Arts and Crafts

November 29

Vendor and Home Decor Fair: The Elgin Junior Woman's Club will present its annual Vendor and Home Décor Fair from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 29 at Epworth United Methodist Church, corner of Randall Road and Highland Avenue, Elgin. Vendors will display designer handbags, jewelry, handcrafted holiday decorations, homemade cards and linens. Also offered will be Tastefully Simple, Watkins, Cookie Lee, Mary Kay, Tupperware, Surprise Parties, Longaberger, and more. The fair will include a bake sale. All proceeds benefit the Renz Addiction Counseling Center of Elgin.

November 29-30

Christmas Craft Show: Marmion Academy's two-day Christmas Craft Show will be 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Nov. 29 and 10:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. Nov. 30. The juried craft show will be held at the academy, 1000 Butterfield Road, Aurora. Admission is $3 for those 12 and older. Complimentary baby-sitting service is offered both days. For information or to obtain an application, contact the Alumni Office at (630) 897-6936, ext. 228 or visit www.marmion.org/alumni/alumni.html. Last year's show featured 158 crafters and drew more than 3,400 paying customers.

December 5

Cookie Walk: The Unitarian Universalist Society of Geneva is hosting its annual Cookie Walk from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5. Now in its 26th year, this Geneva holiday tradition raises money to support the work of the church and the social justice programs it sponsors, including a youth trip to a Habitat for Humanity homebuilding site and donations to local non-profit organization such as Lazarus House and the Northern Illinois Food Bank.

As customers enter the church at the corner of Second and James streets in downtown Geneva, they are given a box to fill. They then walk along long tables filled with 400 to 500 dozen cookies of all kinds. Customers fill their boxes any way they choose - all one kind or mix and match. Each box holds one to two dozen cookies and cost $13. "This is the ninth year I've been involved with the Cookie Walk and every year we have people lined up outside well before 4:30 pm," said Elba Karim, this year's Cookie Walk co-chair. "Everyone loves that they can load up on fabulous, homemade cookies and not have to worry about baking."

The Cookie Walk tradition spans the ages with two generations of both organizers and customers now involved. "We've seen the baking for Cookie Walk become a cherished family tradition for several of our members," said Rev. Dr. Lindsay Bates, senior minister at UUSG. "It's great fun for everyone involved and the lovely boxes of cookies make great gifts. Most varieties freeze well, too."

Reservations for Cookie Walk are not required but lines do form early and favorite varieties sell out fast.

December 6

Mall in the Halls: Creekside Elementary School hosts its third annual "Mall in the Halls" from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Dec. 6 at the school, 655 N. Airlite St., Elgin. The show features variety of exhibitors displaying crafts, products and services as well as raffles and bake sale. Admission is $1.

AID Holiday show: The Association for Individual Development is holding its ninth annual Holiday Bazaar and Craft Show from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at AID's Keeler Center, 309 W. New Indian Trail Court in Aurora. Applications for crafters are being taken on a first-come, first serve basis. The table fee is $25 if paid before Nov. 20 and $30 after that date.

Proceeds from the fees are used for activities and outings for individuals who participate in AID's Developmental Training program offered at the Keeler Center. The program helps people with severe disabilities to become as independent as possible in the following skill areas: self-help, daily living, speech and language, fine and gross motor development, socialization and prevocational skills. The program also provides long-term training in daily living and adaptive skills in order to increase or maintain social independence. For details, call MaryAnn at (630) 966-4252.

Sugar Plum Holiday Market: The Bell-Graham Elementary School PTO invite you to attend the Sugar Plum Holiday Market from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. It will feature crafters, vendors, artists, a bake sale and raffle. The school is at 4N505 Fox Mill Blvd., off Route 64, three miles west of Randall Road in St. Charles. (630) 762-6670.

Cookie Walk: First Congregational Church, 900 S. Eighth St. in West Dundee, will host its eighth annual Cookie Walk from 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. The community is invited to this event. Admission is free. Homemade holiday cookies and candies will be sold by weight.

A boutique of holiday items also willalso be on sale and the latest cookbook, "A Taste of Heaven," for $6 each. Many of the cookie recipes are included.

All proceeds from Cookie Walk 2008 will be used to fund six area organizations serving children and helping the hungry, the homeless and those in need. For details, call (847) 426-2161, ext. 210 or visit fccdundee.com.

Holiday Craft Fair: Chesak Martin PTA will hold a Holiday Craft Fair from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., Saturday, Dec. 6 at Marlowe Middle School, 9625 Haligus Road, Lake in the Hills.

St. John's Craft Fair: Algonquin's St. John's Lutheran Church & School Parent Teacher League is sponsoring its 21st annual Country Christmas Arts and Crafts Festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6. St. John's is at 300 Jefferson St. in downtown Algonquin, one block east of Route 31, near Towne Park.

Arts and crafts vendors, door prizes a face painter and even Santa will be there as well as hot cinnamon rolls and coffee.

Winter Wonderland Craft Show: The second annual Willard Winter Wonderland Craft Show is scheduled from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6 at Willard Elementary 370 W. Spring St., South Elgin. Crafters are needed, on first-come first-served basis. Only one consultant from each home based business will be accepted. The craft fair is being held in conjunction with a book fair, refreshment sales and pictures with Santa. For details or questions, e-mail Angie Deleon at tsangie2002@yahoo.com or call (847) 608-9091.

Holiday Express: The Hoover Wood Elementary School PTO is hosting the second annual Holiday Vendor Mart, "Holiday Express," from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Dec. 6 in the school gymnasium, 1640 Wagner Road in Batavia. All proceeds go directly to programs for students to supplement their learning experience. If you are a small business or vendor and would be interested in promoting your products or services, call Jennifer Jansson at (630) 879-0172. Not interested in going to the malls or navigating online? Then stop by Hoover Wood Elementary School on Dec. 6. You will find great gift choices, no large parking lots, no traveling from store to store and no long lines. The PTO will have gift cards available for many national retail chains. To tie it all up, gift wrapping will be available for a small donation.

Marklund Holiday Craft Fair: Marklund's 2008 Holiday Craft Fair will take place from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6, at the Marklund Hyde Center, 1S450 Wyatt Drive in Geneva. There will be many vendors selling their handmade holiday ornaments as well as items created as gifts. In addition, there will be a Marklund booth featuring items handcrafted by Marklund's developmental training clients. The Holiday Craft Fair also will include cosmetics and food vendors such as Avon, Mary Kay, Tastefully Simple, and Pampered Chef. All vendors have donated one item valued at $10 or more to the raffle.