Tuesday, August 17, 2010

Back from Pennsylvania!

I survived the Litiz PA craft show! My oh my what a show! It went on for miles and miles. They had over 700 vendors! I never saw such a sight. It was a crafter's dream. We got there about 10 and didn't leave till 4 and I still don't think we hit every booth!

One street lined with tents and people!

Another street with more vendors




It was a great show but the one thing I was a bit disappointed about was the lack of handmade crafters. Sadly I know this has become more and more of a trend at craft shows. Many many of the vendors had stuff that were ordered from a certain primitive catalog. So needless to say I saw alot of the same items over and over again. My Aunt who has been to the show said that in the past it was all handmade items not China made things were allowed. I sure wish it would get back to that, but I guess people don't want to pay the price for handmade items when the can get a similar looking item that has been massed produced and is cheaper. As a crafter it is a sad thing!!
I was so excited to meet Teresa from Teresa's Primitive Treasures.
 http://teresasprimtreasures.blogspot.com/ 
I had found out that she would be there through Patti from the Brick House Craft Shop. http://porchsittingtime.blogspot.com/   Teresa's things were fantastic! I couldn't resist buying this adorable little snowman star.

Here are a few of my other treasures I found along the way. I had been looking for a bench to put out in the garden and I finally found the perfect one!! Now if I can only find the time to get it out to the garden!


The show was great and I would do it again, but the best part of the trip was visiting with my family and just hanging out and having fun. My aunt and uncle live in Mt. Gretna PA so every year we go down for a visit. This year my cousin and his wife from Ohio were there as well.
I must say staying with my relatives is like staying at a  bed and breakfast! Every morning we would wake up to the smell of bacon, eggs and pancakes! It was wonderful! I am already looking forward to our next visit!

Well I hope all of you had a wonderful weekend! It's hard to believe that we only have 2 more weekends left in the summer (unofficially!). But for many of us that means that the best time of the year is coming up soon FALL!! Yippy!

Until next time,
Heather

6 comments:

Marcia said...

Your blog is wonderful, the photos beautiful -- but the dark background, as appropriate as it is -- makes it difficult for me to read the text. Any possible way to give a lighter background just to the text to maintain the integrity of the primitive page? Thanks!

Kathleen said...

Nice write up about the craft show, Heather. Lititz is my hometown, and your right when you mention the lack of handmade crafts/crafters. When the craft show started several years ago, that was a requirement. The vendor was required to submit a form listing how the craft was made...unfortunately that has all gone by the waist side...I did not attend this year, however I did hear from many the number in vendors was much less along with buyers...glad you had a good time.

Carmen S. said...

Looks like a FUN time for sure and you got some cute things;)

Sheila said...

Thank you Heather for sharing your trip with us. I agree that the craft shows have gotten away from the "handmade" items that everyone looks forward to purchasing. Happening everywhere though! Sounds like your time with family was the better part of the trip.
I'm waiting till the end of August to bring out fall decor! (I hope I can wait that long!)
Blessings to you,
~Sheila

Patti said...

How sad that there as so many imports..I heard from other friends that went to Lititz and they said the same thing.
I love what you got...I am hoping to get some of those stars from Teresa. And thank you for mentioning her site and my Shop in your post...We are a made in the USA only shop and that is how the craft shows should be, too. Heather I look forward to meeting you the next time you are in PA.
~~Patti~~

Angie Berry ~ Berry Homespun Primitives said...

That is a sad thing indeed! You are right, too many people are buying mass produced because it is so much cheaper. Sometimes it looks so much cheaper though. I would LOVE to travel the craft show circuit, but there is no way I could do that around here. There just isn't enough prim loving people around here. The snowman star you bought is adorable!!