Hope and The Sandhills Children's Center Festival of Trees

The Sandhills Childrens Center Festival of Trees began this week at Pinehurst Resort. If you're in the area, this event provides a most festive way to begin the holiday season, and it benefits such a worthy cause!

In addition to the bevy of valuable services that they provide...and perhaps most importantly...The Sandhills Childrens Center provides Hope. Hope to the children that they serve; Hope to their parents; and Hope to our community.

I created and donated 100 Hope Pendants to this event this year. Additionally, throughout the holiday season, half of all proceeds from the sale of this piece will be donated to The Childrens Center. If you're seeking the perfect Christmas Gift, teacher's gift, or stocking stuffer...or if you'd just like to make a donation to a worthy cause...please consider this possibility. They're available locally at Artist Alley or online at http://www.jeanskipper.etsy.com/ .

Art in The Pines...A Celebration of North Carolina Art and Fine Craft

On Friday, November 6th, from 10 – 9, and on Saturday, November 7th, from 10 – 7, Artist Alley will host “Art in The Pines: A Holiday Celebration of North Carolina Art and Fine Craft.

Art in The Pines was founded as a community art show in November 2006. This year we’ve decided to relocate the weekend’s festivities to Artist Alley in Southern Pines so that a greater number of artists and local residents will be able to participate. Art of The Pines is a festive and fun way to begin the holiday season!

Art in The Pines kicks off at 10:00 on Friday morning. There will be artists in attendance, and spontaneous demonstrations and lively discussions are a sure thing. Refreshments will be served, and door prize drawings will be held on Friday and Saturday.

It’s an exciting time for us. On the heels of being awarded The Best Gallery in Moore County in The Pilot’s Best of Moore Awards, our artists have been creating in anticipation of this event. Every inch of the gallery is filled with their unique vision. You’ll find the latest work from artists who are perennial favorites beside new work by artists who’ve joined us since our recent call-for-artists. Our selection has never been better!

Throughout the weekend, guests can expect to meet local artists Mara Fiskin, Christine Jepsen, Lisey Rowe, Kathleen Miller, Nanette Zeller, Amy Smith, Christy Clark, Debbie Keen, Frank Pierce, Patti O'Day, Frank Giordano, Sherie Munie, Roberta Morgan, Molly Menard, and Jean Skipper.

Additional information about Art in The Pines and Artist Alley may be obtained by calling 910-692-6077. Artist Alley is located less than a block from the historic train station in downtown Southern Pines at 167 E. New Hampshire Avenue. Artist Alley features the work of more than 60 North Carolina artists and exhibits a wide variety of affordable art and fine craft.

***Snowman ornament by Kathleen Miller of Pinehurst, NC.

Calling All Carolers!

Calling All Carolers!

The Southern Pines Business Association is looking for singers and carolers to stroll the streets during our Holiday Open House, Sunday, November 29th from 2:00 pm to 4:30pm. Our Annual Tree Lighting Ceremony will begin at 4:30pm.

Please get together a group of your friends, family, church group, etc... and join in on the fun! For more information please contact Claudia Miller at 692-5356.

Sharing Stories

Sometimes the sheer joy of creating absolutely overwhelms me.

Even now as I'm scrambling to create my custom requests while preparing my inventory for the holidays, I love every minute of it. I love when my customers share their stories of how my work has touched their lives, and I love to imagine how and where these creations are today.

I didn't set out to be an "internationally collected" artist; but it seems to have happened anyway. My work is in the pocket of a soldier in Iraq...with a Doctor in The Sudan, and with a woman fighting the good fight against breast cancer. These are just a few of the many stories that have touched my life and my heart. Today I am grateful for all of them.

"Bag Ladies Lunch" and Feral Friends of The Sandhills

If you've known me for any length of time at all, it's probably apparent that I absolutely love animals. We live with a Chocolate Lab named Coco, a Beagle named Penny, and two indoor cats named Gracie and Cody. Our *extended family* also includes an array of outdoor kitties that we've grown to know and love. Officially, these cats are known as a "Feral Colony"; but to us they're Cally, Greybe, Lewis, Clark, Cuddles, Spot Dot, Patches, and Junior.

