Jessica Kaiser stood in the middle of the St. Andrew’s basement. She was positioned between two tables loaded with greeting cards. They were decked out with festive designs, princesses, penguins, and other drawings. They were Kaiser’s handiwork.
“Everything’s done by me by hand,” she said. “It’s my crafty stress-relief.”
Kaiser’s creativity was on display at the Three Wise Women craft sale in the St. Andrew’s United Church on Nov. 18.
Local businesses and craft makers gathered at the event. They set up booths in the basement and upper level of the building. Admittance for the public was free.
Dozens of different products were on display. People could buy paintings, doll outfits, quilts, and much more. It was a Christmas shopping show with a homemade touch.
Kaiser brought her business, fresh. by jess, to the trade show. Her booth was loaded with creative, gorgeous greeting cards. Her work began as a hobby.
“[I] fell in love with card-making and it just kind of grew from there,” she said.
Kaiser has been making cards professionally for ten years. She sells her cards through stores on consignment.
“Through word of mouth, I have a lot of sales,” she said.
Tricia Prokopchuk is fairly new to craft shows. Her booth was set up in the upper level. She was surrounded by wooden boards with various drawings and sentences etched on them. Prokopchuk is a designer.
“A coworker...asked me to make her a sign and I...realized I was fairly good at it,” she said. “It just...evolved into what I have now”
Prokopchuk is the owner of After5 Designs. She started the business in early 2016. She creates customs designs on wood and other materials.
“I enjoy doing it and [I] don’t think about anything else,” she said. “It’s a pure calming job for me.”
Prokopchuk and Kaiser find they get the most requests for special events like baby showers.
“A lot of people put custom last names on stuff,” Prokopchuk said.
For Kaiser and Prokopchuk, their businesses are creative ways to express their passions.
“I forget everything around me [when I work],” Prokopchuk said. “It’s like a coping method.”
