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Holiday Markets

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The Lincoln Market

I love Christmas. Wait, I said that all wrong. I LOVE Christmas! Sparking lights, decorated trees, thoughts of snow, holiday movies and all the winter markets. I like craft markets to begin with, but the creativity that comes out during the winter markets are the absolute best. I’m lucky to live in a crafty city that is full of crafters markets all year round but the climax is definitely during the holiday season.

The first one I hit straight out of the gate was The Lincoln Market, part of Make Olympia. Each of the markets attract different types of vendors and The Lincoln Market attracts your younger, college-aged to 30-something vendors. Artists/vendors at this market use lots of recycled materials, everything is handmade and most items come with a side of cool. The biggest seller at this market seemed to be gyros from The Gyro Spot, I don’t think I saw a vendor that wasn’t eating one.

Country Chicks

The Country Chicks is one that I get to regularly during the year. I think I’m out there at least twice a year. It can be a drive for most but this is actually just down the road from where I grew up. This is my first time to the Chick Barn during the winter and I thanked God for it being indoors and not outdoors like they usually are. It is kind of small but worth the drive.

Candy Cane Country Chickks

I love how creative those in this market are. It is antiques mixed with new items, most handcrafted or found items. There are multiple vendors here and one of my favorites is The Shabby Black Dog. I secretly want every item in their booth. Seriously, my favorite was the garland made out of tin foil balls. Too country, too cute! (Darn me, didn’t get a picture of it!)

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The Holiday Markets that happen at schools are probably some of my favorites to go to. I’m always presently surprised when I find a new artist that I never heard of and you never know what the entertainment is going to be. For example, Homesteaders making candles rendered from fat. Yeah, that is pretty awesome.

Homesteaders

Rendering Fat

This was my first year going to the River Ridge Holiday Market and as far as winter markets at schools go, it was actually pretty good. There were the usually knitted wears, singing children and beaded jewelry but this year there was also Fings & Things. These little handmade stuff animals were the most adorable things I have ever seen.

Fings & Things

That is the artist on the right, she posed for me. She was so sweet and she has been making these animals for a couple of years and sells them mostly on Etsy. The little foxes were amazing. These are going to appear in our house really soon!

Bryant Sign Designs

The final stop for me at this market was Bryant Sign Designs. My super talented sister-in-law. She makes each of these signs by hand. Cuts, sands, paints and letters. Her biggest sellers during the holidays are her stocking hangers (She estimates that this past month she has installed over 240 knobs for her stocking holders). She has a bunch of signs that she keeps in stock. She can also make custom signs for your family as well. Check her out!

NOTE: If you go to craft fairs, please ask the vendors if you can take a photo of their wares before you do so. Most of these people are really artists and spend hours making their items for sale. If you think you can make the item better or cheaper then leave their booth and sketch it, but don’t takes photos and then stand in front of them talking to your friend about how so-and-so or you can make that better and cheaper (even if you can). When I go to craft fairs, I always try to think of each vendor as an actual retail store. You don’t see people inside Macy’s or Old Navy taking photos of shirts and pants, then telling the sales clerk that they can make it better at home. Don’t do it at craft fairs either. Please, I beg you.



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