Variety is the name of the game!

Variety of handmade items! That is what you will find at Hollyhocks, LLC! All of our products are made by North Carolina artists and crafters, with the exception of 2. (out of state) Whether you are looking for something for yourself, your child,  Dad, Mom, or teacher you will find something unique and special here at Hollyhocks, LLC. 

Who says that the birds aren't Carolina fans?

This handpainted shelf would look so cute in a powder room with it's vintage charm! These wonderful items are made by Lynn who also is a breast cancer survivor.

 This supremely crafted bracelet is available here . It's made with a slip knot, so it will fit just about anyone! Made with love by Paula of "Creations by Dreamlady"  She has a nice assortment of bracelets at the store!

 This all Walnut shelf has a vase built right in! No need to worry about it slipping off!

How about a pretty necklace for warm summer days? I love this starfish necklace! It is the newest addition by Cindy of "Sparkles and Sweets".

These earrings will show your love of country without being obvious! They are by me!

Since I took this picture, we have expanded our tie dye section. Janet has sizes and colors for everyone and is currently working on some new things to bring! Visit her Etsy shop to see more!

 These look like bags and I'm sure you're thinking "big deal"! Well, inside these bags are all the makings to build your own fort! Sheets, rope,suction cups,flashlight, etc! Hours of fun for your kids and priceless to Moms!Jill has her own website at JSF Creations.

 I am in love with this little guy! uh, girl! Wouldn't this cute crab look fabulous in that special little girls hair? Created with care and love by Stuart at Ribbon Refinery!

 These bobby pins with their cute felt flowers are a great hair accessory for girls of all ages! Made with love by Doris and her daughter Jessica.

If you are looking for peace and tranquility, then this tabletop fountain can help you achieve that right in your own home or office. I have it running in the store, and it sounds wonderful! Want one? Stop by the store. If I don't have what you want, I'm sure Kerrie can create one just for you!

Obviously this doll is NOT handmade, but her outfit is! Karen makes a nice variety of clothes for 18", (American Girl) dolls. She brought in some doll sweaters that I'll share another time.

This pretty wreath arrived yesterday and is the creation of Kathy of Look What Kathy Made, She makes a good portion of our seasonal items as well as everyday decorative items.

You can even get a new collar for your dog. We have several prints and sizes available.

Gorgeous and full of detail, these sketches are by Jeff Bowers. We have ones with color, some are black and white and feature landmarks from the most popular area universities.

New keyrings that can also  hold pills! Nice when you have a small purse!

I hope this article has inspired you to seek out handmade where ever you live. If you happen to live near Mebane ,stop by and see us!

Living Your Life With Handmade

I have been passionate about handmade for quite a long time. Way before it the "cool thing to do." I love surrounding myself with things that have a story, some history, and also an identity. As I look around at my home, I see so many things that were made by real people. Honest to goodness artists. That fact makes these things special to me and add some real comfort as well as joy to our everyday lives.

This tile is from an old building in Vieux Carre, in New Orleans and dates from the 1880's. The picture on the tile is of the St. Louis Cathedral. This was a gift from my husband about 20 years ago.

This watercolor I bought directly from the artist in Monhegan, Maine. This artist colony has been around a very long time and is a favorite vacation spot to literally get away from it all. No cars,only some homes have electricity or tv. If you don't mind rustic, it's an awesome place to go.

This shelf is very special because my Dad made it for me. At the time I was really into the country style of decorating. I've had it for close to 30 years. The birdhouses that hang there are from Hollyhocks. 

I have this very cute hand painted candle holder in my guest room. This is done by Sandra and she sells along with her sister at Hollyhocks,LLC. 

This is actually a seaweed print that I bought from Hollyhocks. She also makes marvelous prints using a Japanese technique and fish.

My husband used to chair an Art Festival in the town that we moved from and this artist was there every year. This has meaning for me because it is taken where I grew up.

Please excuse the glare on this one. This is a photograph of Torch Lake in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, where I grew up. This artist lived near my Mom and it's the last gift she ever gave me before she passed away.

This castle drawing I purchsed when we were in Ireland. Rather than buying from typical tourist places, I really tried to seek out local shops where I could purchase items that were locally made. Not always the cheapest route, but well worth the few extra dollars!

This table is made by my husband. The walnut is over 50 years old and he got it from his Dad.

You might think much about a lunch bag, but this I bought  from Hollyhocks and I love it. I adore this fabric. I also had Jill  from JSF Creations make me a purse which I love!  

I love my bird magnet from Kathy She also sells at Hollyhocks. I have purchased magnets from another seller Wendy from Stuck Together but they were gifts, so no pics!

 These are from Bob Gunn who is a photographer at Hollyhocks. I love my butterfly mouse pad and believe me I never thought I'd get excited about something like that!  This stretched canvas hangs in our bedroom. I thought it went well with my French themed artwork. This pencil sketch was being completed by the street artist when I purchased it from him in Paris. It's a composite of some of the major landmarks of the city.

Both the soap dish and the soap are handmade from Hollyhocks. The soap is from Bonnie, formerly Hello Crafty and now Sandpiper Spa.

Though the design is simple, I love my hand knitted placemats from Marcia. They are thick and no clunking plates! The orange candles on the table are my very first Etsy purchase.

This beautiful Cedar chest came from another artist who sold at the art festival my husband used to chair.

This gorgeous photograph is actually one of a pair that were a Christmas gift from our daughter. She studied photography in college and will hopefully be sending me some to sell at the store. I say hopefully because she is a doctoral student and extremely busy.

So, I could go on and on, but I think you get the point. I am sure that I am Hollyhocks best customer. When I need gifts I always try to buy from the store first and I hope that you will do the same. If you live near Hollyhocks, great. I'd love to see you! If you don't, try to find a store near you that sells handmade things by locals. It also helps reduce your carbon footprint! We have to support each other. And by surrounding yourself with handmade , you have the knowledge that you helped a real person further their career or hobby by making that choice rather than going to a big box retailer. 

Clay Street After Work

Every 3rd Friday from May through September, Mebane has this event called "Clay Street After Work". Each month on that Friday, you can come downtown, have a little dinner at Martinho's,( or wherever you choose)  do some shopping (be sure to come by Hollyhocks!)and then stay to hear some great music! This month it's Chuck Champion & Big Head Dog on May 20th.

Grab your lawn chair and your dancing shoes and get ready to rock with the Big Dogs at the first 2011 Clay Street After Work. There may be signs of street construction downtown, however, the "general" location of the concert will remain the same. Thanks to the City of Mebane, Alamance County Arts Council, Mebane Business Association and a grant from the Grassroots Arts Program of the NC Arts Council for sponsoring this popular monthly program .
The band starts at 7:00 and plays until 9:30 and it's FREE! You can always visit the Downtown Mebane website to see what's going on. Hope to see you there!

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day!