Strange Folk Festival now a two-day extravaganza

BY SCOTT WUERZ

News-Democrat

O'FALLON --

--

Started three years ago as a way to give hip, young artists a creative outlet, the Strange Folk Festival has grown into a two-day extravaganza that has seen participation increase five-fold since 2006.

Organizer Autumn Wiggins said 20 vendors signed up for the first festival. This year, 120 will be there selling artwork, eclectic clothing, purses and other crafts, many of which are made out of recycled materials.

"The response, it's been just great," Wiggins said. "We have vendors signed up from all over the U.S. and Canada. The selection was juried this year, we had a lot more applicants than the 120 we approved."

The festival runs from Saturday through Sunday at O'Fallon Community Park.

Wiggins said the festival, which drew small crowds on one rain-soaked day three years ago, could draw as many as 10,000 people this year.

"When it was on Saturday only, some people had a tough time being here," Wiggins said. "Now that it has been expanded to Saturday and Sunday, it's only going to get bigger."

City Administrator Walter Denton is thrilled to hear those projections for several reasons.

"There are community benefits to festivals like this," Denton said. "First, it is an opportunity for residents to come together and enjoy a local event. Second, it is important to quality of life to support cultural events like the Strange Folk Festival. Third, these events have some economic impact in that visitors who visit the festival may stay in our hotels and shop in our stores."

In addition to a broader slate of vendors, Wiggins said a slate of musical acts are planned and food options will be greatly increased as well.

"This sort of event usually does pretty well in big cities, but I wasn't sure at first how it would go over in the suburbs," Wiggins said. "But it is one of the best-attended shows of its kind in the country. As far as local participation is concerned, it's one of the best shows there is."

This is an article that appeared in this mornings paper. When I read it I felt a little flutter of panic in my stomach. "As many as 10,000 visitors", that's enough to make me want to sew more. I struggled with sewing this weekend. Not just because my machines are worn out, I am too. Yesterday I spent the majority of the day making odds and ends, earrings, barrettes, magnets, push pins. By the end of it, I had a headache from the glue fumes and my hands were coated in sticky residue. But damned if I didn't get a lot done.

Time line to Strange Days:

Today- spend some much needed time with my son and work on displays

Tuesday- sew, sew, sew and oh yeah- sew

Wednesday- make the displays and make them portable

Thursday- last day of sewing for a good long while

Friday- pack it up and hit Oktoberfest for some family fun. My kid digs sausage and polka!

Saturday & Sunday- set up, drink coffee, hopefully not puke from nerves and then when I'm not selling my little heart out- crack jokes with Beqi. She pulled some strings and got me a booth right next to hers. Kind of makes up for the dream where while I went to get her coffee she packed up went home and the dream where she made me late and got us hopelessly lost.

Redemption through polka

Tonight Gryffin made up for the panic he caused me this morning. We took him St. Augustine's church carnival. To make a long story short because I'm exhausted:
Gryffin won a toy trumpet, sat in and jammed with the two accordionists while they played, what else, polka. He then took to dancing and noticed that it was all couples dancing so he told Mike to dance with me. Sweet, but neither one of us know how to polka so we faked it for a few seconds and quit. Then Gryffin handed Mike his trumpet and reached those little arms out to me. My kid asked me dance! And dance we did, until the rain shorted out the band and we had to run for cover.
My kid is freaking amazing, wonderful, loving and sneaky, but I wouldn't have him any other way.

The fastest (and worst) way to wake up

This morning when I got up I noticed the front door open. Then I noticed Gryffin's door open. Then my heart dropped somewhere around my knees. I ran through the house calling his name and woke Mike up. Lets just say, I've never seen him get out of bed so fast. I took off out the front door yelling for Gryffin.
I found him on the other side of our neighbors house, clutching one of the rings I made. He got scooped up and I ran him back to the house. Mike asked him why he did that and he said that he wanted to go over to his girlfriend's house. Said girlfriend would be our neighbor Sara, whom we had over (along with her husband that Gryffin calls her dad) for dinner last night. The boys three and already sneaking out of the house to see girls!
Anyway, I commented on the ring he had and he said that it was his power ring, like Green Lantern's. Mike told him that it was my ring and I promised to make him his very own power ring- in green, just like Green Lantern's. He sweetly slipped the ring on my finger and said, "Mommy, this is your power ring". I choked back tears.
I thanked God that he was OK and home and for giving me such a sweet, little boy. I think my heart is back in my chest, but its still beating pretty fast.
Needless to say, Mike is getting latches for the top of the doors today.

Weekend Update

Eight bags, five coin purses, one belt, a trip downtown for hot dogs and some shopping, a party in the middle of nowhere and a horrendous backache. That about wraps it up. My life is so exciting.
Today is back to being CEO of the house. I've been seriously neglecting my house-Frau duties. Thankfully, I must have been a saint in a previous life because I've got a great husband who hasn't complained once about having to be Mr Mom the past few weeks.
I've got the kid fed, a load of laundry in and four cups of coffee downed. Hey, its a start!

