Decorative Items

Fog Likely Farm

Fog Likely Farm — Thu, 29 Mar 2007 13:12:24 -0600

Fog Likely Farm

Annlynn Ward Photography

Karen — Thu, 20 Jul 2006 22:41:25 -0600

Annlynn Ward brings us colorful nature photography of the High Country region of Upper East Tennessee, Western North Carolina and Southwest Virginia. She photographs the best of mountain landscapes, lake scenes, waterfalls, old barns and farms, featuring seasonal changes. Matted photos, handmade barnwood framed photos, and notecards can be found at her market booth.

For more information, visit Annlynn's Website.

Mildred and Gene Greene

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:33:16 -0600

The Greenes have been a special part of the Watauga County Farmers' Market since 1995. Each week they present an abundant display of fresh produce, garden plants, and domestic items. Shoppers are quick to buy up their supply of fresh farm eggs each week, knowing the unrivaled quality of fresh farm eggs.

Gene's boundless garden yields a variety of vegetables throughout the growing season. Lettuce and other greens, strawberries, and broccoli usher in the season. An amazing variety of beans follow, Tenderette, White Half Runner, Pink Tip, Peanut, and October Bean are some of the choices.

Mid-July is the time to anticipate the sweet corn harvest, and home grown popcorn will also be available. Tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, blueberries, potatoes and sweet potatoes, and other staples are popular in season. Ultimately, pumpkins steal the show, and the Greenes have a large selection.

Iva Lee Hayes

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:28:33 -0600

Iva Lee Hayes has been with the Watauga County Farmers' Market since it's beginning. She helped organize the market in 1973 and saw it open the following year. At that time the market was located at Boondocks Plaza near Hampton's Body shop. Ten or twelve other vendors participated, but of them, only Iva Lee and her daughter Sissy Moore are still members of the Farmers' Market.

Iva Lee sells all kinds of jams, jellies, as well as local honey, but is most well known for her homemade kraut. She also specializes in freshly baked pumpkin cake.The first week of the market, she brought three pumpkin cakes which were immediately purchased by one of the other vendors. She started baking more, and many Saturdays would sell 40 or 50 individual cakes, some customers buying enough to freeze some for the long winter months ahead. In the last ten years, she has decreased her supply somewhat. Loyal customers know to come early to avoid disappointment.

Also at Iva Lee's booth are many handmade crafts, such as dolls, baby quilts and wall hangings. She also brings plants from her garden, especially hens and chicks.

Sandi Henry

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:27:01 -0600

Sandi Henry has been making baskets for 22 years. Her sister taught her how to make her first basket and she later studied books to learn additional techniques. She has been selling baskets at Watauga County Farmers' Market for twelve years, and is an art teacher at Appalachian Christian School.

Sandi makes her baskets from hand dyed reed and often uses grapevine to make free form handles. One of her most popular baskets is a biscuit basket that is used for serving bread at the table.

Sandi added decorative mosaic items to her inventory about five years ago. She applies hand made tiles or broken pottery to chairs, tables, vases and planters.

Sandy also offers perennial plants and bouquets from her garden.

Sandi welcomes special orders, call her at (828) 264-5549 or send an e-mail.

Sandra and Garland Keller

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:24:17 -0600

Sandra Keller has loved art for many years. She is now retired from a 30 year career as a schoolteacher, and enjoys the extra time she has to devote to painting and crafts. Sandra's pieces are both functional and decorative, and are terrific for adding a bright, fun touch to yards, porches and interiors.

Shoppers are sure to notice Sandra's collection of functional watering cans in various sizes, the smallest of which house miniature gardening tools just right for container gardening. Her brightly painted buckets can be used as a large vase, ice bucket, or with a hand painted house number will serve as an unique porch decoration. Sandra's painted mailboxes are popular not only for the traditional use, but also for a convenient outdoor storage area for frequently used garden tools.

Garland Keller runs a workshop making turned pieces for the furniture industry, and Sandra is happy to put him to work making turned legs for her wooden birdhouses. He also fashions whimsical wooden bottles which make nice conversation pieces when Sandra paints them with a witty or heartfelt sentiment. Sandra also has brightly painted gourd birdhouses in wonderful natural shapes, and you will want to see her unique lighted flower baskets.

Sandra will paint customize her items for your individual needs, and will take special orders for those who collect a certain motif. Visit http://gourdbarncrafts.com for more information and online ordering or contact Sandra and Garland Keller by e-mail.

Kim and Judy Miller

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:16:27 -0600

Kim and Judy Miller consider their craft work to be a hobby, not a job. This is good news for shoppers; since profits are not a priority for the Millers their prices are always much lower than similar items found elsewhere. The artwork and skill they demonstrate is genuinely big-ticket, delivered from the pure joy of creation.

Kim turns the wood for his walking sticks, and carves the decorations by hand.

Judy turns inspirational sayings into art through her needlework.

Woven rattan stars in various sizes really brighten a mantle at holiday time, and friendly wildlife families wait to brighten your day.

Kim's handmade clocks are miniatures of classic designs, the perfect size for just about anywhere.

Bobbie Rudisill

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:07:32 -0600

Mother Nature's Art

Bobbie Rudisill started making arrangements of pressed flowers to give as gifts for her children and grandchildren. She enjoyed pressing and framing her floral art so much that she kept on. Bobbie has had a great time this year veing a market vendor, it has been a joy for her to meet so many nice people.

Bobbie uses wildflowers or garden flowers from her own yard in her flower pictures, some are quite familiar while others are pretty unknowns. Some of her favorite subject are mountain laurel and yarrow, and especially Queen Anne's lace which form everlasting summer snowflakes. Sometimes the flower inspires the type of frame she will use for the piece, and sometimes a nice frame will inspire the type of flower to be used. All of Bobbie's pictures can be hung on a wall and the smaller frames have easels for placing on a table. Bobbie chooses creative papers or fabric for mounting that will compliment the form of the flower. The flowers will keep their colors indefinately as long as they are not hung in direct sun.

Bobbie uses a flower press or a heavy book and layers of newspapers to dry her flowers. Delicate flowers are protected with a tissue while drying. Most flowers will be ready for mounting after drying for four to six weeks.

Rachael Salmon

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 15:02:34 -0600

Rachael Salmon has combined her love of hiking and camping with photography in a wonderful way. Her practise of hiking wherever she can find a trail provides her with views of spectacular scenery most of us will only see through her camers lens. Rachael shares her art by turning her prints into all-occasion greeting cards, complete with envelopes for mailing. She has senic shots from all around the High Country including Linville River, Linville Falls and Price Lake. She also has spectacular shots from her recent trip to Hawaii. In addition to grand vistas, Rachael also focuses on local wildflowers, garden flowers, and wild animals. Rachael's skill at photography is entirely self taught; her interest in taking photos was encouraged by the gift of a nice camera from her mom.

Rachael also offers organic lentil heating pads known as "warm fuzzies". They have double stiched cotton covers with reinforced corners and are very fragrant with the scent of eucalyptus or lavendar. They can be heated in the microwave for about a minute for soothing enjoyment, or relief from aches and pains. She also has tie dyed scarves, decorated with the special, hard to find dyes that give the richest dark colors. You will also find hand beaded jewelry made from crystal and semi-precious stones.

Billy Ward

Karen — Tue, 26 Apr 2005 14:43:00 -0600

Gentleman; Folk toy, Bird House and Feeder Maker; Planter Box and Rustic Furniture Crafter

My folk craft making career began reluctantly. My dad, Frank Ward, put me to work as his gopher by age four or so. By my early teens, I had learned to use his small drill press and disc sander. Unfortunately, I had not learned to use them all that well and lost some skin and fingernail growth. My dad told me "In woodworking, if you start the day with ten fingers and have them still attached at supper time, you're doing just fine".

My dad had his first heart attack during this time, and I had to take on more of the load in keeping our craft orders filled on time. By the time my dad passed on in 1993, I had a good handle on the business and a love of creating folk crafts.

At this point in my life I had to make a difficult choice: keep producing folk crafts or join the rat race commuting to and from work. I've never liked rats, so I began looking for new markets to sell my wares. My friends recommended the Watauga County Farmers' Market.

Since becoming a member of the Farmers' Market many years ago, I've met people from around the corner and around the world. I've thoroughly enjoyed selling my wooden folk toys, bird houses and feeders, planters and rustic furniture, and anything else my creativity can hammer into place. Never have I found a more friendly place from which to buy, sell, or just catch up with friends. I hope to be a part of Watauga County Farmers' Market for years to come.

To find out more about my folk toys and crafts call Hillbilly Joe's Crafty Stuff at (828) 297- 4782