MuskogeePhoenix.com, Muskogee, OK

Fort Gibson

November 3, 2009

Art show to feature Grandma’s goodies

In Debbie Trickey's kitchen, she and friend Teresa Drake invoke the past while baking bread, canning relish and creating dessert servers in frilly aprons.

The Muskogee women are preparing for Saturday’s arts and crafts show at First United Methodist Church Fort Gibson, an annual fundraiser by the United Methodist Women for missions.

Vendors from throughout the area have reserved booth spaces to sell everything from baked goods to candles and quilts and from dishrags to bows.

However, Trickey and Drake will not only offer homemade cappuccino mix, pear honey and homemade fudge, but offer it with a style of their own, or their grandmas'.

The friends love to wear cross-stitched aprons with ruffles and bonnets, church hats, or even a 50s vintage hat while working their booth at the show, Trickey, a member of the church, said.

“It makes me think about one of the best periods in my life,” she said. “For both of us, our grandmas would always wear aprons and hats.”

Drake remembers her grandmother always wore a big straw hat to work in the garden, and an apron with a handkerchief tucked in her waist.

“That's how we came up with the name Grandma's Kitchen for the bazaar,” Drake said. “We both have our memories of our grandmas and we are both grandmas too.”

This is Drake and Trickey's third year baking, canning and creating for the arts and crafts show.

They begin working weeks ahead, mixing cappuccino mix, spiced tea and bacon onion dip mix.

In early summer, Drake begins canning her green tomato relish and her grandmother's pear honey.

However, the duo doesn't get to the baking until just a few days before the big event so the baked goods will be fresh.

“A lot of times we work into the wee hours of the morning,” Drake said, laughing. “But that's what makes it fun I guess.”

Grandma's Kitchen also sells pumpkin centerpieces and dessert and cake plates made by the friends in Trickey's kitchen.

They scoured garage sales and flea markets for candlesticks, plates and crystal glasses to create their own style of cake server.

The prices of their crafts range from $5 to $8, Trickey said.

“We're both aware of the economy and hard times some are experiencing,” Drake said. “This year, we actually reduced some of our prices; we've got nothing over $8.”

Trickey and Drake will wear their aprons and bonnets to Saturday's fundraiser at the First United Methodist Church Fort Gibson, Trickey said.

Text Only
Fort Gibson