the fair

I'm a horrible craft lover and blogger.  This is the first art and craft fair I've been to in almost two years.  I think that might be some sort of sin for a handmade lover like myself.  Be nice, though, because I've been living a good forty minutes from even I-65 for most of the last year.

Before going to this fair, I didn't know just how lively and fun the handmade arts community in my state actually is.  I mean, I've been to the famous (or infamous, if you live or go to school anywhere near it) St. James Art Fair, but this was a more approachable and locally based fair.  There were makers of all different ages--an elderly gentleman who has been shaping wood into beautiful objects for decades wasn't too far from a natural body and home care maker and her two preteen girls who were selling homemade lip balm to raise money to support a friend back at the children's home from which they were adopted years ago.

{rose pins, made from recycled cashmere sweaters}

{wall vases}

{ruffled infinity scarf}

{coffee grinder built into a vintage tobacco box}

The Arts on the Green Fair takes place on the courtyard square in La Grange, a small town about twenty minutes out of Louisville.  Most of the makers were from Kentucky or nearby Indiana towns.  I made a few small acquisitions--some wooden buttons, crochet-covered hair clips, and a little container of homemade lip balm.

{from my phone. sorry.}

The girls selling the lip balm just found out that the friend they've been supporting was adopted and will be in the states soon, not long before she would have been too old to remain in the children's home.  I was so happy to hear that.  How cool is it that all this time and effort they've put in to helping their friend has helped care for her in the time before she has a permanent home?  And how impressive is it that they're not even teens yet?

I've linked up makers' websites if they exist.  I'm trying to find out more about the makers who didn't list a site.  I would love to do a series of posts on the local handmade scene, if I can learn more about it.