A Great Day for Crafters and Shoppers at Riverbend High School

A Great Day for Crafters and Shoppers at Riverbend High School

Marie Gilvey prepares a new bead necklace while customers enter the craft show.

Marie Gilvey prepares a new bead necklace while customers enter the craft show.

It was an overcast but mild morning on Saturday, April 9, 2011 as the vendors entered the commons area of Riverbend High School (Fredericksburg, VA)  for their annual Program for Teen Parents Craft Show that was sponsored by YoungLives. We arrived a little before the doors opened and were promptly greeted by a smiling face. “Everything was so well prepared. There was a great breakfast for all the vendors and there were manned carts to help move my boxes and bins into the commons area” said Marie Antoinette Gilvey.

There was a wide assortment of crafters from all over the area offering just about everything you could think of and some you would have never guessed like dust pans made from old license plates could you believe. I had just as much fun looking at all the creative products as I did meeting the vendors.

Marie Antoinette works on another beautiful bead necklace.

Marie Antoinette works on another beautiful bead necklace.

Like many craft shows, the traffic filtered in and gradually increased by lunch time. The customers were diverse, curious and very friendly.

“We had 57 vendors and about 500 shoppers this year. Our silent auction and food sales help send teen-mothers and their babies to Young Lives summer camp.” said event coordinator Karey Spears. She continued stating that she hopes to reach the 800 shoppers they get during the Fall show.

Marie Antoinette and I enjoyed being part of this event—we even offered up one a necklace for the raffle. Vendor spaces that were sold and raffle money went to the Rappahannock Area Community Service Board (RACSB). We look forward to returning in the future.

Image graphic of CorseCraft icon art.

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Spring Has Sprung at Gar-Field Annual Spring Craft Show

Spring Has Sprung at Gar-Field Annual Spring Craft Show

Everyone thought the cold weather was finally gone with the few scattered days of warmth that lead up to the craft show on Saturday, March 26, 2011. As it turned out, the morning was quite chilly as vendors lined up to enter into Gar-Field Senior High School to setup for the annual Spring Craft Show sponsored by the PTSO (Parent Teacher Student Organization). Vendors set up for a day of fun and artistic showmanship around what I affectionately call “The Loop” that is the lower level of the school.

Photo of a Nathaniel Williamson holding a bracelet made from a fork - click to zoom on bracelet.

Photo of a Nathaniel Williamson holding a bracelet made from a fork – click to zoom on bracelet.

There was a light but steady stream of shoppers throughout the day with a peak period around lunch time. There was no shortage of artisans displaying all sorts of beautiful creations. Some of their work was strictly for the viewers’ appreciation and others added a spice of art to regular everyday objects to make daily activities like eating, from a hand turned pottery plate, or drinking, from a hand painted wine glass, more of an art than just a daily routine.

I caught up with Veronika Kolomichuk (the organizer of the Spring Craft Show) a few days after the show and asked her a few questions:

 CC: How was the turnout this year in your eyes?
“The turn out was fair, we look to improve each year and I think we did that this year. We counted entrances at the doors and had over 600 in attendance, probably closer to seven-hundred since we didn’t start counting until 10am. The winter show gets 900-1000 shoppers and our goal is to get closer and closer to that mark each year.”

Photo of Jim "The Can Man" Harrison

CC: How many vendors did you have?
“We had 90 vendors this year (as compared to 75 in 2010).”

 

CC: Can you tell me about the prize drawings you did? What did you give away to the lucky vendor and customer?
“We had two drawings. One for the vendors,  for a $50 Michaels gift card provided by the PTSO. It was won by the Wood and Can Man, Jim Harrison. The other drawings were for customers or anyone who purchased raffle tickets. The vendors donated items for these drawings and the proceeds went toward Student Scholarships that the PTSO distributes each year. Some of the items were LaVieve Skin Care, Isle of Candles Soy Lotion Bar, A Wood Pen, Homemade Dog Biscuits, A $75 value Purse from Miche Bags just to name a few.”

Marie Gilvey finishes up with an early moring customer.

Marie Gilvey finishes up with an early moring customer.

It was a great show and CorseCrafts will surely be there again in Spring 2012 offering our latest bead jewelry designs. But wait! You don’t have to wait until next Spring to go to another craft show at Gar-Field High School; did you know that Gar-Field has two craft shows a year? The next one, the Holiday Craft Show will be in the fall, 2011. We’ll see you there.

Image graphic of CorseCraft icon art.

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Springing Back Into Action

Springing Back Into Action

Snowy Silver Maple

Night time photo capturing the wind through the trees after a snow storm.

It looks like Punxsutawney Phil was right, Spring is nearly hear. In fact, we enjoyed temperatures in the mid 70’s just a few days ago but alas, we’re suppose to get eight inches of snow tonight.  But all this weird weather hasn’t kept Marie Antoinette from making new bead necklaces, earrings and bracelets though. We just did a photo shoot of her latest offerings in February and they are now available for immediate purchase right on this website.

I installed PayPal buttons so now you don’t have to swim through the sea of temptations on Etsy. All jewelry I photograph will appear on our website for about a month (or until it is sold) or so before it is moved to the full catalog on Etsy. This gives you an opportunity to snatch-up something before it goes into our Etsy shoppe.

Photo of leaf pendant

Leaf pendant made from shell rest on a sheathed wire for a simple, elegant design.

Marie Antoinette has added a number of new necklace creations this month that feature natural shells. Two of them utilize a “double-strand” which makes them look like there is a lot to the necklace—It’s like hanging two of the same necklace around your neck at different lengths.  She also made a series of very simple, clean designed chokers. These chokers feature a heavy gage wire that she has inserted into a black rubber-like sheath and attached a 2″ extension to with a beautiful pendant as it’s prime focus. There is also one that has a glass heart with metal beads attached to the necklace.

Photo of brass ring bracelet

Brass washers combined with chrome metal rings and a charm.

For a bit of fun, Marie Antoinette took a bunch of brass washers and linked them together with chrome plated metal rings to make a bracelet. It is truly unique and features a charm that you could probably take somewhere to have something engraved into it.

Craft Shows Spring Up Slowly

On the craft show horizon, things are moving a little slower on all fronts. We’re researching new events to participate in and some of the one’s we have applied to have not made final judging or are not ready to post full details. I have a feeling it is going to be a last minute rush this year but stay tuned. I’ll have all the dates listed on the website and will start talking them up in the blog just as soon as we get word of which one’s we will be attending. Please follow us on Twitter of Friend us on Facebook for the latest news and blog updates.

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