Meet Alicia Diasio from Mom Made Merch...
I have been making merch since March 2022. I made my business official October 2022 with an LLC! I’m huge on matching/color compliments. I try to fit designs and fonts to be appropriate to what the concept is. And I make everything personal to who orders. I like to make stuff that makes people smile or laugh simply to make their day better. I’m huge on sarcasm and dark humor, so a little bit of me is in what I make.
I have a three year old son. I also have a dog and two cats. Some of my hobbies include bodybuilding and drag racing. I love astrology, I’m a Capricorn! If I’m not working a craft show, my regular job is serving at Top Golf. My son is who inspires me to create! That’s why my business is called Mom Made Merch.
I’m huge on matching/color compliments. I try to fit designs and fonts to be appropriate to what the concept is. And I make everything personal to who orders. I like to make stuff that makes people smile or laugh simply to make their day better. I’m huge on sarcasm and dark humor, so a little bit of me is in what I make. I discovered my talents by Trial and error when making stuff for myself.
This is actually my first Avant-Garde craft show! I got into crafting and making merch to save myself money on custom orders. Once people saw my merch and they wanted to purchase I decided to start my business to make extra money but also save others some money on fun custom merch.
In 5 years I hope to have my own little boutique storefront so this can be my full time source of income to give me the maximum time with my son. The message behind my work is to always be yourself, if you can’t say it with your words, show it with your merch!
Meet Jeff Bremer Bashore from RD Workshop...
When I’m not in my workshop, I work full-time as a software engineer at The Ohio State University. For the past 15 years, I’ve also been a DJ and children’s entertainer—a role that’s brought a lot of joy and balance into my life. I’m a proud parent of three remarkable children, and my wife, who I consider equally remarkable, is a full-time Artistic Swimming coach. Rounding out our family is Keith, our dog, who we jokingly refer to as the best-looking member of the family.
I've been curating and restoring tools for 3 years. My inspiration comes from the hidden history of the tools I restore. Every time I uncover a forgotten tool, I see not just an object but a story—one that’s been shaped by the hands of past makers. I imagine the intricate crafts they once helped bring to life, and I’m driven by the idea that these tools still have more to offer. My goal is to breathe new life into them, allowing today’s artists and crafters to push their creative boundaries. It’s incredibly fulfilling to think that something once forgotten can now play a key role in someone’s creative journey.
It all started with a whirlwind moment in my mom’s garage. I was simply sorting through my dad’s old tools, preparing the house for sale, when I stumbled upon some antique pieces. What was supposed to be a quick, straightforward task turned into a chaotic roller coaster ride of curiosity and discovery. One small restoration project led to another, and before I knew it, I was deep into a world of forgotten tools, lost craftsmanship, and endless creative possibilities. I’ve always had a love for using tools, but the turning point came when I was preparing my mom’s house for sale. While going through my dad’s old tools, I stumbled upon some antiques—pieces that just needed a little elbow grease to bring them back to life. That simple moment sparked something much bigger. What started as a personal project grew into a deep passion for restoring forgotten tools, and eventually, it became my mission to share these treasures with fellow creators.
My creative process is very much guided by the tools themselves. Each piece comes with its own set of variables, and I let those characteristics dictate the direction I take. Some tools are beautiful in their original form, and my goal is simply to restore and enhance their natural finish. Others seem to demand a little extra flair, calling for embellishments that highlight their unique design elements. The facets, the knurling, the patterns on the handles—all these details speak to me as I work, and I let them shape the final result. It’s a conversation between the tool and myself, and that’s what makes each restoration so unique.
