Sometimes, put-downs are a blessing.
Geraldo De-Souza was an architect in upstate New York. One day, he wore a bow tie to work. Bow ties reminded him of his late brother.
Geraldo’s boss told him to remove the bow tie. “Those are for presidents of companies,” the boss said.
Later that day, a curious thing happened. The boss offered Geraldo $100 for his bow tie. Quickly, everyone else in the firm followed suit.
That was four years ago. Today, Geraldo is the president of a company, Everyday Bow Ties of East Syracuse, NY. His cheery creations are for sale at the Morristown CraftMarket through Oct. 19, 2014.
He could not be happier.
“I make double what I made as an architect,” he said, crediting his wife with alerting him to the real message delivered unwittingly by his old boss.
“Blessed are the people who hurt you,” reflected Geraldo, a native of Nigeria. “They move you out of your comfort zone to pursue your true potential.”
Stories like Geraldo’s can be found at every turn in the cavernous Morristown National Guard Armory this weekend.
“That’s the great thing about the show–there always are big surprises,” said Geoff Price, director of the 38th annual Morristown CraftMarket. He aims to top the $52,000 raised for charity last year by the Randolph Kiwanis.
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Presented in partnership with Morris Arts, the affair showcases jewelry, ceramics, glass, wood, metal, wearable fibers and garden plants. Surprises include leather saddles that would have done John Wayne proud–from a Denville dentist.
“It’s a juried show. Not everything gets in,” explained Geoff, a Kiwani in his sixth year at the helm, overseeing more than 90 volunteers from the Kiwanis Club, the Randolph High School Key Club and Scouting organizations.
“This year we’re very strong in wood and furniture,” he said. “We also have a tremendous amount of mixed-media. We have a lot of exciting sculpture.”
Surprise yourself this weekend. The show runs until 6 pm today, Oct. 18, and from 10 am to 6 pm on Sunday, Oct. 19.
The armory is at 430 Western Avenue in Morris Township. Admission is $10 at the door; a weekend pass is $12. Children under 12 with an adult are free. Parking is free, too.
While you’re there, make sure you say hello to Geraldo De-Souza in booth 337. Tell him MorristownGreen.com sent you.
MORE ABOUT THE MORRISTOWN CRAFTMARKET
