TAHLEQUAH — The delicious aroma of carmel corn greeted visitors entering Northeastern State University’s University Center, enticing them to follow it upstairs to the Illinois River Arts and Crafts Fair on Friday. The three-day show is open through today (Sunday) for those in search of unique gifts.

The Sen. Herb Rozell Ballroom offers a bounty of beautiful and creative holiday gift items, decorating ideas and wearable art. Stained glass, wooden bowls, hand-painted silk scarves, Indian pillow dolls, pottery and wooden calls for deer, ducks and owls, were among the hand-crafted pieces.

Not only was the carmel and kettle corn as delicious as it smelled, but 100 percent of the proceeds benefit the American Cancer Society. Booth and business owner Michael Snow, of Krebs, does 50 shows a year and donates all the proceeds. A manager with pre-paid legal, he found this business was a way he could make a difference.

“My dad died of cancer when I was 9 and recently a friend of mine came down with breast cancer,” Snow said. For three years, he’s made enough from selling the corn products that he could quit his other job, but chooses to donate the money instead.

Couple Casey Woodard, owner of Lollywood Jewelry, and Ross Maute, owner of Pop Prints, were sharing booth space at the entrance of the event. Woodard sells a variety of handmade jewelry, from rings to earrings to necklaces, while her fiance, Maute, sells his prints showcasing his artistic talents in graphic design.

“We’ve been to a number of craft shows across the state, but this was the first chance we had to show our merchandise right here at home,” said Woodard, who helped publicize the fair. “We’re expecting a great crowd through the weekend.”

Gail Gates purchased some soy candles on display in one of the booths.

“They’re natural, so they’re better for you if you have allergies,” Gates said. She purchased pumpkin scent for Thanksgiving.

LeAnn Jenkins and Gary Spencer were holding hands, watching visitors to the show. The Edmond couple brought the soy candles and barbed-wire items.

“I wanted to find a cleaner alternative to candles,” Jenkins said. “Soy doesn’t have soot or the toxins of regular candles because it’s a vegetable base wax. And it supports our farmers.”

Whimsical trees, hearts and crosses made from barbed-wire take on a softness  under Spencers’ creative touch. The crosses either stand on a horseshoe base or are hangable.

Tawanna Drain, of Stilwell, and co-worker Treasa Morgan, of Muskogee, shopped on their lunch hour. Morgan selected a snowman warmer from Jenkins. She’d also purchased rainbow tea and several coffee and tea items.

“I’m going to buy a beaded angel in a minute,” said Drain. “There’s a ton of pretty jewelry.”

Christmas music added ambiance to the bright and lovely colors and craft items like teas and coffees, a wahoo game board, and lots of jewelry, including the Funky Diva, aka Linda Jones, newly relocated to Tahlequah with her husband.

“We do shows all over the state and when we came to Tahlequah my husband fell in love with the place,” Jones said. “He’s from the Fiji Islands.”

Developing tendinitis from computer work led Jones to magnetic jewelry. She started making wrapped jewelry and has been inspired to expand to a variety of other projects including old style hippy jewelry and peace signs. Her dream is to have an online store and studio on Highway 51 where they now call home.

“Every morning we wake up and look out the window and are thankful we live here,” she said. “It’s very Bohemian here, very artsy. And the American Indians here have taken pride and ownership in the community.”

Reta Balmain, of Westville, was at the show for with her nickle-free jewelry. Her business, Ruby Claires, is named for her mother and mother-in-law as a way to keep their memory alive.

“I’m allergic to everything and I found something I could wear,” she said. “The nickle-free wires are hypo allergenic.”

Angela Drewes came to put up posters for the Lights On event and purchased a pair of red fingerless gloves.

“These will be great for working the consession stand at ball games, I can still count the money,” Drewes said. “This is a wonderful indoor forum for arts and crafts people, artists. There are good prices and a good variety.”

Drewes was shopping with friend Rebecca Mitchell, who found a Ruby Claire pearl necklace.

“I’ve seen a lot of things I like, neat things for Christmas,” Mitchell said. “There’s a lot of talent here locally. I hope we have more shows like this.”

Becky Martin, of Locust Grove, had already sold several of her beaded pieces by early Friday afternoon. She’s been beading for two years, something she always wanted to do.

“My brother showed me how and I just kept going,” Martin said.

She beads earrings, lighters, watch bands, bracelets, hair clips, key chains, pens and other items.

“It takes about eight or nine hours, a couple of evenings after work,” she said. “It’s my stress release.”

The wearable art of Roberta Ferguson and Cathy Leigh Lamb came in the form of silk scarves and shirts. Ferguson was already a watercolorist when she saw a demonstration in Irving, Texas and fell in love with it. Lamb was doing pottery mugs and prefers this functional, wearable art.

Silver and gemstone jewelry with Celtic designs, dragons and seahorses by Ron Pace are very unusual and one-of-a-kind.

The only stained-glass artist, John Byrne, of Tulsa, has free-range yard art. “the feral art escapes from captivity and in wintertime when my garden goes to sleep and the leaves die back, bring color in the yard.”

“The people organizing this are treating us very well, and I can’t say that about every show,” Byrne said. “They helped us unload and brought us coffee and donuts.”