Moore Vendor Brings Survivor Story To An Affair Of The Heart

A tornado victim is using a Tulsa tradition to help start a new chapter in her life. Kelly Byrne's home and most of her belongings were lost in the May 20th tornado in Moore.

Some of the things that survived are now proudly on display at Tulsa's "An Affair of the Heart."

More than 30,000 people are expected to vist the fairgrounds this weekend, combing aisle after aisle of hand made goods, but for one vendor from Moore, Oklahoma - just getting here was an affair of the heart.

Kelly Byrne's home had to be demolished after the EF-5 tornado that tore through Moore in May.

"The north wall fell on everything that was my business," said Kelly Byrne, tornado victim. "We didn't have the worst damage - there were a lot of people who walked back to a slab - we were able to save a lot from our house."

Underneath her collapsed garage were sippy cup straps, pacifier keeps and clothing - all protected by a plastic storage bin. She had made all of those items and now put them on display in her booth called Scribbles and Dribbles. 

"It's part of living in Oklahoma," Byrne said.

Byrnes booth is just a part of the maze of vendors that winds its way though the expo center twice a year. Twenty states are represented spread out in 850 booths.

Jewelry, clothing, toys, art, bullets disguised at art, candles, all-hand made crafts aimed at catching the eye.

"I can't stop looking," said one shopper. 

"It's Pinterest live, you can either buy it or you can be inspired to make it yourself," said another. 

While the majority of shoppers here may be women - they'll tell you the three-day event offers plenty of things for men.

There's more than 300,000 square feet of items you can't find in retail stores. A shop-till-you-drop paradise for some, but for Kelly Byrne - it's a step towards getting back to normal. 

"It was a good jumping off point, to see what do we have and to start getting ready for the fall," she said.

There's so much to take in here it's almost impossible to visit every booth, if you missed today you still have a chance Sunday. The show runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.