This Saturday’s Cotton District Arts Festival will have no shortage of inventive local booths with creative items. Mississippi University for Women graduates Selena Faye Hodge and Nikki Ballard will have a booth displaying a variety of do-it-yourself items that Hodge also sells in her Etsy shop. Hodge also has her very own blog, Fayedodgeszombies.com, that showcases not only her items, but also step-by-step instructions to make them at home.
According to her blog, there will be many different handmade, vintage items that will look great in the homes of college students, newly-married couples or even parents. The blog showcases some of the items and could be beneficial to check out before visiting the booth.
In Hodge’s booth, there will be something for everyone. She makes her very own pillows out of recycled vintage T-shirts, a staple in any college student’s apartment or dorm. Hodge will also be selling handmade stationary, notebooks, journals and sketchbooks. All have a unique style and vintage look.
Though this will only be Hodge’s second arts festival, the duo has been creating its own quirky items for a while.
“When Mississippi University for Women graduates put their heads together, creativity naturally occurs, and Nikki and I are no exception. We first combined our creative endeavors and started having craft nights while preparing for my DIY-themed wedding. It wasn’t long after that we decided to open Etsy shops and give arts festivals a go,” said Hodge.
They are very excited about this festival and Hodge said they feel honored to be a part of this year’s Cotton District Arts Festival and can not wait to see everyone there.
Linn Sekkenes,  Cotton District resident and connoisseur of all things vintage, said she has been to many arts festivals in both the United States and abroad.
“I’ve seen the handmade items online but I am very excited to see them in person. I love that all of the things she sells are things that can be used in everyday life, such as notebooks, but they have style and are really cute,” Sekkenes said.
Also, with the festival being so close to Mother’s Day, there are certain specialized gifts for Mom. There will be aprons and other hand-stitched accessories worth taking a look at. Hodge and Ballard’s creations can be found at booth 127 this weekend, or on the blog.