Beautiful Quilling Cards

The other day I was in the post office and saw that they had stamps with a heart made with quilling.

 I was excited to see them because we have beautiful cards at Carolina Creations that are made with this technique of curling paper.

With strips of paper, a quilling tool and some glue, 

add some creativity and you get these....

I don't know about you but it looks like a lot of work to me for $7.95!

Year of the Rooster

2017 is the Year of the Rooster according to the Chinese zodiac, from January 28 through February 15, 2018.

The Rooster is the tenth in the 12-year cycle of Chinese zodiac sign. The Years of the Rooster include 1921, 1933, 1945, 1957, 1969, 1981, 1993, 2005, 2017, 2029...

Rooster is almost the epitome of fidelity and punctuality. For ancestors who had no alarm clocks, the crowing was significant, as it could awaken people to get up and start to work. In Chinese culture, another symbolic meaning of chicken carries is exorcising evil spirits.

To celebrate Sara Meadows has created this tiny 2" tall rooster!

Only $14. Call us to order, limited edition.

Carolina Creations 252-633-4369/

New Potters at Carolina Creations

Spring is always exciting around here, I learned early on that I need to order pottery in the spring because as the year goes on it gets harder and harder to get.

I met some new potters this year -

Mikio and Cheryl created high fired stoneware with a Japanese flair.

This effect is achieved by applying wax resist to the vase then applying the glaze.

This set of four bowls fit one into the other. I love the ways the glaze also matches one bowl to the next!

Beautifully simple, turquoise glaze inside, their chasten glaze is stunning on this bowl.

We can't keep pieces in the gallery that depict ravens.

They have meanings in many cultures spanning a wide range of meanings from protection to a harbinger of death, in the Bible the Raven was the first bird Noah sent looking for land - a symbol of God's providence. 

These pieces are created by Barbara Glynn.

Barbara creates a wide variety of narrative sculptural pieces in raku, sawdust, pit fire and high fired functional ware.

Barbara says -   I saw my first potter at work during a grade school field trip and desperately wanted to try it. Though I was unable to convince him to let me do it that day, I did promise myself that I would someday find a way to try it and I did.  My love affair with clay really began in college and no doubt will continue for the rest of my life.  I worked as the ceramics lab assistant at Moorpark College, served as an apprentice to potter John Schulps in Calabasas, Ca., and  I earned a BFA from California State University, Northridge.

We love our Carolina Wrens so couldn't resist getting these mugs.

And Sylvia Harrison - while we have had her work before it's been a long time.

Sylvia lives near Raleigh with relatives in New Bern.

Sylvia says - "I have always loved working in the yard. When I took my first clay class in 1998 it seemed natural to go from the dirt of my garden to the clay of the earth.

My desire is to create decorative pieces of art that can function in everyday life. I feel that using art to enhance and enrich our life is true wealth.

When making a vessel I try to put something of myself in each piece. I may pull from my family history by impressing a Latvian symbol in the clay, or use flowers and leaves to remind me of my love for nature."

I love working in clay so it's not a surprise that we have a lot of pottery at Carolina Creations, and since I work in clay I can spot well designed and executed work in a flash.

Brookgreen Garden and Myrtle Beach Aquarium Visit

Michael and I have driven by Brookgreen Gardens dozens of times but we were always rushing to or from somewhere. Well I finally made it. It was beautiful!

I visited just after a hard freeze so there wasn't much in bloom but it was stunning all the same.

The garden was founded in 1931 by Archer and Anna Hyatt Huntington. Anna was a sculptor, there are many of her sculptures featured throughout the gardens. With over 1400 individual sculptures you can spend several days exploring.

All the sculptures have one thing in common. They are all figurative.

The Garden sits on over 9000 in South Carolina's low country.

This was my favorite!

The Garden was made up from several adjacent rice plantations.

In addition to the garden there is also a zoo.

In one of the galleries (there are 4 or 5) was a show that included this painting that looks just like Glenwood Canyon.

Then we went to the aquarium. I was impressed.

You walk through a tunnel of glass so are surrounded by water and fish. Very nice.

Then on the way out of town I had to stop to shoot this photo.

Quintessential Myrtle Beach!

14kt gold and sterling silver jewelry by Kyle Leister

I got to see one of my favorite artists a few weeks ago - Kyle Leister!

Here are the pieces I brought back with me, they are beautiful.

"I have always been intrigued by the allure of metal and of jewelry. Jewelry as a gift is associated with affection or honor, in and to the owner, a piece of jewelry can become a personal treasure." Kyle says.

Her work is sterling silver, 14t gold and precious stones. Click on image for more information.

Sterling silver, 14kt gold and iolite

 Sterling silver, 14kt gold and orange tourmaline

Sterling silver, 14kt gold and diamonds.