All About Women July 2016

All About

WOMEN J u ly 2 0 1 6

freree

Molly Northern A Passion for All Things Beautiful

special

Home edition

This is home.

Discover the quality, selection and value of Appalachian Furniture.

Living Room / Dining Room / Bedroom / Mattresses / Accessories

2016

Voted Best of the Best 6 years in a row 2550 HWY 421 NORTH • BOONE, NC 28607 • 828.297.5055 • VISIT US ON FACEBOOK

VISIT OUR FOSCOE SHOWROOM TO SEE OUR FULL COLLECTION OF STRESSLESS FURNITURE Rest Well Live Better

8859 NC-105, BOONE, NC 28607 • (828) 963-5503 WWW.BLACKBERRYMATTRESS.COM

publisher Gene Fowler

‘

executive editor

It takes hands to build a house, but only hearts can build a home.

’

- unknown

Tom Mayer

editor Sherrie Norris sherrie@aawmag.com 828.264.3612, ext. 4051

writers Emily Apple Heather Brandon Bonnie Church Jeff Eason Marion Edwards Hollie Greene James Howell Heather Jordan Mary McKinney Sue Spirit Lauren Stengele

production & design Meleah Bryan Brandon Carini Kristin Obiso Megan Sheppard

advertising Rick Tobin 828.773.0406

Photo by Megan Sheppard

cover photo

by Alison Idol

Any reproduction of news articles, photographs or advertising artwork is strictly prohibited without permission from management. ©Copyright 2016 A Mountain Times Publication

contents

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women in the news sears grace ward living well marriage and family corner tatum galleries boone paint molly northern northern parker interiors mary methvin beauty meachele martin blowing rock tour of homes young at heart debbie banner travel mom’s world cynthia wilson bolick children’s council fashion by the book

Special Home Section pages 17-33

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editor’s note

Welcome to our inaugural home edition. I have always been intrigued by homes — any size, any design, and the fact that they all have a story. I was raised in a small brick home in Crossnore — three bedrooms housed five kids, our parents and our maternal grandmother who spent about half the year with us. I have to believe she could breathe a bit easier during the other six months spent with my aunt in New Jersey. The living space there was always a bit more opulent and a place I, too, loved to visit.

As a young girl, I loved to draw houses. In my home economics class during middle school, I loved that Jane Clark assigned us the task of creating a “magazine” of sorts, with pictures of our dream home, including the exterior on the cover, with the inside pages depicting each room therein.

I made an A-plus on that project, one of my favorites of all time, and something still in my possession today.

It was uncanny, I thought some 25 years later, how it resembled the home that I was eventually able to call my own: a brick ranch with three bedrooms, a large kitchen, den, living room, dining room, laundry room and game room.

Prior to moving into that lovely home, I had lived in a mobile home twice, an apartment, a small stick-built to which we “added on” when I learned I was pregnant, and twice back to the little brick home where I was raised.

That’s where Garrett and I were living when our knight in shining armor whisked us away to Boone. I felt like Cinderella moving into her castle. I finally knew the meaning of a “real home” — a beautiful, peaceful place filled with love where I felt safe and secure — and yes, a bit spoiled. It felt right, and even more so when I realized that it truly was my dream home. We did some renovating, but refused to touch the basement floor — covered with carpet squares of every color and design imaginable. We were never without a conversation topic when we entertained on that level! Ten years later, we decided to downsize and move “down on the river” to Van’s family land where we had earlier built a rental cabin. We had our original builder return to the scene, and before long, the downsizing had gone out the window as we nearly doubled in size. Plus, we actually lived there through the construction, which was challenging, to say the least, but rewarding in the end.

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Today, as I sit on our front porch in the middle of nature, I savor the beauty of my surroundings with a grateful heart.

I recall each step of the journey, from one “house” to another, some more pleasant than others, and realize it was worth it all.

I am especially comforted when I think of my husband’s frequent words after a hard day at work, and realize I finally got it right —“There’s no place like home,” he says.

