Artist Crafter Visit
February 26, 2015
During the spring and summer
months I am so busy visiting all the vendors’ farms that I don’t usually get
out to visit the Markets artist/crafter vendors. All new craft vendors must
have their product verified before they can ever start renting a booth at the
Market. For those craft vendors who have been at the market for years I try to
visit them every other year but this is not always possible. There are just not
enough hours in the day sometimes.
Larry and Connie Wenger have been
crafting most of their lives; in fact this is how they make a living. They have
been vendors at the City Market for many years, if I had to guess I would say
close to 20. The three main items they sell are wine sap buckets, birdhouses
and magnetic jewelry. The wine sap buckets take a seven step process before
they are ready to bring to the Market and make a unique and versatile item for
your home. The magnetic jewelry they make are said to have medicinal purposes
and are made from lodestone which is mined in South Africa. Larry and Connie
have a little bead stringing area in their home with box after box of various beads
in a range of sizes. The Wenger’s magnetic jewelry can be special ordered to
your specifications. They have also created rosaries made from these amazing
stones which are very unique.
In years past Connie and Larry
would head down to Canton, Texas the first Monday of every month to sell their
items at a huge market there and were snow birds in the winter. Last year they
gave up the road and decided to sell solely at the City Market and on line.
This is when they introduced their tag art to their City Market booth. Although
they have been doing tag art since 1995 they never brought it to the City
Market before last year. Larry has been collecting license plates since he was
14 which is obvious by the number of plates they have from all 50 states. Larry
has a wall of plates in their work area and a very cool piece of equipment to
cut these plates. He also uses the license plates to add to the bird houses he
makes. Larry and Connie are at the City Market every Saturday and Sunday, weather
permitting. For more information visit their web sites at www.magneticworks.org and www.kctagart.com
Artist Crafter Visit
February 13, 2015
It has been months since I posted anything since I very seldom
visit any vendors November through March. The winter months are all about
getting vendor contracts in the mail and juggling stalls to make sure the City
Markets, farmers market has a wonderful variety and quality of product. I
really miss getting out in the big purple City Market truck to visit all the
vendors and to catch up with all the vendors. I love farm/craft visit days.
On the 13th I visited Patricia Carter at her home/work
area. Patricia is just getting her “Royal Reign Bath Boutique” business up and
going in addition to attending classes. Needless to say she is always busy.
Patricia makes super cute bath bombs that you drop in your bath water which are
guaranteed to make your skin feel wonderful. Some of the bombs are round and
others look just like a cup cake, they do look good enough to eat.
In addition to bath bombs Patricia also makes scented wax melts
used in warmers and handmade scented candles. Everything needed to make your
home smell wonderful.
Patricia will be setting up her booth at the Sunday farmers
market hopefully sometime in early April if the weather ever warms up. The
Sunday market hours are 8:00 a.m. to 3:00 pm and will start filling up with
vendors in the spring.
