Rural Missouri - July 2023 - 45

Right: The flamingo lamp was a custom piece Joe made for a high school friend.
Bottom right: Joe gave a customer's old saxophone new life as a lamp.
As word got out about Joe's creations, a friend encouraged him to try selling
them. " We loaded up 43 lamps and took them to the Wentzville Flea Market and
we sold 17 that first morning, " Shannon says, adding the collection continued to
grow. " A lot of people at shows started approaching us and would say stuff like,
'I have my grandfather's fiddle, but it's not playable and I don't know what to do
with it. Seeing what you do, I think this would be a great way to enjoy it rather
than having it sit in a case collecting dust.' It's pretty special to see what people
entrust to him. "
They named their business Steampunk Sammie Designs after their son, Sammie,
who often goes picking for treasures alongside them. " We've been going to
the local flea market here since Sammie was 6 or 7, and now he works there, "
says Shannon. The steampunk aspect embodies a lot for Joe and his love for
turn-of-the-20th-century innovation and all things industrial: gears, gauges and
yes, even time machines.
" I describe my house as steampunk Willy Wonka, " he says. " It's one of my
favorite movies. "
The couple often invites customers over to their home to view the various
items they have available. " You've really got to see what you're buying in its
setting. People come over all the time. It's like show and tell, " Joe says. " It's all
about finding the right person for the right piece. You never know what people
are going to want, so I try to make a variety of everything. "
Joe is always on the lookout for the next unique item for one of his creations.
His basement is lined with inventory of his unique art waiting for the next show.
Lamps made of typewriters and birdhouses sit next to a fishing rod floor lamp.
On a nearby shelf, a variety of gumball machines glow with light strings inside.
" It's been an education for me too, " says Joe. " When I find stuff, I don't always
know what it is. I have to research it. "
He loves sharing the stories behind the pieces he's collected over the years.
His eyes light up at the old wooden trunks, early 1900s railroad lanterns, a
48-star flag, old-school phones and 19th century cameras he's restored.
It's not uncommon for customers to invite Joe over to their grandpa's estate
or to browse through an old barn on their property. Other times, they bring their
heirlooms with them for custom orders. Joe evaluates every piece and discusses
color schemes and how big or small the item needs to be to fit well in the customer's
house. " I always like to ask customers what kind of room it's going in, so
I can envision it, " he says.
" Somebody once brought me old metal roller skates and a sewing machine
they wanted put on top of the skates, " Joe adds. " I had to make sure it wouldn't
roll off the table. "
" Joe has this fantastically abstract mind that ends in a finished product of
high quality and a unique look in our home, " says Jennifer Mendenhall, who
owns more than 10 pieces from Steampunk Sammie Designs. " Joe brings a calm
eagerness to help bring an idea to life. "
Joe and Shannon travel to several art shows every year in St. Louis, Kansas
City and Iowa, and his work is also featured in stores around Boonville. " If I have
150 lamps in a booth space, I have to wear dark glasses, " says Joe, who deals
with vertigo. " I have to be very careful what I introduce to my customers, in case
they have sensitive eyes like me. I don't want any of it to hurt their eyes. "
Digging through basements and attics often requires hours of cleaning up the
items afterward. It's a small price to pay, though, for the opportunity to work
with such fascinating, old stuff, Joe says. " I don't like to disturb
what nature already created. You can't reproduce age, " he
adds. " You can't get this from Hobby Lobby. I want to make
something that nobody has. "
Wentzville
Visit Steampunk Sammie Designs on Facebook and
Instagram, or to learn more call Joe Yuede at 636-5786529.
Kaiser
is a freelance writer from Hartville.
JULY 2023 | RURALMISSOURI.COOP 45
http://www.RURALMISSOURI.COOP
Rural Missouri - July 2023

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Rural Missouri - July 2023
