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!

She Sells Soap...

...and Sandy's charming ways will keep you in stitches! Well, stitch markers at least! Okay, weak attempt at humor, but it's Friday and it's been a relatively busy week. We've had more than our share of viruses on the BESTeam this week, both the human and computer variety, so I'm chipping in and doing an extra feature of a sweet little shop called Sandy's Soaps and Things (sandyvern) on Etsy!

This crafty lady is a member of that wonderful breed of crafters who will look at something and say, "I think I can make that... ," and then does! When she's not busy running her pet sitting service or taking care of her own menagerie, this New England native loves a variety of crafts including making cold process and molded soaps, and dabbling in knitting and jewelry design.
I think her entire line of soaps sound amazing - but these are a few of my favorites!





Goat Milk soap, of course!












Her bath bombs are... well... "Da bomb!"















Relaxing Lavender soap is always a favorite for anyone from 1 to 100!







In addition to her soaps, you'll find her shop filled with "things"... a splendid collection of items like handknit washcloths, earrings and bracelets and other jeweled delights, as well as a wonderful array of her charming stitch markers. These adorable Summer Time Cocktail Stitch Markers are my favorites!


Visit Sandy's shop often because you never know what great new creative endeavor she'll add to her repertoire next! You can also follow along on her adventures on her blog, aptly named The Adventures of Sandy Vern !

Have the BEST Friday ever... I'll be back tomorrow with some goodies from Cary, NC! See you then :)

Wandering the World for Handmade and More - Juneau, Alaska

Vicki from customteddys on Etsy submitted her hometown of Juneau, Alaska for a "shopping local" feature here on MysticWynd. She wrote,

"We are having quite a campaign in our city to ask people to shop local first and then go elsewhere, i.e., the Internet. In our little town of Juneau, we often cannot find items we are looking for; we are hemmed in by mountains and cannot drive more than 40 miles in any direction. We get out of here by plane or boat!"

Well, if ever there was a place that could use some help with shopping local, Juneau, Alaska surely fits the bill! Situated on the upper Inside Passage in Southeastern Alaska, Juneau is almost 600 air miles from Anchorage and 900 miles from Seattle, Washington. Vicki wasn't exaggerating when she mentioned that the only way out of or into town was by plane or boat. Even though Juneau is the capitol of Alaska, there is no highway access to this city or its approximately 32,000 residents.

While I think many people picture most of Alaska as a relatively barren wilderness of glaciers and igloos year round, summertime high temps for Juneau average in the 50's, while winter highs average from the low 20's to freezing, although the climate is rainy. The most surprising thing about Juneau may actually be the size of the land this city covers - in square miles, Juneau is larger than the entire state of Rhode Island, although not quite as large as Delaware!

Juneau is no stranger to the creative spirit though, and I was able to find quite a few shops to choose from to feature in today's post - and whether you're "shopping local" or just looking for some lovely items, please be sure to check them out as well as all of the other great shops that call Juneau "home!"

Vicki and Customteddys get the position of honor in this post for being the first to suggest her hometown to me... this shop offers the most adorable collectible teddybears! Vicky uses various materials for her bears: recycled nubby jackets, wool or imitation fur coats, any fuzzy material she can find that looks like it might sport a fine teddy, including mohair, alpaca, faux fur, old quilts, chenille bedspreads, blue jeans and upholstery material. The list is basically endless...

Vicki makes large bears, small bears, angel bears, Alaskan bears, polar bears - you name it. She started making mini-bears about seven years ago and the more she makes them, the more she just wants to keep doing it. Teeny tiny bears are extra special to her. They get to tag along when perhaps a larger bear wouldn’t be invited. That is because they fit in pockets, purses, glasses cases, gloves and most happily in the palm of a hand. 3 inch Sasha to the left is an adorable example of her mini-bear magic, while 12 inch Biskit (above left) shows the beauty and attention to detail of Vicki's work. Anyone who love teddybears (and seriously, who doesn't?!?) will love this shop!

