handmade holiday shopping

this weekend is the last shopping weekend before christmas.  usually it means SUPER craziness at the mall...at least i assume so but i haven't really been to one in a while so i really wouldn't know, i guess.

since "black friday," our family has had a grand time checking out the local-indie-handmade shopping events around town, and i've come to realize that there's really no reason for mall gifts when you can buy independent (well, i suppose if one were in need of a certain pair of shoes then that's not really local, but i know a local shop that sells them).  

follow along and i'll show you where we've been so far...

i think i've mentioned this before, but danielle deboe of room service relocated her store to w 25th where the larger space allowed her to accommodate not only the year-round items but items from the made in the 216 holiday shoppe.  she reopened the shop on black friday, so we decided to check it out (this was the first time in quite a while that we've ventured out to a shop on black friday).

the following weekend, cleveland handmade hosted an show at the wooltex gallery.  it was a small show, but still full of very talented artists selling their wares (including valerie mayen, who was on season 8's project runway).  one of my favorite things about shows like this, is the opportunity to develop relationships with the artists themselves...getting to know them and seeing their familiar faces at each show makes going to these events homey and comfortable.

 that same day, we also headed down the street to the artcraft holiday show...3 floors of glorious handmade items!  there was so much to see.

the following weekend after that, was the bazaar bizarre show.  this is one that i look forward to every year, and it seems that each year the west side show (which is their main one out of the 2 shows they have in cleveland) gets bigger and bigger.  this year was no exception.  we went there pretty much when they started and it. was. full.  full of great artists.  full of awesome clevelanders ready to shop.  there were definitely some tight spots...kind of tricky of you're a giant, pregnant lady.  it seems they may have outgrown that floor.  which is a good thing!  if it's still at the same location next year, i highly recommend families with babies and tots to skip the stroller and wear their wee ones.  i saw a few mamas with strollers, and they had quite the time trying to maneuver through the crowd.

and this weekend will be cleveland handmade's biggest show of the year.  the grand finale...so to speak.  the last minute market will be going on this saturday from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. featuring 80+ artists.  if you're still looking for some last minute gift items this is the place you want to stop at.  you can thank superwoman/mama kathy who has made all the fab cleveland handmade events possible.  doesn't she look like she means business?