
I missed Sawdust this past summer. So I had to go to Winter Fantasy Sawdust. The art and craft festival is pretty much just on weekends. And tomorrow is the last day. There is a chill in the air and this is the busiest I’ve seen Sawdust. It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas.
I love walking through the threshold of what looks like a hobbit village. Santa is in the house and trees are decorated by local schools near his sleigh. Live music is top deck. As we saunter through the pathways, a man plays acoustic guitar next to the wheel that turns out water in a pond.

Around the corner, a diamond catches my eye. Not a real diamond. A cheeky silver ring with a diamond carved in it. Barbara Schuppe with her I’m A Treasure Jewelry has a rock n’ roll flare. Some rings have hearts with wings. Chunky linked necklaces are cool with hearts, “diamonds,” or trees carved on a charm. A mirror in the shape of a diamond with black wings hangs on a pink wall. The style is a cross between Betsey Johnson and Ed Hardy. Barbara explains it’s “Ugly Sweater Day” so she wore her pink Barbie sweater.
On Barbara’s business card it says, “This diamond tells you how uniquely beautiful you are, a sparkling treasure, enriching the world. Love what you love, celebrate who you are. Be Yourself!”
Her smile lights up her face as she says, “We’re all unique treasures.”
We chat about self-acceptance and in her Barbarism she adds, “Comparison is the thief of joy.” She passes on her wisdom and inspires people along the way. She’s like a muse or a fairy godmother.
Sawdust is own of my favorite places. At home, I slip off my shoes. A little piece of bark falls out. Ah. All the bark is a reminder of the artists carving out handmade treasures with different woods and metals.
May you find your treasure in Jesus this Christmas surrounded by family and friends! Merry Christmas!
Winter Fantasy Sawdust • 935 Laguna Canyon Road • Laguna Beach • CA • 92651
Open until December 16, 2018 from 10am to 7pm. Tickets are $8 for adults.
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