Looking for unique hand painted yarns, rovings and hand spun yarns? Why not stop by atreehuggerswife and check out the great array of colors and blends available there - like this beautiful Blue Skies Basic Sock yarn. In addition to fiber goods, you'll also find a nice selection of confections like chocolate covered Kona beans and Butter Toffee pecans.



The MtJuneauTradingPost offers an amazing and eclectic selection of traditional Alaskan crafts that range from fossilized ivory and antler carvings to ages-old traditional moccasin making such as that found in these gorgeous hand beaded red moccasins. These will keep your feet warm through the coldest of winter nights and are amazingly comfortable and long-wearing.







While I selected these novel Mommy Cards....Fun and trendy predesigned contact cards for moms, as an example of the awesome offerings by ataglancegraphics, this shop has so many great ideas it was hard to narrow it down to one. Whether you're looking for customized planner pages, how-to and helpful hints books on running your businesses, or more standard cards and invitations, this shop is chock full of choices. I'll let you visit and then decide for yourself which one you'll be buying first!




In addition to the shops selling great handmade items that you'll find while shopping local in Juneau, Alaska, you'll also find some shops like LittleSundayDress that offer lovely vintage pieces. I think this vintage 1960s Young Edwardian Mini Dress is just adorable. I imagine that in addition to wearing it as a mini, you could pair it up with slacks or leggings for a great updated retro-modern flair!


I hope you've enjoyed the first stop in my travels around the globe to bring you a great collection of shops and items. Whether you're looking to "shop local" or are simply looking for the best and brightest newcomers as well as established shops full of handcrafted artisan or vintage goods, hopefully you've found a new favorite or two!

My next stop takes me across the continent and a little farther south to the city of Cary, NC on the eastern seaboard of the US. I can't wait to see what goodies I'll find waiting for me there! See you soon!

Twice the Talent - A BESTeam Feature

This BESTeam feature places the spotlight on a little shop called OurHometoYours - and the mother and daughter teamful of talent that spoons up helping after helping of handmade and vintage fare for your buying pleasure!

Amanda, the daughter part of this duo, holds a Masters in Graphic Design, and having recently moved back "home" to North Carolina and temporarily "in" with mom Debbi, loves to dabble in crafting... which includes some crocheting as well as a less often seen talent for art. With a toddler in tow, her days are busy - which explains why sharing the work of running a shop with her mom seems to work so well for them both.

Mom Debbi is a veritable powerhouse of inspiration, love and support, in addition to her own talents in the areas of crocheting and art and a penchant for all things vintage. Not only have Debbi and her husband Chuck managed to successfully blend their families since their marriage in 1994, opening their hearts and home to not only each other's children, but numerous foster children over the years, and even adding a daughter of their own as they adopted Hannah, a foster child destined to become a permanent part of their family. Even though Debbi is a grandmother and great grandmother, she seems to have fulfilled a special calling at a time when many women would be ready to relax and enjoy an empty nest. Not this one tho... she even homeschools Hannah!

I hope you'll take a peek at some of the great handmade and vintage items, as well as a smattering of supplies, that you'll find in this one-stop shop! Here's a few of my favorites -

Either this handmade pink and purple fuzzy scarf really tickles, or Hannah's simply got the giggles! I have a feeling it's probably the latter, but this fun fur boa is adorable enough to brighten anyone's mood! (Debbi made this one!)


C'mon, you know you've always wanted one. Yes, that is a vintage handmade mink jacket. It was custom made in the 70's by Virgina Millsaps in Taylorsville North Carolina, and is still in excellent condition. Simply stunning!


You have to love the smiles in this family! This cute little cap features the visual warmth of orange and red and the physical warmth and comfort that comes from being made from a worsted weight yarn. This Crochet Tam in striped Red and Orange was created by Amanda!

In addition to OurHomeToYours, you'll be able to find this delightful mom and daughter duo on their blog, on Facebook, and on Twitter. Be sure to follow them for all the latest stories of their amazing family, their new products and some great promos to boot!

See you soon!

