Was this really the Seniors Drop-in Centre?
Last weekend it seemed more like an up-market mall full of boutiques, specialty stores, arts and crafts shops and studios.
From the moment you entered and caught a waft of scent, you suspected this would be a treasure trove for shoppers, browsers and those keen to discover more about the world of entrepreneurs.
So it proved. From rustic and Western decorative woodwork to baby shower gifts, mixed media art to Paverpol sculptures, the Pampered Chef kitchen tools and food products to scents … the Barrhead &District Home &Lifestyle Show over the weekend was a market catering to all the senses.
All that was missing was the hustle and bustle associated with such places.
For some reason the event failed to attract the steady stream of visitors it deserved. The parking lots outside the centre were chock-full of vehicles, but virtually everyone headed for the Wildrose Rodeo.
Perhaps a location inside the Agrena complex could have capitalized on this huge influx of people. Perhaps many people simply didn’t know about the trade show.
Whatever the reason, vendors reported a slow Friday and Saturday.
The Barrhead &District Chamber of Commerce show had provided a great opportunity for businesses and home-based entrepreneurs to promote themselves and their ware wares.
Chamber president Darlene Gross said there were 35 booths, some booked by businesses from as far away as Slave Lake, Edmonton and the surrounding areas. Only nine local businesses and organizations participated.
Among those represented with the County of Barrhead and the Co-op.
Organizers had laid on a packed program of family entertainment, including a baby crawl, a performance by Footworks Dance Academy, face-painting, a “foot detox demo” by the Wishing Well and demonstrations of Paverpol sculpting and art décor.
Admission was $3 per family, with money going to the Ripple Connection Support Centre, which looks after the mentally ill and their caregivers.
One of those manning a table was Chuck Mortimer, from the Canadian Bible Society. He wasn’t selling Bibles – he was giving them away. Even so, there were not many present to take up the offer.
“Last year the Bible Society distributed 70 million copies,” Mortimer said.
In Canada the Bible remains a popular book, even if it is not read as commonly as it used to be.
Next to Mortimer’s table were Lorraine Lovelock and Lorna Penchuk, from 2Lors Woodworking.
For eight or nine years the Fort Assiniboine pair have been combining their talents to create items out of wood, such as wagon wheels, barrels, barrel tables, barn board frames, birdhouses, shelves, and signs.
“We tend to stick to rustic, Western and Celtic themes,” said Lovelock.
Across the room, Brandy Westman’s table was adorned with baby shower gifts.
Diapers, washcloths and socks abounded, creatively packaged to catch the eye. For example, one gift bundle resembled an owl. There was also farm theme to tie in with a weekend featuring the Wildrose Rodeo.
Brandy’s table was full of pinks and whites, including the sign promoting her business, All Things Nice.
Meanwhile, Megan Leah Pederson was displaying her artwork, which was full of the vivid blues and greens of her landscapes, some of them inspired by Ireland, the so-called emerald isle.
Pederson is an experimental, mixed media artist, who finds a creative use for commonplace items like the legs off her husband’s pants, a T-shirt or coffee filters.
One of her paintings, “A Walk In Ireland”, had recently been exhibited in Edmonton after being displayed at a juried art show.
For a young mother like Lorraine Reimer, working part-time as a consultant for the Pampered Chef has proved ideal at her stage in life.
It allows her to look after her children – a third one is on the way – and still earn an income.
Reimer relies largely on word of mouth in promoting her products, some of which were on display last Saturday.
Visitors to her table could also sample her homemade salsa, made from tomatoes, cilantro, lime, onions and garlic. The taste was worth the price of admission alone.
