By Samantha Wiegand
Joy Bayer wonders “Why do we keep buying more when what we already have is durable and usable?”
An American Antique Fair
July 4, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Main Street between Water and First
503-910-5106
A stroll through her shop, Auntie Joy’s, at 859 Railway St. in Silverton, gets visitors thinking that same thing. Her passion for the past is joyfully revealed in her salvaged antiques and other cast-offs which she creatively recycles into attractive, often functional home décor.
Bayer is one of the organizers of this year’s Old Stuff on Main Street Antique Fair on July 4, where visitors will enjoy music and food as they stroll among booths hosted by local and regional antiques dealers.
She is also among those bringing wares to Silverton’s main drag. To this local artist, crafter and business owner, renewing and reusing is a necessity. Instead of casting off old items simply because of their age or physical condition, she sees potential and wonders “What could I do with this piece? How can I make something usable out of it?”
When she gets an idea, she runs with it.
“Recycling old items in this way reflects how I feel about the world,” she said. “Why buy an entirely new product (often made cheaply) when you can take a quality older item and customize it for yourself?”
The aesthetically, monetarily and environmentally driven crafter has taken her ideas reusing and renewing to a professional level. You can visit her online at antiejoy.blogspot.com and read about her newest projects, upcoming fairs as well as her thoughts regarding arts and crafts. She says much of the inspiration for her art, home and business life is based on “women working together and improving their lives by using what they have to create true art, whether it be crafting, gardening, antiquing, decorating, etc.”
One of the master crafter’s favorite projects is refinishing old metal or wooden toolboxes and putting them to use as organizational storage containers. She has decorated them through painting or decoupage and turned them into great-looking, useful organizers for craft supplies, jewelry, makeup and more.
Bayer also enjoys refitting old umbrellas with fun fabrics. She provided the umbrellas that help create the atmosphere of the Silverton coffee shop “Stomp ’n’ Grounds.”
For the inexperienced or beginning re-furbisher, Bayer suggests starting by taking a look at local antiques stores; antique malls, fairs and secondhand shops for items at reasonable prices.
Check out garage sales, estate sales and auctions that will be happening over the summer: One person’s trash is another one’s treasure.
Bayer and her fellow antique dealers will take over Silverton’s Main Street and make it easy for you to get a feel for the fun July 4, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. New this year is a contest in which vendors display unusual items, giving visitors an opportunity to guess on each one’s intended, original purpose – and possibly win a prize.
Organizers of Old Stuff on Main Street, now in its fifth year, are looking forward to more families discovering the fun of a Fourth of July blast from the past.
