I made my first-ever craft fair purchase in a school gym when I was nine. Like most craft fairs in those days, the room smelled like cinnamon potpourri and was crowded with teddy bears dressed like Victorian maids, Victorian grandmothers, or Victorian brides. I bypassed all the teddy bears that day and brought home something even better: an air freshener in a dress. Actually, it was an air freshener that had been made into a doll. I loved it.

Two weeks ago, I went to a fantastic craft fair in St. Paul called Craftstravaganza and there wasn’t an air freshener or Victorian teddy bear in sight. Times have changed.

While I was there, I did my part to support the local craft community. (Which is to say, I bought a lot of stuff.)  Here’s a roundup of some of my favorite finds:

 

These earrings are from My Little Dear. Shop owner Amanda Rydell specializes in accessories geared towards kids, but I actually bought these for my Grandma for Mother’s Day. She loves pink flowers, earrings, and is a kid at heart anyway.

 

This necklace–from Liz Parent–is my favorite purchase of the day because it represents my dual allegiances to Minnesota (my home state) and Wisconsin (my home now).

The more I look at these earrings from Botny, the more I want a pair in every color. I talked to designer Dana Holscher and she said that each of these earrings begins as a colored pencil drawing. How she turns those drawings into earrings is beyond the scope of this blog post. (Plus, I have no idea.)

Scarves are one of my favorite accessories. I even wear them on humid summer days when it’s 80 degrees, which is why I love lightweight jersey scarves. This beautiful screen-printed scarf was made by Michelle Brusegaard.

And now we come full circle. I bought dresses at a craft fair. Dresses that didn’t conceal air fresheners. These jersey dresses were created by Mary Pass. She doesn’t have an online shop yet, but if you’re ever in Minnesota, you might find her at a craft fair.

As I left Craftstravaganza, I was practically skipping. (I never feel like that after a trip to the mall.) It was refreshing to meet the people behind the products I bought. Furthermore, it was gratifying to support them as they pursued their creative gifts and took risks. And if I get fun earrings out of the experience, even better.