Does this tote bag from Richmond Threadlab look familiar? If so, it might be because you caught it on our Instagram feed a couple of weekends ago when we visited the local Handmade Holiday Craft Show. The fair, organized by the Richmond Craft Mafia, is a bi-annual celebration of local makers filled with talented artists, crafters, and creatives from around Virginia. Many vendors run Etsy shops, so you can often find the items we admired online. Below are some of our favorite discoveries from the event, including new vendors we hadn’t seen at previous shows.
Spade Moderne offered a great selection of graphic pillows and printed tea towels, but what caught Sherry’s eye was a delightful mistletoe brooch that could just as easily be used as an ornament. Knowing Sherry, she’d probably display it in a shadowbox and call it holiday art.
We were also drawn to screen-printed tea towels from Tiny Peepers. They had lots of charming printed fabrics and even a hipster-style onesie that made me wish Clara still fit into baby clothes—those vintage-inspired designs are hard to resist.
Flytrap Studios had a lovely 2013 calendar on display—can you believe it’s already time to think about next year’s calendar? Time flies when you’re browsing art and handmade goods.
Tributary Handmade showcased adorable fabric rattles, including silent versions for quiet environments, which is brilliant for new parents. One of the fabrics even matched the pattern we used in Clara’s 17-week photo—little moments like that always bring back memories.
Tributary Handmade also offered quirky cloth dolls that gave us Beatles-vibe flashbacks. Many would make cute additions to a boy’s room—take that mustached doll with suspenders, for example. (I’m calling you out, Weston Bower.)
We found pillows, bags, and accessories made from reclaimed grain and feed sacks at Jessica Reed Artifacts. The holiday display naturally drew us to a rustic stocking made from these vintage fabrics—perfect for a farmhouse or eclectic holiday aesthetic.
Found Studio featured playful mixed-media paintings centered on mason jars. They felt like a modern take on iconic pop-art subjects—very fitting for a Pinterest-friendly home.
There were also smaller paintings and prints, including a long piece with a pennant banner and a tiny green bicycle that we especially liked. The attention to small, happy details made the booth stand out.
Many booths felt familiar since this was our third consecutive trip to these local craft fairs, but most vendors introduced fresh work. Funnel Cloud Studio, for example, added a New Jersey version of their state prints that we hadn’t seen before.
Clay artist Tasha McKelvey debuted charming gnome ornaments this year. They inspired ideas for a gnome-themed Christmas tree or a playful “find the gnome” tradition while decorating.
It’s always great to see Phil Barbato and Meghan at these shows. We’ve purchased Phil’s artwork before, and this visit the Baby Octopi pieces caught our eye—one even seems to sport a gold tooth, which made us grin.
Matt Butler’s prints made us laugh again. Last time it was his bacon piece; this year another humorous print did the trick. He also offers bike-themed art and custom-printed Toms that align to form a single image when worn—clever and playful.
We admired colorful work from Silver Tree Art—Suzanne’s booth had lively prints and “wisdom cards” that make nice little daily reminders. Sherry spent a long time picking out a few that felt just right.
Lucky Accessories showed layered necklaces with clean, modern lines that caught Sherry’s attention. They added a nice contrast to the colorful prints and handcrafted textiles surrounding them.
We couldn’t buy everything we loved, but we did come home with a few special finds. I picked up part of a Christmas gift from Lamplighter Roasting Company for a coffee-loving family member—their packaging design alone almost convinced me to embrace coffee-flavored anything.
Sherry treated herself to the wisdom cards she’d been browsing; they now sit on her desk as bright little prompts throughout the day.
We also picked up a few prints from Funnel Cloud Studio—metallic animal prints (gold armadillo, silver rhino) that appealed to our love of small, quirky statement pieces. And we couldn’t resist their new poster, “Things That Are Awesome,” which is already a conversation starter whenever guests see it.
We haven’t chosen a permanent spot for that poster yet—guest room is a top contender—but we’ve already spent time poring over the tiny illustrations and debating which items truly belong on a list of “awesome” things. Visitors are drawn to it immediately, which is exactly the kind of impact we like in a piece of wall art.
Huge thanks to all the talented artists and makers who bring these local craft fairs to life. Their creativity and hard work fill these events with so many thoughtful, well-made gift options—perfect for holiday shopping and supporting local makers.
Did you visit any craft fairs this season or pick up handmade gifts for the holidays? Which items from our roundup caught your eye?