Modeled after the popular Makers’ Marts of Detroit and NYC, Handmade Toledo has seen its annual holiday event grow, with around 1500 in attendance six years ago to an expected crowd of upwards of 7,000 people on November 10.
Entrepreneur and designer Jessica Crossfield (Betty Floored) has an eye for quality handmade goods and a uncanny understanding of pop culture, contributing to the selection of vendors and wares showcased at the Mart. From Twin Peaks fanboy posters to luxurious leather handbags, Markers’ Mart has something for everyone. In an age where Amazon and online shopping has replaced the hands-on experience, Handmade has turned the clock back half a century when area artisans were part of village life.
Here are says that what makes the event so magical is “You are buying goods from the makers themselves, each purchase supports a small business, putting money right back into that economy.”
Here are some of the new vendors, who will be part of 120 artists at Handmade Toledo’s Holiday Maker’s Mart.
$1 | 10am-8pm | Saturday, November 10
Handmade Toledo, 1717 Adams St.
419-214-1717 | handmadetoledo.com
Featured Vendors
1UP Gallery (Cleveland)
Owner Melissa Sidwell told us, “1UP Gallery’s goal is to bring smiles to people’s faces through pop culture.” The vendor will feature new items including a new line of zip pouches, embroidered notebooks and keychains along with repurposed Nintendo clocks and felt magnets. Founded in 2001, the gallery has evolved from using a majoritity of found goods in their products, to using raw material, insuring the gifts are even more unique. Sidwell says, “Handmade gifts are special and unique. I will never cease to be amazed by the wonderful things people are making. oneupgallery.com
White Lotus Farms (Ann Arbor)
The only small batch artisan cheese producer in the Ann Arbor area, White Lotus Farms will be bring an assortment of products for shoppers to sample and take home. White Lotus’ Amy Blondin plans to bring “chocolate goat cheese truffles, marinated feta, marinated chèvre, smoked mozzarella, dill havarti, French bread from our bakery and farmstead goat milk soaps.” Sourcing directly from their own animals, White Lotus has a built-in supply chain, making it sustainable. “The alchemy of cheese is both a science and an art. Small, hand crafted batches of cheese from the freshest local milk. We source our cows’ milk from local grass fed cows and our herd of goats lives right here next to the dairy.” whitelotusfarms.com
PM Frosted Fantasies Food Truck (Maumee)
PM Cakes is a local bakery focused on making cake creations into works of art. Their food truck (or PMbulance, as they call it) will be parked outside Handmade serving cupcakes, french macarons and plenty of sweet treats. Owner Peg Diegel said, “This business is our passion project as it gives us a great opportunity to be creative outside of our normal boring 9-5 jobs.” pmcakes.com
Tea Dude (Medina)
Tea Dude is committed to bringing you better beverages. All of their teas are hand blended and packaged with the Tea Dude’s original recipes.” Tea Dude creator, Christopher Charek, has been crafting small batch hand blended loose leaf teas, explaining “The business started on a whim. Over the years we have added around 25 blends on top of the original 3 I had at my first show. I never expected to be doing this five years later.” Charek relates his success to the markers’ community and the encouragement from the public’s support of local businesses. teaduder.com
Tiny Cloud Ceramics (Akron)
“Handmade one of a kind ceramics by Akron artist Mary Clark featuring fashionably cute and goofy designs” facebook.com/tinycloudceramics
Brieckdraw Designs (Columbus)
Columbus Designers Sam and Kendall Brieck specialize in screen-print designs, pins, travel mugs, posters and stickers. Sam explains, “We illustrate and design handmade things that stir up a playful imagination and share our love of adventure and the outdoors.” Over the last two years the couple has been experimenting with new and better ways to market their products, along with sharing the duties of crafting each object. “The act of making something you like is satisfying in and of itself, but then to see it speak to others and to have them enjoy what you made too is just incredible.” breickdraw.com
