Meet Lesley Jones from Cafe L Spice Blends...
In 2017, I created a Curry powder blend to give to my food-loving mates at work. They loved that first blend and I discovered I loved the creative process: researching, grinding, measuring, adjusting and ultimately the total sensory experience of Spice and the magic it brings to the Table. Our world of diverse cultures and cuisines offers endless inspiration. Hence, that one blend in 2017 became four and at last count fourteen.
My spice adventure began many years ago when I had my first Indian meal. I fell in love with the food and the flavors and I had to find out how to cook like that. Back then, the Food Network was very different than it is now. There were cooking shows on ALL DAY. So when I had to spend three months at home recovering from a knee injury, I became acquainted with Emeril, Martha, Mario, Rachel, Alton, the original Iron Chef show and so many others. I was in cooking heaven. Then came the travel shows with Andrew Zimmern and Anthony Bourdain introducing me to a whole new world of different food cultures.
This will be my first show with Avant-Garde and I am so excited! I love chatting with people about using spice. Honestly, talking about food and cooking is one of my favorite things to do! Many folks I meet are hesitant about using spice. They say “I don’t know what to use it in.” Trying new flavors shouldn’t be scary. I tell them there are no rules. Chinese Five Spice doesn’t have to be used in just Chinese dishes. Sprinkle some on the burgers you’re grilling. Add some Adobo to your mac & cheese. You won’t know if it works for you unless you try it!
My mission has always been to introduce my fellow home cooks to spice blends that will enhance their meals. Try new flavors. Make it bold or subtle or somewhere in between. Cafe L Spice Blends are authentic and full of flavor.
Meet Carole Adipietro from Sticks and Stones Candle Co...
Hello! My name is Carole Adipietro and I’ve always loved making arts and crafts! I wanted to learn how to make candles, so I started to research the process and spent almost one year producing many different combinations of candle containers, wax, wicks and fragrance oils before finding the best option for me and my values.
I’ve been selling candles for two years and my focus is to use products that are earth-friendly which is why I chose a coconut/soy blend wax for candles and fire-starters, and 100% soy wax for wax melts. I use great care in selecting fragrance oils as well. None of my products contain paraffin, phthalates or vanillins.
This is my first Avant-Garde craft fair of which I’m excited to participate in! I really like selling at craft fairs throughout my community because it’s so nice to see the expressions on people’s faces when they smell the different scents of candles that I offer! I am a vendor in two local consignment shops as well.
While I currently work full-time, I’ve been giving thought to future retirement, which will include expanding my candle business and volunteering for food delivery to seniors and shut-ins.
Meet Dalia Hamed from Craftopia...
Craftopia is the collaborative creation of a distinctive mom and her three creative daughters, all passionate and skilled in crafting handmade soft plushies and elegant accessories.
Our journey in the American market over the past 8 months has been incredible. We've had the privilege of participating in five successful Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows, fueled by our dedication to artistic excellence and inspiration.
2023 Avon Winter Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show
Saturday, November 25
10:00am-4:00pm
Emerald Event Center
33040 Just Imagine Drive
Avon, OH 44011
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
