TRENTON — The snaking line of punk rock enthusiasts, collectors, bargain hunters and crafters outside the Roebling Machine Shop in Trenton reflected the eclectic items to be found at Sunday's Punk Rock Flea Market.
The Punk Rock Flea Market, which is held three times a year, has exploded in popularity since its inaugural event in January 2013, and is scheduled to return to Trenton in August.
From vintage movie memorabilia to repurposed crafts and original artwork, the Punk Rock Flea Market had a little bit of everything. Here are the top 11 cool and unique things we found at the event.
Real Fruit Jewelry
Zoe Joy Einbinder has been crafting jewelry for roughly five years in a process that involves sealing dried fruit slices with a clear, durable resin, with each batch taking approximately a week to complete.
"I try to have a little bit of everything," said Einbinder of the jewelry, which includes necklaces, rings, earrings and cufflinks.
While the bulk of the jewelry is made of fruit, Einbinder also offers items made from black walnut shells, lavender, mung bean and lotus root, according to her website.
Roadside Linen Arts
Karen Bice, of Philadelphia, was an avid collector of postcards and was inspired to pair them with brooches to create unique art.
Bice, who donates proceeds from her sales to local animal rescue groups, said she sells at a variety of venues, but none with the unique feel of the Punk Rock Flea Market.
"The people are just so enthusiastic and happy and just having a good time," Bice said.
Jersey Plate Art
One of the major reoccurring types of crafts available at the market were repurposed items. One that's surely to catch the eye is Jersey Plate Art, which repurposes license plates into original artwork, ashtrays, keychains and more.
Rob, the purveyor of Jersey Plate Arts, said he began collecting plates when he was a graduate student in Michigan.
"All we've done is grown since then," he said, noting he also sells complete vintage plates to collectors.
Allegory Lab Art Collective
Unique original art was also something in large supply at the event. Among these was the Allegory Lab Art Collective, which is group of independent artists each with their own style and discipline.
The collective, which is designed to offer art enthusiasts a diverse collection of artwork in one place, includes fine arts, mixed media, photography, videography and more.
Nick's Saw-Mart
One of the reoccurring pop culture themes at the market was Gothic imagery and horror films. One vendor who captured the latter perfectly was Nicholas Valenza, whose replicas of masks, faces and other classic horror images were hard to miss.
Valenza, who attended makeup designer and filmmaker Tom Savini's effects program in Monessen, Pa., is an avid fan of the Evil Dead film series and a majority of his artwork and replicas surround the character Ashley "Ash" Williams.
The Chocolate Art Gallery
The Chocolate Art Gallery offers tasty treats including nut tree chocolates, gummies and handmade caramels.
In addition to the candies, the gallery also dips its toes into the repurposing market, transforming vinyl records - a popular item at the flea market in its own right - into a variety of items, including wall clocks and jewelry.
Bold Beard Balm
After years of being unsatisfied with other beard balms, Rob Miller took it upon himself to make his own.
Miller's personally crafted, made to order balm is made in Hamilton and can also be used to style beards, he said.
"It's kind of like conditioner for your hair. You don't have to use it, but if you do it will be a little bit softer and more manageable," Miller said.
It was Miller's first time at the Punk Rock Flea Market and he noted how impressed he was by both the turnout and the friendly nature of those in attendance.
Scrapyard Aesthetics
Designer Scott Cunningham did his first repurposing job for himself when he worked a body shop at a car dealership, according to his website.
Cunningham, of Hatboro, Pa., crafted a clock for his basement out of materials gleaned from the scrap pile. Since then, he has used a variety of car parts to craft unique home decor items, including lamps, wall clocks and bottle stoppers.
Wicked Wood Art
Art can come in many forms and for designer Alan Harris, wood takes the place of canvas, as he captures a variety of images, including pop culture icons, and immortalizes them on wood.
His items include plaques, cigar boxes, cricket bats and fully playable musical instruments.
Wicked Wood Art, based in southern New Jersey, has been offering unique wood-burned art items since 2009, according to its Etsy website.
Live entertainment
Apart from a wide variety of items available for purchase, the event also featured live entertainment, including glassblowing, and of course a DJ playing classic and modern punk rock.
In addition, little punk enthusiasts were also able to get their faces painted and enjoy balloon making and more.
Food trucks galore
In addition to the vendors inside the Roebling Machine Shop, there were more than a half dozen food trucks offering a variety of tasty treats including tacos, cupcakes, hot beverages, sea food and more.
James McEvoy may be reached at jmcevoy@njtimes.com. Follow him on Twitter @byJamesMcEvoy. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.