If you're a fan of unusual handmade items, you can double your shopping fun this weekend. Two events will be happening concurrently, in downtown Minneapolis and Shakopee, with buses running between the two locations throughout the weekend.

The HandMade Market, Sept. 16-18 at the Minneapolis Hyatt Regency Hotel, is a craft fair being held in conjunction with the Creative Connection, a first-of-its-kind national conference for female artisans and crafty entrepreneurs. Items for sale will include handknits, jewelry, paintings, photography, baby items, and home and pet accessories.

Across town at Canterbury Park, also Sept. 16-18, is Junk Bonanza, the annual vintage goods market headed by Long Lake junk diva Ki Nassauer, a spinoff of her monthly occasional sale. In addition to the three-day "junk" buffet, there are a number of other events, including: "Lucky Friday" (Sept. 17) with hourly drawings for $7,000 in prizes, gift certificates and "cash coupons," a "menswear-inspired" tabletop created by Minnesota stylist Jill Hinson using only items from Arc Value Village thrift stores, a farmers market and signings of just-released craft books.

Get your craft on!