Woodworkers leap to the fore at holiday bazaar

PALMER — The annual Holiday Bazaar kicked off Saturday at the Alaska State Fairgrounds, with homemade crafts from artisans around the state prevalent as usual.

Woodworkers, in particular, were out in full force at day one of the two-day event which concludes after today’s 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. session.

Among the favorites was the shelves of old-fashioned toys designed by Wasilla resident Leslie Fetrow. Twenty years ago, Fetrow first plied his woodworking skills in the marketplace, and quickly learned something about the business end of the craft.

“I started out trying to make jewelry boxes and stuff like that and people weren’t buying,” Fetrow said. “Then I started experimenting with toys and that’s where they really hit… People just love ‘em, young and old alike.”

David Stacheli, who is technically a woodturner rather than a woodcarver, applying his tools to the piece as it turns as fast as 2,000 revolutions per minute, has found success selling common kitchen utensils in intricately fashioned wood.

In his booth, you’ll find everything from a wall of chopsticks to ice cream scoops, many with a shiny marble finish.

“I had some physical problems going on and decided I couldn’t do my regular job, so I thought I’d see if I could sell some of my hobby,” Stacheli said. “That proved successful, so you try and see if this product sells you make more and if it doesn’t, you drop ‘em.”

Also courting the kitchen-minded customer were Jenny and Gary Sedor, better known as the Alaska Wooden Spoon Company out of Anchorage.

It’s a business that started in the most practical of ways.

“We broke our favorite spoon, so she carved one,” said Gary of Jenny, who carves about 85 percent of the pieces covering two walls of the display. “It’s starting to take off nicely. People seem to like it.”

Gary said Jenny does do more than just spoons, even though you might not know it from looking at their booth Saturday.

“Occasionally we’ll do a spatula or two,” he said. “Whatever the whim is. Everybody cooks.”

Wasilla’s Dean Everding was urged into woodwork by his wife Erica, who joined him behind their display table on Saturday.

“My wife said, ‘make me a bowl,’ and I made her one, and she never said stop,” Dean said. “Those bowls turned into mushrooms, snails, snowmen — just about anything you can make with wood.”

Everding said he only uses wood from fallen trees, usually birch, the same wood favored by the Sedors.

“Birch is the most popular and easy to work with,” Everding said. “It’s considered Alaska’s hardwood and it makes some gorgeous pieces.”