Frost Fest draws many out on Saturday

By ALISSA PIETILA

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Ironwood Township - Ironwood Township celebrated Frost Fest Saturday activities for kids, food and vendors filling the gymnasium and most of the basement.

The kids activities included balloon animals and face-painting.

Brenna Erickson, who makes wooden crafts and other items, makes her products after her children go to bed and said it's her "me time."

She said she had a good number of people stop by her table through the morning.

Amy Foster, administrator at Westgate Nursing, Rehabilitation and Assisted Living Community, was offering free blood-pressure checks.

Another woman at the Westgate table said they'd had a few people stop who hadn't had their blood pressure checked in a while.

Kathy Olson, who has been making Barbie doll clothes for 25 years, said she has been doing quite a few craft fairs, especially before Christmas.

Wood products, including cutting boards and clocks, were what John Kevan had on display.

Kevan has been making the products for about four years. Although it had been a slow day for him, he said many people were stopping to look.

"I enjoy just doing it," he said of being at such a show. "You talk to a lot of people. It's just fun."

Kathy Bednar-Ghiardi, who had a large display of fleece-lined bandanas she made, said the products can be used for just about any outdoor activity.

"I do a lot of downhill skiing, and horseback riding," Bednar-Ghiardi said. "At first I just made them for myself, then started doing craft shows."

She said the bandanas can be a fashion statement, but mostly are used to keep warm. Anyone from hunters, to fisherman, to loggers, to outdoor enthusiasts have shown interest.

Bednar-Ghiardi also said, oftentimes, once someone buys one, they want another.

Joanna Sorenson offered a wide variety of of products, including purses, cribbage boards and photographs.

Sorenson said it takes her about 5 hours to make each purse, which has a built-in organizer, but she puts them together "in steps."

Her husband makes the birds-eye cribbage boards she was selling.

Sorenson is fairly new to the craft fair scene, as she just started last September.

Eddie Kleimola said Frost Fest was his third craft show. He was selling handmade wooden toys.

"I sell them at a reasonable price," he said.

He had about 10 airplanes and 15 tractors and trailers to start the day. By noon, he had no airplanes left, and only a few tractors and trailers.