As you turn the following pages, I hope you get a feel for “home” as others define the word through their own eyes. Our thanks to all who have shared their stories and photos with us — from those who “make it happen” to those who simply enjoy life in the place they call home.

Living the dream,

WOMENINTHENEWS Artists showcase at BRAHM The Blowing Rock Art and History Museum continues to showcase local artists with the new exhibit “Inside 28605: Seven Artists’ Perspective.”

The theme of the show is “Blowing Rock, a town whose zip code is 28605.”

Utilizing this Blowing Rock theme, seven local artists have captured the spirit of the town’s streets, parks and shops interpreted through a variety of artistic media.

Artists in the group exhibition are Theresa Early Curd (fabric art, quilting), Kat Leahey (mixed media), Ellie Lyne (photography), Priscilla Popper (photography), Linda Dease Smith (fabric art, mixed media), Annie Stone (fabric art, mixed media) and LaMae Strange.

The exhibit runs from June 28 through July 24 in the Alexander Community Room at BRAHM. “Beginning with Judy Beck’s Artist’s Way group, we spun off 12 years ago forming our own artists group and continued our strive to recover creativity from a variety of blocks— fear, self-sabotage, procrastination and other inhibiting forces, replacing them with artistic confidence and strength,” says a spokesman for the group. “We give each other strength through our sharing and respect of one another, courage to perform in our art, as well as our lives. Reaching for our goals is no longer a possibility, but a probability.

We call ourselves a tribe. We motivate each other.”

For the past 12 years, the seven members of the group have met at each other’s homes twice a month. They have also taken field trips together to see museums and artists’ studios off of the mountain.

Last October the group of seven artists — which does not have an official name — presented an exhibit of blackand-white artwork at BRAHM. For more information, contact BRAHM at (828) 295-9099, or visit www. blowingrockmuseum.org.

- Jeff Eason

A group of local artists, including Theresa Early Curd, Kat Leahy, Ellie Lyne, Priscilla Popper, Linda Dease Smith, Annie Stone and LaMae Strange, has been meeting twice a month for the past 12 years. Photo by Jeff Eason

W dl Al Your Plumb Commercial & Residential • Water Heaters Drain Line Cleaning • Water Conditioning • Faucet Repairs Water Leak and Drain Line Repairs

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828.264.5406 • www.jeffsplumbingandrepair.com

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AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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Sponsored Content

Here to stay Father/daughter duo thriving at Sears Hometown Store

By Sherrie Norris

Like many students who come to Boone to study at Appalachian State University, Aubrie Rial loved the area so much that she didn’t want to leave after graduating in 2015. Her father, Brian Thrush, felt the same way about Boone, and together last year, they decided to purchase the Boone-based Sears Hometown Store at Boone Mall.

It was the perfect time and place to start a family business venture, the duo agrees. “It’s great to work together and be able to offer the community the same thing they can get from any Sears store or from the catalog,” says Brian.

While the Boone store features mainly appliances and lawn and garden equipment and tools for the house, Brian says, “We can get basically anything that our customers need or want from Sears, including clothing.”

When a lot of full-line Sears store are closing, the Boone store is doing very well as a hometown outlet store.

As a locally owned store, “not part of a corporation,” Brian says, the business thrives on offering its customers face-toface dependable service. “It makes a difference when you are dealing with someone in your own hometown, rather than online or overseas. We want everyone to feel at ease and to have a pleasant, personable experience with us.”

From expert advice on existing Searsbrand appliances, to helping homeowners plan for new fixtures in their dream home, Aubrie, Brian and their staff are pleased to provide a personal “family-like” experience for their customers.

Likewise, they have been welcomed by the community “with open arms,” they say, especially when people learn that they already lived here in the High Country community, that Aubrie graduated from App State in May 2015 (with a degree in psychology/concentration in business with a minor in marketing) and that they employ local residents.

“Thee are many positive things about a small, family-type business in a great 8

JULY 2016 | AAWMAG.COM

Aubrie Rial loves being in a business partnership with her father, Brian Thrush.

