Holiday Shopping

I spent five minutes at Bellis Fair Mall this morning, buying two gift cards, and then a happy hour wandering through the 33rd annual Allied Arts Holiday Festival of the Arts, choosing gifts and cards from among the creative output of more than 100 area artisans and crafters. The six-week festival also includes live music and children's art activities on the weekends.

Shopping at this event is one of my holiday traditions, and among my favorite items each year are the cards featuring the art of some of the 4,000 local children participating in the Children's Art Walk each May. The cat nap art above was drawn by a 7-year-old and the sunflower by a 6-year-old; I love them both and may keep them for myself, or go back to the festival and buy more cards.

The tie-dye socks are for my niece -- she will appreciate their practicality, as well as their beauty. I may have to go back and get a pair for me as well, remembering the tie-dye days of the 1960s firsthand!

If I do return to the festival, I'm going to find it hard to resist for a second time the blue clock with glasses on the second shelf here. Something about it just tickles my fancy! (Want a closer look? I thought so!)