Buying Craft And Making Memories At A Craft Market Near Me!
As we ponder the making of memories, let’s begin by taking a moment to think back to the good memories of our childhood. Were you by yourself or with others? Indoors or outdoors? What makes it a good memory? We can also stretch our minds back slightly less far and recall memories throughout the seasons of our adult years. These might be significant events, like getting married, starting a first job, graduating from a period of study or a special holiday. Or they might be the seemingly insignificant events, like a picnic with friends, watching your young children playing or a cosy meal where family and friends gathered together under one roof to catch up and celebrate life.
What made these memories special? While in some of them you may have been on your own, most will have involved others. They may have been times when you felt safe, loved and surrounded by people who you care about out and who care about you. It’s likely there will have been a big splash of beauty in them; the grandeur of a sunset, a delicious meal, a welcoming home or an ornate building. These may not have been your primary memory, but they will most probably have played a large part in how you felt about the event. Our souls yearn for beauty and it provides the backdrop to most of those warm and reassuring memories.
As crafters, you create a plethora of beautiful items which will go into homes and lives across the country this Christmas, providing little pockets of beauty in a day which might otherwise be relatively devoid of it: an item of jewellery, a soft and colourful scarf, some deliciously fragranced soap. Allow yourself to imagine what part these might play in creating the backdrop to a precious memory. Maybe the necklace might be worn on a first date which leads one day to a marriage and the beginning of a new family, maybe a weary mother will feel the warmth and softness of the scarf as she wraps up prior to heading out for a walk with all her adult children home for Christmas, or maybe the fragrance of the soap will bring back to mind a precious day spent with family for an elderly lady living alone.
If most of our precious memories include beauty and those we love, what better place to create some more in the month ahead than at a festive craft market? If you’re reading this and are new to the wonderful world of craft markets, simply Google craft market near me and choose one to attend. You might get further choice, with possibly some smaller and more local ones, by typing the same search words craft market near me into Facebook. Or you can do it the old-fashioned way and ask neighbours and friends for recommendations of markets they’ve enjoyed.
Once you’ve picked a market to visit, or maybe a few to give choice, enjoy deciding who you will invite to come with you! It’s a good opportunity for a girls’ day out, or perhaps an opportunity to meet with an adult child or older parent without the grandchildren. There are often food outlets, varying from tea and delicious home-made cakes at village hall fairs, through to high quality locally grown, reared and produced food outlets at the larger markets.
This is the time of year when Christmas markets are in full and merry swing. They exude festive cheer and anticipation in abundance and will for sure leave a magical impression in your memory bank. They are exciting for children with lots to see and hear and visiting the same one each year could become a family tradition.
Whatever market you go to, make sure you write your Christmas gift list beforehand as you will be spoilt for choice. At a time when Christmas shopping often piles up both debt and landfill, many are becoming more conscious of the way we spend during this season. What about challenging yourself to buy totally local, handcrafted gifts this year? Items are likely to be more expensive than their mass-produced counterparts, but they will invariably last longer, be made with more ethically sourced materials, and you will be supporting local businesses rather than pouring your pounds into a multinational entity. The crowds, heat and piped music of a large shopping centre just can’t compete with mooching around a craft market, chatting with the crafters and producers and then enjoying some tasty locally produced food when your basket is full. It’s fun to ponder over purchases with your shopping buddy and if you are with children, take a moment to pause and watch their faces light up as they in turn take in the festive sounds, smells and sights all around them. Remember to take a photo or two to remind you of a special day with loved ones.
If you are reading this as a crafter who sells at festive markets, you could tap into the whole theme of creating memories by thinking about creating some photo frames as stock items for Christmas gifts. Photo frames are traditionally made from wood, so this is a great opportunity for the woodworkers amongst you. However, there is plenty of room to add a twist to the theme with ceramic frames, quirky decoupage frames, fun floral crochet frames and frames made from driftwood and recycled materials. Let your creative juices flow for some great Christmas gifts in which special memories can be recorded and preserved.
So, in the midst of these hectic upcoming weeks, let’s get the word out! Craft markets are a wonderful opportunity to ring-fence some time with which to make precious memories with those you love. Look up craft fairs near me and plan a day out. Write your shopping list, ensure you have some extra cash for food and drink and enjoy browsing through an abundance of beautiful objects and some precious memories to store in your heart over the coming year.