STORY AND PHOTOS BY KAREN BOSSICK

Samba Daramy sat cross-legged weaving a basket out of elephant grass.

It might have been easy to imagine him sitting amidst the tropical grass that’s native to African grasslands in his native country of Sierra Leone.

But, instead, he was sitting in the gym at the Papoose Club’s annual Holiday Bazaar, weaving with the long golden grass that needs little water as he greeted shoppers and rang up purchases on a mobile credit card machine.

Pack River Quilting Company’s foot-tall Christmas trees light up.

“This is my fourth time coming to Sun Valley,” he said, describing past stints at Sun Valley’s European Christmas Market and the arts and crafts fair in Stanley. “I just follow the freeway to get here.”

Daramy is one of about 75 vendors who have piled into the Hemingway STEAM School for the juried bazaar. He came to the United States about 10 years ago and says it’s like home now.

“Even when I go back to Africa it gets so hot for me now. I complain about the heat.”

While Daramy has left his homeland behind, he has not left behind his native land’s culture and artistry. That is evidenced in his baskets, which come in a variety of shapes and a variety of colors thanks to hand dying he does. They are collapsible yet free standing.

Adriel J. Wool shows off his wearable art jacket.

“You can use them for everything—farmer’s markets, magazines….” Daramy said.

Holiday shoppers can find a little bit of everything at the bazaar, which continues today—Sunday, Dec. 3.

There are fleece skirts, hot chocolate bomb kits, chocolate-dipped marshmallow buddies, mountain treats for humans and pets. glass works, zipper pulls, throw pillows sporting rainbows and mushrooms, and all kinds of jewelry.

Ketchum’s Courtney Modaff is showcasing her new line of ultra-flavorful spice blends, including a 5B Spice Blend and an Island Spice Blend. Just for good measure she also has her “River Food” collection of recipes from the Middle Fork on hand, complete with colored photographs of the River of No Return.

Samba Daramy also has traditional necklaces for sale for a bargain price of $10.

Brenda Stanton is offering a variety of Purely Popped popcorns, including Sweet Jalapeno, Honey Rhubarb, Sea Salt and Snickerdoodle flavors. And Itty Bitty Farm has fresh apple cider for sale, along with   homemade sodas, loaves of bread and jams to go on top of the loaves of bread.

Ketchum artist Adriel J Wool is offering his computer-generated other-worldly art on scarves, mugs, mouse pads, gift cards, pillows and even jackets. And Pack River Quilting Company is hawking foot-tall lighted Christmas trees made of felt and twine, as well as tiny stocking cap and snowflake tree ornaments, with the proceeds going to Quilts Beyond Borders for children in underserved areas of the world.

Geiser Woodturner of Idaho Falls is offering wooden candlesticks and lantern ornaments that light up, along with magic wands, bowls, pestles, colorful spinning tops and wooden tools you may never have realized you needed because you never heard of them before

That would include Spurtles, a Scottish kitchen tool used to stir porridge and stews so they don’t get lumpy. And dibbles, pointed garden tools good for making holes in the ground for planting seeds and bulbs.

Geiser Woodturner has created lighted wooden Christmas lanterns that can be used as tree decorations.

Heather Black, who has amassed a reputation as an action ski photographer, has branched out with photographs and gift cards of idyllic river scenes, trees flocked in frost and other examples of Mother Nature’s artistry.

“If I see something beautiful, I shoot it,” she said. “I even have photographs I’ve taken in Mexico,”

The Papoose Club Holiday Bazaar continues today—Sunday, Dec. 3--from 9:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Hemingway STEAM School, 111 8^th St. West in Ketchum. Santa is expected to drop in from 1 to 2:30 p.m.

Proceeds from the bazaar will be used for various projects benefitting youth in the Wood River Valley.