Happy Holidays Virtual Artisan Market

For almost a decade I have participated in a holiday market in downtown Arlington. This year, the group decided not to temp fate and moved ourselves online. Since you won't get to see us or our creations in person this year, we beefed up our online presence so you could learn more about us and our processes. We added videos, lots of product photos and more. There is also a contact form for you to submit questions to any of the artisans. You will find plenty to browse through at the Happy Holidays Virtual Artisan Market, as well as in the online shops of the participating artisans. I hope you will stop in.

While I will miss seeing customers in person, I hope to still be able to help you find unique gifts for those on your list or something special for yourself. Since I will not be manning the store each day this year I will have more time if you want to inquire about custom work. I had an inquiry just this weekend to see if I could make a listing of mine with a different color crystal accent. I'm happy to say that I could and have just posted that custom listing for purchase. Let me know if you are looking for something specific that I might be able to create for you.

Join Me and Other Local Artisans in The Etsy Market Hosted by the DFW Etsy Artisans Team

A dozen artisans are part of the DFW Etsy Artisans team (an independent team of artisans who sell their creations on Etsy.com) that is hosting one of the virtual Etsy Markets this year. The Etsy Market: DFW Etsy Artisans will run from 6pm Friday, Nov. 6 through 6pm Sunday Nov. 8, 2020.

There will be opportunities to watch live streaming sessions with different makers. Check out the schedule on the event page. You can see a preview of which Etsy shops are participating, including my EDCCollective and EclecticSkeptic shops, by flipping through the lookbook below.

Last Chance to Find Eclectic Design Choices' Creations in Person in 2018

Brick and mortar appearances are rare for my creations, so please take the opportunity to check them out in person at the Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market that begins this Saturday, December 8. Joining me will be 14 additional artisans with a wide variety of goodies for the people on your gift giving list or a treat for yourself. Another one of the artists, a weaver of baskets and related objects, is in this photo with me that O.K. Carter took for his article in the Fort Worth Business Press discussing the business side of art.

Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market is an ephemeral boutique shop stocked with unique products produced locally. Don't delay your visit to the Urban Union area of Downtown Arlington. The market will only be open from December 8 through December 23, 2018. See the market website for shop hours and more information about the participating artisans and their wares.

While Shop Small Saturday is the Saturday after Thanksgiving, American Express urges you to shop small whenever you can. Whether you're looking for the perfect gift or a little something for yourself, you're always welcome to Shop Small® at the Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market this holiday season. Grab a friend or family member and join the Shop Small Movement, proudly backed by American Express.

817ArtsAlliance partnered with Downtown Arlington Management Corporation to bring about Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market in order to showcase and support local talent and provide a unique shopping experience in Downtown Arlington.

Eclectic Design Choices Events Dec. 1-2, 2017

With some family support, I, or rather Eclectic Design Choices, will be able to be at two events at the same time on Friday, December 1.

The event beginning first on Friday is the annual Olde Town Christmas craft show at the Dottie Lynn Recreation Center. We set up in the morning and the show opens to the public at noon. I will have a good selection of my jewelry and photographic art prints, note cards and bookmarks, along with a small selection of my ready to hang artwork. Olde Town Christmas remains open to the public until 7 pm on Friday and resumes on Saturday at 9 am and runs through 3 pm.

The second event on Friday is a ribbon cutting, which begins at 4 pm, hence my need to be in two places at once. My supportive family member allowed me to twist his arm to hold down the fort at my Olde Town Christmas booth so that I can attend.

What does a ribbon cutting have to do with my creations? It is a ribbon cutting and grand opening for both CenterSpace and a business that offices in their expanded location, Cadmus Dental. You have read about my involvement with both of them. As 817ArtsAlliance, I have partnered with CenterSpace to give artisans who do not have a brick and mortar presence, a way to display some of their work where people can come and view it in person during work hours. They can even purchase it and take home a piece of art if one speaks to them. I wrote recently about the dental art challenge presented to me by Cadmus Dental. I definitely wanted to be there to show my support for these companies and their founders. After the ribbon cutting, there will be a grand opening party.

Three of the artisans on display in CenterSpace will be there with more of their work and to talk about their creative process. I will stay until I have to head back and help close down my booth at Dottie Lynn.

I hope to get a chance to see you this weekend. If not, my Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market will open for a two week run on December 9 in Downtown Arlington so you will have another chance to see my creations and those of other local artisans. More on that next week.

First Time Venture Being a Vendor at the Texas Christkindl Market

First let me say that I hope you have had the opportunity to have a Happy Thanksgiving with those you care about. Personally this has been the nicest Thanksgiving I can remember in a number of years. Hopefully it will help fortify me for the next four weeks when I am participating as a vendor at the Texas Christkindl Market which opens tomorrow at 5pm on the north side of the baseball stadium in Arlington, TX.

My alter ego, 817ArtsAlliance, has as part of its mission, a goal to empower small local artisans so they can bring their creations to market. Towards that goal, I was permitted to secure a hut at the Texas Christkindl Market this year in order to showcase creations from such artisans who otherwise would not be able to participate for a variety of reasons. I have arranged for fourteen local artisans, including myself, and one international handmade fair trade member to be a part of the 817ArtsAlliance hut this year. (Post update: Photo below taken by a friend on our second night.) While many of the artisans have limited stock available, their talent is far from limited. They are passionate about what they create. For some, when their stock is sold out there will not be any more coming. Some others will likely be restocking but with the nature of many of the handmade items, exact replicas are not expected in all cases. What does this mean for you? Come out early for those one of a kind OOAK pieces that speak to you and check back now and then to see what new items may be on display through the end of the market on December 23. Unique, handmade treasures for a variety of people on your gift list or yourself can be found by thoughtfully browsing the 817ArtsAlliance hut. If you don't find what you are looking for in our hut, there are many other wonderful things to be found in the remainder of the Christkindl Market.

Happy Holidays Gift Market - Last Show for 2015

This weekend will find me at Happy Holidays Gift Market at the Arlington Museum of Art. This will be my last show and chance for you to come out and see me and my creations in person for 2015. I will have all of my photographic art, including my ready to hang pieces, and jewelry with me.

The market will be open Saturday, December 12 from 10am-5pm and Sunday, December 13 from 1pm-5pm. Find out more about Happy Holidays Gift Market, including some of the other vendors and entertainment that will be there, on the event page.

Happy Holidays Gift Store

The Happy Holidays Gift Store is filled with local artisans' handmade creations and vintage collectors' finds. Don't fight the crowds on Black Friday, get a jump on shopping small and supporting artists from the metroplex in this pop-up holiday shop. You will be waited on by some of the artisans whose goods are for sale so you can ask questions and get in depth information about your purchases. This shopping experience should be much more enjoyable and personally tailored to your needs than the hustle and bustle found in the big box stores.

You will find my photographic art and jewelry along with ceramics, mardi gras masks, fused glass, mixed media art, holiday decor and much more. The photos in this post (click to enlarge) are from this year's store so you can get a glimpse of some of the things that you will find. (It's been open since Nov. 8 and it will be at the Arlington Museum of Art through Dec. 28.) Whether it be for someone on your gift list or your own personal wish list, unique finds await.