On May 6, a Craft Fair was held at CSU Bakersfield on the red brick road in front of Dorothy Donahue Hall.
There were several booths at the fair selling a variety of things from jewelry, rings and necklaces, to items geared toward feminine self-defense, pepper spray and stun guns.
Stephanie Perez, a financial aid counselor here at CSUB, makes and sells teething necklaces and bows for babies. The teething necklaces are made with wooden beads sewn into bright and colorful cloth.
“I have a little baby so I just started making them for her but then other people started to request that I make them,” said Perez, “Places like Babies R Us sell teething toys that are made of plastic. The teething necklaces I make are made of wood and since they’re necklaces, they don’t fall on the floor and get dirty.”
Aside from making the bows and teething necklaces, Perez also makes clothing for her baby daughter.
“I first went to college for fashion design,” she said, “I love to sew.”
Rocio “Rocky” Jones, another financial aid counselor at CSUB, was sharing a booth with Perez. Jones was selling different types of jewelry that she buys herself.
“This is just a side thing I do. I just like jewelry so I started doing this,” Jones said, “I started doing this two years ago because I overbought and had too much jewelry. Selling it helps me de-stress.”
There are other local craft fairs that Jones goes to, selling her jewelry.
“Because I work here on campus this is the most convenient,” Jones said.
Jones was not the only one selling jewelry at the craft fair.
Diane Garner, a retired independent designer with Origami Owl, was one of the many selling jewelry this past Wednesday. Like Jones, Garner does not make the jewelry herself.
Origami Owl is a customizable jewelry company.
“What we have are lockets that you, the customer, can put charms inside of,” explains Garner.
There are many different charms for people to place inside of their own lockets, personalizing them for themselves. Everything from sports to holidays to ribbons, representing various causes.
Garner has been doing this for about two years.
“Since I am retired I wanted something to do rather than just sit around,” she said. “I found this company and thought that it was just so amazing.”