STAFF WRITER
LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP - The gymnasium at St. Francis Community Center was filled with early holiday shoppers all day Saturday, and Sunday's rainy weather brought out even more, all looking for special gifts.
There were many from which to choose at the center's annual two-day fall crafts show.
Christmas decor was front and center with table and door arrangements of faux greens, ribbons and sparkling ornaments in abundance.
Four Seasons Crafts of Brick had a table and shelves filled with rustic Santas, based upon one of the earliest German versions of Father Christmas, called "The Mountain Man," who was said to have given rosy apples to all of the good children in his village on Christmas Day.
Joy Zomercyke of Barnegat featured porcelain dolls, all dressed up for the holidays and surrounded by holiday decorations. She said her home business was called "Victorian Designs by Joy."
Mary Puritan's home business in North Beach Haven, C! oqui Corner, is all about sea glass, and her table was filled with necklaces, bracelets, earrings and other items made from various colors of sea glass she said she gets from Puerto Rico.
Like many of the other craftspeople in the show, Mary said she does not have a shop, but takes her work to "about six crafts shows a year."
She added that her products will soon be available on a Web site, artisticenvisions.com.
Denis Schultz and her daughter Stacy, of Seaside Heights, said the development of their hobby, making arrangements of dried and silk flora was created "out of boredom."
Familiar faces at the show included that of Herbertsville Honey Co., artist Carol Freas, selling her watercolors, and artist Cathleen Engelsen, also selling her paintings, but featuring something new this year.
She has created packaged kits containing a palette of watercolors, some paintbrushes, instructions and several bleached clam shells for young artists.
"The Paint-A-Seashell kits a! re going to be available at (former Beach Haven Mayor) Debbie ! Whitcraf t's maritime museum in Beach Haven," she said, "and this summer we will have a contest of the painted shells that children can enter."
Along with all the jewelry, knitted and crocheted goods, handcarved wooden items and more was Al Rutkowski's booth of stained glass suncatchers. Rutkowski, of Manahawkin, was getting a lot of attention with his "butterfly ladies," metal female figures with stained glass butterfly wings attached.
Perhaps the biggest lines were for a man who has been seen at many local crafts shows, including the Long Beach Island Foundation's annual extravaganza. He sells little wooden, jointed figures and other handcarved creatures, including some that have universal appeal - backscratchers.
Between now and Christmas there will be dozens more crafts shows sponsored by churches, charity and civic clubs and emergency squads try to raise funds for their organizations, at the same time making shopping a pleasant social event. Article Directory: http://www.articledashboard.com Sandra Davidson is a home based internet marketer. To find the best home based business ideas and opportunities so you can work at home visit: www.ProfitPowerSite.com.
Source: http://www.ocobserver.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071122/BEACON04/711220305/1042/BEACON
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