Invitation Magazine - March 2024

fashion fitness women

TAI CHI GUNG TAUGHT

FEATURES

FEATURES

28 Back to Paris

An Oxford handbag and jewelry designer returns to Paris Fashion Week.

32 Finding Tai Chi Gung

As the only tai chi gung teacher in the state, a Tupelo woman passes on her knowledge of an ancient practice.

36 The Ears Have It

An Oxford teen hones her business and creative skills by making and selling colorful clay earrings.

40 Full Court Press

On and off the court, the Ole Miss women’s basketball team exhibits spunk and style inspired and encouraged by their tenacious leader.

36

32

LETTER from the PUBLISHER

Drip in the Sip. The slogan has caught fire the past couple of years in social media promotions and even recruiting campaigns for Ole Miss Athletics, generating buzz and capitalizing on the fashion-forward style of Oxford and Ole Miss.

Last month, it was used to describe the Ole Miss women’s basketball team in an SEC Network piece during their television broadcast of the Feb. 18 Ole Miss vs. MSU women’s basketball game. The network highlighted players, including Madison Scott and others, who have stylish fashion looks all to their own.

When we began discussing how we could incorporate fashion and fitness and

women in this issue, I knew immediately that Ole Miss women’s basketball had it all. A bid to the Sweet Sixteen a year ago this month, a trip abroad during the summer to some of the world’s most beautiful places, and yes, “Drip in the Sip.” Turn to page 40 to see that style and to read about their tenacious leader, Coach Yo.

We also have an update in this magazine about Oxford artist and designer Timber Heard who made her second appearance with her handmade bags and jewelry at Paris Fashion Week and was highlighted in Vogue magazine. Flip to page 28 for more on her.

We rounded out this issue with stories on

the ancient practice of tai chi gung, currently being taught in Tupelo by a woman who is the only teacher of it in the state (page 32), and an Oxford teenager who has built her own small business making cute and creative earrings (page 36).

Finally, we are highlighting some trendy spring fashion accessories in a special advertising section that starts on page 24.

Thank you for picking up this magazine and supporting Invitation!

RACHEL M. WEST, PUBLISHER

PUBLISHER

Rachel West

EDITORIAL

EDITORIAL DIRECTOR

Emily Welly

EXECUTIVE EDITOR

Leslie Criss

EVENTS EDITOR

Carleigh Harbin

FOOD EDITOR

Sarah Godwin

COPY EDITOR

Ashley Arthur

SOCIAL MEDIA COORDINATOR

Jennie Lee

ART CREATIVE DIRECTOR

Holly Vollor

STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Joe Worthem

CONTRIBUTING

PHOTOGRAPHERS

Carleigh Harbin

Jiwon Lee

Lisa Roberts

Whitney Worsham

Ole Miss Athletics

CONTRIBUTING ILLUSTRATOR

Sarah Godwin OFFICE

BUSINESS MANAGER

Hollie Hilliard

DISTRIBUTION

Allen Baker

Brian Hilliard

MAIN OFFICE 662-234-4008

ADVERTISING ADVERTISING CONSULTANTS

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ADVERTISING DESIGNERS

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ADVERTISING INFORMATION

ads@invitationoxford.com

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Invitation Magazines respects the many diverse individuals and organizations that make up north Mississippi and strives to be inclusive and representative of all members of our community.

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COMING UP IN OUR COMMUNITY

MARCH 2024

OXFORD

Oxford Wee Cycle

MARCH 1-2

Find gently used children’s clothing, furniture, toys and books plus baby gear and maternity items at this anticipated consignment sale. Volunteers and consignors shop during presale hours Friday evening; general public shops 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Saturday (half-price sales start at 4 p.m.) Details available online. Oxford Activity Center. oxfordweecycle.com

Parade of Beauties

MARCH 2

The Ole Miss Student Activities Association sponsors the Parade of Beauties pageant. The winner will be crowned Most Beautiful. 2 p.m., the Ford Center. olemiss.edu

Ole Miss Women’s Basketball

MARCH 3

The Lady Rebels host the last basketball game of the regular season against Arkansas. 4 p.m., the Pavilion. olemisssports.com

HOLIDAYS

DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS March 10

SPRING BREAK

March 11-15

*for most local schools

ST. PATRICK'S DAY March 17

EASTER SUNDAY March 31

YAC Student Art Show

MARCH 4-APRIL 28

Artwork by Lafayette County students from pre-K through high school seniors is displayed in a juried show at the Ulysses “Coach” Howell Activity Center. Winning artwork, based on age categories, will be announced April 15. oxfordarts.com

“Come From Away”

MARCH 5

An inspiring, Tony Award-winning musical about the remarkable true story of a small town in Newfoundland that opened its homes to 7,000 stranded air travelers on 9/11. Tickets from $55. 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center. fordcenter.org

