[My sister-in-law Dinah always gives such fun gifts and beautiful handmade cards. I’m excited that today she’s sharing some of her ideas here with you! –S]
I enjoy giving presents under normal circumstances, but during 2020, I felt it was more important than ever to send fun surprises in the mail for my friends and family – for birthdays or just because – since I wasn’t able to see them as often (or at all).
A birthday card made by Dinah.
Craft Beverages + Food
I try to seek out local companies here in Arizona or, at least, small businesses.
Derek is a teacher and a father of 5, who lives in Tempe, Arizona. He loves coffee and decided to start roasting beans himself as a side business. We shipped out bags of his coffee to several family members this year (and also to ourselves)!
Ucayali River, Peru 70% Cacao bar. Via Stonegrindz Chocolate.
For my chocolate-loving friends, I discovered this company located in Scottsdale. They specialize in small batch, single-origin craft chocolate that’s beautifully packaged. I love how they come up with new flavors regularly.
The original Cartel Coffee Lab location is in Tempe. I was pleased to see that they offered this “Stay at Home” blend, which was perfect for my friend Robin, who is coffee-obsessed and works from home. Plus, 10% of the profits go to a Navajo Nation COVID-19 relief fund.
Six Shooter olive oil gift set. Via Queen Creek Olive Mill.
This company is located in Queen Creek, Arizona. I purchased some bottles of flavored olive oil for my brother’s and sister’s birthdays this year. It was a useful gift for them, as they like to cook, and it lasted awhile. I enjoyed hearing which foods they paired the olive oils with!
In addition to standard olive oil offerings, Queen Creek Olive Mill has unique flavors like vanilla bean and dark chocolate. There’s even a set called “Quarantine Essentials!”
My husband Daniel did part of his Navy training near Saratoga Springs, New York, where this company is located. They offer a holiday pack of different kinds of peanut butter. I can’t wait to try more of their flavors in 2021!
For several birthdays this year, I put together boxes full of goodies of the same hue.
I sent my brother a “box o’ sunshine” with yellow items, since his birthday falls right after Christmas, the dreariest time in Montana’s winter. My sister-in-law’s birthday is right before St. Paddy’s Day, so she received all green gifts. And a few people received some “Out of the Blue” birthday boxes.
Hopefully, I can try it out with some other colors this coming year!
We received a lovely gift in our mailbox of pre-measured mix to make Dalgona coffee drinks from a friend. We loved the idea so much that we copied it, making our own Dalgona coffee mixes send to other friends and family.
Once you have the dry mix, all you have to do is add boiling water and beat in the mixer until it turns into coffee-flavored whipped cream! Drink it with ice and your milk of preference.
This was a great way to make a “fancy” coffeehouse-style drink, while staying safe at home.
Tucson’s Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA) used to be a fire station. So it has these big, rollup doors full of windows all along the north side of the building.
Normally, they would have been closed, just letting in lots of beautiful natural light.
Now that the museum has reopened, those firehouse doors have too. With the high ceilings and breeze blowing through the spacious Great Hall, you’re practically outside.
MOCA Tucson’s Great Hall
Phillip and I decided to pop in last weekend. There were only a few other people there (all masked) and plenty of room for groups to stay far apart from each other.
I was so grateful for a safe way to get this little art museum fix. I couldn’t help smiling as we wandered around the exhibit.
Lights outside the Tucson Depot patio.
Light
With this Happenings List, I hope to share some light during a dark season.
All the Happenings listed below – art show, film festival, concert, classes, et al – have safety measures in place, like mask requirements, built-in social distancing, attendee limits, being held outdoors and/or online.
Mug made by Crooked Tree Ceramics, a vendor at Cultivate market.
I’ve focused especially on marketplaces where you can buy directly from artists, crafters, and independent businesses. It is, perhaps, more important than ever to support these small-scale shops, to shift some of our spending, and give more power to people. The corporations will be fine. But the handcrafters could use a hand.
Stay safe and shop small!