The Sweatshop is open

This weekend I have to put the pedal to the floorboards. The sewing machine pedal that is. I've only got 24 bags made. I've had to reevaluate my original goal of 50 because I also need to make belts, zipper pouches and other assorted small dollar amount/high profit scrap busters. Oh, and come up with a display set up, price tags and business cards.
How did I get myself into this?! Oh yeah, Beqi. I blame her, thank her and curse her all in one breath. Thanks for being my fabric pusher, Babe!

Did anyone see that bus?

I think it ran me over. At least, that's how I feel this morning. I slept hard last night, which is good, but I had horrible dreams the whole time, which is bad. On nights like that, I would rather get no sleep.
The last dream I had I remember being so upset and crying that I actually woke up with my face wet and my head pounding. Luckily, I awoke to a little voice asking, "Mommy, can I be wake?". Of course you can, Little Man! Saved by a three year old.
My face is dry now but the headache persists. Maybe another cup of coffee or the incessant hum of my sewing machine will cure it. Doubtful, but a girl can always hope.

Shower- check
Coffee- check
Goof on the net- check

I do more before Gryffin wakes up than most people do before they wake up. Its a stretch, I know. Actually, most mornings Gryffin wakes me up. Today is different, its the first day of Day Out. Its been out for summer break for a month and my, oh my what a month. I have loved hanging out with my kid and take comfort in the fact that Day Out is only two days a week, but I need to get cracking and work.
This session Gryffin has a new teacher, Miss Holly. Yay! His summer session teacher sucked, and that is putting it nicely. Miss Jan couldn't ever spell Gryffin's name right and didn't comfort him when he cried at my leaving. She even went so far as to tell Gryffin that maybe I could stay with him and help out. What?! Uhm, no. That's why I pay you (too much, obviously). This session will be different though. Miss Holly rocks.
Uh oh, I just heard a door open so my little man is up. On to the mommy duties!

27 - 3 = 40

Today is the third, Strange Folk is starts on the 27th and I have 40 bags left to make, not to mention headbands, belts and other assorted accessories to crank out. What does all this mean? I'm in trouble.
All of this trouble is multiplied by the fact that I cannot find black canvas for under $8 a yard. I use this to make my messenger bags. That way they are super durable and hold their shape. If I use a lighter weight material I would have to use heavy duty interfacing, which is a total pain and ain't cheap either.
I'm sure with the few brain cells the alcohol didn't kill Saturday I will come up with something brilliant.

No jail, no broken furniture- are you sure it was MY birthday?

Before y'all go wondering if I'm in jail from the confrontation with "She Who Must Not Be Named", I'm not.
My birthday started out wonderfully. Mike presented me with a card in all my morning-glory-bed-headedness, which announced that not only did I get a gift certificate to get my hair done but that my appointment was for 11:30 THAT DAY! We went to breakfast and did a little party shopping where afterward I jumped in the shower because I did not want to get my hair did in some fancy say-lon looking all homeless. About 15 minutes before my scheduled departure the dreaded doorbell rang. I opened it, told her that she had to leave now. She gave me a card and I reiterated that she had to leave and promptly shut (and locked) the door in her face. That was it, she left. I haven't opened the card and probably won't as there isn't anything she can say to make a difference. Then, I got my hair done. Three hours later I came home with the most awesome drastic swing bob with purple low-lights. Yes, I said purple!
Then it was party time! I would go into details but I don't think y'all would believe me anyway. I'll just leave it at yesterday was pronounced, Recovery Day.

Have to laugh

A little birdie warned me that my egg-donor has plans to accost me this Saturday morning. Some of you may not be aware but I gave this woman her walking papers several months ago. After a lifetime of hurt, I had finally had enough. Now, on my birthday none-the-less, she is planning on coming to my home early on a Saturday to beg for forgiveness, pull more crazy out of her butt, rant like a loony? My guess would be all of the above plus a couple more tricks from her unbalanced trunk.
I thought of a lot of ways I could handle this. From evacuating like a psycho hurricane is coming to having Beqi show her knuckles. Neither of these were suitable, but they were fun to think about. I have decided on a plan of action, with my main concern of not allowing my son to see or hear any of it. I'm not going to go into details because I want to know what my readers, all three of you, would suggest. Come up with something funny, just go crazy. Make me laugh about this, so I don't cry or punch a wall.
Leave it as a comment so we can all enjoy it!

Mmmm, doughnuts!

Gryffin's favorites are chocolate long john's and anything with sprinkles. I hope he never outgrows a love of sprinkles. I know I haven't!

Last night I was hit with a bout of mild depression/bad mood/stress. After talking with Mike, I'm thinking it has a lot to do with all the work that I need to get done for Strange Folk. Don't get me wrong, I enjoy the sewing, but usually the fabric will kind of tell me what shape or style it wants to be made into. Not this time. I look at all the gorgeous fabric and get nothing. Except stressed.
I will prevail though. I will beat it into submission and make it talk, I have my ways.

