24 Hours and Counting!

Meet Cathie Byers from Body Love Salt, LLC...

My name is Cathie Byers and I am the sole proprietor of Body Love Salt Scrub, LLC. I am originally from San Diego, California (long story how we ended up in Ohio). I have always been creative in some way. Although, after my children were grown and out of the house I became stagnant. I was not able to think of anything to do that would give me that creative outlet I craved. 

Last winter I started looking for ways to help battle dry flakey skin. There are so many chemicals in most products on the market and I just wanted something that was healthy and beneficial. After having all my friends, family and their friends try all my concoctions I knew I had something to share with everyone.

I love knowing that what I make is helping people do something good for their bodies. I have friends who use the unscented on their eczema and it is the only thing they have used that has helped. It also works wonders on razor burn and ingrown hairs.

Hopefully, I will one day have a platform where I can sell Body Love Salt Scrub in retail stores and boutique hotels.s and I am the sole proprietor of Body Love Salt Scrub, LLC. 

Hopefully, I will one day have a platform where I can sell Body Love Salt Scrub in retail stores and boutique hotels.

Meet Theresa Cho from Theresa Cho Designs...

My name is Theresa Cho, I'm originally from Philadelphia PA and have recently moved to the Columbus area. I have a background in Fashion Design and was on an episode of TLC's 'Who's Wedding is it Anyway' as an Assistant Bridal Designer. When the economy took a turn, I changed careers to jewelry design. I get mistaken for 10 years younger all the time. I don't get it, but I guess it's a good thing.

I was an Engagement ring designer/jeweler for the largest jewelry store in the tri-state area (Pennsylvania/New Jersey/Delaware) for 4 years before I decided to start my own line of costume jewelry and accessories. I Started my own line a little over 2 years ago.

I participated in my first craft show at the Columbus Avant-Garde & Craft Show in September. It was a very different experience for me and I really enjoyed it.  I had my own store last year and I found the craft show to be very different from retail.

My inspiration, honestly, is that I love all things sparkly.  Maybe it's a Philly thing, but I love everything cute, sparkly and unique. I'm an extremely visual person. I get these ideas of things I want and I make them. When I was little my first book I decided to read was a children's encyclopedia on gems and minerals.  English is my second language, so I was able to bring my own book to my ESL class. My teacher was surprised I chose an encyclopedia, but it was the photos that fascinated me and I wanted to learn more about them.

I wouldn't consider the jewelry design a craft hobby because I did it as a full time career.  I do make hair accessories for little girls and that definitely fits in as a hobby of mine.  I'm at that age where all of my friends are having babies and I have the baby fever thing going. I started by make them as gifts, and people loved them so much I made them to sell at my store.


I have been making things since I was little.  I had a great big imagination and I would take scraps of paper and fabric and make my dolls clothes. I am pretty good at making all sorts of things. Except making food.

I often see things and think to myself "that would look better if."  It's a lot like a problem solving process to me. Sometimes I finish things and take a step back and think it's not quite right and I'll add something else to complete it. Other times, it takes me a while before I come up with what was missing.

I would love to open my own store again for sure. It is definitely harder than I thought to move to another state and start all over again. I have something really big in the works with my children's hair accessory line right now and hopefully that blows up even bigger in the next 5 years.

The message behind my work is quality and affordability.  I try really hard to make sure everything has been thoroughly inspected and is as nice as it can be. I have gone all over the world to find the best materials.  I don't believe in charging people more than I would pay.  If I have to charge someone more than what I think it's worth, I won't make it.  I want everyone to have the opportunity to wear something nice.  I think most designers love hearing "that's so pretty" or "that's so cute." That's my intent with all my designs, is to make sure the wearer is complimented on it every time they wear it.

My Website is www.theresachodesigns.com and you can find us on facebook at Theresa Cho Designs.  We're actually running a free giveaway contest at the moment of facebook, so it's worth checking out :)

Meet Amber West from Sweet Splendor...

