When going gets tough, shoppers head for bazaars

Published 11:24 pm Tuesday, November 11, 2008

Being sensitive to hard economic times, Diane Keegan dropped the price on oyster shells she paints to look like Santa Claus.

What sold at A Kackman Christmas holiday gift and craft bazaar last year for $1.75 was $1.50 at this year’s sale.

In Arlington last week, bric-a-brac with a Christmas theme was sold in Sue Hatfield’s garage, as well as decorative and practical items.

It was crowded with customers. Bev Collins from Stanwood was at her umpteenth holiday sale.

“I look for gifts,” Collins said. “And I do crafting.”

She scoots along the bazaar trail because some 40 years ago, Collins began making handcrafted ornaments for family members each year at Christmas.

Now she’s running out of ideas for different ornaments.

But this is bazaar season, and there were oodles of ideas for holiday decorating.

At the Arlington sale, Katie McCulloch of Stanwood showed her Jungle of Jewelry products. She works at Providence Regional Medical Center Everett and will sell her creations at hospital bazaars from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday at the Colby campus and Nov. 21 at the Pacific campus.

Keegan, who helped at Hatfield’s bazaar, visited a garage sale in McCulloch’s Sunday Lake neighborhood last summer. Lo and behold, someone was selling brand-new Christmas loaf pans for 25 cents each. She bought the lot and sold packages of pumpkin cranberry bread mix in each loaf pan.

Menfolk cooked and handed out free hot dogs at Hatfield’s bazaar Saturday. Many sales offer a raffle or lunch as an incentive to check out their wares.

Perhaps a sign of people’s money worries, the quilt raffle at the Camano Country Club bazaar Saturday sold fewer tickets this year. A silent auction last year received a high bid of $230, but this year the quilt went for $180.

“Considering the current economy, we were pleased to get that,” Cari Adamson said. “The resale table of Christmas items did well. More expensive crafted items, not so good.”

At A Kackman Christmas, there were several nonholiday goods for sale, including crystal jewelry, scarves, nifty Velcro-sealed aluminum can wraps, greeting cards and glassware.

I picked up two tiny silver angels for my two granddaughter angels. Snowmen made from golf balls were tempting.

“We craft all year long,” Hatfield said. “We can’t sit and do nothing.”

Columnist Kristi O’Harran: 425-339-3451, oharran@heraldnet.com.

North county bazaars

A craft and bake sale is planned from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Seven Lakes Baptist Church, 1707 E. Lake Goodwin Road, south of Stanwood.

The Lakewood Faith Lutheran Church holiday bazaar is planned for 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at Faith Lutheran Church, 1424 172nd St. NE, Marysville.

The Whidbey Presbyterian Church holiday boutique is planned for 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday at 1148 SE Eighth Ave., Oak Harbor.

A community holiday craft bazaar is set for 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Stanwood Community and Senior Center, 7430 276th St. NW, Stanwood.

The sixth annual Camano holiday bazaar is planned for 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Camano Senior and Community Center, 606 Arrowhead Road, Camano Island.

Other bazaars are listed in our Community Calendar in the Local section on Sunday.