Ducks @ Oregon - University of Oregon

Holiday Market

Katie D.

December 6, 2009 - 1:05 PM

During the winter months, the fabulous Eugene Saturday Market gets moved indoors to the Lane County Fairgrounds, and transformed into the Holiday Market. That means almost all of the same handmade crafts and food booths we know and love over the summer, plus an extra room of holiday-related crafts, plus the Farmer's Market with added holiday-related food (think pies and fudge).

What a fabulous way to spend an afternoon.

My friend Stephanie and I took a break from finals preparation and wandered the market for three hours. That whole time I was perfectly happy: "window" shopping from booth to booth, admiring the jewelry, clothing, photography, painting, leather work, wood carvings, and fabulous Farmer's Market produce. I managed to forget about the essays that need writing and the innumerable household chores that need doing before I can jet off for a break in Colorado. Instead I was wandering in handmade hippie heaven, and having a great time with my friend.

I am always amazed by how creative people can be. The clothing available there is incredible: tons of tie-dye (of course), but also handmade recycled clothes, hemp, and organic cotton. There are also the screen printed items, which I love: clothing with printed trees, funny sayings, "I [bicycle image] Eugene," and lots of Oregon pride.

I have set aside Wednesday afternoons next term as Craft Center time. I'm going to start silk screening again, and I got tons of ideas from the artists at the Market. I also have a shirt request: Stephanie wants an Adoregon shirt (Please see picture if not from the area). These simple little symbols of state pride are EVERYWHERE in Portland and Eugene. Shirts, bumper stickers, computer adornments, tattoos. So while I'm making Stephanie an Adoregon shirt, I'll be making several extras for other state spirited friends, including myself.

This leads me to the best find of the day. I hadn't planned on buying anything for myself while shopping for the day. I'd hoped for a couple of small presents for family members (my sister's planned gift was nowhere to be found, but my parents each got something I'm pretty excited about), and to get some fresh produce. But I found an amazing necklace and just had to get it.

In my last few years of travels, I've become very excited about collecting foreign currency, especially coins. I've done several jewelry projects using foreign coins, and am always on the lookout for creative uses of currency for new ideas. When I was in Buenos Aires I found an amazing necklace of an Argentinian peso that had been pierced and the central image of a sun had been partially cut out (please see picture). I love that necklace and wear it all the time. WELL yesterday at the Market, I found a stand where the artist had used that same idea but had done the state quarters. The craftmanship was incredible: the pictures on the "tails" side of the coin had been delicately cut out. They were all beautiful, especially those with the more intricate pictures. I was tempted by the Colorado coin, but the wall of mountains made a less beautiful picture than some of the others. Besides, I'm becoming more and more of a West Coast girl. The more I live here, the more I love it. Oregon is my home now. I'm not quite to the tattooed Adoregon point yet, but when faced with a display of state quarters, the one I took home with me is Oregon.

Besides, the Oregon quarter holds a special place in my heart. The picture of Crater Lake is beautiful, and when I was working with the American English Institute over the summer and took groups to Crater Lake, I would bring a couple of Oregon quarters with me, so that when our group was standing at the viewpoint used for the quarter, I could pass the quarters around and see how excited they were. I told them all to find an Oregon quarter to take home with them, so they could show their friends and families that they had been to this beautiful and famous place.

Overall it was an amazing day at the Holiday Market. We tried samples of the goat cheeses and jams at the Farmer's Market (I got myself some end-of-the-term celebratory goat cheese), and each bought a spaghetti squash. We chatted with the artists and farmers, and enjoyed the people watching. I felt so inspired to start working on crafts again. I want to get back to silk screening and glass bead making and spinning. I'm going to take oil painting lessons from my grandmother over winter break, and that will be a great chance to practice some creative expression. I miss doing crafts on a regular basis.

Anyway folks, the Holiday Market will be open during the weekends until the last weekend in December. If you're in the area, I highly recommend you take a break from studying or cooking or working or whatever it is that you usually do on Saturdays. Grab a friend and head over to the Market. Sample some food, check out some crafts, listen to the live music, and generally remind yourself why you love Eugene.

Man, I love Eugene.