I am an Ohio native, born and raised in the suburbs of Cleveland.  I have been married for almost seven years to TJ and we have two beautiful daughters Hannah and Avah. 

I love the field of medicine and still do. Since the age of eighteen, I have worked in two world renowned hospitals of Cleveland, Cleveland Clinic and University Hospitals.The plan was to finish my degree in Health Science and attend medical school.  While making sweet potato pie just for fun I was told that they were delicious and the rest is history.

I have been making sweet potato pies for several years now, just selling to family and friends.  Three years ago I started my own company, Sweet Splendor, with the intent of only making sweet potato pies.  About two years ago, I approached Heinen's Fine Foods to become a supplier and they originally told me no. Finally, last November they told me yes and now they sell my sweet potato pies in their bakery. I conquered that goal and then I began to create more pies such as Apple, Peach, and Pumpkin.  My business has really taken off the past 11 months and I still can't believe it.  I believe in it so much that I quit my job at University Hospitals to pursue baking full time.

This is the first Avant-Garde show that I will be apart of. What inspires me to create is the fact that people really love my pies and I want to reach as many people as possible with as many varieties as I can.  With fresh, all natural ingredients I can create anything.

My hobby started from people telling me that I make really good pies. I discovered my talent because I have a line of people in my family that are awesome cooks, savory and sweet, so it kind of just hit me.  But what is unique about me is that everything that I have learned from different individuals, I have taken bits and pieces and put my own spin on recipes.

I am a food person, meaning I love good quality food.  When I am creating new recipes I try and think of myself as the consumer and what I would like to buy and taste.  This helps me in the pairing process of what ingredients would compliment one another.

In five years, I see myself running a welcoming storefront serving pies and coffee and   being a supplier of multiple grocery stores.

Many people are in jobs/careers that they may or may not enjoy.  That's the key word, "joy".  I am pretty sure that I would have made an outstanding doctor because I love people and who's to say that one day I won't be.  But for now, I am still reaching people through baking.  Do what you love to do with a leap of faith and make sure you enjoy it.

2014 Summit County Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 10:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Center

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

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Artists who Create the Bold and Beautiful!

Meet Susan O' Neil from BoldStreet...

I've always lived in NW Ohio, as has my husband of 35 years. We love to travel and eat (he's a certified chef). Besides my polymer art, I attempt to garden, am a "mom" to two parrots and love to spend summer time at our lake place in Indiana. In my former life I was a structural/architectural designer for 28 years.

 

I discovered polymer almost 20 years ago but didn't have time to really explore it's possibilities. In 2007, I took a hiatus from formal architectural design and embraced my polymer art full-time. 

I have participated in about half dozen or so Avant-Garde Craft Shows. From my experience, I have learned inspiration can come from the most unlikely sources. Many times it's objects in other more traditional mediums (metals, fabrics, natural textures) and it hits me that I could do this in polymer, only do it differently. It's not just about "copying" something - it's about transformations.

Browsing a book store in the early 80's, I saw a title "The New Clay" by Nan Roche. There was only one brand of polymer clay available in our area, but I had to get some...  

I've always been "artsy" from grade school through high school, college and on to my formal career in architecture. Validation in polymer art initially came from an unexpected award. In 2009, on a whim, I entered the annual Interweave Bead Star competition at the last minute with a polymer neck piece. Imagine my total shock when I placed 1st in one of the categories!

Many pieces take some planning. Once cured, the manipulative options you have with polymer change. That's why I need to think through as many steps as possible ahead of time. One of the first questions that show visitors ask about my art is if all those colors and patterns are painted. There is NO paint involved, except occasionally as an antiquing medium so planning the basic structures is a necessity. Of course even with all the planning, some wonderful unexpected serendipity usually takes place as a piece develops!

I want to continue experimenting with polymer and stretching its creative limits. The polymer artistic community is growing by leaps and bounds. It is becoming more recognizable world-wide.