Happenings
Château de Gudanes in Château-Verdun, France (via Shop the Château).
A new marketplace of antiques, artisan goods, and other treasures from boutiques around the world. It’s curated by the team restoring Château de Gudanes, an 18th century castle in the south of France. Proceeds support both the independent sellers and the continuing work on the Château.
Art show and sale of pottery, basketry, jewelry, and carvings handcrafted by Native artists. Sales benefit nonprofit Native Seeds SEARCH’s mission to preserve indigenous, arid-adapted crops.
Outdoor art installation that projects larger-than-life portraits of 3 “unsung heroes” of Southern Arizona onto trees on U of A campus. View it after dusk from the Centennial Hall patio or Geronimo Plaza. This is the Tucson edition of Australian artist Craig Walsh’s “Monuments” project, which presents an organic, living recognition of community members in contrast to the more traditional, fixed tributes we typically see.
Downtown buildings, trees, and storefronts are decorated with festive lights. Pima County has lit things up early this year, because we could all use a little extra sparkle right now.
Part of the Working from Home exhibition at Tucson MOCA.
Exhibition featuring new commissions from five artists (Miguel Fernández de Castro, Nazafarin Lotfi, Mark McKnight, Nicole Miller, and Rocki Swiderski) and two poets (Dot Devota and Raquel Gutiérrez) connected to the Tucson region and who each have a unique perspective on this moment of pandemic and protest as well as on the local landscape. Since the smaller East Galleries remain closed, the entire exhibition is in the Great Hall.
SN: With the on-site gift shop temporarily closed, support MOCAshop artists directly by shopping on their online stores.
Mural by Lex Gjurasic, whose work is included in the Picturing 2020 exhibition.
Virtual exhibition of work by more than 150 artists from across Southern Arizona depicting their experience of the destabilizing events of this year. Alongside these new works are pieces from the musuem’s permanent collection that resonate with the challenges of the times we’re in.
now – Apr 10, 2021 / Tubac Presidio State Historic Park / Included with entrance fee ($7).
Collection of outdoor art installations by local artists and gardeners on the 8-acre grounds of the Tubac Presidio. Installations will celebrate native plants, sustainabilty, and creative approaches for the garden.
Jessica Gonzales painting her Loft Film Fest 2019 design on the side of the Loft Cinema.
Nov 18-22 / limited time Loft @ Home release: Individual tickets $12 / open air screenings at The Loft Cinema: Individual tickets $15
Festival of acclaimed, award-winning short films from around the world with films premiering live at The Loft Cinema’s outdoor exhibition space, Open Air Cinema, followed by a limited-time online release the following day. The lineup is grouped into Live Action, Documentary, Animation, and Late-Night programs.
Nov 19, 4pm (PT) / Free with advance registration.
Cartoonists Robb Armstrong, Darrin Bell, Keith “Keef” Knight, Elizabeth Montague, and Bianca Xunise discuss the Black experience as told through graphic novels and comic stories, as well as the importance of representation in comics and the comic field. Q+A to follow the discussion.
ColibrÍ mural in Phoenix, which Chip Thomas collaborated on.
Conversation with the artists Chip Thomas and Nicolas Lampert about their recent artwork and how activism and social movements have informed their process, as well as the work they create.
Mural by Donna Stoner, made with Santa Theresa tile.
Nov 21 + Dec 5 / Santa Theresa Tile Works (at the corner of 6th Avenue and 6th Street, behind The Royal Room)
Socially distanced, in-person mosaic and tile decorating workshops using distinctive, handmade in Tucson tiles. Limited class sizes.
Mirror Workshop on Nov 21, 10am–3pm. An artist-instructor will walk you through the process of using tiles to create your framed mirror or other wood-backed piece. No art experience is needed. Fee: $115 (for mirror project, other items may vary).
Overglaze Holiday Ornament Workshop on Dec 5 (in scheduled one-hour time slots). Choose 3 ornaments and decorate them using dropper bottles filled with colored glazes. No art experience is needed. Fee: $30 for 3 ornaments.