Thacker Mountain Radio

MARCH 7, 21, 28

Join Thacker Mountain Radio hosts Jim Dees with Paul Tate and the Yalobushwhackers live this month for a variety of authors and musicians. 6 p.m. March 7 at the Powerhouse; 5 p.m. March 21 at the Ford Center; and 6 p.m. March 28 at the Lyric.

thackermountain.com

Ole Miss Men’s Basketball

MARCH 9

The Rebels take on Texas A&M in the last game of the regular season. 2 p.m., the Pavilion. olemisssports.com

Lafayette County PRCA Rodeo

MARCH 15-16

Professional rodeo makes a stop in Oxford. Events include bareback riding, steer wrestling, team roping, saddle bronc riding, calf roping, ladies barrel racing and bull riding. Tickets $20; $15 for children ages 4-12; free for kids 3 and under. Gates open at 6 p.m., the big show starts at 7:30 p.m., Lafayette County Multipurpose Arena. rodeomedia.ticketleap.com/oxfordprcarodeo

Ole Miss Baseball

MARCH 15-17

Ole Miss hosts its first SEC series of the season against South Carolina. Game times are 6:30 p.m. Friday; 1 p.m. Saturday; and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. Swayze Field. olemisssports.com

Oxford Film Festival

MARCH 21-24

Screen short and feature-length films in both showcase and competition settings at this highly anticipated, family-friendly event. More information and complete schedule available online. The Powerhouse. ox-film.com

St. Paddy’s Pub Crawl

MARCH 23

The 15th annual pub crawl will stop at Harrison’s, Moe’s, the Round Table, the Library, Funky’s, Rooster’s and the Blind Pig. There will be giveaways and a contest for best dressed. 3 p.m., Harrison’s 1810. facebook.com/groups/oxfordpubcrawl

“Shrek The Musical”

MARCH 26

Fall in love all ogre again at this hilarious musical stage adaptation of the film. Tickets from $50. 7:30 p.m., the Ford Center. fordcenter.org

OLE MISS ATHLETICS

NORTHEAST

JA Corinth Charity Ball

MARCH 2

Junior Auxiliary of Corinth hosts its “Night of the Century” Charity Ball. The event includes dinner and dancing, living ads, entertainment by Almost Famous and the presentation of the Citizen of the Year award. Doors open at 5:30 p.m., dinner at 6 p.m., The Standard, Corinth. facebook.com/jacorinth

Porch Music Tour

MARCH 3

Sean Dietrich, aka Sean of the South, plays guitar, sings, tells stories, and follows the show with a book signing and meet-andgreet. Tickets, $35. Doors open at 2 p.m.; show starts at 3 p.m., the Link Centre, Tupelo. Read more about Sean of the South on page 20. facebook.com/LinkCentreTup

“Transitions” Reception

MARCH 8

Celebrate artist Jere Allen’s current Gumtree exhibit at an opening reception that also features Berry Walker on guitar. The exhibit is on display March 1-30; the opening reception is from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. March 8, Gumtree Museum of Art, Tupelo. gumtreemuseum.com

Monster Jam

MARCH 9-10

Monster trucks smash and crash over rugged terrain. Tickets from $25. 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. Saturday; 1 p.m. Sunday, Cadence Bank Arena, Tupelo. cb-arena.com

We Are Messengers

MARCH 14

We Are Messengers brings its “Where the Joy Is” tour to Tupelo for a night of worship and fellowship in conjunction with Eight Days of Hope’s effort to rebuild

Amory homes that were destroyed in the March 2023 tornado. Free admission; suggested donation of $20 at the door to support the victims of the 2023 Amory tornado. 7 p.m., Cadence Bank Arena. Read more about Eight Days of Hope’s rebuilding efforts on page 20.

eightdaysofhope.com

Tupelo Con

MARCH 16-17

This multigenre event includes an Exhibitors’ Hall, a cosplay contest, special guests and more. Purchase presale weekend passes online, $25 for adults; $10 for ages 6-12; free for ages 5 and under. Saturday 10 a.m.-7 p.m.; Sunday noon-6 p.m., Tupelo Furniture Market.

tupelocon.org

Bud & Burgers

MARCH 22

Downtown Tupelo Main Street Association

and Mitchell Distributing host the ninth annual Bud & Burgers competition. Tickets, sold at the gate, include samples of all burgers and a chance to vote for the “People’s Choice” winner. 6-9 p.m., 108 S. Broadway St., Tupelo. tupelomainstreet.com

Raising The Barre Gala

MARCH 23

This second annual fundraiser gala celebrates Tupelo Ballet. Tickets, $50. Sponsorships also available. 7-11 p.m., Tupelo Country Club.

tupeloballet.com

Time for Tupelo

MARCH 23

Celebrate the Tupelo spirit by volunteering to beautify the community during this annual service event. Sign up to participate online. Volunteers meet at Fairpark for a pep rally at 9 a.m. before working on a variety of projects from 9:30-11 a.m. For more information, contact Kathryn Rhea at ktb@tupeloms.gov or 901-871-3353.

