Wandering the World for Handmade and More - Cary, North Carolina

Memories of Andy and Opie, and Aunt Bee and Floyd the Barber from the Andy Griffith Show - that heartwarming 1960s look into the life of the residents of a fictional small town in North Carolina called Mayberry - have left generations of viewers with an impression of North Carolina that, on the one hand, is very true to form while on the other hand, couldn't be further from the truth! You knew something big was going on when the show's plot line involved anything to do with Mayberry's big city neighbor, Raleigh. Andy put on his best suit or added a tie to his uniform for those episodes, and whether it was heading to Raleigh or having visitors from Raleigh, it was an event. Well, today's featured town, Cary, NC, is likewise a neighboring city of Raleigh's, and although you'll find tree lined streets and the small town feel that you expect, Cary is a far cry from being a small voice in the landscape of North Carolina.

Voted one of Money Magazine's best Best Small Cities in America in 2006, Cary also ranked 5th in the magazine's 2006 list of Best Places to Live - a unique example of small town community embracing the best of big city life. Located next to Raleigh in North Carolina's Research Triangle district, Cary is home to many large technology and industry related businesses including Yellow Pages giant DexOne (in this case, "Dex knows"Cary, NC), software leader SAS Institute, and video game developer Epic Games.

Linda Searcy calls Cary, NC, home and suggested her hometown for a stop in my series of "shopping local" features. Her two shops on Etsy, LindaSearcyJewelry and LindaSFabricStash, embody the city's unique blend of small town essence and big city flair. In her jewelry shop, Linda shares her metalworking and wire wrapping skills to offer a wonderful selection of styles and designs that are sure to appeal to everyone - whether they're stay-at-home-moms, career women, or empty nesters looking to write the next chapter in their lives. These are just a few examples of the many styles you'll enjoy purchasing from Linda -

(Just click on any of the photos to be taken to her shop where you can learn more about,
or purchase these lovelies!)

Also being an avid quilter for most of her life, Linda would collect fabrics from around the world for her quilting projects. She offers remnants to other fabric artisans through LindaSFabricStash where you'll find a wonderful assortment of colors, prints, and fabrics in smaller quantities that are perfect for your quilting or other smaller fabric projects! The selection, as you can see from these examples is amazing! Again, simply click on any of the photos to be taken to her shop where you can learn more about, or purchase any of these!



I'd like to thank Linda for suggesting her hometown - there's a lot of talent and creativity coming out of Cary... here's just a few of the other shops I found that make their home in this great city!

Small business owners who are just starting up or established owners looking to change or define their business presence will love priyacreations. This shop specializes in printed business supplies from business cards to clothing tags to web page graphics. In addition to individual items, you'll also find some great packages like this Branding Package which includes DESIGNING Banner, Avatar, PRINTING of 100 sew-on Labels, 100 Tags and 100 Business Cards.

Jungle animals are just one of the many fun themes for cupcake toppers that you'll find at SWEETandEDIBLE. Made out of 100% edible fondant, these darling creations are sure to make the kids (and kids at heart) at your next party or event say,"Wow, those are cool! Can I have one?" Enjoy a wide selection to choose from, and make your life just a little bit easier when you're planning your little one's next birthday treats by ordering your favorite toppers from this great shop!



Elizabeth, the owner of Iknitandbead and also a Caryite, is one of my BESTeam teammates and cohort in crime as she helps me run things over there! As you may have surmised, she knits and beads! One of her signature items is her knit bracelet. I've selected the Green, Pink, Purple, Blue version to share with you here simply because those are some of my favorite colors! These bracelets are knitted from variegated yarns that are more cord-like than yarn-like. Beautiful and unique!



What would a "shopping local" feature be without at least one shop that offers vintage treasures? MountainViewMemory was my choice from Cary because I absolutely adore vintage glass bottles and this cobalt blue collection is to die for! In addition to some amazing vintage treats, this shop offers a variety of handmade delights and even some supplies, making this a one stop shop when you're looking for a more eclectic selection of goodies!



Since I realize so many of you are fighting the winter weather blues, I thought it would be nice to share Signs of Spring - Trees in Bloom Pink Branch - a stunning photography print from AGiftofGrace. This shop offers a lovely assortment of prints and cards featuring photos with a nature or floral theme, and as you can see, incredibly beautiful work!



I hope you've enjoyed "shopping local" with me in Cary, NC. If you'd like to see your shop and hometown featured here, please be sure to drop me a note via the "contact me" link at the top of the page. Include a link to your shop(s) as well as the name of your hometown and anything you'd like me to know. If you're the first one to suggest your hometown, you'll be the star of the feature! I'm happy to promote any shop as long as the goods you offer are handmade, vintage, or crafting supplies or services! I'll be posting my upcoming schedule of features on monthly calendars on the "Be Featured" page which can be accessed through the link in the right sidebar.

Now, tell me about YOUR hometown!