 

I want shoppers to know that they can own quality, one-of-a-kind wearable art and home decor items, often for the price of typical mass-produced retail. Who wants to wear/display/or give pieces that are exactly like thousands of others??

Even though I have an online Etsy shop, shows are a great way to personally connect with the public and to explain the creation processes for this rather unknown material. I love it when even knowledgeable people handle one of my pieces and say, "THIS is polymer clay???" (Plus, they save shipping at shows, and I usually pick up the sales tax.) ;)

Meet Sarah Smith from Fantaxidermy...

My name is Sarah Smith and I create faux animal taxidermy wall hangings/ornaments called Fantaxidermy. I have just started creating these pieces within the past several months, but I have always loved making art. I have been doing so since I was a kid. 

I especially love creating one of a kind pieces for my home. I have always enjoyed animals and nature as well, and I wanted to incorporate this into my craft.  

The first faux taxidermy piece I made was to hang on my own wall and the idea to create more to sell at arts and crafts shows sort of blossomed from there. I love colorful, eclectic, unique art pieces and I think that is what I make - no two pieces are the same!  

This will be my first Avant-Garde show (really my first show ever) and I am so excited to be a part of it!

Meet Liz Randloph and Deb West from Watch What You Say...

We are "Watch What You Say!"....Lizz Randolph and Deb West, former DJ's and an audio producer! We decided our printer was a LOT easier to carry around than our DJ equipment and are now taking our love of sound in a whole new direction with "Audio Art"!

This story began recently,February of 2014 when Lizz's first grandchild was born. She was able to capture the first time she heard him cry on the simple voice recorder of her cell phone. We listened to it over and over via our sophisticated audio software and were amazed at the way it "looked" on the screen. We knew there had to be a way to capture that in better quality and detail then screen print and paste. With lots of trial and error we have been able to perfect the sound waves into usable art. We chose our name to combine the visual and audio senses. With audio your eyes are watching what your words are saying!

The process takes four different software programs to do but the results are something truly unique and personal! We can make the waves and background in any color combinations, add text of the message being said, names, dates etc. to create a custom made print of your voice, kids, pets, cars, motorcycles etc. We can record a voicemail left to you by someone special... or a lasting memory of a voice message from someone who has passed.

We love having FUN with our craft! We take along a professional vocal microphone to record on site and a portable top notch digital recorder to record cars, bikes, pets etc. We have done recordings off of cell phone video's of school band and choir solo's, however we do comply with all copyright laws. We have recorded prayers and made a print for someone who asked a friend to pray for them. They keep that print at their bedside to see and feel the words.

Probably the best part of what we do is present a great gift idea for those people that have "everything." We are pretty sure that they do not have this!  Grandparents love "seeing" you say, "I Love You Gram!". Dad's looking for a great gift to give mom from the kids. Everyone can find their answer in audio art! Our furry four legged pets are with us such a short time... we love hearing and seeing their sounds go from voicemail to art!

We can print on premium quality photo paper up to 8x10 at our events. We can also order custom gift ideas such as coffee mugs, mousepads and pillow cases! 

That brings me to a cute story of one of our fun clients! She said her husband is "in love" with his show car. So when he was not home she took the risk of starting it up, called us and left a message to the roar of the engine on our voicemail. We then took that sound and had it printed on a pillow case using the colors of the car and adding the text of the year, make and model. 

"Now," she said, "he can sleep with the car he loves so much!"

Another fun story was from a grandfather who sat down and recorded a heartfelt message to his grandson..."GET A JOB, SON"!

We did not print out the actual text of what he said... just added "Some sound advice from your Grandad!"

We are seeing a lot of people who use our audio art for tattoo's as well! What a cool idea to have yours... or your loved ones voice be a part of you forever! 

We are having a blast creating these pieces that are as unique as the stories everyone carries with them! We love people, enjoy getting to know them and seeing what they have to say! We keep our prices within reach of any budget, ranging from as little as $10.00 to $30.00.