“Spirit of the Wild”

MARCH 23

The NMSO welcomes Titus Underwood, principal oboe of the Nashville Symphony Orchestra for the “Spirit of the Wild” oboe concerto and a Vivaldi concerto with NMSO principal oboe Austin Smith. Additionally, NMSO presents “New Morning for the World” by Joseph Schwantner, featuring Tupelo’s own Zell Long delivering the powerful words of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Tickets $10-$30. 7:30 p.m., Harrisburg Baptist Church. nmsymphony.com

SHOUTOUTS

Sean of the South Brings Porch Music Tour to Tupelo

Sean Dietrich, perhaps better known to his fans as Sean of the South, makes a stop in Tupelo early this month at the Link Centre as part of his Porch Music Tour. The tour is named after an album released in September 2023 containing 17 songs, including some of Dietrich’s favorite old hymns.

A man of myriad talents, Dietrich and his wife Jamie, who now call Birmingham, Alabama, home, travel to towns near and far, large and small where they are welcomed by medium-sized crowds to standing room only gatherings. He’s even been center stage at the Grand Ole Opry several times.

No matter the number, audience members are treated to an hour or so of Dietrich doing what he does: playing piano, guitar, harmonica; singing a song or two or more; and telling stories that have the power to evoke all the emotions — from uproarious laughter to heart-tugging tears to pure, undiluted wonder.

And after he’s held forth, he stays around another few hours to shake hands, hug necks, sign books and chat with those

who’ve just seen Dietrich for the first time or old friends who’ve lost count of the times they’ve been in his audience.

Dietrich writes a daily column, is the author of 15 books and is a storyteller who lauds the very best of humanity to be found across the South. He writes and speaks about all aspects of life, including his love of dogs, Waffle House, his family, good barbecue and

Eight Days of Hope Plans

biscuits, his wife and the occasional beer.

He also uses his platform to share the stories of others — stories of grace and goodness, kindness and compassion, magic and miracles — the kind of stories the world needs more of these days.

Dietrich’s Link Centre appearance is at 3 p.m. March 3. Learn more about the Porch Music Tour at seandietrich.com.

Post-Tornado Rebuild in Monroe County

Just days after an EF-3 tornado hit the city of Amory in Monroe County in March 2023, Eight Days of Hope’s Rapid Response Team was on the scene. For two weeks, workers shoveled mud, cut trees, removed

debris from homes and offered hope to those who lost much in the deadly storm.

Now a year later, Tupelo-based EDOH will revisit Amory March 9 through March 16 for its 20th rebuilding outreach project. The plan is for more than 1,200 volunteers to work with around 100 families whose lives were disrupted last March.

In Amory, the tornado damaged more than 1,500 homes. The scope of damage runs the gamut, and many homeowners

have yet to repair their homes.

EDOH began in 2005 when a small group traveled to the Mississippi Gulf Coast after Hurricane Katrina. Their plan? To help repair or rebuild a few houses. The small group grew into nearly 700 volunteers who ended up helping 84 families.

Two decades later, Tupelo is national headquarters to Eight Days of Hope, which has grown into a nonprofit, charitable organization that exists to love and serve those in need affected by natural and human disasters through repairing and building projects.

To volunteer or offer financial support to EDOH, visit eightdaysofhope.com.

SHOUTOUTS

2024 Double Decker Arts Festival on Tap for Late April

It’s never too early to make plans to attend Oxford’s annual Double Decker Arts Festival. This year’s festival will return to the Square April 26 and 27 where about 150 vendors of a variety of art, food and beverages will be on hand.

The music lineup for the festival weekend, announced in January, includes Flatland Cavalry, Conner Smith and Grace Bowers on Friday of the festival. Saturday’s entertainment offerings will by Jamie Wyatt, Billy Allen and the Pollies; Neal Francis; Charlie Mars; Bass Drum of Death; Christone “Kingfish” Ingram and headliner, Brittany Howard, former lead vocalist of Alabama Shakes.

Also revealed in late January was the artwork that will grace this year’s festival T-shirts and posters. The artist who created the work is Oxford native Jules Mikell.

“I am just so happy to have my work chosen,” Mikell said. “It’s such a good thing to feel like a big part of this community.

“The first person I called was my sister (Virginia), who’s an art teacher at Lafayette High School. I was excited to share it with her.”

Be sure to pick up a copy of the April issue of Invitation for an insider’s guide and map to the festival.

Colorful SPRING SOBA SALAD

TRY THIS SIMPLE, SWEET-AND-SAVORY SPRING SALAD.

