Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Bedford’s Anderson Race, left, age 6, celebrates finding a lovely gift for his mother, as his father, Tim Race, shares the joy after paying for the purchase on opening day of The Craftworkers’ Guild Holiday Fair.

The Holiday Fair is open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily, through Dec. 22. The venue is a gallery within a cozy house at 5 Meetinghouse Road, behind the Bedford Public Library. The annual event brings together the treasures of about 60 juried artists from Bedford, Hollis, Merrimack and elsewhere.

Merrimack resident Georgia Godfrey, a member of the guild’s board of directors, is an exhibitor. She is an accomplished fabric artist focused on embroidery and sewing. Her husband, Bill Godfrey, is an avid weaver. He sits at a large floor loom as he makes his patterned scarves and other warmers.

“I’m more fabric – fabric and thread,” Georgia said. “He’s more yarn.”

Georgia Godfrey said new guild members are approved by a committee that appraises an applicant’s skill. Every work is “high quality,” she added. Guild scholarships that benefit area students and teachers further support the arts.

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Georgia Godfrey, of Merrimack, displays some of the embroidery and fabric art crafted for the holiday fair by her, or by Bill Godfrey, her husband, an expert at weaving.

Bedford resident Judy Bousquet shopped on Black Friday. Her pause at a display of hand-painted scarves was a leisurely perusal of works by guild member Sharon Swart, of Hollis, a part of a mother-and-daughter team. The “Under the Leaf Designs” are tagged as objects of art made to wear.

“Every time I come here, I’m amazed,” Bousquet said. “I love the handmade things – so very beautiful.”

Meanwhile, other visitors explored more handcrafted pieces of art. Miniature purses, each bearing a square of foil-wrapped Ghirardelli chocolate tethered with tiny ribbons, were steady sellers. They are constructed by Athena Chisholm, a guild member from Lyndeboro, who also makes decorated cookies – snowmen, wreaths and Christmas trees detailed with accents of frosting.

Elsewhere, Derry resident Dianne Hubbard added some of her handmade cards to a display rack. She said she prefers using colorful designer paper for making the unique greetings.

“I’ve loved paper since I was a child,” Hubbard said. “I never use plain paper on anything.”

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Judy Bousquet, of Bedford, admires on opening day of the guild’s holiday fair some hand-painted scarves, vegan suede totes and painted velvet wearables tagged: Under the Leaf Designs.

A purchase by Bedford resident Jean Fullerton secured a hand-felted catnip playtoy for her feline sidekick, “Sylvester.” Other visitors went home with beeswax candles by Goffstown resident Lorry Roy, of Goffstown, or child-sized apparel crafted by Bedford resident Kathy Boselli.

Closing time approached as Bedford’s Anderson Race, 6, accomplished his quest to find the perfect gift for his mother. His father, Tim, paid for something sparkly in a slender white box. The box holds a shiny secret, well-kept inside.

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Dianne Hubbard, of Derry, stocks more of her of handmade greeting cards, colorful works of art that generate considerable sales for The Craftworkers’ Guild at its annual holiday fair.

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Jean Fullerton, of Bedford, an advisor at nearby Milestone Financial Planning, stops after work to patronize the holiday fair and includes among her purchases a felted catnip playtoy for a feline friend, “Sylvester.”

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Miniature handbags containing squares of foil-wrapped Ghirardelli chocolates are displayed alongside some artfully frosted holiday cookies contributed by guild member Athena Chisholm, of Lyndeboro.

Photo by LORETTA JACKSON Pure beeswax candles from Lorry Roy, a guild member from Goffstown, are big sellers at the annual holiday fair presented by The Craftworkers’ Guild, a Bedford organization of around 60 juried artists.