CS and I headed out early to hit the Arts Market of New Orleans. We got there about 30 minutes after it started and were at it for well over an hour. We bagged gifts for four friends in that time. Now that’s my kind of shopping! It had more artists featured than I can ever remember it having. It was awesome. Continuing on my trek of buying only handmade gifts for everyone for Christmas this year, I was all eyes. I found these magnets for two friends:

The top one is by Hanna Cohen of Red Beans and Nice, and the bottom two are made by Heather Newell of Le Jardin. All three together cost under $20. Sqwee!!

Then we came to the Bayou Salvage tent. Love this stuff! They find items that others throw out and salvage them into art. Very crafty, they are. So we bought two of Heather Mattingly’s NOLA cottages:

Friends had previously given us one of these little treasures, and I am tempted to buy several for me to make my own neighborhood! I showed restraint and bought only for others and checked two more friends off our list.

With all that shopping energy exerted, I then relaxed and found this sweet Madonna made from clay by Joy Gauss of Story Pottery. The hubs and I took a liking to her and bought her for ourselves:

Though the goal was to buy for others and not us, the way I see it, this is our vacation. And we always buy art for ourselves when we vacation. So why should we not do it even if we are just vacationing in our own hometown?

Now to find space on our cramped walls for the two additions we’ve recently purchased. . . .