....

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  7. Those pins are so cute! I can't believe it's only six weeks til Christmas, either, especially since it is sunny and warm outside today.

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  8. Luanne - nice and close for Xmassy gifts.. ;)

    Lesley - I know, the weather this year is extraordinary! Today is our first grey day in weeks. People were putting up Christmas lights dressed in t-shirts :)

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  9. Those pins are neat! I like craft fairs too but the ones out here tend to be more like art fairs and as a consequnce everything is way more expensive than I can afford or I walk around thinking I could make that so why should I buy it from someone else? My mom and sister tell me I am hopeless. I fear they are right :)

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