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holiday events by Maureen Curtis I A Cornucopia of Christmas Craft Fairs! M a j o r craft fairs are held at W e s t V a n c o u v e r S e c o n d a r y and at S t . T h o m a s A q u i n a s S e c o n d a r y in N o r t h Vancouver. N o w in its 12th year, the S t . T h o m a s A q u i n a s s h o w is juried (crafters s u b m i t items f o r p r e - s e l e c t i o n ) and attracts mainly professional crafters f r o m all o v e r t h e p r o v i n c e . " W e w a n t t o give B C artists an o p p o r t u n i t y t o sell t h e i r crafts and pieces," says o r g a n i z e r C l a i r e Shnurrenberger. C h o o s e f r o m this year's array, w h i c h will include h a n d w o v e n c l o t h e s , g o r g e o u s hats, d r i e d f l o w e r a r r a n g e m e n t s in antique c o n tainers, beautifully c r a f t e d c u t t i n g boards, and unique pieces of Renaissance metal art, p e w t e r o r n a m e n t s , and edible p o p c o r n art. F o r the t w o - d o l l a r admission y o u get a chance at the d o o r prizes. Parents and s t u dents run a cafe and t h e r e is a table of baked g o o d s that vanishes in a t w i n k l i n g . Three N o r t h Vancouver recreation centres put o n large craft fairs w h i c h a t t r a c t repeat crafters and fairgoers year after year. T h e Ron Andrews Recreation C e n t r e fair was the first off the m a r k in O c t o b e r . S h a n n o n Y z e r m a n , w h o has been organizing this sale f o r six years, notes that H a l l o w e e n c o s t u m e s , N o r d i c sweaters, wildlife a r t (by Bill Keay), soaps, scarves, papier-mache, and t h e r a p e u t i c heatable n e c k bags are p o p u l a r items. A t Lonsdale Recreation Centre's Mickey McDougall D i p p i n g candles is a favourite activity at Waldorf School's Children's Christmas Fair. b e a d e d jewellery, and applique q u i l t e d p i l l o w s are s o m e of the items t o be featured. A n event w i t h m o r e of an emphasis o n arts than crafts is the t h r e e day Cornucopia of Creative Gifts at the S e y m o u r A r t G a l l e r y in D e e p C o v e . T h i s j u r i e d s h o w is a display of fine quality p i e c e s -- n o t a c r o c h e t e d bed doll o r clothespeg-anything in s i g h t -- a c c o r d i n g t o o n e of t h e organizers, M a r y s e D e C o s t e . T h e r e will be, however, s o m e m a r v e l l o u s w o o d e n sculptures, h a n d b l o w n Christmas t's beginning t o l o o k a l o t like C h r i s t m a s craft fair season. H e r e o n t h e N o r t h S h o r e , sales tables at many c h u r c h and s c h o o l fairs are b o o k e d s o l i d w i t h a stunning array of h a n d m a d e c r e a t i o n s . T h e crafters. w h o have b e e n w o r k i n g like Santa's elves since last w i n t e r , are laying d o w n t h e i r glue guns, paint brushes, needles, and chisels and getting ready t o smile and make change f o r an a n t i c i p a t e d s t r e a m of eager s h o p p e r s . D u r i n g the n e x t few w e e k e n d s , y o u ' l l be t r i p p i n g o v e r craft fairs (see sidebar f o r l o c a t i o n s and dates).They range f r o m l o w key sociable gatherings t o g l i t t e r i n g s h o w c a s e s of fine artistic talent. Many schools, such as F r o m m e , Boundary, and B r o o k s b a n k in N o r t h V a n c o u v e r , put o n fairs as fundraisers and as e n t e r t a i n m e n t f o r c h i l d r e n and families. T h e w a r e s are i n e x p e n s i v e , t r a d i t i o n a l favourites m a d e by t h e students. W a l d o r f S c h o o l ' s annual C h i l d r e n ' s C h r i s t m a s Fair is a m u c h a n t i c i p a t e d annual event w h i c h parents and c h i l d r e n p r e p a r e f o r and t h e n enjoy p a r t i c i p a t i n g in. In a d d i t i o n t o the beautifully displayed soft toys, w o o d e n animals, and C h r i s t m a s d e c o r a t i o n s , t h e r e are many activities f o r t h e c h i l d r e n : s o a p s t o n e carving, candle dipping, and b l o w ing tiny boats a r o u n d a silver p o n d and a fabulous cave filled w i t h c o o k i e s hanging f r o m t h e ceiling by strings. W a n d e r i n g m i n strels e n t e r t a i n , and s t o r i e s are t o l d . " T h e r e ' s n o t a Santa in sight.This is n o t a c o m m e r c i a l event b u t a c o m m u n i t y c e l e b r a t i o n , " says W a l d o r f ' s enrollment balls, c u t glass, darling tiny tug boats, and e x q u i s i t e evening purses. " Y o u can get s o m e thing unique f o r a n y w h e r e b e t w e e n $ 1 0 and $500," says D e C o s t e . C h r i s t m a s in M i n i a t u r e s at the Silk Purse in A m b l e s i d e is m o r e of a s h o w than a sale, but the display of individually d e c o r a t e d houses and toys will fascinate. Just d o w n A r g y l e S t r e e t f r o m the Silk Purse at the F e r r y Building G a l l e r y catch - Great Stuff-Buyables, Affordables, & Collectibles a festive e x h i b i t i o n and sale of m i x e d media a r t w o r k and g i f t w a r e , . W h o are t h e s e busy elves that make the gifts and t h e n spend h o u r s c h a p e r o n i n g t h e i r c r e a t i o n s into w a i t i n g hands? S o m e t i m e s they are students o r p a r i s h i o n e r s w o r k i n g t o raise funds f o r c h u r c h o r s c h o o l . T h e n t h e r e are G y m , o r g a n i z e r Kelly M c R a e says the display will i n c l u d e p i c t u r e frames, tiny boxes, clay o r n a m e n t s , d o g jackets, co-ordinator Alison Waters. T h e L y n m o u r C o m m u n i t y S c h o o l event is billed as a C h r i s t m a s M a r k e t and is a c t u ally a sale of d o n a t e d , i n e x p e n s i v e toys and gifts that c h i l d r e n w i t h little cash can afford and w r a p o n the spot. Listen t o bands p e r f o r m w h i l e y o u visit m o r e than 100 different hobbyists f e a t u r e d at Seycove C o m m u n i t y S c h o o l / C e n t r e . C h u r c h fairs o f f e r an e x c e l l e n t o p p o r t u nity f o r m e m b e r s t o visit and share the C h r i s t m a s s p i r i t w h i l e raising money.This is t h e place t o c h e c k o u t t h e dolls, placemats, aprons, and m u c h m o r e m a d e by s o m e skilled n e e d l e r s . T h e St. C a t h e r i n e s A n g l i c a n fair is o n e of the largest and entries are s e l e c t e d f o r quality. designer pillows, b e e s w a x candles, w i n d chimes, and f o o d . Five pieces c r e a t e d t h r o u g h t h e centre's c h i l dren's a r t p r o g r a m s will be r e p r o d u c e d into C h r i s t m a s cards, funds raised going back into a r t r o o m e q u i p m e n t . A d m i s s i o n is free, c h i l d c a r e is free, and the U n i t e d W a y is running the concession. Delbrook Recreation C e n t r e ' s sale is always a successful event that features w o r k by different artisans o n each of the t w o days. P o t t e r y .