Thousands of people from all over Cape Breton came to Centre 200 in Sydney over the weekend to attend a craft show being billed as “The Big One.” The three-day sale has been held annually by the Home Crafters of Cape Breton for several years. The low admission cost as well as the wide variety of arts and crafts for sale attract many in mid-November when people are more than ready to look for handmade items as Christmas gifts. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle contentIt was billed as “The Big One” and the thousands of people who attended this year’s Festival of Crafts at Centre 200 over three days proved the event could live up to its billing. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentAn annual Christmas sale for home crafters in Cape Breton, there was such a variety of crafts and artwork, that anyone would have been able to find a little something for even the hardest person in your life to buy for. Article contentArticle contentArticle contentMany of the sellers were people who had shown their work at the massive Centre 200 craft show before – several for most of the past decade it has been held. And they all said they have seen it grow. Article content It was a real family affair when the McNeils from Dominion showed up to sell their Christmas crafts over the weekend at “The Big One” sale sponsored by Home Crafters of Cape Breton at Centre 200. From left are Melvin McNeil Jr; Melvin McNeil Sr; and Joanne McNeil. McNeil Sr. said he often gets told he looks like Santa Claus and at times is asked to play one. The family was selling some Christmas tabletop items as well as unique wall and tabletop clocks. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle contentMargaret Herney, a member of the craft show committee who lives in Eskasoni said she was pleased to have sold her Mi’kmaq crafts and handmade Christmas decorations at the same show for a decade. Article content“We weren’t surprised there would be this many people,” she said. “We knew it was going to be a success.” Article contentHerney only sells at two Home Crafters of Cape Breton sales and at powwows she attends. Most of her items are intricately hand-beaded art. Article content A member of the Home Crafters of Cape Breton craft show committee Margaret Herney peers through a hanging display of her intricately beaded Mi’kmaq-themed Christmas decorations. The Eskasoni woman was one of well over 100 sellers filling all the spaces at “The Big One” sale in Centre 200. Herney said committee members knew this year’s event would be a success due to the number of people who indicated on social media that they were interested in attending. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle contentAggie O’Flaherty of Sydney Mines says her Newfoundland and Labrador roots inspire her work. She makes houses and ocean landscapes with small homes out of rocks she finds where she lives overlooking the ocean. A painter, she creates cards with east coast flavour and creates paintings that are three-dimensional due to her use of concrete on the canvas. But her bestsellers are the unique and quaint houses she makes out of rock and cement. Each one is finished with colourful paint and layers of acrylic so they shine brightly under light. Article content An artist from Sydney Mines who works out of her home studio overlooking the ocean, Aggie O’Flaherty attended the Home Crafters of Cape Breton-sponsored Christmas Craft Sale over the weekend. Most popular at her table were her brightly-coloured rock houses and landscapes featuring tiny homes that she says are inspired by her Newfoundland roots. Her love of the East Coast was also evident in her paintings and greeting cards she had on sale. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle contentThe event is sponsored by the Home Crafters of Cape Breton. This year, they are also holding a second sale from Nov. 28 – Nov. 30 at the Emera Centre in North Sydney. Article content Newcomer to Cape Breton Li Zheng Yong was helping his niece at a colourful table at the weekend’s three-day giant Christmas craft sale at Centre 200. They were selling items for all ages that had come from China, including delicate fans, masks, and small items. Thousands of people attended the sale that is sponsored annually by the Home Crafters of Cape Breton. The group is holding a second large sale event at the end of this month at the Emera Centre in North Sydney. ROSEMARY GODIN/Cape Breton PostArticle contentRosemary Godin is the Local Journalism Initiative Reporter for the Cape Breton Post, a position funded by the federal government. Article contentArticle contentArticle content
The Big One lives up to its name for Christmasat Centre 200
