Sunday 4 December 2011

Artisans Gift Fair

Yesterday the indispensable Scott and I set up the portable shop at the Artisans Gift Fair. It's at the Tranzac Club, the funky little place on Brunswick, just south of Bloor in the Annex. It's a fun show with free admission, and it takes place every weekend in December prior to Christmas. This year the last dates are December 17 and 18.

I thought I was going to be there on the 17th, also, but there was a snafu in communication and now I probably won't be, unless there's a last-minute stroke of luck. If there is, I'll post it here.

We did this show in 2008 and 2009, skipping last year, which was sad, so we came back again this year. I like the vibe there. Nothing pretentious, just a nice, low key event for the 99%. A good mix of crafts, including some I just hadn't run into before. Such as crocheted pasties. Well, it is almost winter... Roberto Riveros was there, too, at my recommendation, with his wife, Nancy, and his son, Severus. (How I love knowing someone named Severus! He isn't the least bit Snape-y, either.) Roberto is the photographer who was my tent neighbour at the Market this summer. It's always nice having friends at a sale.

I had my favourite spot, right in front of the stage, where my tall grids won't block any other vendor.








We were next to a lovely couple selling Mexican glass and ceramics. Pretty, but absolutely terrifying being so close to a shelving unit stuffed with stemmed glassware. It made us very, very mindful of each move we made. Thus was disaster averted. Phew.

Met some nice people and a lovely Dachshund named Dargo, who was too wiggly to photograph successfully. I tried. He had on a handsome green sweater.

One of the nice people was Priya, of Priya Means Love. She was selling her yummy, hand made botanical lotions and creams and such. She admired my new fascinator with a beaded taupe organza flower and metallic feathers, and it admired her.


















Another visitor was Sam and his mother. He looked most fetching in a poorboy cap, as modeled here:


















June couldn't resist this delicious felt creation with multiple personalities, so she bought it:








My friend and colleague Sheila came by to say hi, which was a lovely surprise. We were millinery students together. And another of our classmates came by at the same time. Three milliners, no waiting.

And you know who else was there? That guy from Rookie Blue! I love Rookie Blue! And that guy was there! You know, one of the seasoned cops, the one who got shot toward the end of the first season, but he was okay... If I'd been there when he passed my table I would have totally and shamelessly asked for a photo, but I wasn't. I'm sure the universe knows best.

It's been the season to run into recognizable people. Art Heintzman House there was Peter Kent, at Plaid Tidings it was Vanessa Harwood, former prima ballerina, and now my favourite fake cop. I wonder who will be at St. Lawrence Market?

Yup, as mentioned before, I will be back to my summer stomping grounds for two more days, but this time we'll be inside the North Market building, 93 Front Street East at Jarvis. Fellow artisan Marjorie Robles of Earth Faerie is spearheading this five day, last-minute sale. Here are the hours:

Thursday, Dec. 15: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Friday, Dec. 16 (that's me!): 9 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 20: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 21 (me again!): 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.
Thursday, Dec. 22: 11 a.m. - 9 p.m.

I'll post more about this when I have more to post.

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