In five years, I’ll be approaching retirement, and my hope is to have transformed this journey of tool restoration into a sustainable hobby that I can enjoy for years to come. I also plan to expand my charitable efforts, focusing on donating restored tools to local organizations that can benefit from them. I refer to this as my "everyone deserves a good tool" campaign. Additionally, I’m working toward building a regular following on my YouTube channel, where I can share the stories behind these tools and inspire others to take an interest in restoration. My goal is to continue growing, but in a way that stays true to the craftsmanship and purpose behind what I do. The message behind my work is that a good tool is more than just a means to an end—it’s an opportunity. Each tool I restore represents the potential to create, to inspire, and to learn. I believe that when artists and makers hold the right tool in their hands, it can spark new ideas and push them to explore techniques they may never have considered. My goal is to reconnect creators with these tools and the possibilities they bring, reminding us that the right tool can unlock untapped creativity and lead to new discoveries in the craft.
Meet Susan Switzler from Rock On by Suzie's Bowteek...
I'm a retired registered nurse and had my granddaughter over to do crafts and we decided to paint rocks together. It was so much fun that I decided to start painting them on my own because it was relaxing and therapeutic. So after I got into painting more then I could use in my yard I decided to look up places I could sell them thus came up craft shows. I'm very new at this, I've only been doing it for a few months and this will be my 3rd craft show selling at.
My granddaughter is my inspiration. Painting rocks with my granddaughter is what got me into this hobby and helped me discover my talents! I also use this hobby as a form of therapy.
My creative process includes picking out my rocks specifically. Some of the rocks speak to me by the way they are shaped, it tells me what I should paint on it. In five years I hope to be selling YEAR ROUND at different craft shows!
The message behind my work is spreading joy, happiness, Love, peace, and kindness!
Meet Mathew from Bougie Bees...
I started Bougie Bees during the COVID-19 pandemic as a honeybee apiary. In 2023, I carried the name over to essential oils and bee-themed products. I have been using essential oils for years and this is a great way for me to share my knowledge and experiences with others in using high-quality oils - whether it's in diffusing, on your skin, in a plant spray, or even a cleaner!
I have been making Bougie Bees essential oil for about a year but this is my first Avant-Garde Art & Craft Show! I got into this hobby because I was raised in a household where my mom made Americana crafts, so I have been around the crafting lifestyle for years. I would describe my creative process as a lot of trial and error!
I have been using essential oils and creating blends for a while, and I was receiving compliments on the scent profiles I came up with which is how I discovered my talent. I love mixing and creating new scent profiles, blends, and more! I use them in my everyday life, so this is a great way to share them.
This is a side business for me. However, I have started making strong business-to-business connections, so it would be amazing if in five years I had partnerships with other companies in exclusive scents and products. The message behind my project is to limit the chemicals in our world by not adding more synthetic chemicals than we are already exposed to.
Meet Logan from Red's Custom WoodWerx...
I am a medically retired veteran that started woodworking about 7 years ago. I was a medic in the United States Army with 2 deployments to Iraq and 6 months in Kuwait. I moved here to Ohio about 6 years ago from Minnesota when I met my girlfriend on one of my motorcycle trips.
I have now done 6 Avant-Garde Art & Craft Shows as I just started getting into the craft show scene. My inspiration to create wooden works of art comes from both my imagination and the mind of those that I create it for. People give me an idea of what they are looking for, and from there, I just start making sawdust. No blue prints, no Auto-CAD, no drawings, just a visualization in my mind and I start creating.
In 5fiveyears, I see myself still creating works of wooden art. I use wood working as a therapy for my PTSD. I know a lot of Veterans out there that suffer from it and I guess my message behind my work, is to find a hobby you love and run with it. It's helped me out immensely and I have made many connections along the way!! I just recently created a linktree to my social media accounts that have a few works I've created over the past few years.
I can only hope that the recipients of my work enjoy them as much as I enjoy making them!! So when you're at the next craft show, if you see the big sign that says, "Red's Custom WoodWerx", stop by and say hello, I love to chit chat!!
2024 Strongsville Fall Avant-Garde Art & Craft ShowSaturday and Sunday, November 16th and 17th, 2024
Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm
&
Sunday 11:00am-4:00pm
Strongsville Ehrnfelt Recreation Center
18100 Royalton Rd.
Strongsville, Ohio 44136
For more information, contact Becki Silverstein, Event Coordinator at Becki@ag-shows.com
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