Nov 27, 2020 – Jan 3, 2021 / shopping site + Mercado San Agustin Annex
Holiday market focused on allowing you to connect with and support local makers, artists, and small shops. Among 2020’s 20 vendors are Cero, Desert Forager, Little Toro Designs, and Sonoran Witch Boy. Instead of a crowded single-day event, this year’s Cultivate will be spread out over six weeks. In addition to regular hours, you have the option to order ahead for curbside pickup, book a private shopping appointment, or have online purchases shipped to you.
Dec 6, Jan 3, Feb 7, Mar 7 / City Hall (front parking lot) / free
Combined farmer’s market and artist market with local art, fresh produce, and one-of-a-kind gifts. Monthly on the 1st Sunday from 10am to 3pm. Social distancing and other safety measures will be observed.
Dec 13 through May (monthly), 8am-2pm / Mercado District (along Avenida del Convento)
Outdoor market with antiques, collectibles, and other quirky finds held the second Sunday of the month. Booths are spaced out from Mercado San Agustin to the MSA Annex.
Desert Forager at Tucson Meet Yourself, 2019. They will be at this year’s Cultivate.
I’m thinking this would be a good year for some reverse trick-or-treating.
While I’m not really into Halloween, I do like it as an excuse to indulge in some of the junk candy that I don’t buy the rest of the year, and I’ll pick up a bag or two “just in case.”
I even did this when we lived in a third-floor apartment. Since I didn’t expect anyone to come up, I made a few little candy bags and brought them to my neighbors instead. Reverse trick-or-treat!
In the 2020 version, I’d mask up and leave the treats outside neighbors’ doors.
Materials + Tips
Here’s what I used, plus alternatives in case you want to make the project simpler or fancier or to use materials you happen to have already…
Treat bags – These are great to buy when they’re on sale after the holiday – unlike candy, they’ll keep! I got a pack of clear ones on clearance at Target several years ago, and I’ve used them for a variety of things since then, including sleeves for pressed flowers. Alt: regular sandwich baggies, small paper bags, gift bags
Crinkle paper – Upcycled from some other packaging (maybe it came from these costume mask kits-?) Alt: tissue paper, shredded paper, confetti, or skip it (It’s mostly there for color.)
Cord (for the bow) – I used what I had on hand from an envelope journal workshop. Alt: ribbon, raffia, yarn, bakers’ twine, nothing (Again, it’s just a festive touch.)
Shipping tag – I wrote our names on the back with a reminder who we were (i.e. “From: Phillip and Stephanie from upstairs”), since I suspected some of our neighbors might recognize our faces but not our names. To be honest, I wasn’t sure about some of theirs, which is why there was no “To:” – just a “Happy Halloween” on the front. Alt: label, card, or make your own gift tags
Ultra fine tipped marker
Washi tape to keep the bag closed
Candy – make sure it’s individually wrapped!
Kids need a project?
If you are looking for something to occupy your kids or teens (hello, parents working from home!), here are a few ways they can help with these…
Color, stamp, and/or add stickers to bags.
Make Halloween cards or tags.
Cut construction paper into pieces to use instead of crinkle paper. (Or use a hole puncher / leaf-shaped paper punch to make confetti.)
Fill the bags – if they can be trusted around all that candy! (I barely can.)
On the tag or card, include the age(s) of any contributing young artists (i.e. “From Velma, Fred, and Daphne, age 3”), because that somehow makes it even cuter.
If you make candy bags, I’d love to see them! Tag @travelcraftjournal or #TCJreco on Instagram. Have fun!
In these tricky times, here’s a virtual goodie bag full of classes, films, performances, and tours you can enjoy from home, as well as artisan wares you can shop from anywhere!
For good stuff and in between these seasonal roundups, watch our Instagram stories!
Stay well and be safe, friends! Keep supporting artists, makers, local businesses, and causes when you can. Nourish your soul.
