RIPLEY - Rain soaked the grounds at the annual Mountain State Art and Craft Fair for much of this weekend, but buyers were unconcerned about their shoes.

"They should have charged me extra for waterfront property," joked one vendor as rain filled his birdbaths.

The annual fair at Cedar Lakes began in 1950 and is the oldest craft festival in West Virginia. This year, more than 130 juried artisans are represented. The fair started Thursday and ends today.

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John C. Bielik of Shelbyville, Mo., lifts a sheet of paper from an ink and water bath to show how he makes Turkish style marbled paper. The demonstration was part of the 45th annual Mountain State Art and Craft Fair in Ripley on Saturday.

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Heather Higgens of Ravenswood stepped off a beam for a moment into ankle-deep water. A baby blinked from beneath her rain poncho.

The fair has changed since she worked there as a child, she said. In the past, food vendors were from Ravenswood. Today, they come from other parts of the state.

Local foods are in abundance, such as cornmeal, apple butter, wildflower honey, salsa and beef jerky.

Warm bread could be found indoors. Ciah Kennedy, 7, was proffering pepperoni rolls, his favorite. Kennedy's female cousins, aunts and mother own Azalea Catering.

"I'm about the only boy in the business," he said proudly as he sold a pepperoni roll.

Most of the crafts are to be looked at, as well as used:  hand-bound brooms, hooked rugs, wooden spoons and pottery.

"We are lucky these crafts are still around," said Karen Kelly, a teacher at Mountaineer Montessori School in Charleston.

Kelly purchased several skeins of natural-dyed yarn. Red was made from a cochineal, an insect that lives in the Midwest. Goldenrod, apple bark and onionskin produced differing shades of yellow. Though black on the hands, black walnuts make brown dye.

Kelly will knit socks from her yarn. And the recipes for coloring it, she will share with her students.

Reach Paula Kaufman at gaze...@wvgazette.com or 348-5100.

"They should have charged me extra for waterfront property," joked one vendor as rain filled his birdbaths.

The annual fair at Cedar Lakes began in 1950 and is the oldest craft festival in West Virginia. This year, more than 130 juried artisans are represented. The fair started Thursday and ends today.

Water was so high Saturday that wooden beams were laid across the grass.

Heather Higgens of Ravenswood stepped off a beam for a moment into ankle-deep water. A baby blinked from beneath her rain poncho.

The fair has changed since she worked there as a child, she said. In the past, food vendors were from Ravenswood. Today, they come from other parts of the state.

Local foods are in abundance, such as cornmeal, apple butter, wildflower honey, salsa and beef jerky.

Warm bread could be found indoors. Ciah Kennedy, 7, was proffering pepperoni rolls, his favorite. Kennedy's female cousins, aunts and mother own Azalea Catering.

"I'm about the only boy in the business," he said proudly as he sold a pepperoni roll.

Most of the crafts are to be looked at, as well as used:  hand-bound brooms, hooked rugs, wooden spoons and pottery.

"We are lucky these crafts are still around," said Karen Kelly, a teacher at Mountaineer Montessori School in Charleston.

Kelly purchased several skeins of natural-dyed yarn. Red was made from a cochineal, an insect that lives in the Midwest. Goldenrod, apple bark and onionskin produced differing shades of yellow. Though black on the hands, black walnuts make brown dye.

Kelly will knit socks from her yarn. And the recipes for coloring it, she will share with her students.

Reach Paula Kaufman at gaze...@wvgazette.com or 348-5100.