RECIPES BY SARAH GODWIN | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

This salad features Japanese soba noodles. Made from buckwheat flour, they pack a nutty flavor and dense texture. Here, the noodles are topped with a savory dressing and freshly cut spring vegetables for a bright seasonal flavor.

Soba Noodle SALAD WITH Ginger Sesame DRESSING

¼ cup rice vinegar

2 tablespoons coconut aminos or soy sauce

½ teaspoon sesame oil

2 teaspoons grated ginger

2 teaspoons grated garlic

1 tablespoon honey

6 ounces soba noodles

Sliced avocado, for garnish

Sliced radish, for garnish

Sliced watermelon radish, for garnish

Sliced English cucumber, for garnish

Blanched sugar snap peas, for garnish

Steamed edamame, for garnish

Mint leaves, for garnish

In a medium bowl, whisk together rice vinegar, coconut aminos, sesame oil, ginger, garlic and honey to make the Ginger Sesame Dressing. Set the dressing aside.

Bring 4-5 cups water to a boil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add soba noodles, and cook until noodles are soft, 5-6 minutes. Transfer noodles to a colander, and rinse with cold water. Transfer cooled noodles to a large bowl, and toss with Ginger Sesame Dressing. Serve noodles in shallow bowls topped with garnishes of your choice.

WONDERS

PETIT MOYEN MESSENGER STYLE ASSEMBLY POPPYLAND HEADBANDS “PARTEE” AND “BUTTERFLY”

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JUICE KIDS

HOO HOOPS OXFORD RX

ODISEI SNEAKER NEILSON'S

HOKA BONDI 8 WOMEN’S RUNNING SHOE CORE CYCLE & OUTDOOR

BENE SAMUEL BAG IN ROSE GOLD JANE

KREWE DU OPTIC, MATTE OYSTER 24K ST LOUIS SUNGLASSES A LOOK AHEAD

E NEWTON STACK OLIVE JUICE

GOODR OPC TENNIS SHOP

PREMIUM LEATHER CUSTOM BELTS

BLUE DELTA

LULULEMON EVERYWHERE BELT BAG IN TRUE NAVY

CORE OXFORD

TO OUR ADVERTISERS FOR SUPPORTING THIS SPECIAL SECTION:

A LOOK AHEAD

BLUE DELTA

CORE CYCLE AND OUTDOORS

CORE OXFORD

JANE

NEILSON’S

OLIVE JUICE GIFTS

OLIVE JUICE KIDS

OPC TENNIS SHOP

OXFORD RX

STYLE ASSEMBLY

AN OXFORD HANDBAG AND JEWELRY DESIGNER RETURNS TO PARIS FASHION WEEK.

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

PHOTOSHOOT STYLED BY SARAH GODWIN

MODELED BY JIWON LEE

For the second time, Oxford artist Timber Heard has played a part in Paris Fashion Week. The designer of bags and jewelry had the opportunity to attend the famous fashion week at the end of September and beginning of October. Her work was showcased, and, at the end of the show, the designers — including Heard — were introduced as they walked

Continued on page 30

Earrings by Timber Heard, modeled by Jiwon Lee

Continued from page 28

the runway.

“It was so much fun,” Heard said. “It is such a blessing to be able to do something like this.”

Some of Heard’s work, along with that of other local artists, is on display and for sale now through March 29 in a Yoknapatawpha Arts Council-sponsored show, “Gifts of Love,” at the Powerhouse.

Her work is featured on the cover of this issue of Invitation.

Heard, pictured below, right, learned to sew when she was 8 and began making handcrafted bears and dolls. In her teen years, she traded those for handcrafted handbags and jewelry. Later, she added beading to her artistry, and it’s all done under Heard’s business, Talitha Kumi Jewelry & Handbags.

Talitha Kumi is the transcription of an Aramaic phrase found in the New Testament, Mark 5:41. It’s the phrase Jesus said when he raised from the dead the 12-year-old daughter of Jairus, a synagogue ruler. The words mean, “Little girl, I say to you, get up.”

It’s exactly what the 33-year-old Heard did when she started her design business.

“Creativity is a gift,” she said. “If God gives you a gift, you have to get up and go with it, don’t you?”

Visit talithakumijewels.com to see more of Heard’s work.

Timber Heard

This hand-beaded Timber Heard bag recently sold in Yoknapatawpha Arts Council’s “Gifts of Love” show and sale.

FindingTaiChi Gung

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS | ILLUSTRATED BY SARAH GODWIN

AS THE ONLY TAI CHI GUNG TEACHER IN THE STATE, A TUPELO WOMAN PASSES ON HER KNOWLEDGE OF AN ANCIENT PRACTICE.

Though it’s a practice that has been around for more than 3,000 years, people have only recently begun to become aware of tai chi gung.

Odds are words like tai chi and yoga are, at the very least, a part of one’s basic vocabulary. And Google references to both abound. Learning about tai chi gung, however, takes a bit more digging.