Photo by Sherrie Norris

community like Boone,” Aubrie says. She describes working alongside her father — and sharing his vision for their business — as a dream-come-true. They share a strong work ethic and strive to meet the needs of their customers in an efficient, professional manner that keeps them coming back, time after time.

Brian is proud to be in a successful business with his hardworking partner, he admits. “We get nothing but positive comments about Aubrie and the fact that she is so great to work with. That makes a difference to customers.”

The dynamic father-daughter duo is entrenched in the community through involvement of various civic clubs and supporters of numerous local projects.

“We try to be community minded and enjoy the opportunities we have to network with other business owners, who we find to be very helpful,” Aubrie says. “We like to support local businesses and organizations, and love being a part of a great

community for which Boone is known.

Everyone here is really friendly and helpful, and that’s we try to be, as well.”

The staff at the Boone Sears Hometown Store is all about customer service.

“We definitely take care of our customers,” Aubrie says. “We are here for them, whether in person or if they need to call us for assistance. We are not like those places you call in to and are put on hold forever, or transferred from one person to another, or never return a customer’s call. We want our customers to have a good experience before, during and after their purchase.”

Just like she was treated at App, Aubrie says, she wants people to feel special. “My professors wanted their students to succeed, and it worked best in a small classroom where we were able to stay focused and do just that. It’s the same way with our small business. Our customers are not just some number on a roster.”

And, as do customers at the Sears store before making a major decision, Aubrie had other options before settling on ASU. “She received academic scholarships and had offers to attend other colleges, but she chose App, instead,” says Brian.

“We are here to help,” Aubrie says.

“We always want to help — whether you are coming in just to look or are seriously considering a purchase — we want to be the helping hand and the friendly face that you remember long after you leave.”

They are in it for the long-haul, Aubrie and Brian agree, with hopes for future expansion.

The beauty of the mountains — “and the wonderful people” — are what drew the family to the mountains. “And it’s what keeps us here,” Brian says.

Hours of operation at Sears of Boone: Mon. – Fri. 9:30 am – 8 p.m. ; Sat 9 a.m. – 6 p.m. Sunday noon – 5 p.m.

For more information, call (828) 2647327, visit www.searshometownstores.com/ locations/boone-nc or find Sears Hometown Store of Boone on Facebook.

Get instant charm.

Update your home with these expert picks from designer Autumn Simmons, available exclusively from Town Home in Boone.

RUSTIC

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WILD CARD

Forged Iron House Numbers, $18 each

Cast woodland cabinet hardware, 3 finishes from $14

Rocky Mountain Rectangular Entry Door Hardware, from $660

Rocky Mountain Designer Patterns, from $1,070

Hardware

MOUNTAIN MODERN

Barndoors

IDEA

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Home Accessories

Barn Track Hardware Kits, from $339

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Custom Barnwood Doors, from $339

To bring instant charm to pantries, closets and family rooms, paint an existing door in a bright contrasting color, or use a reclaimed antique door hung on a barn track.

Designer Series Doors with inset leather, metal and glass options, from $500

Camp Stool,

by D.K. Whitson Furniture, $119 “Beaver Dam” Oil on Barnwood by Mable Studios, $800

Stunning Statement Piece, Flared Cherry Slab Table by Mable Studios, $6,800

IDEA Color Cord Pendants $40, Edison Bulbs, from $7

Painted board and batten, or shiplap paneling, creates instant charm as farmhouse interior paneling.

Weathered Sawn Rustic Oak Flooring, from $5.70 sq/ft

Bark House Laminate Paneling for interior walls, cabinetry and paneling, $38 sq/ft

Unlock Your Home’s Potential www.TownHomeStudio.com | 1435 Blowing Rock Rd-Boone | 828.263.1133

that Grace Ward is known as the queen of furniture around the High Country. It helps that she knows her business well and that she is always willing to help her customers find the perfect item to complete their home furnishings and decor.

Grace has served the area well for nearly two decades, continuing to successfully own and operate a family business that she helped establish in 1998.