We like to say "If you can HEAR it, now you can SEE it."
Stop over and like us on Facebook www.facebook.com/watchwhatyousayaudioart or email watchwhatyousay@hotmail.com
and always remember to "Watch What You Say!"

2014 Summit County Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 10:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Center

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

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Add Flair to Your Fall Season!

Meet Emily Deeter from Rollin In The Deets...

My name is Emily Deeter. I am going to be 25 in September. My husband Josh and I became parents in February to a baby boy named Judah. I'm also a mom to a very special golden retriever named Jewel.  I'm a stay at home mom but I have a degree in Spanish and dance from the University of Alabama. I'm originally from Birmingham, AL but moved to Tallmadge in October for my husband's job. 

I have been doing this for about a year and this is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show!! What inspires me to create is I think that handmade gifts are the best! I always cherish gifts that others make for me so I want to do the same! I'm inspired by the colors of the fabric and the idea of creating something that is useful and cute; something that makes everyday life more exciting! 

I learned to sew when I was young after my mom bought a machine and I have a very close friend who sews with her mom. They have taught me so much. I also received a machine from my sister in law last year and really started sewing more in November. 

I'm a pretty brave crafter, so after I got my machine I decided I was going to sew a zipper pouch because surely sewing a zipper can't be too hard, right?! I learned a lot from trial and error. I was successful and the more I sew the more I learn so I keep doing new things. 

Most of the things I sew come from requests from friends or from a need I have. Then I do a little research and hit the fabric store to indulge in some cotton therapy! After I've gathered supplies, I try out the design and really just sew until I get it right. It's so exciting to think about the future!! I would love to be quilting more at that point and possibly have a business partner. The message behind my work is everyone deserves a thoughtful handmade gift! View our easy shop at: www.rollininthedeets.etsy.com.

Meet Marlene Hill from The Wonders of Wood...

Warren "Skip" and Marlene Hill are great grandparents who have been making wood pictures for several years now.  It started out as a hobby with pictures drawn by a family member that could be copied onto a piece of wood and designed into a lovely picture with different color stains and types of wood. Afterwards, people started  asking for something special- a friend wanted a picture of his dog, a family member wanted a birthday present etc. 

This is our first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show.  We are looking forward to displaying our work. We have only been in 3 craft shows at this point. Our inspiration comes from different sources.  It can be a lovely sunset or a requested lighthouse.  Sometimes it's a dragonfly we saw on a roll of wallpaper that gives us the idea of a design on wood. One of our favorites is the colors in a stained glass window that represents parts of the Bible.  

Warren and his brothers Gary and Greg have always worked with wood.  Each brother has different talents but all working with wood.  Skip has built everything from churches, commercial buildings, houses, toys and special orders for swings etc.  But his favorite is creating this form of art. 

Where do we see ourselves in 5 years?  Well, hopefully we will still be creating something.  Since we are both in our 70's we are  just thankful for each new day.  The message behind our wood pictures is a simple one.  It is for others to see the beauty we see in all types of wood.

Meet Gina Hohman from Gina's iKnit Shop...

I have been knitting for ten years now and this is my first Avant Garde craft show.  I make many items.  I've been making washcloths for 10 years because it's my most requested items.  I make lots of baby items such as hats, bibs, washcloths, and booties.  I make ruffle scarves in many colors.  Ruffle scarves are popular right now and I've been requested to make them.  Most of the items I make have been requested by friends and family.  

I learned to knit by taking classes at JoAnn Fabric.  I learned basic stitches and how to read a pattern from the instructors.  After learning the basics, I began to create items on my own.  I use Ravelry and Pin-interest for ideas to make my own patterns as well.

I make preemie baby hats and send them to Children's Hopsital in Akron, Ohio.  I've given about 200 hats in the last two years.  

The name of my Etsy store is Gina's iKnit Shop.  I opened my store in July of this year. I am a blogger.  The name of the blog is Gina's iKnit Shop. 

