Just in case you’re not all shopped out after last week’s Black Friday—or if (like me) you’d rather have oral surgery than camp outside a big-box store all night waiting for the doors to open at 4 a.m.—this weekend promises a whole different variety of shopping experience. There’s a veritable bonanza coming up for shoppers in search of artisan and handmade wares instead of electronics and imported plastic toys.
A few highlights that have come to our attention:
The fifth annual No Coast Craft-o-Rama, Friday, December 4, 3 p.m. to 8 p.m., and Saturday, December 5, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., will feature handmade goods at Midtown Global Market. This is the place for reasonably priced gift-shopping, courtesy of 100 crafters. Christopher Straub (local “Project Runway” alum) will be there, as will Cricket Syndicate underwear, KM Stitchery, 7 Two 7 Glass, and Aesthetic Apparatus.
At Craft-O-Rama, find a 2010 calendar, with 13 pages (and 13 framble prints) by local artist Amy Rice. Each page can be trimmed to fit in a standard frame, a bargain at $45.
Or, head over to the Walker’s Local Artist Gift Mart at the Walker Art Center, Friday through Sunday, noon to 4 p.m. Local artisans sell jewelry, home accessories, letterpress cards, and more.
Or, on Saturday, stop by Casa Verde Design in South Minneapolis, where a special holiday event will be underway. See a new Simon Pearce collection of glassware and pottery (and sample food from his new book, A Way of Living); shop for unique gifts by local artists Doug Beasley, Monica Rudquist, Sarah Wieben, Maren Kloppmann, Eric Cornett, Lisa Elias and Brian Jensen; and meet photographer Karen Melvin from 2 – 4 pm, who will sign copies of her new book, Legendary Homes of Lake Minnetonka, co-authored by Bette Hammel.