Dear Friends,

You’ve heard me say before it is my favorite season…..Craft show season!

I’ve been fortunate to attend several already this fall and some trends have started to emerge.

First off, I’ve seen more people in attendance.  Now that could be due to the fact that our Michigan weather has not plummeted and we have yet to see snow. 🙂

What I’m seeing more of:

• Hand lettered/painted wooden signs – these are signs that have a phrase and are painted on wood.  I’m also seeing some done with vinyl decal lettering.
• Crochet.  Lots more crochet this year.  Especially baby beanies and head wraps that cover your ears.
• More handmade purses than in the past.
• Items made with essential oils like lotions, soap, lip balm, bath fizzies etc.
• Terrariums using air plants and succulents.
• String art – Where the string goes around nails and creates a picture
• Items made with narrow rope or twine.  Things like twine wrapped bottles and pictures made with rope glued to boards to spell out words or shapes

What I’m seeing less of:

• Jewelry.  Jewelry is still there, but fewer booths.  It could be that the craft show organizers are limiting the number of jewelry booths too.
• American Girl or Doll Clothes

Machine Embroidery at the craft shows

• Christmas ornaments – some of which are Free standing lace
• Lots of bath towels.  Some with decorative stitching around the edge and some hooded bath towels with figurines on the hooded part of the towel like a dog, cat, Disney character etc.
• Hand Towels
• Tote Bags
• Feltie hair clips and bows

Biggest surprise I’ve noticed

• The biggest surprise is that I saw several YOUNG entrepreneurs selling their wares.  They all had a story as to why they were selling.  This is Julia.  She has worked on these crochet items all year and is saving up to buy a food truck!  Friends, she was crushing it!  Her grandmother was with her but sitting back behind the items.  Julia was right out front, smiling and talking to the customers.  No one could pass her booth without getting something. I bought a coffee cozy from her.  Another young boy was selling and the proceeds went to a cancer fund as his grandpa passed away from cancer.  Other children had made items and were selling them alongside their mom to earn a little spending money.  This was a great thing to see.  It is good to teach these children about money and business at an early age.

Most unusual item

• The most unusual item I ran across combined fabric and cement.  Yes CEMENT!  Knitted and crochet items were dipped into cement and then shaped into these planters.  What you don’t see in the photo are some planters with more succulents in them.  Succulents were VERY popular.  The planters you see below were not that heavy because I’m guessing most of the cement was squeezed out of them leaving just enough that they would hold their shape.

Well I hope you enjoyed virtually coming along to some of my local craft shows.

Make it a great day!

Nancy

be creative daily and live life beautifully