In Denver:Glow at the Gardens, Oct. 20-25. Reimagined for 2020, an evening of luminous displays and live performers. Advance purchase of timed tickets required. $17-21
Museum of Craft and Design: MCD@Home has partnered with artists and community collaborators to create at-home projects based on museum’s signature programs and exhibitions.
Where to Go + When: Free ebook by longtime travel blogger Sherry Ott of Ottsworld. Email address required to receive the download link.
Buy a mask and they’ll donate one to a local organization!
Classes
Debbie Allen Dance Academy: Founded by Debbie Allen of Fame fame, DADA is a non-profit organization with programs to expand young people’s access to dance + theater.
Orenda Tribe SPREAD LOVE + SHINE LIGHT Shop: Sale of art and artisan goods with 100% of proceeds going to critical aid on the Diné / Navajo reservation during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Quilt-Craft-Sew Mall: Shop vendors from Quilt, Craft + Sewing Festivals online, since so many of 2020’s events had to be canceled.
SXSW Short Films: A collection of shorts that were selected for SXSW 2020, but couldn’t be screened when the festival had to be canceled last-minute, due to the pandemic. You can now watch them from home! Free.
As Tucson slowly begins to reopen and our weather – even more slowly – starts to cool down, there are some good things going on I wanted to share with you!
The historic Hotel Congress, which had to close its doors the last 3 months due to the coronavirus, re-opens October 1st.
Reopening special $80/night October 1-10. Must call to book.
Club Congress concerts and Soul Food Wednesdays also resume this week with strict safety measures in place. All events will require masks, limit capacity (first come, first served), and have spaced seating.
Cup Cafe has expanded patio seating and added a new all-day menu.
This popular food and arts festival has come up with some creative ways to continue to safely showcase Tucson cultures!
All month: Live online conversations, demonstrations, and performances with folk artists, musicians, dancers, cooks and others keeping the many cultures and heritages alive in Tucson.
All month: Online marketplace featuring works for sale by select TMY folk artists.
Friday evenings: Traditional artists on walls! Video projections on public walls around Tucson of traditional dancers and artisans practicing their crafts.
3 weekends: Oct. 10-11, 17-18, + 24-25 from 11am – 5pm. Three Tucson heritage sites will have vendors selling food-to-go and large LED screens showing performances from long-time TMY performers to watch while you wait.
Oct. 30, 6:30 + 8pm. Renowned Pascua Yaqui performer Gabriel Ayala closes the 2020 festival with an on-screen drive-in concert, following the Yellow Bird Indian Dancers.
For 10 days, locally-owned restaurants across Tucson offer 3-course prix fixe menus for $25 or $35. Part of the proceeds benefit Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona.
SN: This spring Sonoran Restaurant Week organized “Tucson To Go” to spotlight local eateries offering takeout while dining rooms were closed for the pandemic. We had excellent meals from Reforma and Tito + Pep! (Photos on Travelcraft Journal’s Instagram.)
Carolyn Niethammer’s cooking demo at Mission Garden.
Book launch party for Carolyn Niethammer’s A Desert Feast: Celebrating Tucson’s Culinary Heritage, which explains the agricultural and culinary history that led to Tucson’s designation as the first “UNESCO City of Gastronomy” in the U.S.
Other Tucson makers, local food system experts, and representatives from the City of Gastronomy project will be present.
COVID-19 precautions will be in place, and there is plenty of room in the four-acre garden for social distancing. Please wear a mask.
Expo with sewing, quilting, needlework, and craft supply vendors (both local and national), as well as workshops and presentations.
Free admission and parking.
New health safeguards include requiring face coverings, frequently sanitizing high-touch surfaces, and allowing for social distancing with wider aisles and larger vendor booths.
Look for the show program and coupons 10/26.
SN: We went to the Tucson show last year. While there were fewer vendors than at the Phoenix show, it was much less crowded and less hectic.
Tucson Meet Yourself.
Have fun, be safe, and let me know what you’re up to this fall!
