‘Backyard Bazaar’ offers opportunity to shop local, Catholic

Rachel Sandoval joined the masses for Christmas shopping a few years back when a sudden thought occurred.

Do it local, instead. And Catholic.

But where? She settled on home, literally, in her own backyard. On Dec. 7, Sandoval will host Saint Nick’s Backyard Bazaar, an event that has grown since she first began four years ago.

“A few years ago, I was doing my Christmas shopping and I really didn’t want to support the big box companies, I wanted to stay local,” Sandoval said. “Even better, I wanted to shop Catholic, knowing I wanted to support people with my same view and same interest.

“This year, we’re expecting to have 12 vendors. Our first year we had about 70 shoppers and last year, we had a couple hundred people come by. It was clearly the Lord. It was wild.”

Many small towns offer an arts and craft festival, typically found at a school or another community location, providing a chance for those in the area to shop locally and perhaps find that special handmade gift for a family or friend for a home decoration, birthday or even a tiny trinket to fill a loved-one’s stocking at Christmas.

Saint Nick’s Backyard Bazaar fills that need in Guthrie and the metro area. This year’s Bazaar will be held from 1-4 p.m. at 613 E. Mansur Avenue in Guthrie. Rachel Sandoval will host, with help from her husband.

“He helps set up all the tables and greets the vendors, baking and cooking,” she said. “The idea was to promote shopping locally in small area towns.”

The vendors will offer a wide variety of goods, including arts and crafts and even baked goods for Christmas morning. 

“These are mostly moms who have ‘side-hustles,’” Sandoval said. “We have a gluten-free baker coming this year.”

Even children have something to share, crafts they are learning to appreciate.

“We have kids who make jams as well as cookies,” she said. “We have a variety of goods at the bazaar.”

While the main part of the event is outside in the yard, it spills into the house with treats for the families attending the craft festival.

“In addition to the vendors, we also have food and hot beverages in the house with the hope of promoting the Catholic community,” she said.

Sandoval has seen repeat vendors, including Maddie Loeffelholz, with Three Hearts Homestead. Loeffelholz is a parishioner at Guthrie’s Saint Mary Catholic Church, and sells beauty products, including creams and lotions.

“We have tallow-based skincare products,” Loeffelholz said. “They are very nourishing and hav a lot of vitamins and minerals. It helps dry skin and it is very clean.”

Art will also be on display, including pieces from Darby Heard, who attends Saint Joseph Catholic Church in Norman. She will be on scene representing Darby Heard Arts.

She creates a form of art known as Intaglio.

“I etch images into copper sheets and once the image is etched into the copper, I press ink into the copper and I run that into the press, and the press pulls the ink off the copper,” Heard said. “I always add gold leaf onto my images as well.”

Her images always feature a religious view in terms of art.

“The gold symbolizes the presence of Christ, any way the light of Christ can shine forward,” Heard said.

All vendors must have a Catholic background, but the bazaar is open to anyone who wants to shop for Christmas.

“Most recently, this has been Catholic, however, I bought an ad in downtown Guthrie for the hopes of drawing people in, not just Catholic, but Guthrie, so we’re hoping to diversify this year,” Sandoval said.

Everett Brazil, III is a freelance writer for the Sooner Catholic.