By Lisa Simonson Special to OnMilwaukee.com Published Dec 16, 2013 at 9:46 AM

Like many other brave souls in our winterized city, I decided some events are completely worth journeying out into the snow. Last Sunday was one of those events.

My excursion to Turner Hall for Hover Craft 2013 took me about 45 minutes (on a non-snow covered day, it only takes me about 20). This was my first year attending Hover Craft, a shop local event that supports emerging creative artists and the Milwaukee community. I was more than impressed by the amount of vendors, as well as the quality and diversity of work.

Hover Craft was started in 2010 by Alyssa Schulte, Cortney Heimerl, Ashley Chapman, and Vanessa Andrew. Hover Craft is carefully curated in an effort to provide a comprehensive mix of crafts from diverse backgrounds. Both new and seasoned crafters are given the same opportunity to participate in the event.

I had the opportunity to speak with a number of people working the tables throughout the event. Some have been a part of Hover Craft for the last few years, while for many others this was their very first debut. One vendor in even mentioned he had never sold any of his woodwork anywhere besides on his Etsy shop. This was his first showcase as an event vendor.

Etsy seemed to be the web platform of choice for most vendors. I expressed interest in purchasing from several crafters after the holiday season, and most directed me to their Etsy shop. If you attended Hover Craft and missed out on grabbing business cards, or if you’re interested in learning more about the artists and crafters, check out the list of 2013 vendors.

I can’t disclose all the scores I picked up (many are holiday gifts), but I did purchase a few things for myself including: a wood light piece from Centers for Design Control, a vintage necklace from Cival, a ring from Ann Kat Jewelry Designs and marshmallows from Honeypie. 

Lisa Simonson Special to OnMilwaukee.com

As a self-proclaimed aficionada of dive bars, Lisa Simonson knows a thing or two about drinking and our city’s bar scene. She now calls Milwaukee, one of America’s drunkest cities (coincidence?), home after growing up in world-famous Port Washington (“Step by Step,” anyone?) and spending time in both Minneapolis and London.

Now, back in her favorite city in the world, Simonson blogs about her adventures in Milwaukee, one bar at a time. Although her primary focus is sampling the best the city has to offer in beer, wine and whiskey, when not abusing her liver, Lisa can be found cruising on her bike, obsessing over Adobe products, jamming to her favorite bands or attempting to teach her cat to walk on a leash.