Many people, especially those new to the area, are surprised at how her sprawling furniture store, starting out as a one-room showroom, has expanded over time to cover 18,000 square feet of space on three levels of the main building and a spacious mattress gallery across the street.

Not only are customers amazed by the space, but also by the large inventory of name-brand furniture Grace has available.

With the largest selection of furniture in the High Country, Grace’s store includes living room suites, sofas, loveseats, chairs, recliners — all available in leather or upholstery — occasional and accent tables, all sizes of dining tables, hutches and servers, lamps, desks, curios, pictures and accessories. The store also offers a wide selection of bedroom furniture.

“We have a huge line of vendors, including Bassett, Best Home Furnishings, Ashley, Coaster, Home Elegance, England/Lazy Boy, Holland House, Hackney, Country Expressions and locally handcrafted rustic furnishings,” she says.

Basically running a one-woman show, with the help of her sister, Merle Adams, and a competent delivery staff, it is Grace’s No. 1 goal to make sure that her customers receive top quality service.

Her store meets that goal easily, as evidenced by being named “Best of the Best Furniture Store” in the annual contest sponsored by Mountain Times Publications, six years running.

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Photo by Megan Sheppard

A friendly word and a warm smile are just two of the many reasons

Furnishing h t i w e m o h r you

Grace

‘Each day brings new challenges, new faces and new opportunities — and I love it all.’

- Grace Ward Is it difficult for a woman to own and operate her own business, we asked?

“There are always financial challenges, but I have a strong faith in the good Lord, and he always supplies my needs,” Grace says.

What does she love most about running a business? “The people. I just love people,” she answers. “I often have people stop into see me, second home customers especially this time of year, sometimes to buy and sometimes just to check on me.

That means the world to me.”

To what does she attribute her success as a business woman? “I try to listen to my customers,” she says. “It’s not about what I like, but what I hear other people say they like, want and need. If we don’t have it on the showroom, I’ll do my best to find it for them.”

With a natural ability to help customers find the perfect item or color, Grace has been asked, many times, to do in-home consultations, but time does not allow her to do so.

“But I love working with them and making suggestions,” she says. “They bring in their swatches, their pillows, paint or carpet samples, and I help them put their colors together for the perfect combination.”

Grace has seen a lot of changes in the furniture industry since she first got into the business. While some things have stayed the same, trends come and go, she says. “The cycles go from country and traditional to contemporary.”

It’s the same for colors, too, she adds, “always changing,” but it’s all about bright, bold colors, right now.

“At one time, everything was brown, but now we’re seeing lots of reds, yellows and greens,” she explains. “For a while, too, all you could get was brown leathers, but now, even the leather is in vibrant beautiful colors.”

Mattresses with inner springs still top everything else, Grace says — “over the foam and gel.”

In living room furniture — microfiber is the current king.

Regardless of the trend, personal preference reins for her customers, says Grace. “We’ve got several thousand fabric swatches at the store to choose from, and between all the companies we work with, we will find what you want. If you can think it, you can get it.”

It’s easy to see that Grace enjoys what she does.

“This is my world,” she says. “I want to do it until I retire. I love the work and I love the people I serve.”

It makes a difference, she says, when you don’t dread going into work. “Each day brings new challenges, new faces and new opportunities — and I love it all.”

Grace enjoys the simple things in life, she says. “Special time spent with my family — my two sons and three grandsons — along with my church — are my priorities.”

She also enjoys swimming, playing the piano and singing.

After a long day at work, Grace loves to “just come home, kick back and relax,” she says. “Some people would find that pretty boring, but it’s not to me.”

Grace invites you to stop in to visit between the hours of 9:30 am - 5:30 p.m.

Monday-Friday, and 9:30 am - 3:00 pm on Saturdays.

Appalachian Furniture Store is located at 2550 Old US Hwy. 421 N in Boone.

For more information, call (828) 2975055 or visit on Facebook.

sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

A trusted name when you need that helping hand

828.963.8233 www.apphomecare.com

June is Oral Health Month

Make Sure Your Smile is Vacation Ready 2016

2015

828.264.2762

142 Doctors Drive | Boone, NC 28607 www.BooneNCDentist.com

Schedule your appointment today!

