Monthly Featured Members 2025 - 2026

Jan is a designer, creator, and producer of all types of crafts from textile products. Her interests began as a little girl, learning from observation and teachings of her mother. In high school she took Home Economics classes which included some sewing experience, using machines and learning hand stitches. During this time she also began making some of her own clothes, back when patterns could be purchased for fifty cents!

Jan’s formal training and experience related to her hobbies include seminars, classes at the local fabric stores, as well as taking a class to learn the lost art of tatting, which is a process of knotting special thread to form items that have a lace appearance. Her current creations start with ideas from many sources including fabric stores, online, books, magazines and yes, looking at items made by other crafters while attending craft shows.

To keep inspired and continue to make products, she often reflects upon the influence of her mother and grandmother, as well as constant encouragement from her husband of fifty years, including the many folks that have purchased her items.

There are different types of textile materials she uses including fabric, thread, wool yarn, crochet cotton, as well as the standard tools of the trade. She hand-quilts all of her quilted items. For many years now, both the sewing and embroidery machines have been tools utilized for machine sewn items, and have served her well. There are many diversified products that she sells, like quilts, hot pads, tatted doilies, oven mitts, bowl cozies, aprons, embroidered towels, and place mats. She welcomes special requests from any customers. Please visit Jan's listing on the HOUSE 2 Page.

Med, originally from the Philippines, moved to the United States in her early twenties. A few years later, she met and married her husband, raising their family in central New Jersey. Her lengthy career was in insurance as a branch underwriting manager, then retirement led them to Florida nine years ago.

Med has always had a passion for jewelry making, especially creating designs with south sea pearls and semi-precious stones. Her daughter inherited this same quest for all things craft-related, so together over the years, they created whimsical, nature-inspired jewelry. 

It first started with some simple drawings they drew up on Shrinky Dinks film, which required coloring on clear plastic, polystyrene sheets. When heated, the shapes became thicker, while their dimensions reduced down to a third in size. After a few years, her daughter was able to digitize their drawings and just print them out onto transfer paper.

Med's current obsession was inspired by her daughter's gift of a diamond painting kit, which is similar to a paint-by number set. The kit includes canvas, diamond applicator pen, wax and tray. Diamond painting can be time consuming, but besides making a diamond painting frame, you can also make coasters, keychains, refrigerator magnets, holiday ornaments, sun catchers, placemats, etc. 

Lay the canvas print side up, a chart design is labeled with numbers which correspond to a diamond color symbol so you will know where to place each diamond accordingly. Start by peeling a small area of plastic off of the canvas. It's best to work on small sections at a time, to keep the canvas covered, and prevent unnecessary dust and debris from sticking to it. Pour a small amount of diamonds into the tray and gently shake it back and forth until the diamonds settle right-side up. With the pink square wax, dip the tip of the applicator to fill it with wax. This helps pick up the diamond, as they will easily stick to the tip of the applicator. Once chosen, carefully press the diamond to the correct symbol on the canvas. Always remember to add a little bit more wax if the pen seems like it doesn't pick up the diamond anymore. Repeat the process until you are done. Please visit Med's listing on the JEWELRY Page.

Janice was raised in the Midwestern areas of Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, where she relished the distinctive change of seasons. Now, it’s the comforting warmth and abundant sunshine of Ocala. Having been trained as a certified consultant and teacher of Spiritual Response Therapy, for over twenty years, she has helped people in need of life coaching and healing. 

This journey has led her to focus her coaching, by designing structural tools in the form of a 210-page book and special deck of cards which can be used independently of each other as preferred by the user. Using her creative poetry and writings, she teamed up with Tricia Sybersma, an artist who blends horses and painting. Tricia was inspired to use eight horses to create this intuitive art. With a simple way to use non-toxic paint laid out on paper, then covered with a protective cover so that the horse doesn’t have contact with the paint, it’s finally sprinkled with compressed hay on top. The horse gently nibbles and nuzzles the surface to produce a stunning blend of colors and energy when the painting underneath is revealed.

This book entitled HeartFelt: Live from Your Heart, entails one of these beautiful paintings on one page, with a spiritually healing poem or powerful and inspirational affirmation on the other. The corresponding card deck features seventy-three cards with an index guide, and a similar layout of artwork and verse on the front and back. Some folks prefer the ease of the cards for carrying around or daily display. Sometimes another voice is needed to guide and heal, as these might be a gentle solution. Both the book and cards are thoughtful gifts, and might be used in quiet moments of daily meditation and reflection. 

