Apr 5, 2015
The Christmas Crafters Fayre
The Crafters’ Christmas Markets are an anual event which takes place in the last week of November each year. 2015 will be the 4th year.
The Fayre takes the region’s Think Local First campaign a step further and celebrates the artistic talents of locals and the regions hidden talents.
Buyers are able to choose from a wide variety of hand crafted products ranging from photo giftware, jewellery, hand-turned wood products, Christmas decorations, scented candles, soaps and skincare products, greeting cards to children’s toy carry cases, teddy bears, table centrepieces and heaps more.
An interesting read from Sheree Lowe’s article last year…
THERE’S a lot of buzz at the moment around the Wheatbelt Business Network’s Buy Local campaign, and rightly so.
But there is another, almost invisible local treasure that is often overlooked – the hobby crafter.
There is so much amazing creative talent in the Wheatbelt, but it can sometimes take some doing to find it.
You won’t usually find their work behind a shop window, and they tend not to shout about what they do.
Someone’s craft of choice is usually a very private passion, something they escape to just for themselves.
Crafters create the things they do because of a deep need to create something new or beautiful or meaningful, because an insatiable creative bent runs wild through their soul.
They don’t usually do it for the money – when they sell their products, it’s often only to fund their craft addiction, guilt-free.
Next time you’re at a market and you find yourself at a crafter’s stall, ask them how long it took them to make that gorgeous piece you’re looking at – I bet you’ll be surprised.
The amount of time that crafters put into their projects cannot normally be recouped in the final price tag.
This Christmas, when you’re buying for the people you love don’t overlook your neighbour, or your friend, or your work colleague who makes and sells their own beautiful gifts.
You’ll be buying a piece of jewellery that is the only one of its kind in the world.
You’ll be buying candles where the creator has probably experimented over many years with combinations of essential oils to create a scent that only they can give you.
You’ll be buying natural skincare products which are devoid of a cocktail of chemicals.
You’ll be buying gifts which are of incredibly high quality, are thoroughly unique to the creator and if what they have is not exactly what you want, they can probably custom make something just for you – if you ask them nicely.
This Christmas, please support your local creative talent.
