WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — Handmade soaps, baked cookies, and Christmas trees made out of magazines. For three straight days, local businesses had the chance to bring Black Friday right to you.
“We do custom hoodies, we do denim jackets, we do t-shirts. We do all custom works from artwork. We do grooming products as well. We do custom shoes, custom skates, anything for any occasion,” Da’Maab Sauce Shop Owner Darrinique Johnson said.
With the official countdown to Christmas now underway, consumers got to kick off their holiday spending. It’s no secret, why shop big when you can shop right here in and for your community?
During this weekend event, shoppers could find the famous Scentsy candles, custom metal and art designs, polymer jewelry, aroma therapy bracelets and so much more.
Johnson said events like this are bringing out more businesses in our community.
“When we first started, there were not as many vendors as it is now. So I think, with us, with people seeing more small businesses coming out more, I think it’s been somewhere where they feel they can come and support other businesses as well. Because like I said, there were not that many of us at the beginning, and now I think it’s all giving other people ‘oh hey, I can do this,’ giving them the confidence that they can do it as well,” Johnson said.
And for another local vendor, that’s exactly what happened.
“Last year, my mom decided she didn’t want to put up a Christmas tree anymore. She didn’t want to bother anybody, taking one down, putting one up. She didn’t have room for it. So I got the idea to take magazines and make her a Christmas tree to put on the table. When I started this, I had no idea. We started with one tree, and I made it and it looked beautiful,” Kathy Richardson said.
Trees made out of magazines, taking three hours to make just one. Out of the 190 made, Richardson partnered with meals on wheels where 145 of them went to. None of them identical.
“Everyone of them were different. So we have the patriotic trees right here. We’ve got the camouflage trees for the hunters. There’s a Rider Raider tree and a Hirschi Husky tree for a memorial or memory thing for the schools. You know, if someone went to that school because when the new schools open up, those will no longer exist,” Richardson said.
All the proceeds from this weekend’s event were put toward Operation Santa Claus and donations were taken for helping sponsor a child with Midas Touch Ministries Angel Tree.