Crafters gear up for Christmas

By Elyse Skura

Christina Ballhorn is busily crocheting, trying to replace some of her sold stock at Sunday’s Idle Hands craft sale. (Skura/offCentre)

Despite another tough year for the economy, Ottawa crafters are optimistic about the upcoming Christmas season. And if last weekend’s busy Idle Hands craft show was any indication, they have reason to be excited.

Customers packed the Patrick Gordon Framing Studio on Sunday, where almost 30 local crafters and artists stood behind tables, eagerly showing off their one-of-a-kind items.

Sarah Hallman has been making and selling stained glass necklaces, ornaments and other items for the past seven years. She says that her sales for the last few seasons have not been any lower than usual – but added that she probably would not be as happy with her profits if this was her only job.

“Because I have a part-time job,” said Hallman, “it doesn’t feel like it’s hard to make money. I’m actually taking all the money I make at art shows to put a down payment on a house.”

At the next table, Tali, a petite mother of two who asked that her last name not be used for personal reasons, agreed that the season looks promising. Tali said there is a market for crafts in Ottawa that does not seem to have been affected by the economic downturn.

“I think people are really looking for something that’s not from China,” she said. “I think people are looking for things that are different, and I think people are tired of spending a ton of money at the Gap and buying things you could buy anywhere across the country.”

Products that are made by hand tend to cost more than the items you would normally find in a department store. Jennifer Stone, a local artist and the organizer of Idle Hands, said that this is why more of these shows are needed.

“It’s hard for people who craft, or artists, because when you’re selling things through someone else they take 50 per cent and not everybody wants to pay a fair price for handmade work,” said Stone. “This is good because I just charge the vendors a price per table and then they keep 100 per cent of their profits.”

Being able to sell their own products is particularly important for people who craft as their full-time job.

“It’s a fun way to try and make a living,” laughs Christina Ballhorn, who has her own company called Loot by Stina B. She also co-owns the Workshop Studio & Boutique, which showcases work from local artists.

She says that Ottawa seems to have a really supportive community of artists, even more than in cities like Montreal and Toronto where competition is more intense.

“Because Ottawa is sort of seen as a bit of a stuffy city, a government town, people [in the arts] really need to support each other.”

Ballhorn says that her business was not affected by the poor economy or even the bus strike last season. Although business has been quieter this year, Ballhorn says she’s sure things will pick up once snow starts piling on the ground.