Eugene Weekly : Gift Guide 2008 : 11.26.2008

 

EW‘s 2008 Gift Guide (download the PDF)

Sampling the  Wares A few gems from the Holiday Market’s hundreds of booths

Doing Good and Eating Very Well

Local Pride Unique Eugene stores provide all kinds of options

Body Love Treat yourself and others this season

Handmade in Oregon

 

Sampling the  Wares
A few gems from the Holiday Market’s hundreds of booths
by Cali Bagby and Deanna Uutela

Don’t know where to get crafty, local, beautiful, cool, handmade items for holiday gifts? We gotta say: Are you NUTS? The Holiday Market’s the place to go for everything from dog biscuits to trivets to scarves to fairy wings, and we sampled a mere few of the items on offer this year. The Holiday Market (www.holidaymarket.org) runs weekends through Dec. 21 and then Dec. 22-24 at the Lane County Fairgrounds. Don’t miss the live music, the tasty food booths for shopping breaks, the kids reading poems — and all of the craft booths a sane person could desire, plus a few more for the rest of us! 

 

Oh, Snap! 

Sierra Nunley-Gross features funky vinyl wallets and coin purses made out of materials like VHS covers. Nunley-Gross looks forward to her ninth year at the Holiday Market. “I like to see customers making purchases. It’s a good feeling to see the smile on their faces over something I created,” says Nunley-Gross. “The whole market is a family thing.” Nunley-Gross grew up attending the market, mingling with other vendors and enjoying the Pad Thai. — Cali Bagby

 

Fairy Court Creations

Pam and Taryn Scudder make whimsical fairy headdresses and wreaths, some of which appealed so much to rocker Courtney Love that she bought a few for photo shoots and performances. The mother-and-daughter creations are made from a variety of materials, from crystals to velvet to seedpods from cedar trees. As a third-year market vendor, Taryn says she’s inspired by the event. “I love going to Holiday Market where so many amazing people are under one roof,” says Scudder. She also enjoys the food and music, especially Dana’s cream puffs and cheesecake. — CB

 

Baby Rocks Mohawks

Amy Clancy, one of the creators of Baby Rocks, sells hats adorned with faux Mohawks and elf-like curlicues. Clancy is also branching out with animal hats, hand-dyed and hand- printed kids clothing and a new line of adult hats and T-shirts. Despite only working at the Holiday Market for one year, Clancy is hooked. “Having a booth specializing in kids’ stuff we meet really nice families,” says Clancy. “Our clientele is awesome.” And the debate over what to call the curlicue hats — are they like Whos, Seuss creations or fiddlehead ferns? — adds spice to interactions with happy customers. — CB

 

Knitwits

Angela Egremont hand-knits scarves, shawls and hats using colors found in the forests of Oregon. Egremont has spent three years at the Holiday Market, where she enjoys the lights, entertainment, Indian cuisine and people. “It reminds me of a small village,” says Egremont. “The longer you are a part of it, the more you gain a sense of community.” — CB

 

Healing Pillows

Paulette Richards has the gift for healing. She started making flax seed-filled neck pillows for her family and now sells them at the Holiday Market. She feels very satisfied crafting this type of present because it helps with pain and stress. Her favorite booth at the market is “the one that has the lamp shades with the silhouettes.” — Deanna Uutela

 

Felted Creations

Eliel Fionn (whose art is featured on the cover) is new to the Holiday Market. She began needle felting a year ago and says she fell in love with the craft. She makes the felt come alive in the form of gnomes, penguins, frogs, skunks and more. She adds that she really enjoys Alley Valkyrie’s booth, Practical Rabbit. — DU

Raw Dog Leather

Kate Kubicek “Mixie” knows how to style pets. It all began three years ago when she realized there was a niche to be filled for sturdy leather leads that are reasonably priced. Her craft has grown and now includes unique, stylish collars. She says the market has been the perfect environment to sell her products. Her favorite part of the market is Dana’s Cheesecake Factory. — DU