Catholics getting crafty this weekend

St. Brendan the Navigator Roman Catholic Church in Shallotte is celebrating the season with its third annual Spring/Easter Craft Fair and Bake Sale this weekend to benefit the hungry.

Laura Lewis

St Brendan's Catholic Church is having its third annual Spring/Easter Craft Fair and Bake Sale this weekend to benefit the hungry.

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The two-day event will take place noon-6 p.m. Saturday, March 23, and 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Sunday, March 24, in Brendan Hall at the church at 5101 Ocean Highway West.

Highlights include more than 50 vendors featuring photography, paintings, jewelry, homemade candy, greeting cards, pottery, stone candles, ladies’ apparel and purses, stained glass, hand-carved items, homemade soap, carved wood pictures, quilts, blankets, and a baked bread and baked goods sale.

Items for sale reflect the vast talent and creativity of parish and community members, including a group of ladies from the church who do all the knitting, event organizer Marie Frost says.

“Ladies from the church donate all their proceeds to the Loaves and Fishes,” says Frost, referring to a program to benefit “the hungry of Brunswick County.”

The Knights of Columbus are contributing homemade Italian and rye bread that will be sold at the event. There will also be braided Easter egg breads and muffins and lots of other goodies for sale orchestrated by the Columbiettes, the women’s auxiliary of Knights of Columbus.

Frost has been working on the crafts fair since before Christmas.

The New Jersey native says advance planning for the fair is always a lot of work, but worth it.

“Let me tell you, I have had people tell me that this is probably one of the best craft shows they ever go to because of the quality,” Frost said.

The work is first-class, with a wide variety of items.

“If you’re shopping around and have something in mind, I’m sure you’re going to find it there,” she said.

Frost’s husband makes stone candles while she paints on wood and makes baskets.

Copies of a new recipe book will also be available at the crafts fair.

“St. Brendan’s had all the people from the parish contribute recipes,” Frost said. “They put a cookbook together and are going to be selling it.”

For more information about this year’s fair, contact Frost at (910) 575-7638 or email frostyx2@atmc.net.