2024: Winter Break, That's a Wrap!

WHEW, what a fun and amazing, busy year we've had here at Victoria's Artisan Gifts, bringing my original Chalkboard Play Mats (TM) to New England!

THANK YOU so much to everyone who came out to local craft and artisan shows and festivals! I met so many wonderful folks this year at the Fryeburg Fair, the Castleberry Faires shows, Old Deerfield Craft Fairs, Strawberries & Arts, the Joyce Endee shows, the Great New England shows, the New England Christmas Festival at Mohegan Sun, Made in NH, and so many other beloved regional shows and festivals. And a big thank-you to those who found us through the Esty store as well.

With my very patient husband along for many of these trips, we traveled this year to Maine, Vermont, Massachusetts, Connecticut and all over New Hampshire! We made new friends, expanded our show schedule, and traveled a lot in our little Winnebago Micro Minnie. Kids ran toward my booth several times this year, exclaiming, "The Chalkboard Lady is here!" ... which made me smile!

We experienced devastation when the Big Top tent collapsed over about 140 of our booths in Stowe, VT this summer -- it was awful beyond words -- but together we cleaned up the mangled, broken tents and helped one another pick up the pieces, literally and figuratively, to move forward and continue bringing handmade & locally made goods to New England. But mostly it was an absolute gem of a year, thanks to our fabulous show organizers and to you, our much-appreciated customers and booth visitors. I always welcome a hello and a chat! :)

Here at Victoria's Artisan Gifts, I saw more than 3,300 of my locally-handcrafted Chalkboard Play Mats go to homes, classrooms, OT and other therapy clinics, daycare centers and other learning and play environments. :D That's wonderful!

... AND we saw many returning visitors, such as older kids who got their Chalkboard Play Mat a year or two ago, and mentioned they'd run out of chalk or hadn't taken it out in a little while. Those kids got a warm greeting, a new packet of chalk, and a fun activity guide to refresh their chalkboards! They LOVED that! <3

As a tradition, we always donate funds, chalkboards as prizes, or needed supplies to nonprofits that help our community. So this year the recipients included a handful of nonprofit organizations in the towns I visited for shows -- food pantries, for instance -- and a recent drop-off of supplies this week to our local Humane Society shelter, along with cash donations to our local groups such as the Kiwanis, which helps local kids.

We are closing the Etsy shop at 5 p.m. today, Friday, Dec. 20 for a much-anticipated winter break to rest, restock, organize the studio, and take care of admin stuff ... plus a little bit of sitting around in PJs and drinking hot cocoa is definitely in the plans! :)

We will reopen the shop Thursday, Jan. 2 at www.VictoriasGiftsNH.etsy.com. You can also see a list of upcoming artisan shows, all year long, here at www.ChalkboardPlayMats.com .

2025 SPRING SHOWS ... GET EXCITED!!!! After a short winter break, find us at the Old Deerfield Spring Sampler, March 1 & 2 at the Eastern States Expo (home of the Big E).

And then on Friday, Saturday & Sunday, April 4-5 & 6, find our booth at Made in New Hampshire at the DoubleTree in Manchester, NH! <3 More will be listed soon on the website under Where To Find Us. :)

Stay warm & be safe, and enjoy the beauty of our New England winter. If you need anything while we are on break, just send a message.

See you all soon! And thank you so much for supporting handmade & local small business!

Tory