CRAFT FAIRS AND DOLLS

I like fairs. They make fall a happy time. They make you forget that you have to leave summer behind and prepare for the dark, freezing winter. They make you think of another time, when fall was indeed a time of celebration of the harvest, when winters were not that bad because they meant an all deserved rest from the work in the fields. Winter meant vacation and holidays.

Nowadays the fall fairs don’t carry so much meaning. But that doesn’t stop me from enjoying them to the fullest. I love looking at crafts that talented people bring in. I now discovered I love to eat caramel popcorn.

I have to say that the display of crafty creations is the best thing by far. I don’t always buy something from fairs, but when I do, it’s always been a thing that I value and appreciate for ever.

The first thing I ever bought from a craft fair, after moving to the United States, was a small soap dispenser bottle, beautifully hand-painted with a field of flowers. It is still something that makes me smile at times, when I see it in the bathroom.

The latest thing that I bought was a doll, from the Wachusett Apple Fest. It’s of course, a hand-made doll. I realize now that I never took a business card from the wonderful woman that makes them. I should have. It is a wonderful square headed chocolaty doll, that my daughter loves. She has been named Sarah. She is part of the school my daughter is running in our living room, which includes three students: Sarah and her best friends Lila and Mimi, all attending class every day, even on holidays.

Mimi (the one on the right) is the favorite. She was bought from a garage sale for $1. Lila (middle and top) is a doll that I made after looking at some tutorials online and reading one Waldorf doll-making book. It was a long and difficult process which I didn’t feel like repeating.

I don’t understand how the lady from the fair would sell her dolls for only 18 dollars, when I know how much work and time their making involves. Of course, the price was very attractive to me, as a buyer. Besides there were so many things out there sold for similar or much higher prices that were not even half as difficult to make as a doll. To give you just two examples – nice fabric belts made from trims that you can buy from any craft store, with a buckle attached (I would suspect 20 minutes at most to make one of those) and arthritis pillows that you can heat in the microwave (filled with rice and lentils, lavender and some other aroma therapy stuff – let’s say… 10 minutes to make one?). The doll took me a week. Sure, if you know what you are doing, it might take maybe 6-7 hours? Because let’s not forget, it is not just the doll but clothing and accessories too.

Yes, I can appreciate the effort in making a doll. And I couldn’t help but making a purchase from that lady to complete my daughter’s classroom. At other things I just looked and made a mental note – “I can make that too”. Maybe one of these days I will.

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