Christmas 2024 Grand Boutique

      On December 7 Grand will have its December 2024 Boutique.  Along with 5 of my fellow Grand Stitchers I will be participating.  We'll be joining a fun and growing part of the U.S. craft economy as we show and sell our handmade items this Saturday.

      There's been a growing interest in handmade.  Etsy, the top U.S. marketplace for handmade, has been showing ads and gaining momentum all year.  Their ads are a perfect match during the Christmas season, but this year they even took out an ad during the Super Bowl!  And no wonder--over 75% of Americans said they participated in a craft activity this past year.  It's only natural that they would be interested in artisan made goods.  (That's what me and my friends are hoping will happen this Saturday!)

      Our Boutique will take place outside in the plaza area of The Grand on Remington Boulevard.  In addition to jewelry, embroidered items, and a few felted goodies, there will be glass, clay and paper arts for sale.  It's a great place to shop for something unique and different. The hours are 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.

       I know our market can't compete with some of the larger U.S. Christmas fairs.  The Bryant Park Winter Village in New York City has vendors, but also an ice skating rink and views of the Empire State Building. The Christkindlmarkt in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania has over 100 vendors selling handmade toys, hand-knit wool sweaters, and traditional German Christmas classics.  

      Shoppers at the Great Dickens Christmas Fair in San Francisco can buy their handmade glass ornaments and more at a Victorian London streetscape created inside the Cow Palace.  And nearly half a million visitors will shop in Carmel, Indiana at their Christkindlmarkt. We're hoping for a nice crowd in Grand, but have no expectation of getting half a mil to come out.    

      We won't be in a Victorian storybook setting, or even a snowy Christmas village, but come and see us anyway.  We'll have lots of handmade items and plenty of Christmas spirit. 

    If you can't come in person, come to my Etsy shop.  I'm a Star Seller this month!

Here's a link to bring you directly into the shop.  https://desertdabbler.etsy.com

Goodbye Spring!

 

       You know summer is coming when the snowbirds start leaving and events begin to end.  We haven't had triple digit heat yet, but we all know it's coming.  So this Saturday will be a day to get out and have some final days of fun.

        This Saturday, May 7, will be the last Grand Arts & Crafts Market of the Season.  Since the weather is heating up, the hours are lowering.  It will be from 8 A.M. to 11 A.M.  Find Desert Dabbler and the other Grand Stitchers on the club side of the Sonoran Plaza.   Look for my turquoise tablecloth and wildlife inspired jewelry.  New wolves will be there!

      We're suppose to have a tent and 6 tables.   We never know exactly where our Community Association Management people will put us.  The good news, however, is that the area is beautiful and not all that large.  If you're in the Surprise area, come on out.  We'll be easy to find.

      We'll be at the Sonoran Plaza, at the end of Remington Drive, inside Sun City Grand, Surprise, AZ.

   ********************************

If you aren't in the Phoenix area, come and visit me on Etsy.  Click the button in the top right.  But before you go, write down the coupon code below.  You can use it on anything in Desert Dabbler Handcrafted Jewelry.  

COUPON CODE FOR MAY

  As a Thank You for visiting and reading my blog, here's a coupon code for 20% off:  SPRING2022 

Use the coupon when you check out at my shop on Etsy.  Good on items from Desert Dabbler Handcrafted Jewelry until May 30, 2022.  

The Art Challenge Update and End

      As you saw in my last post, I was invited by some friends to participate in a 10 day Art Challenge on Facebook.  It was a great experience. Lots of encouraging comments and views. Lots of practice posting. I posted more in 10 days than I usually do a year!  

       I had planned to update the photos here as the Challenge continued, but as usual I'm behind. But better late than never, here are the other pictures of my art:

                                     A leather and Tila bead loomed bracelet.

                                         Ceramic wolf with Turquoise

                                           A little Steampunk for a fun day.

                                         Shibori silk for elegant times.

     A joint project. Kent wove the scarf and I made the Jasper butterfly brooch.

 And my personal favorite - 

I bought the loom pattern. Changed it slightly to make it look more like Tikaan.  It's Ultrasuede with a leather cord.  

One photo got left out, I think, but it's time to move on to something else.  Hope you enjoyed seeing my part of the 10 Day Art Challenge. If you've done something like this, or have other art projects on your blog, let me know. I'd love to stop by and see them.