Weekend Wrap-up---GGM Style

This past weekend was a CRAZY one! I had Friday off for Fall break, but ended up spending almost the entire day at the church getting ready for the Greater Gift Market, our annual fair trade market. I took my new camera with me to document all the activities, but failed to bring along the memory card, so I ended up using my iPhone instead. So here is a round-up of the weekend---GGM style.

Some of the treasures from SERVV :

Artwork and scholarships from the Noel Community Art Program:

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Beautiful hand-woven purses from Mayan Hands:

and some beautiful pottery from master potter, Brenda Snider:

The sale went very well---great crowd and lots of fun. Balancing the books proved to be quite a bit more stressful, however. Here's what our table looked like after several hours of calculating:

The brightest spot of the weekend did not involve the church or the market for me. Callie was playing with the Longview Symphony and I was able to drive over to hear the concert. They played Beethoven's 5th and it was wonderful! A great way to relax and enjoy!

A Greater Gift

Yesterday was the Greater Gift Market for 2010, a Fair Trade market offered at church. This year, I opted to take a bit of a "back seat" rather than be in charge of the whole thing. The booth I was in charge of was from SERRV, a non profit organization with a mission to eradicate poverty wherever it resides by providing opportunity and support to artisans and farmers worldwide.
Weeks ago, I selected merchandise to be sent to us on a consignment basis. Pam and Vickie were my helpers--thank goodness! (here's a pic of Pam and me).

Other organizations represented were 10,000 Villages and Bead For Life---all wonderful groups that represent artisans from around the world.

In addition, we offered alternative gift items in the form of vouchers to purchase farm animals from Heifer Project the Samaritan Counseling Center and our own Food Pantry.
My church has recently begun a community arts program, offering music and art lessons to children and adults for very reasonable prices (and scholarships for anyone unable to pay). We invited the artists to also set up booths and sell their creations.

Brenda Snider's pottery,
Katherine Usher (and another artist, Nan Dozier)

(these were made by Jamie Sanders, who taught the collage class I took last fall--he wouldn't be IN the picture)
The turnout was good--lots of people from the community and everyone seemed pleased with the items offered. After church today, it was time for take-down. Fortunately, we had some volunteers stay to help us clean up and inventory thins, but I'm pooped! After all the trick-or-treaters are gone,(which I've thoroughly enjoyed by the way), I'm hoping to sit in my comfy chair to count the money and balance the receipts!

GGM 2009

The Greater Gift Market is today. With all the organizing and ordering and setting up, I've been a bit stressed that it will all come together the way. But, the day is here, the goods are displayed and I'm headed to the church. (I already did my pre-shopping because I know I won't have time today) Here's a little preview of some of the wonderful things for sale: