Strange Folk Festival

Daughter Juli with her loot in tow.

It's my favorite season. One of the highlights each year is the STRANGE FOLK FESTIVAL held in O'Fallon, IL (usually the third weekend of September.)  Once again, the most unusual and creative crafters are there to delight and inspire me. (And I even had a birthday stash to spend....yea!)  Here are a few photos to show you why I'm so giddy about this event.

Matt's cousin, Katy, a hardworking member of the O'Fallon Garden Club

Dennis Smith and his son's amazing assemblages. Contact Dennis at densmithart@yahoo.com

Laura Newsome's surprising upcycled sweater creations 
can be found at   www.handmade pretties.com

 

Pete and our friend, Beth Williams pose for the camera.
Beth's lovely jewelry can be found at eliwill.etsy.com

                                                                                                                                                          

Gail Richardson's wonderful cloth flower creations can be found at www.theginghamgarden.etsy.com

  
















Mary Hummert's whimsical up-cycled jewelry and small wall hangings included keys, charms and frozen charlotte dolls. Mary's website is www.pairabelles.com

 Don't know this vendor's name but her website is www.mythdemeanor.com. She was exhibiting silk screened designs on t-shirts and old ties. Such fun! (Yikes...link not working. No name on card.) How on earth will I order my Christmas gifts for all those unique people on my list?

 Joseph Papendick exhibited wonderful outdoor sculptures "for birds and other living things". Loved them. Here's a link to more of his work: www.joepapendick.com
and www.joepapendick.etsy.com

 These two wild and wonderful crafters are both also art teachers!
Whoot, whoot! Their work includes colorful high relief animal portraits and bright color birdhouses made of old boots. To contact Emily Sydow and her mom, Nina Cleveland go to
www.PurpleGinkoMudturtle.com  (Yikes, another failed link)  Try their email:
PurpleGinkoMudturtle@gmail.com

 Representing Mulberry Metalworks are Janan A. Turner and her sister. (Janan is a favorite friend of ours from Beyond Timbuktu in Edwardsville.) See her wonderful jewelry atwww.mulberrymetalworks.etsy.com

 Penny Zimmerman-Willis represents PEARL'S VINTAGE. With all sorts of upcycled garden goods.
See Penny's work at www.etsy.com/shop/pearlsvintagegoods

Sweet Square #30

Party Cat

Halloween Cat with pig nose and glasses.

It's the Andy Warhol thing again, with two identical cat cut outs. Amazing how different the images appear with just color and line differences. 
Hope to do other "Sweet Squares" in the future. This has been a very useful exercise.