Mount Pleasant Markets hosts first artist event of the season
Local vendor knits while showcasing and selling her handmade products at the Mount Pleasant Market at Cornerstone Church on Saturday, Jan. 15.
Ten tables set up around the room at Cornerstone Church were covered in handmade items ranging from soaps, to aprons and even to wooden toys with soft music playing in the background from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Jan. 15.
Mount Pleasant Markets allows individuals within the community to sell local, handmade items at its monthly events.
“We want to give back to the community and support local artists,” Michelle Mowat, event organizer, said. “Everything is handmade.”
For the next three months, Mount Pleasant Markets will support a different organization or non-profit with the funds earned from the vendors purchasing a site location to sell their items.
With 10 vendors, the funds from each purchased site will go to this month’s non-profit organization, Life Choices of Central Michigan. This organization offers free pregnancy and STD testing, ultrasounds, parenting programs and sex education.
One of the vendors was Homemade Loomis + Kennedy, which focuses on beauty products.
“It started off with just soaps because we wanted fun smelling natural soap that didn’t dry out your skin,” Co-owner Danielle Kennedy said. “We only use high premium fragrance oils and essential oils.”
Homemade Loomis + Kennedy sells goat milk soap, sugar body scrubs, beard balms, wax melts and lip balm. Products are tested and used by both owners.
“We’re two best friends that both really love and enjoy doing crafts and making this stuff,” Co-owner Amanda Loomis said.
Another vendor is Carroll Snyder who makes wooden toys.
“It’s fun, it gives me something to do in my retirement years,” Snyder said.
Snyder has been making wooden toys for the last 15 years ever since he started his retirement. The toys range from construction vehicles, to trains and World War II planes. He has also made and refurbished chairs, tables, a crib and a toy baby changing station.
“I probably have 60 to 70 toys down there,” Snyder said regarding the number of toys in his basement.
Snyder first got started making wooden toys by borrowing a book from his son-in-law, who made toys for his own son. The book was filled with different patterns. He uses glue instead of nails and each toy takes 10-15 hours.
The first time he got into making furniture he got a bunch of wood from a church’s bleachers that was being torn down in the auditorium.
“I started out making benches and round tables,” Snyder said.
He made and sold over 70 benches and around 45 tables during that project because he didn’t want the wood to go to waste.
Mount Pleasant Markets is hosting another event Feb. 12 where booth fees will go to The Strickler Center. This organization’s goal is to help reduce poverty levels in Isabella County.
Mount Pleasant Markets will be hosting events over the next few months.
Carroll Snyder shows customer photos on his phone of more wooden toys he has created. Snyder showcased and sold his items at the Mount Pleasant Market at Cornerstone Church on Saturday, Jan. 15.
