Market Days in Gruene

Every third weekend of the month, Gruene has what's known as "Market Days." I've already posted about Gruene and its touristy attractions. So on Saturday and Sunday of the third week, Texas vendors set up booths and sell their wares. My sons think I should take advantage of this opportunity to sell my photographs. So I grabbed my camera and set out for Gruene on Saturday afternoon to see what my competition would be like if I decided to do something like this. I'll discuss the photographic exhibits later and get into the nitty gritty to start out with. Mind you, this isn't a big craft fair...I'd say it amounts to no more than 50 crafters.

So, first off, I have nothing against John Wayne, but I don't want him on my wall...but I'm sure there are people out there who might. I also don't want corrugated metal pictures on my wall. Is this only in Texas or do other states have corrugated metal picture fans?? I would be really curious to know if this form of "art" exists in other areas of the country.

On to the next. Rustic wooden signs for every imaginable event you need...but mainly for guy things.


The traditional fall foliage stuff just in time for Thanksgiving.

I'm guessing these are doll clothes??

A Santa Claus for every occasion.

Baby stuff.

A couple of "behind-the-time" items...air plants...

...and tie-dye t-shirts...with the "peace" sign no less. I was showing my son these pictures and he couldn't help but notice the woman with the wedgie. I told him it would be too big of a job to Photoshop her out.

Hats! Everyone needs a good ol' Texas hat down here in cowboy country. And look! Someone's grabbing the top one! Darn...and that's the one I wanted!

Rustic (I'm using that term loosely) furniture.

More rustic stuff...although I do like these better than the stools.

Colorful frames and nightlights.

Crosses are a big thing in Texas...you see them everywhere.

In fact, Texas is a big thing in Texas. Texans are pretty full of themselves and will take any opportunity to boast about their state. Not being a Texas native, I don't feel that devotion...which will probably get me thrown out if any die-hard reads this and knows where I live.

Texas magnets...

Texas "this and that"...

Texas snowmen and flags...

Texas stars (which rate right up there with crosses)...

I love stained glass. I guess this guy or gal thinks that Texas star themes will do better at a craft sale. Personally, I prefer the Picasso-ish looking blue jester-like figure.

Now you know where to go for big wall-art guitars. Bring your checkbook, though...or $700 in cash.

I can't remember the name of this type of jewelry, but it's different...and kind of pretty.

This looks like a big mess all hanging together, but I do like the colors and the sparkleiness (I'm sure that's not a word) of the glass.

I'm thinking you definitely need to have a specific "decor" to use these things...especially the saw. That one on the top says, "Each new day is a blessing." Seems strange to convey this message on a huge saw.

Wine corks...

Your usual craft fair pottery...

So here's some artwork. Is it just me, or do the sheep look like a cross between marshmallows and molars with cavities without the roots? So I asked my son, and he said, "Yeah...not to mention that the building looks like some kind of creepy asylum in the middle of nowhere." Sorry, but there's a kind of strange, eerie feeling about that painting.

So now we get into the photographs. This was the biggest one mainly featuring scenes of Texas...bluebonnets, fields, those old funky windmills, longhorn cattle, etc.

Here was another featuring mostly flowers. Just a personal opinion, but I really don't like the rustic wood frames used with photographs.

And another vendor with scenes of the Alamo, missions and Riverwalk.

Now this one was a bit more imaginative. These are printed on canvas so that they look like a cross between a photograph and a painting. I'm not sure I like that. The colors are vivid...and reminiscent of Isla...which I definitely like. And I like the doorways theme which I use myself. But I don't know...there's kind of a phony look about them. I'm thinking, if you're going to do art, then do art. If you're going to do photographs, then do photographs. This kind of makes me think that it's one thing trying to pretend it's another. And another part of me thinks that this is just a fad which will pass. Not to mention the cost involved which hikes up the price. Any other opinions on this?

Now here we get to the piece de resistance...the best of show. I had never seen these before. Little gizmos that attach to the sun visor in your car to give you handy access to toothpicks. Four bucks. You can't beat that with a stick. How many times have you been in your car just after a lip-smacking dinner at the local BBQ hot spot and don't have a toothpick? Well, here you go. The solution.

So maybe I could have this guy put my photographs on the toothpick holders??