A primary distinction between other tai chis and tai chi gung is that tai chi gung is not considered a martial art.

Its history is a storied and rich one. A holy man from India, Boganathar (later renamed Lao Tzu) went to China and spent years engrossed in nature.

His quest was to find answers to his questions regarding why the physical body ages and passes away. His search led him to develop a method of movement and breathing that created energy that could regenerate the body.

He was asked to share things he’d learned to help Emperor Chen, who was ill and bedridden. Over a period of time, the emperor got better and, in fact, lived another 30 years. After the emperor died, Lao Tzu was asked to pass on his teachings, but he felt unworthy to teach others. Instead, he left China for the Himalayas, where he taught a dozen lamas (spiritual leaders) and started a school in Darchen, Tibet. This was where tai chi gung had its beginnings. The purpose of tai chi gung is health and spirituality.

“The idea of teaching tai chi gung master to student has been a way of keeping the practice pure,” said Anne Babb Roberts. “It was not opened to the world until 2020.”

The 74-year-old Tupelo woman is currently the only tai chi gung teacher in the state of Mississippi. But before she was a teacher, she was, of course, a student.

In 2015, Roberts was driving often from her Greenwood home to Corinth to

spend time with her mother who was ill.

“I was on the road so much from the Delta to Corinth. My mother was dying,” Roberts said. “Truthfully, I was not in the best of health.”

Her mother’s death in 2018 had a profound impact on Roberts, who was soon after diagnosed with Meniere’s disease and lost the hearing completely in one ear. She couldn’t walk well because of bad knees, and she’d been told she needed knee replacements. She’d given up on her beloved music thanks to painful, frozen fingers and

low self-esteem. She also worried a lot about the state of the country and the world.

In 2020, Roberts heard an online message by Master Lama Rasaji. It’s not an exaggeration to say it was the beginning of a changed life for Roberts.

“His words resonated with me,” she said. “In ’21, I read his book, ‘Circle of Chi’ and started doing Emperor’s Choice exercises. I did them seated because I was unable then to do them standing.”

In time, Roberts realized she was getting stronger as she continued with the daily practice of tai chi gung. She was walking better with much less pain. And in July 2021, she was hospitalized with COVID-19 and pneumonia. She leaned heavily on her tai chi gung breathing exercises.

“I didn’t sleep; I just breathed,” she said, smiling. “After three days in the hospital, the doctor was going to send me home with oxygen, but he told me he didn’t know what was going on, but I apparently did not need it.”

Roberts has done tai chi gung every day since March 2022. She didn’t decide to teach until 2023. She continues to take four online classes each week from her teacher, Master David Paul, who is currently the only master tai chi gung teacher in North America.

The differences the gentle exercises have made in Roberts are many. She’s back to playing piano and singing — her fingers no longer give her as much trouble or pain. And thanks to a refreshed estimation of herself,

she doesn’t give much thought these days to whether she’s good enough. She hasn’t been able to stop all her worries about the country and world, but she has the tools needed to calm her thoughts.

“The best thing that’s happened to me, I think, is I feel so much love toward people,” she said. “More than I ever have before.”

Hank Roberts, her husband of 51 years, has noticed the changes in his wife.

“He is a great supporter,” she said, smiling. “He will tell people how good tai chi gung has been for me. But he also tells me, ‘Just don’t expect me to do it.’”

Roberts teaches two classes of tai chi gung — one standing, one sitting — once a week at her church. She teaches another class at The Dance Studio of Tupelo.

A typical tai chi gung class begins with soft instrumental music and a reciprocated reverence among students and teacher. Comfortable clothes are necessary; shoes on or off is a matter of personal preference. The exercises are always done in the same order in each 45-minute to hour-long class.

“This is not like going to the gym,” Roberts said. “These are a system of exercises that works from the inside out. They are such beautiful, gentle movements you might not think you are doing exercise.”

Roberts is accustomed to students’ post-class comments such as, “so relaxed,” “mood is lifted” and “feel so much lighter.”

Martha Ann Staub, 83, spends one day

each week joining both the standing and seated classes of tai chi gung. She has put what she’s learned to use in her daily life, especially when shopping.

“I was standing in line at the grocery store recently,” Staub said. “I have no patience. There were about five people in front of me, and I was agitated. I thought about the figure 8 exercise we do in class and wondered if anyone would notice if I did it while standing in line. So, I did it, and it released so much tension, calmed me down. It really helps.”

After a fall, Pat Bobo, 86, had shoulder surgery. She credits tai chi gung for helping in her recovery.

“It helped with the pain, but mostly it helped so much with my balance,” Bobo said. “It’s good fellowship, too.”

Roberts plans to continue to learn about and share tai chi gung with her students.

“These are regenerative exercises for mind, body and spirit,” Roberts said. “Tai chi gung can make a difference in your life. It has mine.”