Tomorrow morning I'll be taking seven of them to our local Spay and Neuter Clinic for surgery. Their surgeries are possible thanks to the gracious support of three lovely ladies and their organization, Feral Friends of The Sandhills. I am most grateful.

If you're in the area, and you'd like to support this wonderful organization, they'll be hosting "The Second Annual Bag Ladies Lunch" from 11:30 - 1:30 on Friday October 16th at Ironwood Cafe. There'll be delicious edibles, a silent auction of gently used handbags, plus new handbags donated by local boutiques. Tickets are just $30, and the purchaser of each ticket will be entered into a drawing to win a designer handbag.

Available space is limited, and reservations are required. Tickets are available at The Faded Rose in Pinehurst or by calling 910-215-0505.

If you don't live in the area, and you'd still like to support this worthy cause, please call 910-295-0505.

Please join us tonight from 5:00 - 9:00 for First Friday at Artist Alley! Our feature artists will include Nanette Zeller and Kathleen Miller. Both will be in attendance throughout the evening, and a lineup of delectable refreshments will be served.

Nanette is a Mixed Media Fiber Artist who will be introducing us to oodles of new creations and fabulous techniques in honor of this event.

Kathleen Miller is a Decorative Painter who will be gracing us with her fall themed works, and we'll also be debuting her absolutely amazing Pinestraw Magazine Distribution Box.

I hope to see you tonight!

New Beauties from Artist Alley

Metal furniture and sculpture by George Carling and Karen Taylor of Vass, NC... Naked Raku by Jim Tripp of Lumberton, NC...Handcarved canes and walking sticks by Doug Biggerstaff of Lakeview, NC...Metal Sculpture by Ed Duke of Aberdeen, NC... Fiber Art by Sherie Munie of Pinehurst, NC.

Eye Candy. A Sampler of Pottery and Paintings Currently on Exhibit at Artist Alley

Pottery by Jim Tripp, a pharmacist and potter from Lumberton, North Carolina.

Paintings by Frank Giordano (aka Pop Picasso) and Fay Terry, both of Pinehurst, North Carolina.

Steel Furniture by George Carling and Karen Taylor, of Vass, North Carolina.

Masked Sculpture by Angela Cummings-Thompson of Vass, North Carolina.

All are even better in person! If you find yourself in or near Southern Pines, please stop for a visit.

July 4th Musings

My dear husband just sent me the most delectable picture, and I thought that I'd share it with you.

Yes...we'll be having our usual burger feast before heading off to see fireworks tonight; but we'll also be enjoying this bounty from the garden. It's our first *real* harvest of the year.

July 3rd fireworks at Woodlake have become a family tradition for us. Before I moved to North Carolina, our tradition included fireworks and an amazing performance of the River City Brass at Westminster College. (Imagine gunfire during the 1812 Overture!)

When I was a kid in Pittsburgh, it was Caste Village Fireworks from our front yard, and a variety of city fireworks from my Grandma's porch in Mt. Washington. (How many Italian relatives can you fit on one glider?!?!?) It was ooohs and aaahs and Ice cold watermelon and Cracker Jack for everyone!

July 4th weekend has always been about family and fireworks for me, and I hope that you'll be enjoying a bit of the same this weekend too.

Happy 4th of July, and tremendous thanks to those who serve on our behalf!

Please Join Me at "Pinestock"!

Tomorrow afternoon, a group of talented local middle-school students will be staging the first ever Pinestock Festival right here in downtown Southern Pines. The event is being held from 5:00 - 7:00 in the grassy area behind the post office. You can read all about it in this article in our local newspaper, The Pilot.

Please join me for an entertaining afternoon on the lawn, and be sure to visit in theshade of my tent too!