a peek inside the fishbowl

Last weekend I went on a girls-only expedition to the All Saints Catholic High School Craft Fair in Kanata. This particular craft fair was new to me and I wasn’t sure what to expect. Well, as we approached the school I realized there were an awful lot of cars lining the road and more than a few pedestrians coming to and fro. In fact, the school parking lot was overflowing. Ah ha. Clearly, this was going to be a biggie.

The school gym was packed with vendors, as was the cafeteria, main hallway, and the front foyer. There were people selling all kinds of giftie things one would expect at a craft fair at this point in the season: home baking, all kinds of knitted goods, Christmas ornaments, jewelry, home decor, art, soaps and bath salts, jams and jellies and salsa and hot sauces. And that’s just scratching the surface! There was a lady selling double-sided cloth napkins that were shaped like Christmas trees; someone else selling homemade dog treats that sold out before we even got there; rows of lovely woven blankets made out of yak fur (is it yak fur, or hair?); personalized backpacks for kids; walking sticks carved out of branches; intricate pop up cards – hundreds and hundreds of items – the majority of which were handmade by someone here in Ottawa.

The one thing I was looking for didn’t seem to be there: doggy bandanas. (Piper needs to upgrade her wardrobe!) I think I will try my hand at sewing my own instead. However, I didn’t go home totally empty-handed:

I bought mittens! These ones come with a bit of backstory. You see, I’ve been looking for this particular vendor for YEARS. About ten years ago, the maker of these mittens had a booth at our school’s holiday craft fair. I bought a pair at that time and they’ve been my favourite mittens to this day. I liked the traditional Nordic-style pattern, and thanks to a tighter weave, they’re warm yet breathable, which prevents mitten sweats. Basically, they are a Very Fine Mitten.

So you can imagine my surprise when I spotted the mitten lady in Kanata at the All Saints Fair. Now I know that my old mittens (and my new mittens, above) are made by MAGS Knitting. (They’re on Facebook too!) I’m pretty sure they thought I was a little nutty because I practically pounced on their pile of mittens when I spotted them. After I calmed down we had a good chat about Quality Mittens. So of course, I had to buy another pair.

I bought these for myself but I think they’d make a great gift. Is there such a thing as too many quality mittens? I think not. Warm hands are a gift that keeps giving!

As I wandered the 150+ tables it occurred to me that if people are serious about shopping locally, well, it doesn’t get more local than this. Admission to this particular craft fair was $2 or a donation of non-perishable food. Food donations go to the food bank and the money goes to Christmas Hampers for families in need, right here in Ottawa. Beyond that, craft fair purchases support local entrepreneurs, crafters, and artisans, whether it’s their full-time occupation, retirement income, or side gig. Whether you like to shop locally for environmental reasons or economic ones, or maybe you just like a nice pair of mittens, I urge you to drop by your local church or school holiday craft fair this season. Who knows what great stuff you will find there.