FIND A CLASS

Anne Babb Roberts

The Ears Have It

AN OXFORD TEEN HONES HER BUSINESS AND CREATIVE SKILLS BY MAKING AND SELLING COLORFUL CLAY EARRINGS.

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS | PHOTOGRAPHED BY JOE WORTHEM

In the many months of the global COVID-19 pandemic, people discovered different ways of dealing with being housebound. Some baked bread, some caught up on their reading, some streamed all manner of movies and series and others picked out, practiced or perfected their art of choice.

Oxford-born Callie Bennett decided to make her own earrings. She was 12 at the time. It was not something she’d done before, but she watched a video she found on Pinterest and felt brave enough to give it a try.

“I had gotten my ears pierced a year or two before,” said Bennett, now 16 and a sophomore at Oxford High School. “I needed something to do during the quarantine. So, I ordered with my allowance the stuff I needed to get started.”

Her initial creative endeavors, she admitted, were “pretty bad,” but persistence and practice pointed her in a direction nearer perfection.

“Those early ones were certainly not the best. But in my eyes, they were great,” she said. “There was definitely a learning curve.”

In the beginning, Bennett used a rolling pin and cookie cutters for working with the polymer clay she uses for her earrings. But as she continued creating, she discovered better ways to do that. She invested in a

pasta maker she could use to roll out the polymer clay.

Today, Bennett is passionate about color, and she loves coming up with unique color combinations. Her jewelry often reflects specific holidays — Valentine’s Day, Christmas, Halloween — or the seasons, with items like colorful spring butterflies or Ole Miss football-themed earrings.

She has continued to learn more about jewelry making from Instagram and YouTube videos and has found there’s always something new to discover. In fact, after she’d been using resin in her process for a while, she learned something new from her continuing education.

“I didn’t know, but using resin is kind of dangerous,” she said, laughing. “I had always used it inside, but apparently the fumes are not good. Now I do all my resin work outside.”

After her 13th birthday in October 2020, Bennett, with the blessing and support of her parents, Amanda and Scott Bennett, created a shop on Etsy for showcasing and selling her colorful earrings.

That shop, Cgb Crafts Jewelry (the “Cgb” is for Callie Grace Bennett), is still open and has done well.

Bennett also posts her latest creations, product launches and flash sales on her Instagram page, @cgb_crafts.

Bennett has also tried her hand selling

at a few local arts festivals, such as Water Valley’s Watermelon Festival, Bruce’s Sawmill Festival and Tallahatchie Riverfest in New Albany.

“My dad helps me get everything set up, and my good friend Eden Bodie usually goes with me and suffers through the heat,” Bennett said. “So many of the festivals are when it’s so hot.”

She also has a space in Memphis at Arrow Creative where she sells her earrings. And, yes, she will happily work on commission.

She doesn’t think her art abilities have much to do with genetics, but she has always had a penchant for artistic projects.

“I think I’ve always wanted to be creative. Even when I was a little girl, I was always cutting up little pieces of paper all over the house. I could make a mess,” Bennett said. “My brother likes to draw, but my parents are not particularly artsy. My mom’s a first-grade teacher.”

Though she’s got plenty of time to plan her future, Bennett, whose favorite subject is math, would like to study architecture. Still, she’s likely not going to give up on her earring making any time soon.

“I’m not sure it will always be earrings,” she said. “One day it might evolve into something else, but for now, I get inspiration from others, and I love coming up with new ideas for my earrings. I am definitely having fun being creative.”

Full Court Press

ON AND OFF THE COURT, THE OLE MISS WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM EXHIBITS SPUNK AND STYLE INSPIRED AND ENCOURAGED BY THEIR TENACIOUS LEADER.

WRITTEN BY LESLIE CRISS

PHOTOS CONTRIBUTED BY OLE MISS ATHLETICS

After nearly five years at Ole Miss, Yolett McPhee-McCuin has become quite the fixture on campus and in the community. Folks who follow women’s basketball know her better as Coach Yo, head coach of the Lady Rebels.

Coaching, for McPhee-McCuin, is not really a job, but something much more.

“For me, coaching is a ministry,” she said. “I try to focus on teaching and developing and inspiring every student athlete I come into contact with. Sometimes that’s on the court, but it’s also off the court. I want to not only develop them as basketball players, but also as people of integrity.”

Thanks to Tevin Shears, manager of creative content for the team, the Lady Rebels are often recognized for their fashion sense. The student athletes have had fun posing for several fashion photo shoots.

“That’s all Tevin,” McPhee-McCuin said. “He is the mastermind behind the

fashion. And what 17- to 21-year-old doesn’t like taking pictures?”

Promoting the team is what Shears does, but his level of creativity is evident.

“The team members enjoy dressing for occasions,” he said. “They each have their own sense of style. The photo shoots we’ve done, in the tunnel and other places, are a way for them to be themselves. They dress for class or they are in their basketball clothes. The fashion shoots are a way for them to be more comfortable showing who they are.”

Helping her team members become the best version of themselves is important to McPhee-McCuin as well, and they spend time on finding what that might look like. In addition to displaying their off-court fashion, the Lady Rebels enjoyed several career highlights in the past two years.

For the past two seasons, McPheeMcCuin has coached her team to a top-four finish in the SEC as well as the semifinals of the SEC tournament. Last March, the team picked up its first NCAA tourney win since

McPhee-McCuin with her daughters, Yuri, 6, and Yasmine, 11.

2007 to advance to the round of 32.

“The NCAA tourney was incredible,” McPhee-McCuin said. “It allowed us to make history and build a profile of Ole Miss on the national scene.”

Last year the team traveled to Italy to play basketball. Again, the team members impressed even their coach with their sense of fashion.

“You know, there’s a lot of fashion in Europe,” McPhee-McCuin said. “Those players were amazing. They really embraced the culture, and fashion-wise they had a European flair to them that was impressive.”

While impressed with her team’s individual fashion flair, McPhee-McCuin claims that is not something she shares with the girls.

“Student athletes have some of the best fashion sense,” she said. “I am not fashionable like they are. But my two daughters, oh, my gosh. Especially my 6-year-old. I love seeing her discover her own style.”

Continued on page 46

Continued from page 45

The Lady Rebels

Since Yolett McPhee-McCuin, affectionately known as Coach Yo, arrived at Ole Miss about five years ago, the women’s basketball team has experienced and accomplished much, including:

Its first Sweet Sixteen appearance in 16 years in spring 2023

An international tour to Rome, Florence and the Amalfi Coast for three exhibition games in summer 2023

Success in the transfer portal, recruiting highly ranked players from top programs

Senior Madison Scott joining Team USA U24 for games in Canada, Chile and France

Winning in overtime in back-to-back games for the first time in program history

Follow Ole Miss women’s basketball on Instagram @OleMissWBB or on facebook.com/OleMissWBB.

MISS NORTHEAST MISSISSIPPI

The Miss Northeast Mississippi Pageant took place Feb. 18 at Tupelo Civic Auditorium.

Stevie Billingsley

2. Amanda and Harper Umfess

3. Christina and Chloe Owens

4. Ella Butler and Emma Jo Stevens

5. Lucy Kate Hale, Ava Barber and Emery Jones

6. Hatleigh Hamblin and Saylor Payne

Erica and Sullivan Kate Hollaway

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

1.

7.

FATHER-DAUGHTER BALL

The 12th annual Kiwanis FatherDaughter Ball took place Feb. 10 at Crossroads Area in Corinth.

1. Stella and Alan Pratt with Nora and Trent Little

2. Brandon and Leah Reece

3. Leonard Pratt and Elle Sparks with Vivian and Brooks Pratt

4. Alli, Blair and Joshua Bryant with Bob and Kathryn Moore

5. Evie and Ben Tucker with Luke and Caroline White

6. Freddie, Serenity and Harmony Scruggs

7. Boyce and McCary Kate Hollingsworth

8. Andy, Betsy and Martha Butler

9. Kaylin, Jermaine, Kolbi and Tauren Duckett

10. Grace and G.T. McCullough

PHOTOS BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

Corinth Theatre-Arts presented the Broadway musical “Beauty and the Beast” Feb. 15-25. The production was sponsored by Guaranty Bank & Trust Company.

2. Cameron Townsend, Bennett Davis and Gigi deBourbon

3. Edyn Heath, Caleb Boswell and Laina McGee

PHOTOS BY WHITNEY WORSHAM

1. Heather Williams and Layla Murphy

4. Henry White and Janet Mai

5. Megan McMillin and Atalie Kate Hammock

6. Edyn Heath and Tonya James

7. Dallin Howell and Will Tatum

CHARITY BALL

The 61st annual Charity Ball was held Feb. 9 at Cadence Bank Arena.

The event is an annual fundraiser for the Junior Auxiliary of Tupelo. Proceeds help Junior Auxiliary with several service projects throughout the year.

1. Jennifer Hopkins, Lindsey Stevens and Nicole Kilman

2. Carleigh Martin, Shelby Burks, Sydney Ladd and Katelyn Cheney

3. Jullian Babb, Charlez Crayton, Andrea Lamen and Hannah Hawkins

4. Banna Robinson and Layla Pastis

5. Stewart Long, Tate Martin, Jackson Root, Charlie Weir, Jack Warren and Jack Spencer

6. Saxton McHenry, Max Enis, Walt Rose, William Henson, Clay Cordell, Miller McCoy and Bounds Simmons

7. Alexis Shumpert and Emily Sullivan

8. Mariah Morgan and Emiltah Prather

9. Michelle Hood, Jody Ausbern and Bela Wallace

10. Olivia Kate Mims and Jennifer McAdory

11. Erin Moore and Isabella Hodnett

12. Charlescee Depriest and London Jordan

13. Lacey Little and Anna Grant Kalhstorf

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

SUPER BOWL PARTY

Parkhill Dynasty, an events venue in Tupelo, held a Super Bowl watch party Feb. 11. The Kansas City Chiefs won 25-22 over the San Francisco 49ers in Super Bowl LVIII.

