Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market Features Local Artisans

A baker's dozen of local artisans, who also run Etsy shops, have come together in the Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market at The Sleepy Cottage in the Urban Union area of Downtown Arlington, across from Legal Draft. Browse their hand crafted creations for the recipients on your gift list or pick out something special as a treat for yourself.

Preview the artisans' work by clicking on the buttons on the event page to be taken to their Etsy shops. Not all items in the online shops will be at the market and the market will have some items not seen in the online shops, however you will get a good feel for what types and styles of items can be found at the market. The pop-up market will run daily through December 23, 2017. Times vary, please see the event page for more details.

The Happy Holidays Pop-Up Market is brought to you by 817ArtsAlliance in conjunction with The Sleepy Cottage and DFW Etsy Artisans, an independent local team of artisans with shops on Etsy. Thanks to Downtown Arlington Management Corporation for their sponsorship.

817 Arts Alliance Sponsors Local Artisans at Christkindl

As I am writing, there is about a week left to take advantage of a unique shopping opportunity brought to you by 817 Arts Alliance at the Texas Christkindl Market in Arlington, TX. Fourteen artisans local to the DFW metroplex and one international fair trade partner have been given the chance to have their handmade creations available for sale to the public in the 817 Arts Alliance Hut at the Texas Christkindl Market. The Happy Holidays at Christkindl tab above has all of the details as to where and when you will be able to shop and which artisans' wares will be found when you stop by the 817 Arts Alliance Hut.

Happy Holidays Gift Market 2015

Approximately 30 artisans and collectors will offer unique shopping opportunities on two floors of the Arlington Museum of Art in the Happy Holidays Gift Market brought to you by 817ArtsAlliance. You will be able to talk directly with the artists and collectors responsible for the fabulous finds that will be displayed for sale.

There will be gifts for guys and gals, young and old. Browse fused glass goodies, miniature paintings, recycled nutcrackers, ceramic creations, jewelry, Mardi gras masks and much more.

In addition to this special shopping opportunity, holiday entertainment including CATS and Dance Theatre Arlington will be on a third floor on Saturday followed by a painting demonstration on Sunday.

Support local artisans and collectors by shopping at the Happy Holidays Gift Market. Find unique, many one of a kind creations for those hard to shop for people on your list or a treasure for yourself. The artisans behind these finds will be on hand to discuss their wares with you.

Free parking is available in Downtown Arlington for this family friendly and wheelchair accessible event.

Rock Your Holiday Shopping at Funky Finds

Shop Local, Shop Handmade at the Funky Finds Holiday Shopping Experience

The Funky Finds Holiday Shopping Experience will be November 7th & 8th at the Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth. This free indoor event provides shoppers with the unique opportunity to keep their home decor, fashion, and gift giving purchases on point by providing stylish, original items created by over 100 independent artists, crafters, designers, & food makers.

As this event's following continues to grow each year, so does the competition among vendors of quality handmade crafts and artisans for the juried spaces at this show. One look and you'll be hooked! This season's market will welcome back familiar favorites along with a host of new handmade tastemakers sure to make you the standout star of this year's holiday gift exchange! Many vendors accept debit & credit cards, but it’s best to bring plenty of cash to make purchases.

WHEN:  10am-5pm, Saturday, November 7th and 11am-4pm, Sunday, November 8th

WHERE: Will Rogers Memorial Center, 3409 Burnett-Tandy Dr., Fort Worth, TX 76107
Small Exhibits Building (marked Poultry Barn)

ADMISSION: FREE! All ages and pets welcome! Parking fee payable by cash or credit card.

EVENT WEBSITE: www.funkyfinds.com/fall

The event will also feature a charitable raffle with all proceeds benefiting The Humane Society of North Texas and Toys for Tots. Each vendor, sponsor & other generous business owners have donated high-quality raffle prizes to be given away throughout the event. Raffle tickets are $1.00 each and the first 75 attendees each day to purchase ten or more tickets will receive a Funky Finds shopping tote filled with tons of funky products, coupons & more!

The Humane Society will be facilitating on-site pet adoptions and the United States Marine Corps will be accepting donations. To date, Funky Finds has raised over $25,000.00 for local charities and over 100 animals have found a forever home at Funky Finds events! Santa Claus will also be in attendance! Children AND pets are welcome to snap a pic with Santa with a $5+ donation to the charities.

Funky Finds provides area residents with the opportunity to support a large number of local independent business owners & charitable organizations, as well as the chance to purchase unique items that are uniquely hand-crafted. This is a wonderful opportunity to support the local economy, local arts community, and purchase one-of-a-kind holiday gifts! The event is generously sponsored by Quackerbox Creations, Ltd., wildtoad toffee, Fort Worth Makerspace, Quirk Books, Plaid Enterprises, Brandy Austin Law Firm, PLLC, The Artful Village, and Right On! Graphics.

 For more information about this event, please contact Jessica Dougherty at 903-665-7954 or via e-mail at handmade@funkyfinds.com.

Happy Holidays Gift Market - Handmade Creations and Vintage Finds

Join in the fun this weekend in Downtown Arlington. There will be lots of great things to do and see on Saturday, Dec. 6, 2014. The Arlington Museum of Art (AMA) continues its Scenes of the Nativity holiday exhibit. The Happy Holidays Gift Store continues and is joined by almost 30 additional artisans and collectors who make up the Happy Holidays Gift Market. AMA, in conjunction with Dance Theatre Arlington, is also providing holiday entertainment in the form of singing, dancing and acting from 2-5:30 pm Sat. at the museum.