Janice’s poetry is currently featured each month in the OTOW News, where you can review her style and depth of feeling, as she hopes to offer guidance and inspiration to all who read it. Please visit Janice's listing on the AUTHORS Page.

This month we’re featuring our Halloween crafts party on October 28th. Residents are urged to come and be part of the festivities, since our main mission is to celebrate you, our wonderful community! Our crafters will be decked out in whatever fashion, prominent character, or costume which suits their creative mind. We would love to have you come in costumed style if you want, but it is not required. 

Upon entering the show, you’ll receive a trick-or-treat bag, and write your name and phone number on a ticket which gets placed in the large pumpkin. As you visit our outfitted crafters throughout the auditorium, you’ll find some tasty treats on each table, including their quality handcrafted and specially designed items for sale. 

At the end of the show, several names will be drawn for the beautiful baskets filled with our crafters’ items. Any winners will be called and their basket will be delivered, unless they are still there.

Since Halloween seems to usher in the festive season, we will be having more celebrations throughout the year as the Thanksgiving, December holidays, Valentines, and many more customer appreciation events keep your spirits up until May. 

Our crafters are extremely diversified with a wide variety of gifts, cards, apparel, jewelry, items for the home, including canvas, wood, and mixed media artwork. Many design products and place them for sale, but feel free to ask if they can design another with your favorite colors, or any personal specifications to fit your home, style or to make it the perfect gift for someone special. That’s the beauty of having such creative talent just around the corner, or showcased online and easily contacted. We hope you’ll join us every week, especially on October 28th, to enjoy the fun and enthusiasm of our show!

Mary's creativity has always been a key part of her narrative. The journey began in Detroit, with nursing school. After obtaining a nursing license, a move to Florida in 1982 offered respite from the cold weather. While nursing provided a fulfilling career, party planning, decorating, and crafting became an additional passion. An ability to envision designs, bringing them to life for weddings and gatherings, was present.

Upon retirement, woodworking was embraced. Each creation brought a sense of accomplishment. A personal event in 2022 led to a change, and the wood shop dissolved. A new beginning was sought in Wisconsin, but the harsh winters prompted a return to Florida, settling here in 2023.

A visit to a friend and seasoned jewelry maker, marked the start of a new creative chapter. In guiding her to step away from her current craft, Mary's desire for artistic expression led to a request for new knowledge. Initial kits and mentorship were provided. Videos were watched, techniques were mastered, and books were studied. Transforming beads into jewelry became a source of peace, a form of therapy.

Soon, the collection reached approximately 250 pieces, prompting requests. Eyeglass lanyards and ID lanyards were requested, along with ankle and ankle-toe bracelets. Beaded dog necklaces were designed, allowing pet parents to express their pets' personalities. Younger patrons sought mini coin purses with beaded wristlets, keychains, lipstick holders, and beaded cell phone lanyards. The goal is crafting beaded jewelry and accessories that enhance appearances and bring stylish organization.

Distinctive luggage tags were sought for an upcoming trip. Lacking inspiration, a decision was made to create personalized identifiers. This led to cruise ship tags as well. These items make ideal gifts for the holiday season.

During the autumn and winter months, her creations are showcased at local art and craft fairs and festivals. She has attended many in Inverness, Orlando, World Equestrian Center, Crystal River Manatee Festival, Brooksville, The Villages, Altamonte Springs, Dunnellon, and many more are scheduled for the upcoming year. An Etsy account https://UniquelyUBeadBaubles.etsy.com has now been established, with local customers served from her home, and offering the option for special orders which makes their purchase truly unique. Please visit Mary's listing on the Jewelry 2 page.

As published authors now have a presence selling their books at our Crafts Show, this month we are featuring Mark who began writing mostly poetry in his twenties and accumulated a stack of legal pads with his handwritten poems over the years. Gathering up his faded folder, he crafted a book of poetry. One day, while sitting at the computer with the front door open, he heard the rain falling on the tree outside through the screen door, stopped what he was doing, and wrote “Streams to Ford” the poem that led to the book with the same title. Then he feverishly added many more poems and published them through Amazon. 

About thirty years ago, Mark wrote a short story about a harrowing rescue at sea from his time in the Coast Guard. It was such a moving story about the rescue of two parents and their infant son in mountainous seas off Fort Pierce on Christmas Eve, that he had to record it. And there it sat until 2015 when he made it a core part of his anthology of eight years of service called “Always Ready – Coast Guard Sea Stories From the 1970s".

Shortly after, he penned “Artifact – A B24 Crew, a Female Spy, and Churchill’s Deadly Obsession", a World War II novel inspired by bomber missions flown by Mark's father. 

