Creativity in bloom

Entrepreneurial-minded members of the SMU community showcasedtheir creations at the Hughes-Trigg Student Center’s FallCrafts Show on Wednesday. From 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Student, facultyand staff designers displayed items they had made, selling them toon-campus shoppers looking for an exclusive style or specialgift.

“Each one of my purses is different from any other, andthat’s what makes them so unique,” junior BrittanyStovall said. At her table, Stovall unveiled her vinyl record albumpurses, which she made by sandwiching two old vinyl LP’stogether with patterned fabric and then attaching leather handles.The purses were the newest design in her line Accessories byBritt.

“The idea hit me last summer, and I ran to Half-PriceBooks and bought a lot of old records, then I bought a bunch offabric. It was a style I’d never seen done before,” shesaid.

Stovall also sold Christian-themed jewelry and watches at herbooth. She got those items at a wholesale dealer. She said that thecross jewelry was close to her heart.

“God is who I’m really working for, and I want sharewith everyone that I represent him,” she said.

Stovall also said that she one day hopes to open up her own shopto showcase her work.

Senior advertising major Nikki Duong also showed her line ofcustom handbags, which she now offers at her Web site,www.cykochik.com. Duong said that she started making clothes andeventually bags after her mother taught her how to sew when she was8 years old.

“It came to the point where everyone wanted a bag, andsoon it turned into a small online business for me,” Duongsaid. “I think my bags offer an alternative from themass-production bags that you see all over.”

Philosophy department administrator Stephanie Corrigan alsodisplayed real stone jewelry that her sister had made. Corrigansaid that she helps out her sister whenever she can. She also addedto the growing list of faculty members that have shown their workin the crafts fair, which is usually held only once a year, aroundValentine’s Day.

“We simply had a lot of people who wanted to have a fairin the fall,” Hughes-Trigg Marketing Manager Nancy Bernardinosaid. “Hopefully, the event will be even bigger next year andbe exclusive to students,” she said.

Other groups that displayed their crafts included the RichardsonHumane Association and the Mustang Ropers.