{Southern Christmas show}

I love going to the Southern Christmas Show. I have been going for the last 5 years and am never disappointed. I have gone with an infant, with a toddler while pregnant and due the next week, and again while 6m pregnant. I have taken kids and left the kids at home. I have gone with my mother, my MIL, and with friends. I am never unhappy with being there though some times and days to go are better. Like I shouldn't have gone this past Friday-Veterans day, since this is a banking city and all the schools and banks were closed, meaning PACKED SHOW. I did show up just after 9 when the show didn't open til 10, so it was quieter to begin with. Vendors said the first day of show is usually a ghost town, and that the hours of 2-6 are usually very slow once the buses leave.

Here are a few of my favorite vendors and crafts that I saw and met.

Her mom makes these gorgeous shawls and wraps. she was wonderful to model them for me.

You can see and feel that they are great quality fabrics with lots of fabric choices. This one she is showing is a shawl that has sleeves, so you can just put your arms in the sleeves and not worry about it falling off. You could also put just one arm in and wrap the other sleeve up around to the shoulder and pin it or tuck it. Very versatile.

(Did not catch the shop name. I do have a card and will update later. The cards are in my shopping bag which had to be hidden from the family b/c they contain presents lol. They are in the second building across the back wall.)

 There are lots of ideas for Decor! I love this chandelier that has the ornaments and fuzzy decor- so girlie!

 

Karen Smith Designs (booth 121)

I am in love with this little bird ornament. I have seen tutorials for making this on various blogs. I think they are such timeless classic ornaments that I remember my grandmother having and making. I also love this little stocking ornament. It is so simple and again something easy to make.

There were lots of vendors that make bows, but I included these ones that I thought were different and original.

 These were flower clips that were on jewelry, used as brooches, hairbows, but the idea of using one or multiple ones of various colors for different outfits on the same necklace.

 This was the same vendor (One Unique Way) with another way to make these flowers. These ones were fluffy without an ornamental piece in the center. I loved the patterns of the fabric she used. These two reminded me of calico prints I wore as a child.

         These were more hairbows that I adored. These were little felt flowers. Cut and layered with little embellishments in the middle for a little bling.

 This was one of the coolest booths I saw. I love these ideas for boys and am glad to have options to get nice, long-lasting toys for boys that spark imagination. They are The Compleat Knight (http://thecompleatknight.com/) They are in the main strip when you walk in. The tips of the arrows are erasers. Such a cool idea, right! They were very nice and so many options. These were very affordable! I just love items like this that spark imagination.

Koury Kouture:

 These hairbows were awesome, original and just caught my eye. She had some attached to headbands, some to hats- like a beret or fedora. The color and pattern combinations were gorgeous. I Loved the bottom left one with the feather! How adorable is that. I bought the top right one. They also had ones with initials on them. She is local to the Charlotte area and was making and bringing more in and her husband was running the booth.

The Blueberry Haus

 I Love this idea of the magnet board that has clothespins attached to showcase art projects!

Greg's Toys

 My favorite one is not a store. You can only get these during the show. He does not have internet, no website, no email. I got one of each of the front car, truck, train, and a tractor with a little person in it, so, total of 4 items, these are not small, they are good size toys. I spent $12.80 with tax. You can not beat that. His booth is Greg's Toys. So nice, so awesome. Retired man that has been making toys since I was a kid.


There were other awesome booths- like Duplin winery with their almond champagne- yum, and the food, dips, and spreads, hat and gloves, kids clothes, decorations, Pashminas, socks, Greek Orthodox church with their cookie samples, kitchen gadgets, books, etc. Be sure to check it out. I have to dig out all the cards I picked up, so will likely update this post with more details and contacts if available. But Go check out the show. It runs through this Sunday the 20th.