Craft shoppers delight in candles, sweets and artwork

It's peak craft-sale season in the capital city and shoppers had three fairs to choose from on Saturday. Carson High School, where the sale goes on today, took the cake for most vendors, snacks, performers and even an appearance by Santa. Two other craft fairs offered more local crafts and products: The Carson City Emblem Club No. 507 held a sale at the Elks Lodge on Nevada Street and the AVON ladies held a sale at the Oddfellows Hall on Corbett Street.

"All the items in the middle area there are either handmade or homemade," said Carol Park of the Emblem Club. She explained that homemade things are usually food while craft items are handmade.

The Emblem sale offered "Ex-clay-mation" ceramic figures, wooden crafts, sweets, Longaberger Baskets from Ohio and Emblem Club President Betty Mahoney offered her hand-decorated shirts for sale.

The Emblem Club, which was once an auxiliary of the Elks for wives of Elks members, still works closely with the Elks even as a separate entity.

"They don't charge us to use the lodge because we support all their state and national projects and help with the upkeep," Park said. "This year we put new blinds in the lounge area."

The Emblem Club will use the funds they raised at Saturday's sale to support their many service projects, including financial support for the Western Nevada Community College Nursing School, coupons sent to U.S. troops stationed overseas, caps for premature babies, blankets for the Sheriff's Department to use when picking up children or the elderly and holiday care baskets distributed to families selected by school counselors.

Over at the Oddfellows Hall the AVON ladies offered Pampered Chef cooking supplies, Salt City Candles, plenty of AVON products and more Longaberger baskets.

Sarah Brown, of Carson City, explained that AVON offers more products than most people expect, including toys, movies, weight-loss products as well as skin-care products and cosmetics.

"I got into AVON so I could stay home with my kids," she said of her three years with the company. "I earn a full-time income." For information call 841-5579.

At the high school, it was hard to find parking even in the vast lot. Just inside the door there was a whirlwind of activity. Santa was perched on a chair with a line of children waiting to have photos taken by the school photography department and a raffle with prizes from vendors was crowded with ticket holders. Down the hall great food was available and dancers from Western Nevada Performing Arts were doing a combination of jazz, tap and ballet to a slew of Christmas hits like "Rudolph," "Let It Snow" and "Winter Wonderland."

Vendors packed both gyms which smelled of cinnamon, candles and baked goods.

Yelena Singer, originally from Siberia, offers some beautiful boxes made from birch bark in a "very old Siberian technology." Batik artwork by Paul Nzalamba from Uganda was for sale near fresh persimmons grown by Robert Boggeri from Hughston, Calif. Tom Ecklund displayed his "whimsical animal" ceramic toothbrush holders and soap dishes made by hand in Sebastapol.

Admission tickets are only a dollar if you bring cans to donate to Friends In Service Helping, otherwise they're a whopping $1.50. All proceeds go to the Safe Grad party.

IF YOU GO

What: Eighth annual Carson High School Holiday Craft Fair

When: 11 a.m.- 4 p.m. today

Where: Carson High School, 1111 N. Saliman Road