Susan Simmons, left, Lawrence, offers plenty of puppets for Mary Cornwell, Lawrence, to choose from Saturday at the Bizarre Bazaar at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H. Shoppers looking for bargains and great gifts made the bazaar a full house.

Pieces of Lori Dalrymple’s life were laid out before her in hundreds of little boxes Saturday afternoon.

Her husband likes to play Texas hold ’em, so there was a box decorated with poker chips, playing cards and a cigar.

Her stepdaughter adores Marilyn Monroe, hence the silver and gray box covered with the iconic image of the actress in the fluttering white dress.

The family had spaghetti one night for dinner, so of course there was a red-and-white checkered box topped with a bowl of noodles, tomato sauce and meatballs.

Dalrymple was among the 130 artists whose works were on display and for sale at the annual Bizarre Bazaar on Saturday at the Lawrence Arts Center, 940 N.H.

For the past five years, Dalrymple has been spray-painting papier-mâché boxes and then decorating them with everything from geese and giraffes to tea cups and tiaras.

It was Dalrymple’s first time at the Bizarre Bazaar. But she’d heard that her unique work would be a perfect fit.

“This was the show everyone told me about five years ago,” said Dalrymple, who goes to about 10 art and craft exhibits a year.

Unconventional work is the impetus behind the Bizarre Bazaar, said one of the founders, Nan Renbarger.

Nineteen-some years ago (no one remembers the exact year), the bazaar started in Renbarger’s living room.

On Saturday, Renbarger was selling hand-dyed scarves, hats and socks. In the next booth over was another founder, Nancy Hubble, who was selling black-powder, old-time gun calendars, circular artwork and create-your-own-board-game kits.

“We didn’t fit into the art guild,” Hubble said of the bazaar’s early beginnings. “We were more crafty and a little bit weirder.”

The spirit of cooperation and embracing all kinds of work continues.

Every exhibitor must serve on a committee and bring a baked good. The bazaar accepts entrants on a first-come, first-in basis and tries to keep booth fees as low as possible.

Dalrymple’s boxes weren’t the only unique find at the show. Among the more traditional beaded jewelry, knitted scarves and wall-hangings were the rarer items.

Susan Cooper and Yvonne Channel were selling lavishly decorated plastered busts. It was their third year at the bazaar. With their friends, the two decorated the busts with everything from ginkgo leaves to beads.

The proceeds from the work — which for many patrons end up as bathroom art — will go toward a friend who is battling breast cancer.

There was also Susan Simmons, whose cone-puppets were a hit. She brought more than two dozen cone puppets to Saturday’s show and by late afternoon, six were left. The hand-crafted puppets included clowns, cowboys and cowgirls, and the lion from the Wizard of Oz.

As a mixture of rain and snow was coming down outside, Simmons said it was nice to be out of the weather, which was a change from other shows.

“This has been wonderful,” Simmons said.