2014 Summit County Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday, October 18, 2014 - 10:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Center

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com

Visit us on:

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TWITTER

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Craftiness is Happiness for These Three Creative Summit Vendors!

Meet Brittany Fechko from FetchCrafts...

I moved to Ohio about 3 years ago after graduating with a degree in Nutrition from the University at Buffalo and getting married to a Cleveland boy.

I am a running enthusiast, who loves to travel everywhere. Last year I got to go to Glacier NP in Montana and this year I am excited to go to Yosemite NP in California.

I am trying to make this my best year yet (which is hard because I had a season pass to Cedar Point last year) and that is one of the reasons I want to do this craft show. 

                         

I have been crafting for about 3 year now. It all started because I wanted my friends and family to have unique presents. I felt like they had everything already and I did not just want to buy a gift card. After a little time of doing this, I figured out, I'm not too shabby.   

                        

My process usually starts while running, it really easy for your mind to wonder when you are on a 20 mile run by yourself! There have been so many time when I am on the towpath and I go "I got it!" or "Great idea" and then hope no one is around to see me talking to myself. I also have a great group of running friends who I can bounce ideas off. And a few times when I am substitute teaching I ask the kids what they think because most of my items are for their age and it is nice having their input.

My crafts are all about fun and finding the perfect item for yourself or someone special in your life. I hope you enjoy Fetchcrafts!

Meet James WeckBacher from Let's Face It Caricatures...
This is my first Avante-Garde show. I have been drawing since I was 2 years old.  My Father is an artist so I grew up in a creative atmosphere.
                                               
I have been doing caricatures professionally for ten years.  I fell into it accidently on purpose.  A friend of mine got me started filling in for her when I lived in California.  Since I've moved back to my home state here in blustery Ohio,  I decided to start my own business and thus,  Lets Face It Caricatures was born. 

My company, J W Visual Arts encompasses various types of my work including caricatures, photography, illustration, graphics and eventually film and video. My slogan is "A picture is worth a thousand words but a caricature is worth a million laughs."    


Meet Kathy Garber from Birdie Girls Treasures...

My name is Kathy Garber and I currently live in Hudson, Ohio. I enjoy bird watching, gardening, hiking, metaphysics and crafting. I have been creating and crafting all of my life, but have just recently started selling my creations online on Ebay and Etsy (BirdieGirlsTreasures).

                             

My love of nature and animals inspire my creations.

My picture collage creations were born from a frustration of searching for, and being unable to find specific animal and nature themed home décor and gifts in the past. My luminaries have developed from my past volunteer experience in creating centerpieces for parties and special events and the realization that there is a great interest in custom made items.

This is actually my first craft show, so I will be testing the waters to see if there is a greater interest in my items and hopefully that will help determine which direction to head in the future regarding my crafting business.  I am looking forward to becoming part of the craft vendor community and hope to be part of many more shows in the future!

2014 Summit County Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday April 12th- 10:00am-5:00pm

Sunday April 13th- 11:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Centre

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator

at info@avantgardeshows.com

Visit us on:

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Spring time is calling and these vendors are listening!

Meet Terri and Jessica from The Glass Lotus 

We are just crafty folk...plain and simple.  We have a great appreciation for the past, and we also have a great concern for our planet. When we integrate our craftiness, our appreciation and our concern, we end up with The Glass Lotus.

We are a mother-daughter team who repurpose vintage glass and crystal into beautiful and unique pieces of art. Our main focus is our glass garden flowers. For these, we search high and low for pristine vintage glassware and crystal. Our workshop is full of glass organized by color - literally hundreds upon hundreds of pieces.  We stack the glass until we find the absolute perfect composition. Then, each flower goes though a seven-day cleaning and fusion process.

Many of our glass flowers are inspired by real flowers, and others are inspired by suggestions from our large following of customers on Facebook. We are also working on new creations such as repurposed glass mushrooms, hummingbird feeders and bird baths.

