At fifty-one years and counting, the Mistletoe Mart at the Church of the Ascension in Westminster, MD, is a beloved tradition. It’s one of Carroll County’s most unique shopping experiences. Where else do they clear every stick of furniture out of the entire parish hall using a moving company to create Mistletoe Mart? On Saturday night, all the vendors disappear and church is held as usual on Sunday. There are some extraordinarily dedicated volunteers here!
This show is also memorable for its good home cooking. The church features a café with luncheon fair with soups, salad, and sandwiches. They’re all the homemade variety. As a vendor, I’ll vouch for all this deliciousness! If you’re too full to eat dessert, buy it “to go” from The Bake Shop: homemade cakes, pies, cookies, brownies. If you happen to be avoiding carbs, this is the place to allow yourself to cheat!
To top it all off, this church cares for people! $5 dollars at the door helps them raise thousands for local community organizations every year. $10,000 in funds was donated to organizations helping others in Carroll County in 2024! (There are so many shows that charge more. Would you consider tipping them?) It’s all done as the hands and feet of Jesus. (And boy, oh, boy are those hands and feet working hard!)
Do you have some kids that could use entertaining as you shop? This show’s got ya covered! The Angel Room is a special craft area designed specifically for young visitors. Children ages 8 and under are invited to participate in a supervised space where they can create their own holiday gifts. It’s a fun-filled, festive diversion for kids. It’s another Mistletoe Mart tradition of offering a unique and family-friendly community event.
Mistletoe Mart features forty-three handpicked artisans. Yes…handpicked. This show juries in-person. The ladies gather around the vendor’s display table so they can see and handle the products. They’re goal? Quality, unique, handcrafted, artisanal products sold at affordable prices. Let me introduce you to just ten of the creative crafters and artisans. Some of them I know; some of them I can’t wait to meet!
You don’t want to miss this booth, featuring truly unique Christmas gifts and custom laser and engraving! Ryan’s love for Christmas and “craftiness” combine to create products you won’t find anywhere else. Be sure to check out everybody’s favorite: the beautiful lit lanterns Ryan designs. They’re perfect for the fall and winter holidays!
Ryan is online here.
AzarÉl photography is startling – right on the edge of where reality meets make-believe…and they’re ALL real photographs! Our unique photography features the birds and critters from our own backyard, captured in surprising, delightful scenes. The photography can be enjoyed as memorable handmade greeting cards, photo block (shelf sitters) or gorgeous giclée canvas prints.
This is a very unexpected moment of magic. It’s totally REAL! I designed the scene on a feeding platform where the birds feed. The pages of the book fan so beautifully because there are toothpicks in each page. I expected the bird to land on the delicate demitasse cup for food. For some totally unknown reason, this little -dee wanted to perch on the pages! I held the shutter release down and let the camera clatter away. See the series of photos in the video below.
Stop by and say, “Hi” to Donna and Brian!
AzarÉl Greetings is online here.
Remember days of being broke? Rebecca was a college student, needing a heartfelt gift but having no cash. That’s when she began transforming ordinary crab shells into unique, hand-painted art. What began as a resourceful hobby for friends quickly grew by popular demand into Designs by Noodle. It’s not all sports; there’s a wide variety of choices!
Designs by Noodle is online here.
Ready to discover truly unique book art? (This booth really took my breath away!) Artist Deb Howard creates incredible, one-of-a-kind works. She paints directly onto the edges of books. There are also books with fore-edge, meaning the stunning image is only visible when the pages are fanned! I was thrilled to purchase the Narnia series from her last year and featured it in a photo by AzarÉl Greetings (with permission, of course!) I’m really looking forward to seeing what she has this year!
Faevorite Books is on Etsy here.
A love for art and America shines in every creation. Each flag is expertly crafted from high-quality wood, designed to reflect both the wood’s character and the spirit of our great nation. Work with David to create custom flags that celebrate your personal story or honor military and service affiliations. It’s more than a flag—it’s a piece of meaningful American art.
Farmhouse Products USA is online here.