Since we have moved, an illness has hit me. I've never felt like this before and am trying to deal with it as best I can. Yes, I've contracted Party Fever. It seems as if I don't entertain on a regular basis I feel weird.
Over the past week Mike and I have repainted the front door, the entry way, the front living room and the dining room. We painted the fireplace insert with high heat paint for BBQ grills and changed it from brass to black. We also painted the brass drapery rod to make it black.
I feel that we need to throw a party to show off our handy work. I'm thinking I will just have put this on hold though. After all, we still have the accent walls in the dining room to paint, draperies to be sewn (along with a whole heck of a lot of purses) and trim work.

"Long way to go and a short time to get there"

I mailed off the registration and fee for Strange Folk today. There is no turning back now. I'm on a one way track to crafty town. I've got a lot of sewing to do and a deadline of just over a month to do it. Luckily, Day Out starts the first week of September.
Plan B is whatever doesn't sell goes into my Etsy Shop for sale.

Inferiority inferno

I may have sabotaged myself. I went looking at all the wonderful vendors that will be at Strange Folk and found myself feeling inferior. There are some awesome artists that will be there. Just looking through the artists that make bags and purses left me feeling very intimidated and out-classed. Then looking at all the others is when I sat down, with my head in my hands and thought, "What the heck did I just get myself into?"
Then I realized that this just means that I will have to crank it up a notch and come up with some really amazing stuff. Its going to be a challenge but I will do my best.

One apron and one purse down. Many, many more to go. Gryffin wasn't exactly happy to see me sewing instead of playing with him but after I explained that Mama has to start earning the toy money he calmed down, a bit.
My kid really is great. He's willing to play by himself, he understands reason and is pretty even tempered. I think after all of this is said and done, I will buy him the toy that he has been begging for for months. I'm all about rewarding good behavior, which is why when Strange Folk is over I'm getting myself a massage.

How many ways can I say, "Oh Sh*t!"

After weeks of sitting on my tookis thinking I didn't make it into the Strange Folk Festival, I did! Holiest of all holy craps!
I have sooooooooooo much work to do in the next several weeks. Fusing, cutting, sewing, swearing, you name it- I've got to do it! Not to mention supply buying- with what I don't know cause I just spent my wad on wonderlicious WWII wearables.
Ok Self, calm down, breathe. Dammit, why can't I find a paper bag when I'm hyperventilating?!

The Wonderful Weekend That Was

Friday night Beqi came over to bake cupcakes for her son and husband's birthday party Saturday. I'm glad I was there to intervene or else none of the cupcakes would've had any icing. Before we got to work on the baking, I had made pizza for dinner. The first pie was christened "Disaster Pie". When I put it in the oven all the toppings slid off onto the pizza stone and instantly adhered themselves to it. Mike helped salvage what we could and it didn't turn out that bad. The second one was perfect though. Of course, now I have a lovely burnt cheese smell and smoke every time I turn on the oven. I guess that's my ovens way of telling me it's time to be cleaned.
Saturday morning we headed out to the local farmer's market and then stopped at the Army Surplus store that is going out of business. We scored big time there. Mike got a nice black jacket and some pants along with a heavy wool peacoat, Gryffin got a black flight jacket that I'm going to punk out with patches and I got, are your ready: a beret, a wool sailor's pullover, an army dress coat and a marine dress coat, all of which are WWII era. Now, I won't tell you how much we paid for all this loot but I will say it was less than we could've bought Mike a cheap peacoat for.
It was also Party Day. And boy was it! The boys had a lovely birthday party, with an impromptu after-party at our house. We threw various hunks of carcass on the grill and whipped up some side dishes for a lovely meal. While Gryffin and Little Eddie were running rampant the adults went bowling, played tennis and boxed to our hearts content on the Wii.
Yesterday was spent running errands and putting the house back together. Amazing how one day of not picking up after ourselves can destroy the whole joint. Mike also installed my new in-cabinet trash can. Yay! No more looking at a trash can in the kitchen.
Today is laundry, laundry and more laundry. I hate doing laundry but I'm OK with it today since the heat index is going to hit 110. (And Mike won't move to the desert because it's too hot, hmm.)

The Paint Fume Cure

Who would've thunk that paint fumes could kill a headache? Ok they probably didn't, but getting the blood pumping by doing something might have.
I painted the accent wall in the entry way. Its a pretty orange. Reminds me of cantaloupe or orange sherbet and it looks great with the print we purchased at an art show for the space.
Our entryway, living room and dining room are all open to one another. The main walls of each are going to be a khaki/beige. Yeah, I know. Beige. Anyway, there will be two accent walls in the dining room that are going to be an apple green. All the rooms will have bright white trim.
I just hope it turns out like what I've pictured in my head. If not, then it will look a lot like a rotting bowl of fruit.
I'm really not used to using bright colors. We prefer dark but this house is already so dark that if we used the ones we really wanted we would be living in a cave.
Oh well, it really can't be any worse than the icy baby blue that covers the front half of the house and the institutional green that covers the back half.

Here I sit with one cup of coffee down wondering if my right eye will pop out into my empty mug. After a night of hardly any sleep, I always wake up with a eye popping headache. The good news is that I caught a Hogan's Heros marathon for a few hours starting about 1 am.