Craft show furniture, Villagers flooded to Spanish Springs Town Square on Saturday for the Annual January Craft Show.

Sisters Trudy Waxman and Linda Eicher come every year and were already impressed as soon as they arrived.

?The items seemed to be more fascinating and unique this year,? said Wax, a Village of Caroline resident.

There were the usual paintings, jewelry and flowers, but this year?s theme encouraged a lot of creativity and handmade pieces.

Doug Adams of Our Fort/ displayed his nautical theme outdoor furniture. The wooden lampposts were wrapped with rope and decorated with ducks, birds and lighthouses.

?They are electrical and solar-powered,? said the Panama City Beach resident. ?You can place them on your patio or near your pool.?

The show attracted approximately 150 crafters from all over the United States. Some came to show off their hobbies.

?I love everything about getting out to look at refuges and parks,? said Bill Hinchlifee, a photographer from Lady Lake who was selling prints and notecards. ?I just love to be outdoors and take pictures of nature.?

Mark Matthews of Matthew Art and Studio showcased his brass, copper and metal sculptures. His main inspiration is nature and wildlife.

?I use less paint and use more heat treating and chemical processing,? said the Mendocino, Calif., resident. ? It?s very time-consuming because we do everything by hand.?

Matthews shares the business with his father, Bob, who lives in Port St. Lucie.

?I?ve done three shows in The Villages,? he said. ?I?ve been successful because there?s a lot of people here decorating their homes with large pieces. It?s not like that in big cities.?

Gail Pasternack, of Gail Pasternack Pottery, attracted a small crowd to her hand-carved, porcelain pottery. She?s been designing brie bakes, relish and mustard pots, assorted trays and flower holders for 36 years.

?I do multiple glaze firing, glazing them several times to give them a different texture,? said the part-time Lake Worth and Toronto resident. ?All my pieces are handmade.?

The Annual January Craft Show continues from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. today, with entertainment by Tom Carlile and Just the Two of Us.

Some on the net here

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