This is one of my favorites! (Of course, it is; I do bird photography!) These are beautiful, handcrafted solid birdseed treats using only all-natural ingredients. It’s so hard to buy “stuff” for some people. They either already have it or there’s literally no space for it. This is the perfect bird-consumable gift. Your friends and family will remember and enjoy your thoughtful present every time they watch the birds feeding!
By the way, Berkley is a senior at Shippensburg University. This business is aimed at helping her graduate debt free! Since college is in full swing, you’ll probably see her parents at the booth.
Berkley’s for the Birds is on Etsy here.
Aren’t these gourds “gourd-jus”?! (Sorry, I couldn’t resist.) These hand-crafted creations range in size from two inches to three feet. Pause and stare at them; there are so many colors, and cutouts, and expressions!
When we meet someone, we never know what they’re going through or what they’ve been through. Marie’s business began after a traumatic accident. Years ago, a wall came crashing down on her and there were some really extreme injuries that took a long time to heal.
Realizing life is too short, she embraced a love for crafts. She fell in love with gourds and the rest is history. (But that makes her journey sound way too easy.)
Gourds Galore is on Facebook here.
Who doesn’t like a new piece of jewelry? This is one of Janessa’s creations – a beautiful sterling silver Australian opal ring. She uses semi-precious stones, sterling silver, fine silver, and 14k gold-filled materials to create stunning jewelry.
I snitched the photo (at left) from her Etsy store and I don’t know if or how long this will be available. Check out more of her work in her Etsy shop here.
This booth has an amazing collection of collapsible baskets and angle-cut angels and trees…just in time for Christmas! John is incredibly skilled in both geometry and woodwork and creates all his own designs. They’re all made from beautiful hardwoods. Watch the video below to see a single trivet transform into a whole series of practical pieces. Don’t miss this truly original woodworking!
See more of his geometric genius on Facebook here.
Butcher and Beth are the creative powerhouse behind Metal Illusions Unique Yard Art (and more!) The Christmas Tree (at left) is not a miniature. They also have small garden stakes featuring playful creatures (frogs, praying mantis, hearts…) and beautiful flower stakes and decorative cutouts. Metal Illusions has art to fit both your garden and your wallet. By the way, the design process starts with a simple sketch pad, where Butcher turns doodles into reality. Beth and Butcher work together to create everything.
Need something personal and special? Talk to Beth about creating a personal, heart-touching memorial ornament. Beth also does 3-D printing. Her goal? Make both the little kids and “big kids” laugh. If you visit their booth with kids, they might discover little 3-D printed critters that are free on discovery. What a sweet random act of kindness!
Follow their craft show schedule on Facebook here.
Bootleg Betty (aka Beth) featuring personalized keepsakes, gifts, custom T’s and 3-D printing, is on Facebook here.
Find out more about both of them in a blog here.
The Mistletoe Mart webpage is here.
Church of the Ascension: 23 N Court St, Westminster, MD
Tickets are $5 each; Children under 12 are free.
Hope to see you there!
P.S. These are the organizations that benefit from Mistletoe Mart:
Original Photography
| 1000 Left in Stock | ||
Giclée Canvas print, 20” x 30”
Original Photography, printed and hand stretched by AzarÉl Greetings.
Click here to see how our canvas prints are made.
| 3000 Left in Stock | ||
Original Photography
| 999 Left in Stock | ||
Giclée Canvas print, 20” x 30”
Original Photography, printed and hand stretched by AzarÉl Greetings.
Click here to see how our canvas prints are made.
| 3000 Left in Stock | ||
Original Photography
| 1000 Left in Stock | ||
Giclée Canvas print, 16” x 20”
Original Photography, printed and hand stretched by AzarÉl Greetings.
Click here to see how our canvas prints are made.
| 1000 Left in Stock | ||
Original Photography
| 999 Left in Stock | ||
Giclée Canvas print, 16” x 24”
Original Photography, printed and hand stretched by AzarÉl Greetings.
Click here to see how our canvas prints are made.
| 1000 Left in Stock | ||
Giclée Canvas print, 16” x 24”
Original Photography, printed and hand stretched by AzarÉl Greetings.
Click here to see how our canvas prints are made.
| 3000 Left in Stock | ||
Original Photography
Original Photography
5" x 7" handmade greeting card, Original Photography
| 1000 Left in Stock | ||
