CRAFT-TASTIC Gifts
It's craft fair season. My wife, Jenny, loves it and so do I. Each weekend morning through late November and early December, we rise early to hit the craft-fair circuit. We don't really have a plan, and aren't really on a hunt as we are during flea-market season—rather, we are open to possibilities, meeting crafts people, and seeing the wares they have worked on all summer long.We have favorites at each of the shows... There's a woman who sheers her own sheep and painstakingly dyes and spins the wool (her colors are very specific to her work and thus very personal and one-of-a-kind). We stock up on mittens and hats and mufflers. (I use the extra-large scarf as a table runner on our early pine farm table, and we use her headbands to stretch over large hand-blown glass hurricanes.) There is a man and his wife who make their own lip balm. We have been buying it for our daughters’ Christmas stockings for years (strawberry kiwi is a real favorite). There is an amazing glass artist who makes beautiful vases and decanters; each year I mean to bring some of my early Shaker jelly jars and ask her to make some for me (I hope to do that this year). And there is a candy maker who has the richest and most decadent chocolate-covered English toffee. (It would make a great gift if it ever made it beyond the exit door!)
Each year we discover something new. Last year. Jenny bought me hand-made stir-fry paddles from a man who carves from wood grown on his acreage. I found some old-looking silver lockets for the kids—and we discovered that there is a lavender farm off of Interstate 91 in Massachusetts that makes lavender sugar, oils, and honey.
Sometimes the crafts fairs have "rummage" tables where you can find old Christmas ornaments, books, and general flea-market smalls. You have to arrive early because those items are popular with dealers who are trying to find something for nothing.
Did I mention there is homemade food at these events? I do like to bake during the season and many times it is the homemade food table where I sample the first gingerbread cookie of the season or a piece of date nut bread. For mere dollars you can enjoy something delicious that has been made from scratch with fresh seasonal ingredients. Many of the church fairs have a cafe with hot soups filled with fresh vegetables and stews that have been slow-cooked over several hours. We grab a bit of lunch at the fair and then move on to the next show.
Like Christmas, the craft-fair season comes and goes and we try to make the most of it, gathering gifts while also finding fresh inspiration and talented artisans who inspire amazing projects for Country Home. We've admired one person for several years who creates felted wool objects. We always chat about her wares and buy a few pieces and secretly wish we knew how to felt wool... this may be the year we ask her to teach us.
Here are a few of my craft-fair tips:
Scan the back page of your local newspaper on Thursday and Friday to find fairs to attend. Make a list of where you want to go, because they are usually only one day.
Mark them on a calendar and rate each show so that every year when the season comes around you can remember which ones were you favorites.
Collect business cards from the artisans. (You may be able to order items all through the year.)
Buy the raffle tickets for sale—they support community projects and often have great prizes.
Bring cash in small denominations and a canvas bag with a handle to hold all of your great finds.
Gingerbread men are the first spicy taste of the season ahead... found for pennies at the craft-fair bake table.
Moist date nut bread for a snack or later on means we don't have to bake it ourselves to enjoy the traditional treats of the season.