Ya Gotta Have Heart

Since I was unavailable to write a post yesterday with a Treasury Tuesday theme, I thought I'd still share my latest treasury with you today... and thanks to a wonderful program called the Etsy treasury HTML code generator by WhaleSharkWebsites, this treasury is fully interactive, meaning that if you click on any of the items shown, you'll be taken directly to the Etsy shop where you can purchase or learn more about the item. I hope you agree that "Ya Gotta Have Heart..."

'Ya Gotta Have Heart...' by mysticwynd

Upendo Means Love OnBehalfOf $12.00	Heart Ring With A D... efratdeutsch $75.00	Heart on Your Headb... LoveElycia $8.00	Heart Me Heart Me N... ardentreverie $15.00
CLEARANCE Lovebirds... wayfaringmagno... $11.20	10DOLLARSOFF ENDS J... CookalasHouseO... $30.00	Valentine's Day... AllAboutCats $5.00	Yummy Rich Chocolat... FlutteringFlow... $5.00
Red is the color he... BlueForestJewe... $20.00	Heart of Mine Charm... youaremysunshi... $15.00	Sale 15% Discount /... HeadpinWear $30.60	Bleeding Heart Earr... ellesbeads $12.00
Hey, Catch the Scar... floresdelsur $9.00	XXL Wedding Hearts ... OffTheWallExpr... $65.00	VALENTINE SPECIAL -... Gilliauna $14.40	heart of snow neckl... nadene $28.00

Generated using Treasury HTML code generator by Whale Shark Websites.

Enjoy... and be sure to stop by a little later for a feature of one of my great teammates! Happy Hump Day :)

Wandering the World for Handmade and More

Shopping "local" is an age-old tradition that is coming of age again as it relates to Internet shopping. Growing up back in the 60's on Chicago's far south side, our neighborhood had everything you could conceivably need within walking distance of a mile or two. Within a block or two of my childhood home, just shopping-wise we had a large grocery store, a corner drug store, a hardware store, a dress boutique, a hardware store, a five and dime, a bakery, a yarn and craft shop, and a haberdashery. If you hopped on a bus, within 5 miles in 2 directions were complete shopping districts (we didn't have malls back then!) with department stores and specialty shops selling everything from A-Z.

Then, as the explosion of internet shops took over, people didn't have to leave the comfort of their homes to shop anymore... and many local businesses suffered as a result. With the economic crash of 2008, communities found themselves struggling to maintain their tax bases and keep money local and the idea of "shopping local" became more than a matter of convenience - it's become a vital way to provide your local economies with an opportunity to see money stay in communities to fund programs, and sustain and even encourage the growth of smaller businesses...which in turn means more jobs and options to make money.

I realize many people gripe about the taxes they have to pay when they buy local, but you have to remember that sales tax produces funds necessary to pay for things like law enforcement, infrastructure, growth, and any number of other government funded "perks."

Keeping all of this in mind, I thought it would be fun to pick a different locale from around the world and introduce you to some shops that will allow you to "shop local" - and if you're like me and have tons of family and friends spread out across the country, it's kind of nice to find shops that are "local" for all of them when gift giving occasions arise! For those of you who are tired of the "same old, same old" in your local stores, it'll also give you a chance to see what's trendy or exotic or just simply appealing from places all around the world as well!

So, here's how this feature will work! Contact me (you can use the link in the menu above) with your shop information and locale (city, state, and/or country) and I'll add you to my list of locales. My selections from that list will be totally random, and if you're the first one who submitted that particular locale, your shop is guaranteed to be included in a "shop local" feature along with other shops in your general geographic area. Your shop qualifies as long as you sell handmade or vintage items, services or supplies that are eligible for sale on marketplace websites like Etsy, Artfire, or Zibbet. I'll also keep a list of scheduled locales on my "Be Featured" page and if you live in or near any of them, please contact me and there's a good chance your shop will be included in my feature as well!

I'm hoping to post a couple of these features a week, but the more popular it is, the more I'm willing to promote! So send me your information and stop by often to check out my selections as I wander the world for handmade and more!