Encouraging Creativity and Entrepreneurship for All Ages
by Cathy Knight, photos by Lynne Butterflies Photography
Holiday House Boutique was created in 2006 by two stay-at-home moms with a passion for creating and a desire to share those creations with family and friends. What began as a small holiday show in one of their homes has grown into a thrice-yearly event with over 40 vendors of all ages and thousands of shoppers.
Monica Tanner, originally from Texas, and Emily Clark, originally from Maine, both married boys from Boise and moved here with their families in 2004. They quickly discovered they shared more than just a great friendship; they also both loved making things with their own hands. Encouraged by their first few sales, they saw an opportunity to start a business that would serve both as a creative outlet and also a way to promote local, handmade artistry.
Holiday House Boutique has always been a family affair for Monica and Emily–when they started they each had 2 children. Over the years the total kids between them has grown to 9. As their children watched them organize and participate in these events, it was natural that they would want to join inthe process. Monica and Emily saw an opportunity to encourage creative expression while also teaching basic entrepreneurship.
Thinking that there might be other children in the area that could benefit from a similar experience, Holiday House opened up vendor slots for a new “Made by Kids” area. Those first participants gained confidence in their artistic skills and learned how to market their product and anticipate customer demand. They learned about setting goals and the steps needed to achieve them, and they felt how rewarding it can be to make something with their own hands. As time has passed, the “Made by Kids” aspect of Holiday House Boutique has not only become a great teaching tool, but has also become one of their shoppers’ favorite features.
Over the past 11 years, Holiday House Boutique has provided the best-of-thebest handcrafted items from vendors of all ages local to the Eagle/Meridian and surrounding areas. Monica and Emily strive to give each artist the best possible opportunity to showcase their talents and originality in a beautiful, home-like setting.
The next Holiday House event will be Thursday, November 17th through Saturday, November 19th. The doors will be open from 9am-6pm each day. They will be located in the Castlebury Subdivision off of Chinden, between Locust Grove and Meridian Road in Eagle at 2217 W. Preston Street. If you are in the market for a beautiful home in a great location, bring your realtor!
Visitors to Holiday House can expect to find a wide variety of one-of-a-kind decor items and gifts, including: fall and holiday decor, gourmet baked goods, women’s and children’s apparel, wreaths, jewelry, spa products, baby items, wood crafts, signs, bags, watercolor art, stamped cards and much more.
With 15 kids participating in the “Made by Kids” section, look for homemade vanilla, chalkboard vinyl sayings, bath bombs, stamped holiday tags, string art ornaments, crochet hats and scarves, jewelry, children’s games and more all made by young artists and entrepreneurs from our community.
For more information about upcoming events and to find out more about the local vendors that will be participating in the 11th Annual Holiday HouseBoutique, please follow ‘Holiday House Boutique’ on Facebook/Instagram or visit the website www.theholidayhouseboutique.com.