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

11

LivingWell

How to Remodel

Your Life What goes on in our head, in our home and in our workplace can either support our goals or undermine them. It is important to create an environment of success. To determine areas you might need an upgrade, ask yourself the following questions: Do my surroundings — my physical space — motivate or frustrate my goals?

Does my mind — my thoughts — build me up or tear me down?

Do my friends — my circle — encourage my commitment to success, or resent it?

HOW TO REMODEL YOUR PHYSICAL SPACE Envision what a productive day looks like. What are the behaviors that contribute to your success in reaching your goals? Ask yourself, “How can I create a physical environment that triggers me to do these activities consistently? As you go through your day, make a list of things you can change in your physical environment that will help support your goals.

Is it important to start your day with a healthy breakfast? Have those healthy breakfast foods in the cupboards.

Is reading your goal statement first thing in the morning important for helping you focus on your priorities? Post that

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goal statement where you can see it first thing in the morning, such as on the wall near the toilet or on the bathroom mirror.

HOW TO REMODEL YOUR MIND The Bible says, “Be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The tools of mind transformation include everything we listen to and read: Sit at the feet of those who have succeeded. If you are going to succeed, you need to listen to and read things that contribute to the mindset of success.

Coach and encourage yourself — it’s called positive affirmation. To affirm means to say things that build you up, rather than tear you down. The effect of consistent affirmations, over time, is powerful. Affirmations rewire your responses to life. They trigger hormones that cause you to feel serene and focused, rather than rattled and distracted. They can transform your physical posture from shuffling insecurity, to walking tall with a confident swagger.

HOW TO REMODEL YOUR FRIEND CIRCLE As you carve out your life path to success, you will discover who your true friends are. They are the ones who will

encourage you to be the best that you can be. They will be your cheerleaders. Spend as much time as you can with these true friends.

Others will feel threatened by your efforts and passively — or even — aggressively attempt to sabotage you. It is a tough thing to do, but if you cannot change the people you are with, you will need to change the people you are with.

Get it? There are people that you cannot entirely cut off — parents, children or spouses. Although you might still have to spend time with them, it is important to minimize the effect they have on you.

You are not doing them — or yourself — a favor by allowing their negativity to drain your energy and distract your focus.

Changing the dynamic of your relationship might require an official pronouncement. You might have to communicate your commitment to your life goals. Let them know that if they are discouraging you from reaching them, through word or deed, you will need to reduce your time together.

bonnie church Certified Life and Wellness Coach Author/columnist, motivational speaker Certified Trainer for TLS Weight Loss Solution

Every Room is a Work of Art it all begins with the perfect floor

2 1

3 1

Carpet adds beauty and style to any room. Today, there are thousands of colors to consider. It can be a neutral foundation or a focal point with bold colors and dramatic patterns and textures.

2

A wood floor is classic in warmth, styling, practicality and timeless beauty. Wood floors offer durability and design which makes them an excellent investment for your home. Today there are more wood flooring fashions to choose from than ever before.

3

Tile comes in many forms, is incredibly versatile and adds a stunning look to any room in your home.

You can use tile for your floor, walls, backsplashes and counters. Your options in tile are virtually endless!

You can choose from ceramic, porcelain, stone, metal or glass.

4

Laminate flooring allows you to get the look and feel of domestic hardwood, rare exotic hardwood or expensive stone at a fraction of the cost. Laminate can visually replicate the look of wood, stone, brick and ceramic because of its highly detailed photography of the original material.

4 221 Boone Heights Dr | Boone 828.265.3622 www.Boone.BuyAbbey.com

marriageandFamilyCorner

Foundational Stability — in relationships, too

Couples who come to my office for help sometimes seek to build a foundation that will hold up and protect their relationship or to enhance an already strong relationship. Benjamin Franklin once said, “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure,” but the overwhelming majority of couples who seek my services are hoping to mend cracks in their foundation, which may have appeared because the foundation was faulty from the start — or because catastrophic circumstances have overstressed it.

Regardless of which description fits a couple, some basic materials are required

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for a lasting foundation to be built or rebuilt.

Building experts advise that the foundation is critical to the integrity of the entire structure. “A proper foundation does more than just hold a house above ground. It also keeps out moisture, insulates against the cold and resists movement of the earth around it. Oh, and one more thing: It should last forever.”

(Alexander, Max. “From the Ground Up: Foundations.” Thisoldhouse.com.)

As a licensed marriage and family therapist, I was struck by how much this advice applies to building healthy relationships. Groundwork for relation-

ships that are built to last must also protect from external forces and provide stability for all that is constructed upon it. Foundations that can provide this sort of protection and stability are made of respect and acceptance, agreements and openness.

Respect, acceptance, agreement and tolerance are related ideas. Respect may exist as the ability to admire and consistently see the good of a person. Respect may also be extended by not interfering with a person’s rights, but not include a sense of admiration or seeing the good of the person. Acceptance may be displayed with or without agreement, as long as it

is accompanied by the type of respect that feels and shows admiration and sees the person as good. Without that respect, acceptance is really tolerance. Seeing the other as good is a sign of respect and acceptance, which helps protect the relationship from external forces and contributes to the stability of the relationship foundation.

Acceptance allows healthy and longlasting relationships to be unharmed, or even strengthened, by disagreements.

Still, disagreements can be, or at least can seem to be, dangerous. Having agreedupon methods to handle these sorts of disagreements can be the difference that allows the disagreements to strengthen the relationship and both people involved. That is, having agreements about how to handle disagreements often makes the difference. Relationship agreements may include “rules,” such as waiting 24 hours to return to discuss a disagreement and “tools,” such as reminder lists of communication and conflictresolution skills, to employ during these discussions. Rules and tools help protect

the relationship from external forces and contribute to the stability of the relationship foundation.

Openness in a committed relationship involves the willingness and ability to continue to learn and adjust. Longterm relationships rightfully lead to the partners knowing one another well, and to many daily and interactional routines.

If partners think there is no more to learn about one another, they miss out on the joy of learning something new, or that which has changed or developed. If partners think the way they have always done things is the way they should always do things, they miss out on some fun and some opportunities to adjust and grow.

Practicing open thought and communication can help protect the relationship from external forces and contribute to the stability of the relationship foundation.

It is important to note that the actions that are good to direct toward a partner are equally critical to direct toward self.

That is, self-respect, self-acceptance, agreements with self and openness with/ to self are needed. Basically, directing

each of these actions in the direction of a partner and of self is necessary, in addition to directing them toward the relationship as a separate entity. This tri-directional focus helps protect the relationship from external forces and contributes to the stability of the relationship foundation. With these key actions a foundation is formed, upon which a relationship can be constructed that will support work, enjoyment and rest over the years for each partner and for the couple together.

Adjustment over the years will also be supported in the form of redecorating or of remodeling.

For more information on available services or to discuss information in this column, contact:

MARY MCKINNEY, MA, LMFT McKinney Marriage and Family Therapy Clinical Fellow of American Association of Marriage and Family Therapy Approved Supervisor, AAMFT Calls and texts: 828-773-5463 www.mckinneymft.com mary@mckinneymft.com

Beautiful Handmade Furniture Unique Accessories Full Interior Design Service with Over 30 Years Experience Full Line of Outdoor and Patio Furniture

11 miles from Boone Highway 105 South Banner Elk, NC OPEN ALL YEAR Mon-Sat 10am - 5pm

828-963-6466 www.tatumgalleries.com

Sponsored Content

at Tatum Galleries

by Sherrie Norris

Tatum Galleries has a long and highly respected history of providing a unique service for discerning homeowners in and around the High Country.

Whether in search of a full interior design service, custom built furniture, home accessories and décor — or a selection of all-weather furniture — customers can count on Tatum Galleries to help meet their needs.

