RANCHO MURIETA, CA (MPG) - Early Christmas shoppers seeking unique gifts and dessert breads to freeze for the holidays found themselves in paradise at the annual Christmas Craft Faire & Bake Sale in Murieta Village on Nov. 1.

The clubhouse was arranged like a boutique, with merchandise artfully displayed and a warm, inviting atmosphere that set the tone for the season.

Village resident Tamsen Fox has organized the Social Committee fundraiser for five years.

“It was a huge success, she said. “I was really surprised because we had a constant flow of people coming in. I knew they weren’t going to spend a lot of money this year, but it all added up.”

Fox rented tables to 23 vendors who sold homemade crafts ranging from hand-carved birds to jewelry, beautiful artwork and food items including fresh walnuts, pies and fudge. Another table overflowed with plants.

The sales went well.  

“All but three of the vendors were thrilled to death,” Fox said.

She hopes to expand the fair next year and plans to attend art shows to hand out cards, encouraging more artists to participate. 

“Professional artists who do these shows have their own booths and tents that they would be able to set up outside,” she explained. 

Fox believes the fair could attract professional artists who typically pay between $60 and $120 to enter other area shows, especially with Rancho Murieta’s higher-income audience. The cost to rent a table at the fair is $25 for nonresidents and $20 for residents. 

A bake sale also took place in the library alongside the craft fair. Homemade cookies, cakes, pies and loaves of bread sold out by the end of the event. 

“It’s a huge gift from all the people living here who donate to that sale,” Fox said. 

Another fundraiser was the $5 hot dog lunch, with one table set aside so shoppers could sit down and take a break. 

One of the artists displaying her work was Dawnelle Sauve, who buys gourds in a variety of sizes and transforms them into fine art inside what used to be a bedroom in her Rancho Murieta South home. 

Asked about her Christmas ornaments, Sauve said each one takes a couple of days to complete because of the intricate details. 

“That’s why they cost $45 each,” she said. 

Village resident Teri Newby offered large, decorated wreaths to brighten doorways and smaller versions designed for golf carts. A new addition this year was an outdoor wreath featuring solar-powered lights. 

Sandy Weber presided over a table piled high with knitted and crocheted soft goods made during weekly meetings of the Village Crafters. The group donates all proceeds to the Sacramento Food Bank: a gesture that felt especially timely this year.

Fox explained that the Village Christmas Craft Faire & Bake Sale is the main fundraiser for the Village’s Social Committee. The committee uses the money to host memorial services in the clubhouse when residents pass away and to purchase new amenities for the facility.