Art strives to express; craft strives for excellence. Good art has good craft, good craft is artistic. Within every craft there exists artists. Within every artist there is craft." -Ralph Reichenbach & Doug Madill

A girl's gotta get her holiday bling going on

How are your holidays going so far?
 With 12 shopping/baking/wrapping/decorating days left till Christmas most people especially women are starting to feel the crunch. Most of us don't have time in our schedule to fit one more party or shopping outing into our calender. I Know! That's why I am going to take you on a virtual road trip. Even though this is sunny Florida grab your coat & scarf because it is in the low 40's with wind & fog. We are going to the Placida Saturday Arts & Crafts Market located off of Gasparilla Rd (CR 771) just a tad south of the entrance to Boca Grande Causeway. 

The market is located at the Historic Fishing Village of Placida. This is an array of little houses relocated from the local area and nestled right on the edge of Gasparilla Sound creating a wonderful place to experience old Southwest  Florida.  The village is the home of Margaret Albritton Gallery & The Fishery Restaurant. Margaret's gallery  is the ultimate art eye candy  for tropical beachy original art, crafts,  & home decor.

 The Art Market happens in the common area outside of the gallery. They have created an opportunity for any artist & craftsman to come and display their work at no entry fee. That is for free. Come on! And for the public who attend there is no parking fee & no admission fee. I always say "If it's foe free - it's foe me!" So are you ready? We're here and I got a great free parking spot right up front. Let's go stroll the art market.

My niece Pookie loves any kind of outdoor market

The fog is lifting but it is still about 55 degrees and windy

At our first stop we were greeted by a very festive looking Linda Fudala-Tucker. In her best story teller broad she read us a portion of her  self-published book " 'Twas the Night of Nativity". The illustrations are by her sister Mary Fudala Stillwagon. I bought  one for my mom and the author kindly offered to sign my purchase for me. Very nice considering all our hands were frozen from the cold.

Local author and journalist Linda Fudala-Tucker

Maren Thompson of Woodsedge Pottery

Suzanne Martin of Damselfly Creations

Shirley Campbell of Shirl's Art Works

Personal Gardener Debbie Lutman

Pretty planters

Debbie picked this chair up on the side of the road  resourced this chair.

Jody & Julie of Glitter Girls on the Gulf

The Glitter girls were just charming to chat with. Jody told me she had recently found a Junonia on the beach where she lives on Palm Island. Both ladies have turned their lanai's into temporary art studios much to the chagrin of their husbands.

What a great way to add some glitz & glamour to your holiday buffet

Designer Zella Austin of Zella's Treasures

Deborah Teachout Bailey of Bailout at the Beach

The wood sculpture below was a creation of Deborah's from her college days.  When she needed a display for her jewelry she re figured her sculpture with dowels for hanging. Her necklaces are made from beautiful shell pieces found on local beaches.

Deborah's re purposed sculpture from her college days

Artist Beverly Post Ketterer sells aprons for shelling on the beach. She got the idea from seeing people using Home Depot nail aprons.

Artist-Designer Tico Williamson from Sarasota

Artist Linda Soderquist 

Lisa M Leydon and her handblown glass Natulis

Michele Cotty Loger of Cotty Designs

Kristen of Kristis Creations

The folks from G-Bone's were barbecuing pulled pork and serving up samples of their pickled swamp cabbage

G-Bone's of Fort Ogden, Florida (863)494-3332

There was so much to see. Pookie & I braved to cold for 3 hours as were cruised the outside booths. We also stopped into the on site galleries.  You must visit the Hatch Gallery. Jon Hatch has taken beachcombing to a new level . He takes the lowly piece of driftwood and transforms them into incredible creatures of the sea and air.


I apologize to the many artists that I failed to get pictures of. I am blaming the freezing cold and frozen picture snapping fingers. 

Please visit Artist Marsha Banas

Also  Photographer Ed Brickfield who had some stunning photographs.  His motto is "life is art and art is life".

The stage where they hold special events like the Placida Reading Festival & Rotary Club's Annual Seafood Festival

Fresh Fish is not that far away. Miss Cindy's located right in the village

So there is talk that this adorable little village could possibly be bought and razed for yet another condominium complex. What a stinking shame. The shop owners have barely survived a new bridge that was just completed.  Due to the construction on the road out front their traffic was cut  by 50%. The annual Placida Seafood Festival will be held here March 19 & 20 in 2011. There is alway a hub in a community wheel that friends, family, & tradition revolve around. The Historic Placida Fisherman's Village facebook site says it all -


 "Placida Fishing Village is a small very special place, reflecting a calmer & slower pace, a bit of old Florida & the way things use to be. 
Come & Enjoy the View, the Food, the Orchids, the Shops & meet the Artist!"

If you enjoyed our virtual trip I hope you will plan to visit for real. After you cruise the art market you are only 10 minutes away from the world class beaches of Boca Grande & Englewood, Florida. Hopefully, this historic treasure will be here for years to come for our kids to enjoy with their families.