Country piece pilgrims

Lindsay Sandham

Grass roots America and old-school artisanship -- that’s what Country

Store Piecemakers is all about, and that’s what this weekend’s crafts

fair was all about.

The Costa Mesa craft store held it’s annual spring fair in the

parking lot off Adams Street, with more than 95 vendors displaying

and selling their handmade jewelry, furniture, arts and crafts.

“It’s an opportunity for everyone’s talents to unfold,” said

Joanna Nelson, vendor coordinator for Country Store Piecemakers. “To

give people the opportunity to sell things they make or collect.”

Jean Moller, a coordinator for the 125 classes offered at the

store, said Country Store Piecemakers is more than just a craft

store.

“This is where people come to feel like they’re back home” Moller

said.

Craft-makers from all over the world come to Piecemakers and teach

classes on quilting, silk ribbon embroidery, knitting, sewing, lamp

shade decorating, journal art and more.

Nelson said about 30 people operate the store and consider

themselves owners, and many of the employees are volunteers who are

not on the payroll.

“Our roots are in the Lord,” she said. “We don’t preach or

prophesize. We don’t hide it either because it’s the key ingredient

of our business.

“Without our common bond in Christ we wouldn’t all be here

together ... We keep it as simple as possible.”

Nelson said the organization carefully screens vendor entries,

allowing only the artisans themselves or their friends and relatives

to sell the wares. This is in order to avoid commercial vendors who

re-sell items that were purchased wholesale, she said.

Su Carney has been making jewelry since she was in the seventh

grade. Now it’s her full-time job.

“I travel and do shows,” Carney, who owns a store outside of

Yosemite National Park, said. “I’ve been doing this show for so long,

I have a following.”

Michael Kudzala traveled from Malawi in Southeast Africa to sell

his hand-carved wood furniture and collectibles.

Kudzala uses ebony and mahogany for his safari-themed goods. He

also sells handmade beaded jewelry, made by his girlfriend. He said

sales at this weekend’s Piecemakers fair were average.

The spring fair is usually held in April. This was the first year

they decided to hold it on Memorial Day weekend.

Artist Quirino Martinez said the fact that it’s a holiday weekend

may have hurt some of the vendors.

“It was OK with me because I have my regulars,” he said.

Martinez, who paints “femme fatales” on recycled materials like

doors, windows and furniture, has been doing the Piecemakers shows

for eight years.

The La Verne resident said most of the shows he does are in San

Francisco, because his art has a better following there.