GLOCESTER – The afternoon sky was dim; the air was damp and the temperature low ; however, inside the Laurel Grange the holiday spirit was high. Snippets of conversation and bursts of laughter were heard as vendors hailing from Central America, the American south, and New England got acquainted or caught up with old friends at the Harvest Give Back Bazaar at the Laurel Grange on the Glocester – North Scituate border on Saturday.
Event organizer Linda Lynch was busy tending to vendors. This is the third year of her Harvest Give Back Bazaar, as well as the seventh year for her fifty-fifty and Adopt-A-Child for the holidays event, also held at the grange, and upcoming in December. The Harvest Give Back Bazaar collects donations for the town food bank, Lynch said.
Vendor Layne Townsend of Mia Bella’s “clean burning natural candles” returned to the bazaar this year.
“I do it every year. It’s nice and homey,” she said of the bazaar and grange location. “I have a lot of customers that come back.”
At times holiday shopping traffic was slow at the grange, a common complaint this year, according to vendor John Pepper, a woodsmith from Chepachet. He explained “ask any vendor, from any show, they’re all saying the whole year’s been off.”
Nevertheless, the master carpenter said he found participating fun as he stood amid his array of handcrafted wood bowls, lidded bowls, and platters.
It was a chilly 40 degree Saturday and Joselyn Freire of Cranston was ready with alpaca-derived sweaters and other garments from Ecuador. The clothing of “Ecuador to Your Door” is woven from hairs of alpacas.
“I like to share the culture, and show the high quality material from Ecuador that supports small business,” said Freire, who is from that country where alpacas originate.
Vendor Cindy Dicenzo of Vintage Soul attended the show with Layla, a Maltese dog. It was the first year the Jamestown resident participated in the event, also bringing with her Michael Cirelli.
“I love it,” Cirelli said of the show as the pair sat surrounded by their vintage decorated bottles, simmer pots, potpourri, vanilla extract and beans — all suitable for creating evocative holiday scents, said Dicenzo.
Chatting while crocheting, vendor Holly Mackay of Tiverton sat among her Holly’s Handmades’ colorful creations suitable for warm or cold weather such as caps and baby blankets. She was meeting “a lot of nice people” at the Glocester show, she said. “It’s fun to get out.”
Cheryl Stuart of Woonsocket at her CS Creations table had for sale handcrafted resin ornaments, candle holders, and coasters
“I love crafting and being able to sell my wares,” Stuart said.
Her neighbor at the bazaar, Woonsocket’s Steve Morse aka “Tupperman Steve” at the adjacent table said, “I like to be able to collaborate with other vendors and sell my products too. It’s a one stop shop.”
From Central Falls, vendors Therese McMough and Kellie McMough, the mother and daughter duo of Trees Creations, were enjoying meeting people at the show.
“We needed rain — but it could have waited until tomorrow,” Therese joked.
A & A Clay Creations owner Toni Herrera of Chepachet said she was having a great time meeting people as she presided over her polymer clay jewelry products.
At the Gigi’s Glass Works display table of etched glass creations owner Bethany Faero of Attleboro, Mass., had come back to northwest Rhode Island for the show. The former Foster resident said, “I love meeting different kinds of people and sharing stories an a sharing our crafts.”
Nestled among an ample collection of snowmen and other holiday decorations were mother and daughter crafters Kim and Stephanie Taylor of Warwick. They agreed selling creations at the show was fun.
Marita Whitty of Burrillville was offering Colorstreet dry nail polish and nail care products.
“It’s always a great event,” she said of the bazaar. This year was Whitty’s third of fourth year as a vendor at the grange, and she said she was pleased to have the opportunity to get out and interact with people, especially since her day job is from home.
In the northern corner of the grange Joni Harrison from Virginia was selling Lilla Rose hair bling. The newcomer to North Scituate said that since relocating she’s been “learning something every single day,” such as the unique colloquial local language. Thus far, Harrison has learned the definition of “grinder,” “bubbler,” and “party pizza.”
“There’s nothing on it,” she said, noting she was surprised to find it’s tasty.
The bazaar had “a pretty good turn out,” Harrison said. “It’s always fun to introduce a new product to the area.”
