It’s not too early for Christmas shopping, and the craft tent at the Palmerton festival is the place to start.

New this year is Donna Bauer with sea shell creations; Kresge Kreations with beaded pens, key fobs and more; Torres & Co., with crocheted plushy animals; and Lehigh Treats, with freeze-dried popular candy.

Shay Torres is the 20-year-old owner of the Torres & Co. A young mom with an 8-month-old daughter, she entered the world of crochet at age 6. Her grandmother taught her to crochet blankets, afghans, scarves, hats and potholders. She continued honing her skills.

“Last year when I was pregnant I was high risk and I had to quit my job. So I decided to start crocheting again but making it a full-time job,” Torres said.

She came across the world of Amigurumi plushie toys.

“Now I crochet anywhere from 3-9 hours a day just working at my inventory,” she said.

She sells at Lazy Dog Vintage in Hamburg and other places. Popular choices are loaf cats, my starfish, octos, chickens, turtles and pickles.

Her creations are 2 to 18 inches tall, and prices range from $4 to $90.

Brandy Kresge is celebrating the anniversary of the founding of her business, Kresge Kreations.

This is her first time at the festival but she has set up at Palmerton’s Christmas in the Park and Slatington marketplace.

“I do a lot of custom orders off my Facebook group,” she said.

Corey and Bethany Leonard are returning with Slime Universe. “Last year was amazing,” said owner Corey Leonard. “We loved sharing our love for slime with our community. Everyone enjoyed our stand and some came back for a second round.”

The business is offering birthday parties, galaxy slime and is more mobile with a trailer.

“We pull right up and you make slime right outside the trailer. It’s the smile on the kid’s faces that keep us going.”

Sharon Solt is back with Blue Mountain Gnomes. This year she’ll be featuring autumn designs.

Solt started making gnomes for her granddaughters for Christmas when COVID hit and shopping in person was difficult. “And then I got addicted to them,” she said. She handcrafts all the gnomes. The base is a Styrofoam cone, with felt made from recycled plastic bottles.

She hand-stitches the pieces using a blanket stitch with embroidery floss, then adds wooden balls for hands and wooden plugs for noses. Some have beards and others have braids.

“I’m so excited to have such a variety of talented individuals,” said organizer Liz Campbell. Under her Lizzy Sue line, she will be displaying her dog bandannas, chapstick holders and stickers. She is adding landscape stickers the size of a bumper sticker, key fob holders, head bands and painted jute bags.

Other returning vendors include: Green Signs; Taking Deeper Roots with handcrafted home décor and gifts; Hella Good flannels; Down Home Metal Designs; Lilly Bean Cottage, candles and soaps; and Donna Balliet, country home décor.

Others include Lyme Tree Designs, unique crafted jewelry; Deb Burdge, hair bows; Sincerely Sarah, nature inspired jewelry; Shane, caricature art; and 3rd St. Studio, 3D printed fidgets and sculptures.