New arrivals from some of our favorite jewelers

Just click on the image to see more of their work. Since we represent over 50 jewelers from North Carolina and across the country we always have a great selection of jewelry in every price point!

Sue Fleischer   

Casual Elegance is Sue's line of jewelry, hand crafted from polymer clay.  To make her creations, she starts with the polymer clay, a malleable material that comes in an array of colors which she custom blends into an infinite number of hues.  When Sue has her palette of colors mixed, she rolls the clay into flat sheets, logs and triangluar tubes.  These are then assembled into a block of clay in which a design forms in the cross section.  This block or 'cane' is then stretched and elongated.  This miniaturizes the cross sectional design.  These small patterns are then sliced and the slices are used to create beads and jewelry.Click here to see more! 

Deborah Sparshott

Desert Heart is the creation of artist Deborah Sparshott. After working in a number of art and craft mediums, she settled in to jewelry in the mid 1980's. Besides Deborah's keen sense of color and design, the carefully considered range of materials contribute to the unique effect. Deborah selects all the materials- subtle shades and specially finished Austrian crystal, vintage beads not seen in decades, a palette of semi-precious stones and beads, metal stampings, charms and chains from America's golden age of costume jewelry, the natural beauty of freshwater pearls. Most metals feature an antique finish to heighten the look of timeworn elegance. Click here to see more.

 
Delias Thompson

Delias Thompson designs and fabricates her work using traditional metal smith techniques in sterling silver and natural gemstones. Stones are chosen for color and character and are set by hand. The lost wax casting method is used to create many of my pieces with additional fabrication by hand. Soldering is combined to finish a piece. To see more of Delias work click here.  

Write an Essay and Win a gift certificate for $250   

I am on the board of the CRAFT Retailers and Artists Assocation for Tomorrow - CRAFT - and for the second year we are sponsoring American Craft Week October 7-16. We will have demonstrations at Carolina Creations during that week. 

Across the nation artists, galleries and museums will be celebrating American made crafts.

This year we are holding two essay contests. You can enter one or both topics. There will be one prize for each topic.

Essay Topics:

Topic 1:  Cultural roots of American craft

Many forms of American craft have their roots in one of the multitude of ethnic groups that make up the rich cultural life of the U.S. today, or in a particular period of our country's history. Talk about one of these that has particular meaning to you, and tell us its "story". (Example:  sweet grass baskets and their roots in African slave groups, and their agricultural use in early America).

Topic 2:  Importance of craft in contemporary American society

Making, buying, collecting and learning about American craft is "hot" now for many reasons. Why? Trends such as eco-awareness, reactions against the flood of cheap imported goods, recognition of the importance of buying locally, a desire to use one's hands in this digital age are all some examples of what is driving a renewed interest in American craft. What do you think the reasons are for American craft's resurgence today? What do you think means for the future of American craft?

Contest Rules

• If entering both topics, submit them separately
• Deadline is October 30, 2011    You must include the following:
  • Your name - Mailing address - Phone Number - Email Address
  • Your favorite American Craft Week Participant (include city and state) hopefully it will be Carolina Creations!!! 
• Either mail your entry to:
  • American Craft Week, 1530 East Boulevard, Charlotte, NC  28203
• Or email it to info@AmericanCraftWeek.com 
• Look for the winning entry at AmericanCraftWeek.com in December, and in this newsletter. 
• Members of the CRAFT Board and their immediate families are not eligible
  
  Watch the September newsletter for a list of demonstrations we'll have in our gallery during that week. 

Bridal Registry  

Congratulations go out to  

Just in!!

 

Long stemmed glass flowers.

 

 

Lamp worked conch shells.

 

 

Glass crabs in glass conch shells. 

North Carolina Pottery    

North Carolina is home to one of the largest communities of potters with the longest continual history of pottery making in the United States.  

The history of ceramics in North Carolina began with immigrant English and German potters came to North Carolina in the late 18th century, most from Pennsylvania and Virginia. These potters were attracted by the large and varied clay deposits found in the Piedmont of North Carolina. The numbers of potters in North Carolina has continued to grow since.

