A Handmade Christmas

This might come off as dramatic. I can live with that.  I am me and I cannot be any less me than I am.  Okay, that part is over.  Full disclosure done.

A Handmade Christmas is approaching next weekend, and with every passing day, I am more and more sick about not being there.  For anyone who has not experienced THE event of the year in Southern Minnesota, let me tell you a little bit about AHC, as we like to call it. 

There are anxious groups of friends in line at the front door of the Hormel Historic Home for the 4pm Friday night opening.   Those of us inside, who have been traveling, setting up all day, chugging coffees, we all have butterflies as the doors open and we wish our booth neighbors “good luck!” before we are bombarded with friendly, excited faces! 

The beautiful Hormel Historic Home is lit up and decorated like a dream.  Hors Duervs are being passed, wine is being poured, and every single place you turn there are the most beautiful wares being touched and adored and wrapped up by the makers of these goods.   There is laughter, beautiful music and overall warmth in the middle of a Minnesota winter. 

It is colorful and bright and everything Christmas shopping and community should be. 

My ride-or-die girlfriend Kristy and I dreamed, planned, and out-loud processed over many egg bakes, coffees, lunches, and late night half priced appetizers and beers (we love food).  Before 2013, Kristy (who makes candles among other things) and our friend Katie (my favorite painter of all time) and I all had friends and friends of friends who had asked if they could come shop in our homes.  Since none of us felt we could open up our homes as often as we were asked, we knew it was time to create a market to show and sell our goods to local friends.

We love to create and we love other creatives.  Over the past four years, we pulled in artists from all over the Midwest (which is, like, a really big deal in the Winter time) promising them that our sleepy town was worth the trip.  We watched several large retailers come and go in that short time, too.  We heard all kinds of criticism (“Pay to get into a craft show?  That won’t work here”) about how hard it would be to pull talented artists into Austin, and delicately balance how to get Austin residents to come shop.   And they came running.

So you could say this was sort of my baby, in a way.  When my husband and I entertained the idea of moving, of course we knew Ruffle Couture could come with me anywhere.  Ruffle Couture was always intended to be an online Etsy shop that unintentionally grew into a hometown staple.  I never dreamed Austin would support Ruffle Couture in the way that it did and I am beyond grateful for that.  But AHC… that stays in Minnesota... and I don't.

I kept telling myself (and friends) that I will definitely come back for AHC.  It’s what I work towards starting every August up until the weekend of the show in December. We actually moved the date up in its second year because I was (surprise!) due to have a baby at the end of November.  We put on A Handmade Christmas on Friday and Saturday TWO DAYS BEFORE my scheduled C-Section on a Monday morning.  (I can't tell you how many people looked at me all nervous that weekend, asking me to sit down or if I thought I was in labor yet)  A Handmade Christmas is what I stayed up late sewing for all through every October and November.  It’s what made me both absolutely crazy but also the truest version of myself because, not only was I, myself, creating, but I was supporting other creators and creatives. The fact that I will not be there is a really hard reality.  Social media and the regular calls and texts have made the miles seem shorter, yet here we are. 

Enough about me, though.  This is about the show.  In the past five years, I have watched part time jewelry makers become true entrepreneurs, artists connect and collaborate on projects while living in different states, and mothers and daughters turn this shopping event into a family tradition and this is only the beginning.  Kristy and I found a way to support local and bring in the best shopping from all around.  We proved that you don’t have to leave Austin to shop, and instead brought the best of the best right there!  We had created a community of people who, like us, love connection and making beautiful things for the sake of making beautiful things.

Clearly, I am so proud of this event.  I could go on for days.  I won’t, but I wanted to say just a couple of things.

Makers – I am cheering you on SO HARD.  You people blow me away with your creativity.  I could get lost in your booths for days and never run out of things to look at, gasping at its beauty over and over again.  Your dedication to your craft is incredible and inspiring to me.  I know the sacrifices your families make for you to express your art form “out loud” and turn it into extra income, so you too, can get the most unique gifts for those you love at Christmas.

Shoppers – ohmygosh.  I leave AHC on a high every year.  I am exhausted but I am so lifted up by your encouragement, your kind words, your reckless abandon with your check books.  Seeing your faces light up over something I spent months working on is just the most rewarding thing.  You guys are incredibly kind and gracious.  Running into you at HyVee in your scarves is like the biggest compliment.

My dear friends and family who came to help in my booth, collect tickets, take photos, greet shoppers, came to my house to help me package product -- your generosity is over the top.  Thank you for loving me well and your large gestures to make it known.  Also, an honorable mention to Husband who took off work to do manual labor that first Friday and also dealing with my crazy...and my kids who ate frozen pizzas and mac and cheese throughout every Fall.

Katie and Kristy (and Maren!) – I. Can’t. Even.  You girls are my heart and soul.  I am so grateful to you for continuing on this amazing tradition even though I know this year, with less hands, it is more work.  We pray together on that Friday, during the day, every year, that God THE creator himself, will be glorified by this event and He is every time.  Katie, I am completely lost without my daily coffee check ins.  I have turned my new house into a Katie gallery and can see 7 paintings of yours from where I sit right now...is that weird?   Kristy, you are the pumpkin to my spice, and you have so got this.  Watching you, from afar, juggling this… I am just so proud that you are carrying AHC from its infancy into the next stage.  I hope this is the best year yet.  I am over here in Virginia waiting on bated breath to hear every single detail. If you FaceTime me in, it wouldn’t even be weird.  In fact this is a very public request that you do.  Your creativity and dedication is beyond me.  You are my tribe and I am so proud to call you friends. 

Have SO MUCH FUN at A Handmade Christmas this year, you guys!