Away from the museum you will find dancing elves at the Levitt Pavilion courtesy of Dance Theatre Arlington in the late afternoon, prior to the Arlington Holiday Lights Parade which begins at 6 pm. After the parade you can watch the lighting of the Christmas tree at City Hall and visit Santa at the Levitt Pavilion.


After a fun filled Saturday in Downtown Arlington, if you wake Sunday and realize that you didn't grab enough great gifts from the local artisans and collectors at the Happy Holidays Gift Market on Saturday, come on back from 1-5 pm on Sunday, Dec. 7. Unique items from local craft people make special gifts and help support the local economy. The logos included here from some of the artists that will be at the market give you an idea of just a few of the types of fabulous finds that await you.

Happy Holidays Gift Market and More

Stroll through the festive trees and Santa art at the Arlington Museum of Art, 201 West Main Street, and shop from local artisans on three floors of the museum this Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 7-8 at the Happy Holidays Gift Market. In addition to the 15 local artisans' work that can be found in the Happy Holidays Gift Store on the mezzanine level of the museum, you will find almost 30 additional artisans and their creations and collections for this market weekend. Come out and meet the artists in person and ask about their work. Many great gifts can be found for a variety of people on your list. There will be art for your walls, jewelry, woodwork, metal sculptures, handmade soaps and much more.

American illustrator Tom Newsom is expected to be at the museum this weekend to sign autographs. Some of his Santa art (prints for your wall or on puzzles and cards) will also be available for sale. When holiday music is not playing over the intercom, live entertainment will also be part of the Festival of Trees this weekend. All of this is at the Arlington Museum of Art from 10am-5pm Saturday, Dec. 7 and 1-5pm Sunday, Dec. 8. The Arlington Museum of Art and hence the Happy Holidays Gift Market will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 7 due to hazardous travel conditions. Dec. 7 UPDATE: While it is unknown at this point whether the museum will open at 1 pm on Sunday, Dec. 8, due to the logistics of setting up the market and the forecast of when weather conditions are likely to improve, the second day, Dec. 8, of the Happy Holidays Gift Market has been cancelled as well.

While you are in Downtown Arlington on Saturday you can also watch holiday entertainment at the Levitt Pavilion in the afternoon and the Holiday Lights Parade which starts at 6pm.

Festival of Trees at the Arlington Museum of Art (AMA)

In memory of a beloved member of the AMA family, the Arlington Museum of Art is hosting the Mitch Wilson Memorial Festival of Trees from November 1 – December 29, 2013. This ongoing exhibition features:

- trimmed trees and other holiday decorations,
- Santa Claus illustrations and paintings by artist Tom Newsom,
- the Happy Holidays Gift Store with items by local artisans and finds from vintage collectors,
- artist demonstrations every Saturday except the market weekend,
- the Happy Holidays Gift Market December 7-8,
- performances coordinated by Miss Persis Studio on December 7.

Regular Museum hours and admission prices apply to the Festival of Trees. However, when you purchase admission you will be provided with a card allowing you entrance throughout the entire event. The card will expire December 29, 2013. The Arlington Museum of Art is sharing the holiday spirit with a gift to the community of free admission for two days only, Dec. 7-8, during the Festival of Trees Exhibit.

Support Small Businesses and Local Artists

There has been a lot of talk this year about Small Business Saturday, November 24, 2012. Small businesses often have a great selection of unique items that can’t be found in the big box stores. That is especially true of establishments that include works from local artists. While these businesses deserve our support all year long, they definitely need to be given a good look on Small Business Saturday.

Three small businesses that will be open on Small Business Saturday that include goods or art by local artisans come to mind. Two are in Arlington and the third is in Dallas. Hop on over to Eclectic Expressions in Arlington for great gifts in this gallery by local artists. Nearby, you will find Gypsy Riddles Boutique and Gallery. They are having in store specials on Small Business Saturday. The art on the walls and much of the jewelry, ceramics and more is made by local artisans.

If you head on over to the Design District near downtown Dallas, you will find the Dallas Handmade Arts Market. They will be open for business as usual on Small Business Saturday. In addition to being able to meet the makers of the fabulous finds at this venue, you often get to listen to live music played by local musicians. Come back the next weekend for a special 3.5 day holiday show at the market.

If unique finds made by local artisans sounds like a great idea for the people on your shopping list this holiday season, head on over to these DFW locations. Don't despair if you don’t find everything you need for your list though, other opportunities to support local makers include Happy Holidays Gift Market at UTA on Dec. 7-8 and Ladybugs Christmas Collection Nov. 30-Dec.9 in Arlington.

Dallas Handmade Arts Market

There is a new kid on the block in the Dallas Design District. This venue opened a month ago and seeks to promote the works of local artisans. I'm talking about the shiny, new Dallas Handmade Arts Market.

In addition to their regular weekend hours (Saturdays from 10 am - 7 pm and Sundays from 11 am to 5 pm), this week Dallas Handmade Arts Market will also be open on Thursday night from 5 - 10 pm to be part of the big festival being held on Cole Street between Dragon and Slocum, the Design District Market.

Whether on Thursday night for the street festival or this weekend, come out and meet this new market's rotating artisans and browse their wares. You never know what you will find when you stop in.