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

1. Johnny Lee

2. April Hoskins and Jeremiah Morris

3. Chris Terry, Neider Fears and Coty Barker

4. Michael Curry

5. Eloise and Kenneth Mayfield

KING CITY CLASSIC

The King City Classic, a show choir competition, took place Feb. 16-17 at Cadence Bank Arena in Tupelo.

Kate Mims and Avery Hood

3. Preston Hall, Molly Waterloo, Joseph McKinley and Madeline McRae

PHOTOS BY LISA ROBERTS

1. Lacy

2. Molli Kate Milstead, Celia Johnston, Anna Cash Sullivan and Carsyn Shafer

4. Jackson Prep Fusion parents and local family

5. Michelle Hood, Liz Beavers and Miley Wise

6. Wade Silverman, Wyatt Rohman, Lawence Asher and Clay Chastz

7. Jana McBeath, Anna Caroline Long, Leighton Denley and Amanda Lewis

8. William Brown, Tripp Sullivan and Caden Callison

9. Camille Lipsey and Colton Smith

10. Danielle Burk, Jessie Leddy and Tiffany Edwards

OUT & ABOUT

World School Cheer Championship

SUBMITTED

2. Heather Lucas and Madison Presley

3. Lilly, Lara and Gina Veal with Jenna Tate and Cassie Goines

4. Misty and Tyson Tayler with Heather Cayson Franks

5. Lara Evans and Heather Hastings

6. Rebecca Nelson and Suzi Altman

7. Sheryl and Harrison Sykes

8. Tina Jamison, Deloris Fields Jenkins and Debra Carouthers

3 5 2 1 4 CALENDAR | NOTEWORTHY | FASHION | FEATURES | EVENTS | LASTING IMPRESSIONS

Board and Brush

Suzi Altman Photography Exhibit

NEMCC Softball

KERMIT’S BAKERY

FOR 30 YEARS, TUPELO CUSTOMERS FLOCKED TO KERMIT’S BAKERY ON MAIN STREET.

For at least three decades, Kermit and Clara Summerford held a sweet spot on Tupelo’s Main Street. The twostory brick building, across from Reed’s, was the site of Kermit’s Bakery.

Kermit Summerford, who learned about the bakery business in Columbus, moved to Tupelo and worked in Toney’s Bakery in the early 1940s.

Toney’s was located on the first floor of the Kinney Hotel on Troy Street. In 1948, Summerford bought Toney’s and moved the business to Main Street and renamed it Kermit’s Bakery.

Summerford and wife Clara were at the bakery by 3 or 4 every morning, six days a week, said niece Lisa Summerford Buse.

Clara was ever present, taking care of customers and running the business, while her husband baked and decorated.

Buse went on Saturday mornings and stayed at the bakery while her dad, Lionel Summerford, Kermit’s brother, went to get a haircut.

“Talk about pure sugar,” Buse said, laughing. “Uncle Kermit would give me a little white paper sack and tell me to get whatever I wanted.

“When I turned 13, he made my birthday cake that looked like a baby grand piano. I didn’t play, but he always wanted me to,” she recalled. “He also made my wedding cake.”

Kermit’s was the place for fresh doughnuts, which were always half price when they became “day-old.”

Tupelo-born Vicki Helms Carter, longtime resident of New Jersey, remembers Kermit’s cream horns. And she is not alone. Several who shared their Kermit’s memories included cream horns as their favorite treats.

Summerfield sold Kermit’s in the early

“WHEN I WAS A CHILD WE LIVED OUT IN THE COUNTRY IN EAST TUPELO. EVERY SATURDAY WE USUALLY ‘WENT TO TOWN,’ AND THAT TRIP ALWAYS ENDED WITH A STOP AT KERMIT’S BAKERY FOR CREAM HORNS. THEY WERE JUST THE BEST TASTE OF HAPPINESS IN THE WORLD!”

— DEBRA BYRD, TUPELO

1970s. He later served several terms as a Tupelo city alderman. He died in 1990. The building at 124 West Main Street has, in the years since the bakery, held multiple businesses, including Kermit’s Outlaw Kitchen, and it will soon be home to Van Atkins Jewelers.

At top, a painting of Kermit's Bakery by Fulton artist Laura Summerford, a distant relative of Kermit Summerford.

At right, Kermit Summerford decorates a cake while wife Clara looks on.

LAURA SUMMERFORD