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EGGING ON CHRISTMAS
Photo
Lisa Dory of Greenford decorates a Boxwood tree at the Butler show, which took place Saturday and Sunday. The trees are made from clippings from South Carolina and last an average of eight weeks.
By Bob Jackson
YOUNGSTOWN
If you told Ruth Jennings that she laid an egg when she hatched her own business decades ago, she’d probably smile and proudly agree.
That’s because since 1971, eggs have been her livelihood, and she’s become known all over the world for her custom-designed eggs, which come in a variety of sizes and designs.
“The egg is a symbol of life, a new beginning,” the 82-year-old Brookfield woman said, noting that her creations make appropriate gifts for all occasions.
Jennings, who owns and operates Alcraft Egg Artistry Inc., in Brookfield, was among some 100 vendors who showed and sold their wares over the weekend at the American Holiday Arts and Crafts Show and Sale at the Butler Institute of American Art.
The museum’s annual holiday show, now in its 43rd year, featured a wide range of arts and crafts, including painting, photography, jewelry, paper, ceramics, fragrances, wood, leather, fiber, food, horticulture and decorative arts.
Jennings said that until 1971, she operated a small craft shop that sold a variety of items. But when she discovered egg artistry, all other crafts went out the door, and she focused solely on eggs.
“It hits you,” she said with a soft smile. “Once you get started into this, it just sticks with you.”
Her creations are made from infertile ostrich, rhea, emu, black swan, goose, duck, turkey and pheasant eggs, which she gets from hatcheries. She carefully cuts them, decorates them, and then sells them. She sells egg-decorating supplies to crafters all over the world, and teaches classes in the art of decorating eggs.
“The hardest part is getting the pattern to match on both sides of the egg,” she said.
Until recently, her husband, Carl, helped her by doing all the electronic work involved in her creations. He died in July at age 84, a month after he was diagnosed with cancer.
“It’s good that he didn’t suffer long, but I sure do miss him,” Ruth said.
Mike Kiersey, 64, of Lowellville, said he and his wife, Dorothy, 60, attend the show every year to do some Christmas shopping, and because the show helps get them into the holiday spirit.
“I like the arts and crafts they have here,” he said. “It seems like they have the best of the best, and that’s really nice.”
He bought some wool scarves and other items for Christmas gifts.
Also among those visiting the show Sunday were Becky and John Obenour of Austintown, who said it was their first visit to the craft show and their first trip to the Butler.
“We’ve always wanted to do this but for whatever reasons, we’d never made it until this year,” said John, 66. “What a wonderful event. We’ll definitely be coming back.”
The couple said they didn’t go to the show looking for anything in particular; they just wanted to see the wares and finally visit the Butler.
“It’s one of those wonderful gems that we have in our community, but we’ve never taken advantage of it,” said Becky, also 66. “We love it.”
Rick Cox of Edinburg, Pa., was on hand to showcase and sell the custom wood carvings made by him and his wife, Sue, at their business, R&S Woodcarving. Their work includes chainsaw carvings of bears, birds, dolphins and all sorts of other wildlife.
“My wife and I both do the carving,” said Cox, 63. “She has her own set of saws and carves all the bears.” He said they’ve been in the carving business since 2000.
Before that, they owned a small grocery store in Mount Jackson, Pa., for about 30 years, but had to sell it because Cox developed leg problems from walking on concrete floors for so many years. He got interested in doing wood carving and decided to see whether he could parlay it from a hobby into a living.
“I just wanted to see if I could do it. Within a year, I was able to pay the bills,” he said. “So evidently this is what the Lord wanted us to do.”
Michelle Hoff, 52, came from Buffalo, N.Y., to display her stained-glass creations, which she has made and sold for a living for the past 15 years.
“I gave up the corporate world to become an artist,” she said, noting that she’d worked in accounting for 20 years. “I was just sick of selling my soul for money. It was good money, but it wasn’t worth it.”
After a few years of doing odd jobs across the country, she found her calling when a man saw her stained-glass creations and told her that she should do them professionally instead of on the side.
“I don’t even remember his name, but he was like my guardian angel,” Hoff said. “He kind of told me what I’d need to do to get started, and here I am today.”
Hoff said she brought her products to a craft show at Youngstown State University two years ago, which is where organizers of the Butler’s show found her and invited her to their annual holiday event. This was her second year at the Butler.