Today sooooo feels like it should be Friday. This has been the longest week ever. I’m about out of the woods for my “busy time” at work. Hooray! I’m looking forward to a nice relaxing weekend. Benzo and I have something new planned – more about that tomorrow!
Today I’m posting about something I’ve been meaning to write about for awhile. Craft shows! I like to frequent craft shows to see what goodies I can find. I’ve even been known to participate in a craft show from time to time, selling my own crafts.
Craft shows are a lot of fun. You get to shop for homemade items that are handcrafted by local people. I love to see all the different things people think up and talk to them about their products and their business.
During the month of March I went to three craft shows and found some really great things. First up are these adorable reuseable lunch bags.
I fell in love with the fabric when I saw them! Each bag was $5 and hand made by a stay at home mom in the KC area. The inside of the bags are lined with that slicky fabric that wipes off easily (the gal told me what it was, but I can’t remember right now). The bag seals shut with a velcro strip right inside the top.
I’ve used these bags to haul veggies, cookies, pitas and spinach in my lunch box. Below is a picture of a few pepper and carrot sticks in one of them.
I really, really love these bags. They have been wonderful to use in my lunch box. Previously I would use all plastic containers or glass jars to avoid using plastic bags. But sometimes I would have trouble fitting all those containers in my lunch box. The bags are great for certain things and take up a lot less room.
These bags wipe out easily and are even machine washable! If you are interested in the bags, you can buy them through the gal’s Etsy shop: http://www.etsy.com/shop/MelsSells. She has lots of other cute things like aprons, nursing covers and coloring wallets.
Next up is this little notebook:
It has a recycled cover made out of a VCR tape box! It could also be a DVD box too I suppose. I thought this was such a great idea! This notebook was made by a high school girl. I talked to her for awhile and she said she’ll make notebook covers out of pretty much anything. She had large notebooks with covers made out of cereal boxes and other notebooks with old albums as covers. Even the back was recycled!
I love the movie Clueless so as soon as I saw this notebook, I knew it was the one for me. I used to have Clueless on VHS and would watch it over and over. I need to get a new copy on DVD!
Finally I bought some body scrub and two lotion bars from this super cute gal. She was so nice. She did a demonstration on my hands with her body scrub. They were SO soft afterwards. My brother was with me and he did the demonstration too. He could not stop talking about how soft his hands were!
The gal that made these said she started making her own lotion bars because she could not find lotion that would stay on her hands through repeated washing. So she started experimenting with all natural ingredients and came up with her own recipe. I love stories like that! I also love the lotion bars. I can keep it in my purse and I don’t have to worry about lotion leaking out by accident.
I actually bought a few more things at the craft shows in March, but I can’t share them on the blog yet because they are Mother’s Day gifts for Movie Mom and MIL. Look at me, planning ahead and everything!
To find a craft show in your area, go to craftlister.com and search by zip code. The main craft show season is from September through the first weekend in December (right before the holidays). There are some craft shows throughout the rest of the year, but the main action is in the fall.
Do you ever go to craft shows? Or shop on Etsy? Etsy is kind of like an online craft show. I haven’t ever shopped on Etsy actually. Anyone had good luck with it?
Everything Is Homemade 
I love crafts and homemade goods like that! So awesome! I’m a huge fan of Etsy.
I used to have Clueless on VHS also and I would watch it over and over (and over). I could practically quote that movie from beginning to end!
Of course, you know I love craft shows. I have been in one or organizing one since Ben was three months old.
A new web site that I have found that has I lot of fun handmade items is “I heart handmade”.
http://indiehandmade.com/
I noticed that Emily’s, Ben’s younger sister, face looked so pretty and healthly, I ask what is was doing different to her face and she is using the body scrub from the girl that makes the lotion bar from my show in March featured in your blog.
I love those bags! I have been meaning to buy some and I might for Earth Day =)
They would make a good Earth Day gift to give to friends and family!
I have got to start going to those once I have some time. I’m thinking that as soon as I have this baby I should get on it! LOVE the bags!
Diana – there’s always the cutest baby and kid stuff at craft shows too. I’m always telling the crafters “I wish I knew a baby so I could buy this!”
I love Clueless! Definitely on my favorites list! OK…had to get that out of the way first…lol.
The lotion bars are a great idea! Do you know if she has a website where she sells them, or is she just local right now? I’d love to try her products!
I don’t think she has a website, but she does have an e-mail address on a card she gave me. I have it at home so I’ll e-mail it to you later tonight or this weekend (I’ll try not to forget!).
Thank you! My blog doesn’t have an email address yet so I’ll send you one of my personal ones to your blog email address. 🙂