You Get What You Pay For

We spent the weekend at the Country Craft Shows Spring Craft Show at the Foxcare Center, Oneonta, NY. The Foxcare Center is an amazing facility and proof that old shopping malls can have new life breathed into them when they are re-purposed. This facility housed a variety of doctors offices as well as a fitness center, pharmacy, and cafe. What vision someone had to create this facility out of a defunct mall!

While the craft show was a personal success our Saturday evening accommodations were not. We stayed at the Red Carpet Inn because it had been mentioned in the craft show literature, other crafters had stayed there in the past, it had a picturesque location on Colliers Lake, and was very reasonably priced. Well...the price should have scared us away as I spent a good portion of the night sneezing, and trying to breathe, and woke up the next morning with bloodshot eyes and a puffy face. Why did this happen? While air quality testing would confirm this, my husband and I believe the heater, which never stopped running all night, spewed out mold and dust. My sinuses were in mutiny and I was suffering!

Never again! It would have been so simple to drive the hour and stay in our own home Saturday night, but we thought it would be nice to have a room on a beautiful lake. Next time we will make the drive...

We did meet some wonderful people and very talented crafters at this event. I will profile 3 of them in this week's blog.

Owl Eye Photography is owned by Kate Waltz. Kate has an eye for capturing the essence of nature which she sells in the form of note and greeting cards. She also sells her photos as matted and framed prints. You can contact Kate through her Facebook page - www.facebook.com/owleyephotography.

ES Notebooks is owned by Eric Schaechtele. Eric takes original as well as common art pieces and prints them on various sized notebook covers which he sells at very reasonable prices. I always have a need for a small notebook in my purse so I was thrilled to find these beautiful hard covered ones in the perfect purse size. You can follow Eric on Twitter - twitter@esnotebooks.

Bar Excellence Soap Company owned by Laurie MacCracken has taken the boring bar of soap and turned it into a celebration. Her soaps look so delicious that you want to eat them! What? Yes, you would want to eat them. Why? She makes soaps that look like slices of cake and cupcakes. So cute for a special gift or for a shower favor! You can check out her selection at bar-excellence.com.

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April is here so it's time to feature our April Birthstone Necklace. 

This necklace is made on a loom using soft nylon yarn and Swarovski crystals.
It measures 18" long and has a 4" extension chain and alligator clasp.
It is also available in a longer length or as a bracelet by special order.
Please contact me with your preferences (dbabin731@gmail.com)
or place an order at https://www.etsy.com/listing/173955406/18-birthstone-necklaces-made-with?ref=shop_home_active_11
You can also view my entire selection of designs at www.cruisincreations.etsy.com. 

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Our next stop?

May 3 we will be at Sand Creek Middle School, Sand Creek Road, Albany, NY. This event benefits Relay for Life!

Until Next Time...

Diane