08.03.11 Calling all artists - Handcrafted Holidays

Cherrywood Art Fair on Pinterest

It's barely August, we only hit 100 degrees last week here in Austin, and it seems silly to think about year end celebrations...but with eight nights of Hanukkah (times 3 kids - 2 of them with December birthdays), and future blog posts to write, it's not too early for me.

One of the things I have enjoyed most about my blog project has been the opportunity to meet and write about wonderful jewelry artists from all over the country - and introduce these folks and their work to you.

Two of my favorite Austin-based hand crafted holiday art markets are the Cherrywood Art Fair and the Blue Genie Art Bazaar.  For more than a decade, these two events have been my go to places for great gifts.

Blue Genie is currently taking artist applications - through August 24, and Cherrywood applications open on August 11.  If you're an artist in Central Texas and don't know about these events, I encourage you to check them out!

I'll be writing more about these events, the artists, and the wonderful gifts I've bought in past years, as it cools off and we get closer to the holidays - but wanted to put the word out there now!  If you just CAN'T WAIT - or want a sneak peak - take a look at a few of the things available from jewelry artists last year.

Shopping local and hand crafted is important for so many reasons - not the least of which is it shows you really thought about your intended recipients - but also because it supports independent crafts people, keeps money in our local community, and so often represents a second life for materials that might otherwise have ended up in a landfill.

If you are an artist outside Austin, but will be participating in holiday shows or boutiques in your area, please let me know - I'll happily share details here and on twitter!

For now, keep cool and enjoy summer - soon we will fall back, and the holidays will be upon us.

Until next time.

Blue Genie Art Bazaar 2014