Submitted Photo Vicki Fure, a resident of The Meadows independent/assisted living in Garrison, has a longtime interest in making crafts. Currently, she has made more than a dozen gnome figures featuring different materials, colors and themes.

What started out as making homemade dolls to play with as a child has turned into a lifetime love of crafting for Vicki Fure.

Vicki was 6 or 7 when she first started doing crafts – making her own dolls by cutting photos of people out of catalogs, attaching cardboard to the back with a water and flour paste, and playing with them in a “dollhouse” made out of a cardboard box.

Now 70 years later, her interest in crafts is still going strong.

Born in Regent, Vicki grew up watching her mom sew, crochet and knit. Over the years, she learned a variety of crafts herself including sewing, cross stitch, embroidery and crocheting, as well as making her own greeting cards, figurines, wall art, holiday decorations and other creations.

Her current interest is in gnomes. She has made more than a dozen gnome figures featuring different materials, colors and themes. Just as she did as a child, she uses everyday items on hand to help make her crafts, including rice, socks, leftover fabric, buttons, felt, yarn, cardboard, a milk jug and even a Pringles can! When needed, specialty items are found at a Dollar store or thrift store.

Vicki gets her ideas and inspiration from Pinterest, Facebook and books at the library. Next she plans to do “Ed the Bunny” figures for Easter. Once completed, she gives her crafts to family or friends and also has them on display at her lovely home at The Meadows independent/assisted living in Garrison. There she enjoys playing bingo and cards, attending Bible study, and socializing with her friends and neighbors. Other on-site activities include a walking club, regular exercise program, special holiday meals and celebrations, church services with communion, birthday parties, billiards room, special events, and more.

Vicki keeps busy as a volunteer with St. Paul Lutheran Church in Garrison, where she’s been a long-time member. She has also been a volunteer with the Dickens Festival and a member of the Benedictine Living Community-Garrison board of directors. Before retiring, she was a teacher and her favorite subject to teach was art.

She has two children and two grandchildren, and was married for 54 years until her husband Bill’s passing. Known as the “Lefse King,” Bill made lefse for more than 60 years, with Vicki regularly helping him. During one holiday season, they made 2,200 “rounds” of lefse total, with up to 100 rounds made in one day! Their lefse was sold in Garrison, Minot and throughout the state and as far away as Alaska, Texas, California and Washington.

Vicki likes crafting at home as it keeps her active and engaged, her fingers nimble and her mind alert, especially important since Alzheimer’s runs in her family. She also has attended crafting retreats at her church and Camp of the Cross which is a great way to look at different projects while enjoying fellowship. She would like to start a crafting circle at The Meadows, where neighbors can get together to do arts and crafts they know or learn a new one.

Her tips for those wanting to craft?

Start small, look for supplies you already have on hand, be creative, and most of all, have fun!

(The Meadows is part of a complete continuum of care offered at Benedictine Living Community-Garrison.)