Published: November 01, 2009 07:59 am      

Craft show offers friendship, laughter

Nancy Powers is a grandmother with an idea that has children wrapped up snuggly after bath-time.

She and other crafters will fill two rooms at the Stephens County fairgrounds front building with their handmade items for the annual Duncan Arts, Crafts & Hobbies Association’s craft show on Friday and Saturday. It’s the second show this season. One was also held in October.

Powers is staying busy as she completes children’s towel wraps, pillows and other items for the show. The towel wraps feature frogs, dogs and even popular comic characters. Children love wrapping up in them after a bath, with the “face” donned as a hood.

Everything from children’s items, to handmade jewelry, quilts and handcrafted wood products will be on display and for sale, said Dolly Boehm, who is in charge of the event. She’s handled the event for about three years now, with plenty of help from the association’s officers. She is also a vendor.

“It’s been going on for about 35 years. I can remember when we were down in the old pig farm building, with dirt on the floors. We were down there for a long time,” she said.

For several years now though, the show is held in the fairgrounds front trade center building. The craft show used to occupy three rooms, but this year only two rooms will have vendors.

“We’re usually always full and I expect between 55 and 60 vendors,” she said.

Boehm said attendance is always good, but she was surprised at the October show, which was extremely busy.

“We hardly had a lull,” she said.

“We’ve got a lot of jewelry, which we always do, and crochet ... knitted hats, lot of wood, frames and signs, tutus and children’s bows, quilts.”

One of the popular booths won’t be there this time, though, she said.

“Usually we have gourds, but the lady was in the hospital and can’t come.”

Not all of the vendors are local. Many travel here from Blanchard, Lawton and even from out-of-state. Its popularity also is attracting new vendors who are in charge of shows in other communities.

Powers, who is vice president of the association, believes that with the economy putting a pinch on people’s budgets, the need for quality handmade items increases the demand. She also thinks it’s why the craft shows are so popular this year.

“I think people are trying to make some money,” she said.

The market for handmade items has exploded in the past two years, with online sites dedicated strictly to crafters who make their wares and sell them online.

“We’ve got some that have been here for years, even churches. They usually have baked goods,” she said.

“We are limiting them to 25 percent commercial. Just trying to get back to handmade.”

Boehm said she’s gotten many calls from people this year who are wanting to try their hand at selling items through the show.

“We have three vendors with different soaps,” she said. Boehm cautions though that the show offers more than just a way to make money.

“Most of us vendors, we laugh, we make everybody feel welcome,” she said. At the October show, she set up two new vendors next to each other and a friendship was formed.

Linda Mettleman makes knitted hats, and Peggy Sanford makes handmade soaps. The soapmaker brought her spinning wheel and Boehm said the pair hit it off instantly.

“They laughed and talked and had a really good time.”

Boehm knows firsthand the friendships that develop from the show can be long-lasting.

James Smith has been coming to the show and has a Main Street business. He was Boehm’s woodworking teacher at the vo-tech about 25 years ago, she said.

Boehm said she started crafts when her mother lived with her. “She had MS, multiple sclerosis. You name it, I do it. I sew, make dolls, pillows, woodwork and paint.”

Other vendors include a home-school mother from Empire, Alyeen Lim, who makes silver jewelry; Shirley Loden of Lawton, who makes photo jewelry charms; and James Riggs, who makes children’s wooden chairs. Even though she’s nearly booked, there’s always room for more as sometimes some people don’t send in their money to reserve their booth space.

Her biggest favorite this year though, is the Jubilee Full Gospel, which has taken over the kitchen. Boehm said there was a line “20-deep” in October.

“The food was excellent. The pastor is Lyndol Brooks. They have a new menu,” she said. Everything from ham and beans, to hamburgers, baked potatoes, pies, cakes, those taco chips and maybe chili.”

Boehm believes the success of the show this year is her attention to the crafters.

“I go around and ask them if there are any problems. I have hammers if they need them, or tablecloths. I’ll go around five or six times to see if there’s any problems. They have a comment sheet, and they just really like how the show is run.”

Shoppers to the show will also have a chance at door prizes, which includes coupons off items at vendors of their choice.