Unique Gifts from Art and Craft Fairs

Despite the credit crunch, we still want to buy gifts for friends and family. Instead of shopping at chain stores, check out these upcoming art and craft sales and fairs. It's better for the environment: you'll save air-miles by buying locally. You'll get a better gift: you'll never find something as unique and affordable at the Mall. And it's better for the local economy: your money will go directly to a person, local business, or student in the Twin Cities, instead of to a national big-box retailer.

Here's some upcoming art, craft and gift sales in the Twin Cities.

• Do It Green! Annual Green Gift Sale November 15, Midtown Global Market. The sale will have all kinds of green gifts from local retailers and individual artists and crafters. The sale will also have fair trade goods supporting communities around the world.

• Minneapolis College of Art and Design Art Sale, November 21 and 22, MCAD's Main Building. Support an up-and-coming artist while you shop for art, sculpture, clothing, jewelry, prints, and photographs by current students and recent alumni. The MCAD art sale is reputed to be the best place to buy affordable artwork from leading-edge artists. Tickets are required for Friday, admission is free on Saturday.

• No Coast Craft-o-rama December 5 and 6, at Midtown Global Market. This popular sale features local crafters selling fashions, jewelry, homewares, baby goods, ceramics, prints and art. Items for sale include cutting edge fashions, kitsch housewares and more avant-garde items, as well as more traditional crafted goods.
• Collge of Visual Arts Holiday Art Sale December 6. CVA in St. Paul holds a sale and silent auction featuring art by current students, alumni, faculty, and selected works from the CVA art archives. The sale benefits the CVA Scholarship Fund.