Geeky Crafts at the Maker’s Fair

Every once in a blue moon I get in a crafty mood; I put my laptop aside and take out the paint, scissors and glue. Occasionally, I take my hand-made wares to a craft market, or in this case, a maker’s fair, and sell them to those who might appreciate them. This past weekend, I took some of my usual; aged gift tags, a few painted signs, and highly-scented potpourri (which has been dubbed “Christmas Crack” by one of my frequent buyers; she says she can’t start the Christmas season without it).

I took my chances and made some geeky wares to sell this time. As a kid, I loved making Shrinky Dinks. While browsing Hobby Lobby a few weeks ago, I found a new product: Shrinky Dinks that you can print on. My imagination reeled with the possibilities. I made earrings, necklaces, book marks, zipper pulls, and cell phone charms. Now many people in my town and the surrounding area are sporting Dalek and TARDIS jewelry, Nyan Cat book marks, and even a few pieces that feature The Goonies, Ghostbusters and lots of other fun stuff you won’t find at your local shops. As proud as I might be of my geeky goodies and the profit they turned, I am even prouder of the fact that both of my sons participated in the maker’s fair for the first time and made their own little bit of money.

My fourteen year old, Michael, played two separate sets on his acoustic guitar, and with permission from the organizers, collected tips in his opened his guitar case. He got a lot of compliments on his playing skills and choice of songs; he is a fan of classics like The Eagles and Bob Marley, and good old grunge-rock, Nirvana.

Sammy, who is eleven, set up a small area within my booth space and sold his hand-made duct tape items. Most popular were the wallets, which several people had custom-made while they shopped. He turned a pretty darn good profit, and was excited that even our mayor bought a wallet from him!

All in all, it was a pretty fun day. There were so many different and interesting makers, so many cool things to see and buy, and lots of yummy food to eat. We are looking forward to being a part of the next Texas Avenue Maker’s Fair, which I am pretty certain will be happening again!