Sea Girt Elementary Hosts Annual Craft Market

The Sea Girt PTO held its annual craft market at Sea Girt Elementary School this weekend to raise money for the school. The event featured 60 crafters and nearly 2,000 attendees who got together to support the school, get a start on their holiday shopping and try their luck on several auction items.

On Sunday, some of the school children sang holiday songs in the morning, drawing in a large crowd that watched. In addition to the crafts and music, there was an abundance of baked goods on sale and a Chinese and silent auction that featured items donated by local businesses. Popular auction items included a three night stay at Disney Land and an American Girl doll.

“For every child enrolled in the school, a parent is required to bake something,” said Megan Schnurr, co-chair of the craft market. “It’s a school provided bake sale.”

Schnurr also explained that this craft market is a school effort -- teachers, students and parents were involved in making it a success. The student’s involvement was evident in the luncheon where the 8th graders were the servers.

“Their tips will go toward their end of the year trip to DC,” Schnurr said.

Other areas that will benefit from this market that charged $2 per admission include: school assemblies, technology, new books and other class trips, according to Schnurr.

The crafts were a combined mix of holiday gifts and year-round crafts and decor, that attendees really seemed to be enjoying.

“I love the craft market. The whole school gets involved in planning it. It’s been a tradition in this school for a long time,” said full-time mom of three students in the school, Devon Smith of Sea Girt. “I like the homemade gifts and atmosphere. My kids (Emilia 5, Cliff, 8 and Print, 11) are shopping for gifts for each other.” 

Sandy Cole-Hatchard of Ocean Township, a retired manager of a phone company said that she thought the craft market was “a happy place with a lot of pretty things.”

Ellie Rezk of Wall Township, an entrepreneur and owner of Invisible Sun, a children’s t-shirt company, had her business’s items for sale. A year ago Invisible Sun was an idea Rezk had as she was shopping for clothing for her children. She noticed a lot of dark images and wanted children to have clothing that was bright and inspiring so they could feel confident in it.

“The message behind the brand is for kids to discover and follow their passion,” Rezk said. “Invisible Sun is a metaphor for ‘source of inspiration'.”

Rezk believes that every child has a gift and a purpose. She is hoping that her line could help them tap into that. Her online store just launched three weeks ago. At the craft market she was showing and selling the first shirts of the line. They did in fact feature bright colors and positive images. In the future, she plans to have shirts that include positive messages.

Also at the market was artist Roberta Walker of Spring Lake with her hand painted glassware and mini gardens. As an artist and gardener, Walker was inspired to create mini gardens that people could keep in their homes. She was selling artificial and real gardens in addition to hand painted glassware. The mini gardens were small enough to put on a coffee table or night stand and exhibited what an outdoor garden may look like.

To get involved with next year’s craft market, visit seagirt.k12.nj.us.