Old-fashioned Christmas

For two days, Stambaugh Auditorium resembled an indoor craft fair.
By SEAN BARRON
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Jackie and Ray Davis' passion and specialty is making oil lamps, clocks, carriages, a kaleidoscope and many other items -- all out of eggs.
"They're dirty, and you have to scrub them before you can work on them," Mrs. Davis, co-owner of Egg Elegance of Akron, said of the real eggs she and her husband use.
The Davises and a large sampling of their egg artistry were part of the 25th annual "A Williamsburg Christmas" event, which took place Saturday and Sunday at Stambaugh Auditorium.
The show, sponsored by the Boardman-Poland Junior Women's League, featured a variety of Victorian, country, Americana and primitive crafts with a Christmas theme.
Several shoppers stopped by the Davises' booth to look at and buy merchandise that included a clock inserted into a dark green emu egg from Australia, a horse carriage designed from an ostrich egg, a small purse and prints, all made from eggs of various sizes.
"The purse tells ladies that it's for the three biggest things they need: House keys, credit card and lipstick," Mrs. Davis said with laughter.
A team
Davis said the couple uses quail, goose, duck and other bird eggs for their crafts. Mrs. Davis does most of the markings and patterns, and her husband handles the delicate process of cutting the eggs, she said.
For some designs, the Davises use a process called decoupage, a method that requires varnish and sandpaper to sink a print into the egg while eliminating irregularities on the surface.
In her section, Kaari Wentz had plenty of colorful burp cloths and long-sleeved bibs for sale. Wentz, of Boardman, and her sister, Krista Smith, run A Better Bib, a North Lima business the two stay-at-home mothers started.
"We didn't like the bibs we saw in the stores, so we wanted to make improvements," Wentz said, adding that the women's father, Richard Mau, helps with the business.
Wentz said she hand-makes the cloths for parents to wear over their shoulders to protect their clothing while carrying their babies. Many of the long-sleeved bibs look similar to shirts and are made for infants and toddlers as well as patients in assisted living and nursing home facilities, she explained.
A Christmas scene and sounds, including standards by Johnny Mathis, Dean Martin and Burl Ives, greeted customers as they walked into the spacious hallway.
Reinforcing the holiday spirit were items made by the women's club, as well as a sleigh and several trees nearby.
Stambaugh's Exhibition Room took on the look of an indoor craft fair as people strolled leisurely around the dozens of booths.
Plenty of merchandise awaited them, including handmade quilts, winter scenes painted on slate, jewelry, candles, trees and figurines.
Other items for sale were personalized signs, wall hooks, tree ornaments, stained-glass sun catchers and scented soaps and candles.
The show also featured caroling by the Youngstown Symphony Chorus, music, food and a Chinese auction.
Linda Crish, the Boardman-Poland Junior Women's League president, said 65 vendors participated in this year's event.
The 35-member women's league begins planning for each year's craft show in January, she said, adding that last year's fair generated about $10,000, which was donated to local charities.
This year's proceeds will be donated to the Mahoning County Council for Retarded Citizens, Challenger Baseball, Community Special Needs, HIV/AIDS Children's Ministry and Organizacion Civica y Cultural Hispana Americana.