Over the years, fees for vendor events and craft fairs have risen to the point of eliminating the hobby crafter. So many events are held outdoors, costing the small vendors to incur unnecessary expenses for canopies, tables, etc. Not to mention if weather is a factor, the entire event could be a complete loss.
Having personally experienced ALL of the above, I felt it was time to bring things back in line for the average crafter.
In addition, there are so many small home based businesses also trying to make their mark in the community. With the average brick and mortar storefront being cost prohibitive, it’s hard for the starter business to succeed.
Thus, the re-creation of Cochise Crafters. All of our events will be indoors, with tables and chairs provided where ever possible.
While there are expenses for every event to include space rent, insurance and advertising, our ultimate goal is to provide a well attended event at a reasonable cost to the vendor.
About Arlette Mendenhall
Arlette Mendenhall was born and raised in Tucson, AZ and has been a resident of Sierra Vista/Hereford since 1983.
A licensed optician by trade, Arlette has been crafting and showing since she was 12 years old. What started out as a summer break “something to do” has since become a source of “addiction & therapy”. Starting out making chenille animals, her grade school friends soon became her customers. Advancing to sewing while in high school, Arlette now paints on wood and fabric, sews and makes an assortment of Christmas ornaments, made of a variety of materials, with her favorite being polymer clay.
While in Tucson, Arlette also operated a craft supply store in two locations before moving to Sierra Vista. She continued to operate her store in Sierra Vista as well as sponsoring shows in Sierra Vista and Bisbee, until children (April and twins Amanda & Tiffany) became her full time “hobby”.
Now that the children are grown and off doing their own crafting, Arlette has taken up the project of once again crafting and sponsoring shows, in addition to being a distributor for Ultimate Cloth and still working full time as an optician on Ft. Huachuca.
