MAIN Home Life Shopping Crafts

When buying crafts for yourself or as a gift for friends or loved ones, browsing around is often half the fun!

Crafts and handmade items range from fine to funky, and a certain expertise in choosing a one-of-a-kind craft piece comes only with experience. Surprises are in store at every turn when you move farther away from mass-produced stuff, and you begin to know what you genuinely admire.

Summer is probably the best time of year in the US to hunt for craft fairs and some of the largest , such as the truly inspired annual Maker Fair in San Mateo CA, or the Gold Coast Art Fair in Chicago are standouts among other major craft fairs coast to coast.

Meanwhile, the colder months bring cheer at craft fairs that lure in holiday shoppers looking for old world charm, like that found in traditional German Christmas markets and in places throughout Europe during the holidays.

Around the Web, indulge in your passion for handmade crafts at top online resources along with a survey of some of the biggest best crafts fairs online and around the world.

Also find consumer tips & advice about hand crafted jewelry and stained glass, collectible dolls, down home carvings, scrimshaw, and country pottery ....

also see in Arts --> Handmade crafts | How to start a crafting business

How to Shop Craft Fairs and Flea Markets like a Pro - Practical advice on how not to get overwhelmed at busy fairs and markets, the best times to shop, and tips on haggling.

festivalnet.com - Comprehensive directory to craft fairs nationwide in the US and Canada with dates, locations and contact information.

The Internet Craft Fair - Find Old English crafts at this searchable U.K. site featuring links to crafters in dozens of categories as well as related links to craft events and organizations.

American Craft Directory - Surf around at your leisure at this easily navigable site featuring charming wood crafts, fiber and textiles, furniture, folk art, metal crafts and pottery, searchable by keyword, A-Z index or category.

Etsy - The online crafts fair featuring one-of-a-kind crafts with the emphasis on jewelry, but browse around for a treature trove of folk art, stained glass, crochet and knit clothing from weird to wonderful.

CraftMall.com - Browse their collection of hand crafted jewelry, toys, wood crafts, embroidery, quilts, and lots more.

The Country Store Sampler - Down home American crafts online with image galleries of holiday and seasonal items, baskets, dolls, garden and kitchen decor, bath items and more.

Glass Crafts - View member community galleries or sign up for your own space within the site. Links to equipment and supplies, glass sculpture, stained glass and more with community message board.

Folk Art & Craft Exchange - The mother of all folk art directories with links to major and minor sellers of art, sculpture, stone & slate, Shaker & Amish collectibles, dolls and more.