We are blessed to represent many North Carolina potters in our gallery, Hank Goodman, Brian Evans,  

Geoffrey Lloyd, Annette Libby, Antoinette Mattingly, Barbara Chadwick, Diane Lee, Elizabeth Priddy, Vicki Grant, Jim and Shirl Parmentier, Bill Stewart, Chris Moses, Cindy Biles, Jeffcoat Pottery, Billy Bloom, Jennifer Stas,  John Nickerson and Bob Brotherton, Justine, Jennifer Goff, Holden McCurry, Vicki Sutton, Sue Trueman, Paul Ray, Jan and Michael Francoeur and others. You can see some of their work by

clicking here.

Our newest potter is Dan Triece whose raku pots are shown here. 

Downtown News  

Bear Essentials

Rebeccas Cafe is now open near the corner of Pollock and Metcalf Streets.

Here is some of what is going on in our Downtown this month! 

Aug 4-21 Othello - New Bern Shakespeare Festival 

Entertainment at the Hilton every Friday, Saturday & Sunday 

Live on the Neuse Music 7 pm every Thursday Persimmons Restaurant 

Aug 7 - Sun 1-7  Free First Sundays Tryon Palace

Sunday Hours 

We've been open 7 days a week for about 15 years and yet we still hear "we didn't know you were open on Sundays!"

Well we are not the only ones that are open - here is a list (we hope we haven't missed anyone). 

Sunday In Downtown New Bern 

Restaurants Open:

Persimmons, 100 Pollock St., 5:30 - 9pm, 514-0033
Pollock Street Deli, 208 Pollock St., 8 am- 2 pm, 637-2480
Ribeyes Steakhouse, 288-5814, 11am-2:30pm,5pm on, 288-5814
Port City Java, 323 Middle St, 7am - 3pm, 633-7900
Cow Cafe, 319 Middle St. 11 am - 7 pm, 672-9269
MJ's Raw Bar & Grill, 216 Middle St. 11am-9:30pm, 635-6890
Captain Ratty's Seafood & Steakhouse, 202 Middle St 11:30 am -9 pm, 633-2088
Christophs on the Water, 100 Middle St., 7 am - 9 pm, 638-0305
247 Craven, 247 Craven St. 11am - 2:30 pm, 635-1879
Morgan's Tavern & Grill, 235 Craven St., 10:30 am - 8 pm, 636-2430
Trent River Coffee Shop, 208 Craven St. mid-day, 514-2030
Harvey Mansion Historic Inn, 221 South Front St. 5 pm on, 635-3232

Shops, Etc. Open on Sundays 

Carolina Creations 317 A Pollock St. 11am -4pm, 633-4369

Tryon Palace, 610 Pollock St. 1pm-5pm. , 514-4932 

Poor Charlies Flea Market & Antiques, 208 Hancock St.,12-5pm, 672-0208

Birthplace of Pepsi, 256 Middle St., 12pm-4pm. 636-5898

The Four C's, 250 Middle St., 11am -3pm, 636-3285

One World Shoppe, Life is Good, 236 A Middle St., 12-4pm 633-3929

Juliettes Boutique, 236 B Middle St., 12 - 4 pm, 514-9800

The Boathouse, 220 Middle St., 11am - 4:30pm, 633-5501

Art of the Wild, 218 Middle St., open Sunday sometimes, 638-1082

Snapdragon Toys, 214 Middle St., 12 - 4pm, 514-6770

NautiPaws Pet Boutique, 223 Middle St, 637-0247

The Accidental Artist, 219A Craven St., 12-6pm 634-3411 

Open Friday Evenings:

Of course ALL the restaurants are open later Friday evenings

and some shops are too.

Carolina Creations 317 Pollock St til 8 pm 

The Four C's 250 Middle St till 8 PM

The Boathouse 220 Middle St 633-5501 till 8pm

One World Shoppe, Life is Good, 236 A Middle St. till 8

Snapdragon Toys, 214 Middle St. til 7

Bear Essentials, 309 Middle St., til 7