Good Afternoon, Everyone!
How did you weekends go? Were you decorating or putting together Halloween costumes? Did you go to any Halloween or Fall events with friends or family? Pick your pumpkins? Whatever you did, I hope it was good for your soul.
My sweetheart and I went to the Champlain Valley Craft & Antique Show. Crafts and antiques means lots of unique finds! Let me show you a few things we found!
**not sponsored or affiliated with any brands or events listed below. Just showing some love to fellow makers and local events!**
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The Craft Show
The Champlain Valley Craft & Antique Show is a three-day event filled with unique artisans and antique collectors for attendees to browse and purchase from.
My sweetheart was the one who found this event online. We'd been wanting to do something fun away from the house, and this fit the bill. He even managed to get a discount by purchasing our tickets online. And they were good for any day we wanted to go, which ended up being Saturday.
Maple Lane Collections
According to the event's website, there were "over 125 of the regions finest Artisans on display." Based on how filled the expo center was, I definitely believe it. We saw booths sparkling with handmade jewelry, racks of soft hand-knit and -crocheted accessories, shelves of pottery, and walls adorned with intricate woodwork.
One woodwork booth that drew us in was Maple Lane Collections.
Their laser-engraved patents of well-known items caught my eye. They had a football, baseball, and some ski-related patents which were perfect at a ski lodge or in a seasoned skiiers home. I love the look of technical drawings and am a sucker for the rustic aesthetic, so seeing them done on wood was bliss.
Another cool feature of Maple Lane Collection's art was that the frames were interchangeable. The laser-engraved artwork slid out and could be put into any of their custom-made and -stained frames to suit your style. We ended up purchasing a Christmas gift from them and tried it in a couple frame options before deciding which worked best. It was easy and made the art just a bit more personalized.
Check Maple Lane Collections Out:
Creations by Cole
On the sewing and jewelry side, we found Creations by Cole.
A revolving tower of brightly-colored catnip toys welcomed us to their corner booth. My sweetheart scanned through their various fabric options to find our cats the perfect catnip pillows. I found a simple paw print pattern and a winter scene, but he ended up winning with his selection: Route 66 and Día de Muertos sugar skulls. Excuse the cat hair on them; I took pictures of them after they'd already been given to our boys.
On the back side of Creations by Cole's booth was jewelry. I sadly didn't get photos of it, but there were two silver bird necklaces on display that were really cute: one had two cartoon-like birds on a branch and the other a single bird with a heart. I liked their whimsical style, of course.
They also had bracelets and jewelry sets for those looking for matching pieces, and they encouraged us to share photos or videos on Facebook with a shout-out tag to them of our cats enjoying their new toys. Videos we did get, but we have not shared them yet.
Like and Follow Creations by Cole on Facebook!
Beeline Skin Care
For beauty and self-care needs, we found Beeline Skin Care from Henniker, New Hampshire.
Honeybees are my favorite and their packaging had them all over, so it wasn't hard to get me to stop and look. The woman behind the tables greeted us when we were observing their "Bee Illuminated" lotion candle, which was lit and had a sign under that said, "Ask for demonstration." She picked up the candle and let us know about the lotion it contained. Beeswax was the main ingredient, followed by a couple other oils, butters, and essential oils. It smelled delightful, honestly-- a light honey aroma.
The selling point for us was that it worked well as a massage oil because its low melting point let it glide across the skin easily while being used. She also told us it absorbed into the skin once cool so there would be nothing to wipe away afterward. A candle, aromatherapy and a mess-free massage oil? Done!
We actually used it that night and really liked it. My sweetheart asks for back massages often, and I hadn't found a good product to use until this candle. It had a nice grip for a massage oil: not too slippery or too tacky. I could actually work on my sweethearts back without sliding around and losing traction.
My fiance liked it too not only because he got a massage from it but because the heated oil application was more soothing than needing to brace for whatever cold oil I tried warming with my hands. We're both looking forward to the next use, which is a big win.
Can I also mention their "About" page talks about what's happening to the honeybees and their importance our ecosystems, steps we can take to help our local pollinator, AND that they donate to the Honeybee Research Fund?! They're not just a pretty product, which makes me like them even more.
Check them out: Beeline Skin Care.
Naturally Yours
Naturally Yours was the first vendor we ran into. They were right by the entrance to the craft show, and they were packed. My sweetheart pointed them out to me since their centerpiece display was for heated neck wraps. Since I tend to carry my stress in my neck and shoulders, I let him drape one of the heated samples over me. My shoulders immediately relaxed under the warmth. It felt amazing.
After seeing my reaction, my sweetheart told me to pick one out so he could buy it for me, and I'm loving it. I woke up with neck pain on Sunday, so I put my new wrap to work. I ended up wearing it most of the day; I even had it on while writing most of this blog post. I think I heated it a total of two times to get the relief I wanted for my neck, then another two for comfort. It was quite relaxing to wear while typing at my desk.
I'm not keen on the aromatherapy of this particular product since it's so close to my face, but I'll learn to like it with the relief the rest of it brings. They were offering unscented versions for other wraps they sold, so they must have an unscented neck wrap available on their website. **I just checked and yes, they offer an unscented neck wrap option!**
Naturally Yours sells more than hot/cold therapy wraps for aches and pains. They also carry lotions, lip balms and salves. See their full selection on their website.
G.F. Moore Puzzle Boxes
My fiance didn't walk away empty-handed; he bought a beautiful laser-cut keychain from G.F. Moore Puzzle Boxes.
His corner booth was impressing shoppers that came over to see how his boxes opened. I'm not sure if they all opened the same, but the design we saw demonstrated needed to be tapped on the bottom, then have its "lock" lifted before the top would slide off.
My sweetheart found the Army keychains at the end of the booth. Every branch of the military was represented, as well as a few carved animal heads. My love liked that the piece was a similar size to the challenge coins he had from his time serving. The engraving wasn't filled with varnish to be smooth, either; it still had texture, which could work like a fidget toy for him while in meetings. He also liked that it made a good conversation piece for anyone who sees him around.
Like and Follow G.F. Moore Puzzle Boxes on Facebook!
The Antique Show
My fiancé's most proud of his antique find, though: World War II War Maps from 1942.
He wandered into a collectible book seller near the end of our time at the show. This particular man had books behind glass that were worth $5,000 and more. There were items from all over the world on display, each meticulously labeled for ease of browsing. My love was in heaven.
While sifting through old build-it-yourself paper architecture sheets from France, he came across the maps. I didn't hear what he asked the seller about it, but the man took the magazine out so he could look closer. I could see my loves eyes glimmer with excitement as he scanned the pages. History is one of his favorite topics, especially war history.
My favorite part was how he carried the magazine after buying it. He held it in front of his chest like a kid proudly showing off their artwork. We now need a frame to display it in for him, with easy access for showing off its contents, of course.
Our trip to the Champlain Valley Craft & Antique Show was a successful day out. We bought from more than the vendors showcased above, but those are Christmas gifts that I can't spoil. This show is a traveling event, so check the calendar here to find their next location. I'm not sure if the vendors stay the same, so check specific seller's personal social medias for their show schedule! Don't miss out on a fun afternoon.
What do you like to find when you're attending craft shows?
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