Octoberfest Artshare!

Each year, on the 4th Saturday in October, the Muskeg Maliers host Octoberfest Artshare.  This festival highlights local artwork and food and is held in the Community Gym.  

Organizers Cathy Harris and Naomi Welde wear a different costume each year.  One year, I remember they were elegant turn of the century ladies, one year they were angels.  This you can see their fun costumes had a Halloween theme.

Sally and Carol and Julie and Linda  sit at the Muskeg Malier booth, filled with beautiful, hand painted items.  This group is responsible for keeping the traditional Norwegian art form known as Rosmalling, alive in our town.

This is the view that greets the festival visitor when they enter the gym....truffles.  Suzanne makes the most delicious and sought after chocolate goodies in Petersburg.  When I walked by, she and Cindy were tasting coconut curry truffles.  YUM!!

At the next booth I found the well known Husvik sisters selling their delicious berry goodies.  Sonja Ewing, Liv's daughter has gotten in on the act too.  Liv and Shannon enjoyed a conversation while people shopped for current, huckleberry, blueberry jelly, syrup and etc.  I didn't get a picture of Heidi...next time Heidi!

Audrey Samuelson created these lovely stained glass Christmas ornaments and window decorations.  They are absolutely lovely!

 Vava's wreaths are simply marvelous.  Andi helped her mom with orders and packing.  I had to get a Halloween wreath for my door at this booth.

Jean has been organizing and participating in Octoberfest since the beginning.  Her booth has had all kinds of interesting things over the years.  This year among other things, she had glass and copper garden wands, glass wind chimes, sea inspired lamp art and recycled glass dish garden wands.  She is very creative.

If you are from Petersburg, chances are you have purchased jewelry from Meg at some point over the years.  Meg comes up from Oregon each year to sell her beautiful jewelry and to visit friends.  

Click HERE for her webpage

Click HERE for her Facebook page.

Lindas lovely array of spicy jelly brightened this sunny corner of the gym.

Tammi Wales is our local mural, picture, sign and tattoo artist.  Tammi has brought lots of color to Petersburg.  Her work partner Kathy is her greatest supporter.

Sharon visited with local wood artist, Richard about his interesting work.

Noah Sullivan made ski racks and coat hangers out of local wood products.  By the time I caught up with him, he had sold all of his coat hangers.  If you need a rack, for skis and poles, you know where to find them.

Holly and Andrea are the creators and crafters behind Wild Fern Medicinals.  I highly recommend these lovely products.  

Click HERE to view their Facebook page.

Click HERE to shop in their Etsy shop.

If you drive by Debi's house, you will see that it has about doubled in size.  She finally has space (and time) to do what she loves.  Mamie and mom take good care of each other;-) Grant was buying Lila her Christmas gift I think. 

JoAnn and Deb!  Science teacher and Librarian extraordinaire do a little sewing on the side.  They turn sweaters into mittens.  They also make the most wonderful bags.

When Renee isn't taking care of all of the women in town at her spa....I mean mammogram room...she seems to be crafting.  What a wonderful variety of lovely items she had at her booth.  And really, she does make the mamo experience a little less painful with soft lights and soft music.  She even gives little treats at the end of it all.  

I need a better picture of Karen! Here she is visiting with Doug about her remarkable hand work.  Karen is a lichenologist for the US Forest Service.  In her spare time, she uses lichen and other natural items to dye the wool she uses for knitting, and to dye her silk and wool items.  

Look at these amazing wooden spoons, crosses and sunbursts.  Margie is responsible for these interesting items.

Face painting is always a hit with kids.  You have to admit my granddaughter is an awfully cute little kitty. Art teacher Ashley sets up her painting station at all events and the line of children soon spreads out the door.  Ashley has an assistant this year.  The kids love to watch their friends being painted almost as much as they like to get their own faces painted.

There were lots of happy puppies this weekend.  Alaska Mountain Mutts makes the best treats for our best buddies.

I think that these wrist purses are a fashion for the younger set.  They sure are lovely and when you think about it, how handy to wear your purse as a bracelet.

Ann has been bringing her assortment of hand crochet items to fairs and bazars as long as I remember.  I have purchased so many of her lace doilies over the years, for myself and as gifts.  She also makes pot-scrubbers now.  Her items are useful and beautiful.

If you need spider jewelry for the upcoming holiday, I suggest you give Kim a call.  Aren't her spiders fun.  

We are so lucky to have a Humane Society with so many hard working, dedicated volunteers.  Mary and Denise were selling items to raise funds for the various services the Humane Society provides, like spay and neutering, fostering animals, and the animal shelter to name a few.

WAVE (Working Against Violence for Everyone) had a booth with information and the most delicious fudge.  Annette is the director of WAVE.  Marlene and our public health nurse Erin, are on the board.

Sue had a booth with her BEAUTIFUL quilted and sewn items.  Sue makes these lovely batik quilts and she also makes incredible pillows and table runners out of Guatemalan textiles.
Click HERE to visit Sue's Etsy Shop, 

Mindy stopped at the Home Sweet Home booth to admire the hand made rugs.

Dianne and friends enjoyed a sweet little visitor while selling their items.

This lovely jewelry was made by Debby and her helpers visited with her while she shared her lovely wares with Petersburg.

Two generations of artists shared this booth to show off their very different art mediums.  If you have a child between the age of 0 and 2, I bet you have a pair of these hand crocheted Extra Tuffs.  Sharon developed this pattern and has been crocheting like the dickens to keep up with the demand. There were other beautiful hand crocheted items at this booth as well.  Mandy's marvelous photos can be found in her shop, Altered Perceptions, located in the Tonka Seafoods building on Sing Lee Ally.  Click HERE to view her Facebook Page. 

Wear Eide, Lizzy, Harold and Kate Thompson and Clare Medalen, are raising funds to provide fresh drinking water to a school in Thailand.  Please click HERE to get the details about this very worthy service project.