Zion Lutheran School in Lincoln hosted its annual Vines and Vendors fundraising event on Saturday, offering shoppers 36 booths of merchandise. The plant sale was on the east lawn of the school building, with assorted flowers and vegetable plants for gardeners and hanging flowering plants ready for Mother's Day. This is the seventh year for the plant sale and the second year for the vendors to join the event. Event coordinator Karen Burgrabe stressed that a large majority of the vendors were home-based businesses and their products are handmade. Burgrabe regretted having to turn down an additional 12-plus vendors due to lack of space. She will consider expanding the event next year by placing vendors in a classroom and down a side hall. Funds generated by Vines and Vendors will be used for ongoing programs at Zion Lutheran School in Lincoln.

Pictures by Marla Blair

Despite windy conditions and threatening skies, a plant sale at the Vines and Vendors event attracted gardeners wanting to start their spring planting. Vegetables and flowering plants came from Connie's Greenhouse, Beason.

Gardeners had a wide variety to choose from, with four rows of tables filled with starter pots of flowers and vegetables. An A-frame rack held hanging arrangements for porches and patios, promoted as the perfect gift for Mother's Day.

(From left) Bonnie Montgomery, Abbi Montgomery and Claire Steiner greeted shoppers at the entrance to Vines and Vendors at Zion Lutheran School on Saturday. Shoppers were invited to sign up for door prizes and to purchase tickets for a 50-50 drawing.

(From left) Claire Steiner, Abbi Montgomery and Ashlan Broom greeted shoppers at the student council's coffee and doughnut booth inside the Vines and Vendors main location in the gym at Zion Lutheran School.

Juli Shipman, of New Beginnings Ranch, spun fibers obtained from the annual sheering of the alpacas she and her husband raise in rural Hillsboro. Shipman's booth at Vines and Vendors held clothes, hats, clutch purses, stuffed animals and other items made from alpaca fibers. She also sold nesting balls to hang outside -- netting stuffed with scrap fibers for birds to use in their nests.

Jerry and Lillian Locher, vendors from Roodhouse, sold large and small wooden items made from wooden doors, antique sewing machine parts and old license plates. Jerry Locher considers his creations a good way to recycle old wooden items and give them a new life. Crediting his wife with thinking of uses for old things, he considers the two of them a good team for reusing and recycling materials that would otherwise be cast aside.

Ivan Rademaker, Emden, displayed his wooden toys, rocking seats, and doll and children's furniture at Vines and Vendors. His wife sews clothes and other items for dolls.

Designs in Time and Bonnie's Steps & Stitches partnered their rugs, quilts and folk art textiles at a colorful and inviting booth at Vines and Vendors on Saturday. Bonnie Knieriem also specializes in men's and women's 1860s costumes.

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