We like to think that our work serves three main purposes. First, we hope to add to the warmth and character of our customers homes and gardens. Second, we hope our work elicits an appreciation for the beautiful glass that was hand-made so many decades ago. Last, we hope our work inspires people to take care of our precious planet by reducing, reusing, recycling, and re-purposing.

Meet Kathy Garber from Birdie Girls Treasures

My name is Kathy Garber and I currently live in Hudson, Ohio. I enjoy bird watching, gardening, hiking, metaphysics and crafting. I have been creating and crafting all of my life, but have just recently started selling my creations online on Ebay and Etsy (BirdieGirlsTreasures).My love of nature and animals inspire my creations. 

My picture collage creations were born from a frustration of searching for, and being unable to find specific animal and nature themed home décor and gifts in the past. My luminaries have developed from my past volunteer experience in creating centerpieces for parties and special events and the realization that there is a great interest in custom made items.

This is actually my first craft show, so I will be testing the waters to see if there is a greater interest in my items and hopefully that will help determine which direction to head in the future regarding my crafting business.  I am looking forward to becoming part of the craft vendor community and hope to be part of many more shows in the future!

Meet Terri Brewer from Necklascarf

I am Terri Brewer, co-owner of EverExpand Inc,  and creator of Necklascarf (tm), a collection of magnetic jewelry scarves.  I began EverExpand in 2012 as a springboard for creative products in fashion because of my belief and experience that life is ever expanding.  One idea or creative endeavor builds on another, ideas merge and create new ideas which inspire even more ideas. Necklascarf  evolved from my frustration with buying beautiful scarves only to have them pile up in the closet due to my  frustration in tying them, dislike of the long hanging ends, and an inability to get them off quickly.  I went to the internet to find a better product and was surprised to find that it didn't exist, other than infinity scarves which can be bulky and require being pulled over the head. 

Eighteeen months and over 50 prototypes later, I had created Necklascarf, a magnetic scarf that goes on in two seconds and cascades perfectly into place every time.  It has no back or front so you can put it on either way.  I scoured the world for jewelry components to make each one an elegant necklace as well as a scarf, and chose a wide spectrum of fabrics with content that yields the cascading effect that Necklascarf instantly gives.  Many fabrics simply don't work as a Necklascarf so we carefully choose only those that do and are in the process of designing our own fabrics. As my partner Sharon Fedor and I began exhibiting Necklascarf, we were amazed to find that women of every age from 9 - 99 were enchanted with them.  In two seconds a woman could pop on the Necklascarf and have a soft , flowing splash of color around her neck.  Each time a woman would put one on, we would see a shy smile as she looked in the mirror and realized "oh, I look nice."  We have come to enjoy that emerging smile from each woman who dons a Necklascarf. We learned that every woman of every age cares about how she looks, although many don't want much fuss when it comes to dressing.  

I also wanted my company EverExpand to do good in the world beyond making women look nicer, so I teamed up with Esperanza Threads, a wonderful non-profit organization in Cleveland who teaches women to sew and find jobs in textiles.  Esperanza Threads works with migrant workers, refugees and other women in transition to give them marketable skills in sewing.  Esperanza Threads now employs women highly skilled in sewing and monitors quality output carefully.  I am proud that my Necklascarf line is hand sewn by these women.  Cleveland has become part of a national movement to return textile manufacturing to the U.S., and we are part of that movement.

For me, the creative process, begins with a child-like curiosity and an openness to allowing inspiration to come from anywhere and everywhere. I believe that when one is open to creative ideas, the Universe rushes in to give you connections and inspiration.  

2014 Summit County Spring Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show

Saturday April 12th- 10:00am-5:00pm

Sunday April 13th- 11:00am-5:00pm

St. George's Fellowship Centre

3204 Ridgewood Rd.

Fairlawn, OH 44333

For more information, contact Becki Cooper, Event Coordinator

at info@avantgardeshows.com

Visit us on:

FACEBOOK

TWITTER

PINTEREST

LINKEDIN