FINLEY CENTER ON HOLIDAY CRAFTS

TODAY I ENJOYED AND MEETING MANY ARTISTS WHO CAME FROM VARIOUS CITIES IN CALIFORNIA TO SELL THEIR CRAFTS. ONE LADY LOOKED FAMILIAR AS I HAD BEEN BEEN TO THIS FAIR LAST YEAR. SHE WAS ADDICTED TO BEADS AND MAKING JEWELRY. SHE TOLD US 5 PLACES WHERE SHE BOUGHT HER BEADS. A NEARBY ARTIST WAS AN EXPERT IN CARVING AND INCISING DESIGNS. ON GOURDS. SOME OF THEM HAD LEATHER STRAPS. IT WAS IT LOOKED LIKE THEY WERE SOMETHING THE NATIVE AMERICANS MIGHT HAVE MADE. I LISTENED TO A QUARTET OF PEOPLE WHO PLAYED MEDIEVAL SONGS WITH VARIOUS RECORDERS. I BOUGHT A CD FROM AN EXCELLENT HARP PLAYER.

THERE WERE SO MANY PEOPLE THERE THAT IT MUST HAVE BEEN HELD HERE FOR MANY YEARS. THERE WERE SOME MALE ARTISTS AS WELL. SOME MADE NEAT CARVED WOODEN HIKING STICKS. ANOTHER MAN MADE I HAD SEEN AT THE WEDNESDAY NIGHT MARKET SOLD RAKU POTTERY. IT IS BEAUTIFUL AND EXPENSIVE. I ALSO SAW A CHINESE MAN WHO MADE WOODEN DESKS AND CHAIRS FOR CHILDREN. THERE WERE A TRIO OF LADIES WHO DID SOME YARN CRAFTS WITH ORNAMENT WERE HAVING FUN SHOWINF THEIR ITEMS. THEY MADE SOME POT HOLDERS AND SOME SILLY CRAFTS. MANY LADIES HAD THE SKILL OF MAKING JEWELRY OF VARIOUS TYPES. MANY WERE OF FINE SILVER WITH VARIOUS BEADS, SOME WITH GLASS BEADS, OTHERS WITH TURQOISE. ONE MANCARVED THE BOTTOM OF WINE BARRELS INTO VARIOUS SCENES OF HUNTING, WILD ANIMALS, ETC AND THEY COST FROM $700 TO $1000. ANOTHER NICE LADY EXPLAINED HOW SHE PAINTED TULE AND OTHER DESIGNS ON WOODEN PLATES, VARIOUS HISTORIC WOODEN BOARDS, POTS, KETTLES, AND CHRISTMAS POSTS AND CARVED WOOD.

ANOTHER ARTIST MADE GLASS PIECES FOR NECKLASSES AND PLATES. SHE USED A TECHNIQUE WHERE SHE CUT THE SHAPE OF GLASS AND ADDED VARIOUS COLORS IN A TYPE OF "SUPERIMPOSED DESIGN" TO GIVE IT DEPTH. SHE PUT THESE PIECES ON SILVER NECKLACES AFTER SHE FIRED THEM IN A KILN. I SPOKE WITH ANOTHER LADY WHO HAD SEVERAL LARGE FLOOR LOOMS. SHE MADE SOME INTERESTING SCARVES THAT WERE TIGHTLY WOVEN OF ACRYLIC, COTTON, AND FINE WOOL. THEY WERE GORGEOUS AND EXPENSIVE. SHE SAID SHE DID NOT KNOW ABOUT BACKSTRAP LOOMS. SHE AND HER DAUGHTER LOOKED ALMOST LIKE SISTERS! SEVERAL LADIES WERE MADE VARIOUS SHEA BUTTER CREAMS THAT SMELLED DIFFERENT. I TRIED SOME OF THES ON MY HANDS. THE AROMATHERY BOTTLES HAD ESSENCES OF VARIOUS HERBS THAT WERE SUPPOSED TO ENLIGHTEN YOU FROM ANXIETY OR DEPRESSION AND OTHER AILMENTS. ANOTHER ARTIST MADE KILN FIRED GLASS PLATES.

OTHER LADIES MADE SOME QUILTS FOR TABLE COVERS, SOME SEWED, NEAT OLD FASHIONED
KITCHEN APRONS. THERE WERE MANY PEOPLE MAKING CHRISTMAS ORNAMENTS. THE KIDS KEPT
BUSY OUTSIDE USING HIULA HOOPS.

A MEXICAN LADY AND SEVERAL OTHERS MADE LIVE WREATHS OF EUCALYPTUS, AND VARIOUS LIVE OR DIVIDED PODS AND BERRIES. ANOTHER MADE WREATHS FROM PINE CONES.
THE FAIR EVENT ATTRACTED MOSTLY WOMEN FROM 40 TO 80. AN INTERESTING PART OF THE EVENT A RAFFLE OF OF CRAFTS FROM EACH ARTIST WHO PARTICIPATED. WE TOLD EACH OTHER OUR STORIES.