The next book “Herb Lundy and the Magic Milk Truck – A Trip Through Time and Faith” took two and one-half years, as he brought a faith-based story to life, something he had yearned for over the years. 

Other titles include “Gideon’s Thunder – A B24 Bomber Pilot Diary” and "Motivated to Serve” a collection of anecdotes from Coast Guard members and why they enlisted. In addition, there are several short military stories, two humorous books, “Mind Apples” and “Mind Apples 2” including a book of Haiku entitled “One Hundred Haiku” from which two poems were selected for the annual Japanese-based Haiku International Association publication. 

His military service was followed by thirty years of corporate life in information technology and marketing. Mark formed Idea Depot, Inc. to support his commercial writing, marketing work, plus web design. Please visit our Authors webpage and Tuesday's Authors table. Please visit Mark's listing on the AUTHORS page.

Theresa is the eldest daughter in a family of seven who began her sewing passion around the age of twelve, making clothing to wear for school. She started sewing with her mother's old unused machine that laid dormant in a closet, and used her baby-sitting money to buy the fabric and supplies to begin designing her own wardrobe. As her sewing skills developed over the years, Theresa included costuming, a wider variety of garments, and custom drapery. 

Being self-taught, she added skills such as puppetry, papier-mâché, watercolor, acrylic painting, clay sculpting, jewelry making, and wood working. She enjoys the fundamentals in designing, and the creation of all types of crafts. Having always been involved with nature, many of the crafts and art projects she produces are based around it. 

There is both a wonderful excitement and challenge working with many types of artistic mediums, molding something new and different each time.

As a child, her family was helped by the local church and community, so as an adult, she values focusing on giving back by donating her time and skills. When previously living in Georgia, she had the opportunity to help build homes, work at neighborhood food groups, assist with the local church community through her puppetry, and to volunteer as a local girl scout troop leader for over ten years.

After she and her husband retired and moved here, Theresa has donated time with the sewing of quilts for local charities through the Sewing Bee's Club, and assists our Ashford Social Community with decorating the Lodge for events and parties. 

Theresa is looking forward to sharing her crafts with the community at the Tuesday Craft Show and meeting other great artisans and crafters. Please view the variety of Theresa’s designs on our Wood page.

For a great summer binge read, we are featuring Ivan Obolensky, our local author of the award-winning Eye of the Moon series (Book 1, Eye of the Moon, Book 2, Shadow of the Son, and Book 3, Dark of the Earth), published by the family business, Smith-Obolensky Media.

Mary Jo Smith-Obolensky, the CEO of both Smith-Obolensky Media and its parent company (the translations boutique Dynamic Doingness, Inc.), draws from forty years of executive experience across a variety of industries to publish media in English and Latin American Spanish. Under her guidance, six products were launched across the world within eight years, in multiple formats and through many platforms. Two more book launches are expected this year.

Joanna, her daughter, has worked twenty-five years in the publishing industry in different roles to support the team as the Executive Assistant.

Ivan hailed from a background of thirty years in management, sales, and finance when he met Mary Jo, and he started writing professionally shortly after they married. Recognizing his storytelling talent, she encouraged him to write nonfiction articles on the social sciences as part of her campaign to promote literacy and curiosity. 

Ivan later took a short fiction course where he developed the main characters of the Eye of the Moon series, Percy and Johnny. Inspired to put these characters in the fictional world of Rhinebeck (deeply influenced by his own upbringing as the grandson of Alice Astor and Prince Serge Obolensky, and the family lore he was regaled with in his youth), Ivan crafted an exquisite universe that readers from sixteen to ninety have come to love. Reviews say they are enchanted by the rich character development, the world of Rhinebeck, the weaving of intrigue and dialogue, and the range of genres. Many said it got them reading again and others discovered the joy of reading.

The family looks forward to returning to the Artistic Crafts and Gifts Show to meet a variety of people, fellow crafters, and avid readers in that warm environment. Ivan also enjoys guest speaking at book clubs and student groups to connect more with this wonderful community.

Our artisticcrafts.org/authors page will get you in touch with Ivan and Smith-Obolensky Media directly by email or phone to arrange a local delivery or pickup within On Top of the World. Ivan will sign the book(s) and personalize for you (or as a gift) with a bag and a bookmark included. The series is also available via request through the Marion County Public Library system and/or the Libby app, including the audiobook of Eye of the Moon. Check out his novels on our AUTHORS page, or stop by the Crafts Show and purchase one signed by the author!