If You Go
What: Chattanooga Holiday MarketWhere: Chattanooga Convention Center, 1150 Carter St.Hours: 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday Dec. 10 and 17; 11 a.m.-5 p.m. Sundays Dec. 11 and 18Admission: FreeInformation: www.chattanoogamarket.com/holiday
In December, Chattanooga Market moves from the outdoor First Tennessee Pavilion to the indoor Chattanooga Convention Center. Once inside, it becomes Chattanooga Holiday Market, gathering more than 100 vendors with a variety of handmade gift ideas.
The Holiday Market is open from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturdays and 11 a.m.- 5 p.m. Sundays through Dec. 18.
The assortment of products ranges from ironwork to ink pens, paintings to pendants, glass, handmade furniture, hand-tooled belts, sea-salt spa products, fringed shawls and other textiles. There also is food galore: artisan-made breads, rolls, cakes, cookies, canned jams and relishes.
Here are eight gift suggestions from the market to mark the hard-to-please people off your list.
Mike and Sissy Markum of Markums' Wood 'n' Glass in Harrison offer a wide range of handmade wooden trucks, boats, cars and puzzles as well as this blowgun that fires mini marshmallows as ammunition. The gun comes with a pack of three mini pompoms for moms who worry about sticky messes. Drop a marshmallow (or pompom) in the barrel of the gun, blow into the mouthpiece and hit a target 3 feet or more away. The PVC pipe guns are decorated in colorful designs ranging from the Vols to M&Ms. Marshmallow blowgun $7.Mike and Sissy Markum of Markums' Wood 'n' Glass in Harrison offer a wide range of handmade wooden trucks, boats, cars and puzzles as well as this blowgun that fires mini marshmallows as ammunition. The gun comes with a pack of three mini pompoms for moms who worry about sticky messes. Drop a marshmallow (or pompom) in the barrel of the gun, blow into the mouthpiece and hit a target 3 feet or more away. The PVC pipe guns are decorated in colorful designs ranging from the Vols to M&Ms. Marshmallow blowgun $7.
Beekeeper Lynn Bachelor of Newnan, Ga., claims her beeswax candles are healthy alternatives to traditional wax varieties because "they burn clean; there is no paraffin or petroleum in them; and they are made of all-natural beeswax." Visitors to her booth, Wally Bee's Honey, will find pillar candles and decorative shapes as well as bottled honey for sale. Pine cone beeswax candles, $18 each.Beekeeper Lynn Bachelor of Newnan, Ga., claims her beeswax candles are healthy alternatives to traditional wax varieties because "they burn clean; there is no paraffin or petroleum in them; and they are made of all-natural beeswax." Visitors to her booth, Wally Bee's Honey, will find pillar candles and decorative shapes as well as bottled honey for sale. Pine cone beeswax candles, $18 each.
Jamie Poe of Murfreesboro, Tenn., recycles empty bottles of booze into functioning lamps. If alcohol isn't your taste, she also carries lamps with college and NFL colors and logos as well as branches of the military. Bring Poe an empty, and she'll custom-design a lamp for you. Lamps $40.Jamie Poe of Murfreesboro, Tenn., recycles empty bottles of booze into functioning lamps. If alcohol isn't your taste, she also carries lamps with college and NFL colors and logos as well as branches of the military. Bring Poe an empty, and she'll custom-design a lamp for you. Lamps $40.
Chattanooga artist Brenda Forsythe named her company Lily Pond Lapidary because the lily pond in her yard is her view while she's sitting at her workspace. Forsythe sets agate, turquoise and other semi-precious stones into custom-designed settings of either gold plate, sterling silver, copper or 14K gold. Purple agate pendant $28, gold-plated neckwire $15.Chattanooga artist Brenda Forsythe named her company Lily Pond Lapidary because the lily pond in her yard is her view while she's sitting at her workspace. Forsythe sets agate, turquoise and other semi-precious stones into custom-designed settings of either gold plate, sterling silver, copper or 14K gold. Purple agate pendant $28, gold-plated neckwire $15.
Becky and Rachel Makla are traveling from Pensacola, Fla., each weekend to participate in the Holiday Market. The mother-daughter artists and jewelers combine a variety of mixed media — sea glass, faux gemstones, found items or pearls — in polymer clay pendant settings. The jewelry is fired in a toaster oven before curing with ice resin epoxy. Each pendant is themed and named. $35 each.Becky and Rachel Makla are traveling from Pensacola, Fla., each weekend to participate in the Holiday Market. The mother-daughter artists and jewelers combine a variety of mixed media - sea glass, faux gemstones, found items or pearls - in polymer clay pendant settings. The jewelry is fired in a toaster oven before curing with ice resin epoxy. Each pendant is themed and named. $35 each.
Show your state pride with a magnet cut from a vintage book cover, bird ornaments featuring a different vintage book cover on each side or bookmarks made of vintage playing cards. All are designed by M&R owners Philip Marshall and Denise Rose of Ringgold, Ga. Magnets, $4.Show your state pride with a magnet cut from a vintage book cover, bird ornaments featuring a different vintage book cover on each side or bookmarks made of vintage playing cards. All are designed by M&R owners Philip Marshall and Denise Rose of Ringgold, Ga. Magnets, $4.
Blue Light Studio artist Allen Hampton welds horseshoes, rebar, nails, threaded pipe and other pieces of reclaimed metal to create one-of-a-kind artwork for use inside or out. Give a gift that displays civic pride with a Nooga key hook, or the city's name in an iron wall hanging, below. The "C" in the city name is a horseshoe, so this gift might even bring luck. Chattanooga wall art $120, Nooga key hook $75.
Blue Light Studio artist Allen Hampton welds horseshoes, rebar, nails, threaded pipe and other pieces of reclaimed metal to create one-of-a-kind artwork for use inside or out. Give a gift that displays civic pride with a Nooga key hook, or the city's name in an iron wall hanging, below. The "C" in the city name is a horseshoe, so this gift might even bring luck. Chattanooga wall art $120, Nooga key hook $75.Blue Light Studio artist Allen Hampton welds horseshoes, rebar, nails, threaded pipe and other pieces of reclaimed metal to create one-of-a-kind artwork for use inside or out. Give a gift that displays civic pride with a Nooga key hook, or the city's name in an iron wall hanging, below. The "C" in the city name is a horseshoe, so this gift might even bring luck. Chattanooga wall art $120, Nooga key hook $75.