Since starting their business in 1979, Steve and Sally Tatum have seen it grow successfully from a 600-square-foot space to a modern showroom encompassing 6,000 square feet. And, with every new year, comes fresh and new inventory to dazzle the returning customer and wow the new ones.

It is the goal of the Tatums and their staff that their customers enjoy a pleasant shopping experience and leave happy with the decisions and purchases they have made.

Tatum Gallery stands behind everything it sells, and provides the best

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possible service, prices and quality in the High Country.

Basically a “one-stop-shop,” Tatum Galleries doesn’t disappoint those who love coming into the store, time after time, to find just what they are looking for. Always current on all furniture/design trends, as well as home décor, Tatum Galleries is the place to shop. Among this year’s popular trends is bringing the inside out of doors, which lends itself to a new and exciting space for relaxing and entertaining.

A few things to consider Furnishing your outdoor space is a big commitment, financially, but not everything has to be purchased at the same time.

Following your personal style and preferences when furnishing your home — whether inside or out — allows for flexibility and making sure the choices you make are the ones you can comfortably live with.

Matching your style indoors and outdoors is important. You don’t want to purchase something provincial if you have a cottage-style home.

Don’t be afraid of adding color to the great outdoors. Throw out a few colorful pillows, as well as flowers and plants to liven up your space.

The staff members at Tatum Galleries are well trained and love what they do to help their customers with any and every decorating challenge that arises. The store is fun and inviting and full of great items for every preference.

Stop in today for your home furnishing and decorating needs — and be sure to visit nearby Grandfather Vineyards, another Tatum family owned business.

Tatum Gallery is located at 5320 NC Hwy.105, Banner Elk. Operating hours are Monday-Saturday 10 a.m.-5 p.m.

For more information, call (828) 963-6466, visit www.tatumgalleries.com and like us on Facebook.

Photo submitted

Choose Your Style

Welcome to the Special

Section

turn the page AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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Industrial

FARMHOUSE Taylor and Celia Marsh Location: Deep Gap Years lived in: Almost 3 Style: Industrial farmhouse

Celia's Inspiration:

“I draw my inspiration from my upbringing with my family.

We had a hobby farm growing up — and the house was filled with antiques. Many members of my family live in homes in New York that hold a lot of historical value and have been preserved for more than a century. I grew up having a great appreciation for embracing older pieces and watching my parents and grandparents lead the way. Now, I find myself looking for unique ways to up-cycle things throughout our farmhouse, a creative outlet, if you will.”

Best Advice:

“It’s always going to take twice as long and cost twice as much as you think.”

Biggest Challenge:

PHOTOS BY MEGAN SHEPPARD

“Remodeling and redesigning in a way that did not ruin the character of the original farmhouse. I do not care for old farmhouses that are completely gutted and compromising to the history and architecture of the original structure.”

Favorite Element:

The upstairs bathroom with the clawfoot tub is the most relaxing place in the house.

“To some, old homes seem to be a burden and disarray. To me, they are so much more: A key to the past, a moment full of memories and a glimpse of an amazing future to be told.�

- CELIA MARSH

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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“Many people we spoke to in Deep Gap had fond memories of growing up or playing in the hills and fields around our home. Many of their relatives had invested hard time and labor into this house and we wanted to continue to cherish that.�

- CELIA MARSH

Colorful and

ECLECTIC Sarah Russing Location: Blowing Rock Years lived in: Just more than a year Style: Eclectic

Inspiration:

“Color, pattern and unusual combinations“

“Finally getting to move in the house. Building it took much longer than expected, so it was such a relief when we were actually able to move in.“

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PHOTOS BY MEGAN SHEPPARD

Biggest Challenge:

Proudest DIY:

“I used a framed mirrored panel on the pantry door to make it look like an antique door.�

“I wanted the home to reflect my love for color, but still be warm and inviting. I was able to use a lot of pieces that we already had and repurpose them with paint, new cabinet knobs and new lamp shades.�

- SARAH RUSSING

Best Advice:

“Choose an inspiration first – whether it is fabric, a rug, a piece of artwork – and build from there. It's much easier to have paint mixed to match or coordinate with your inspiration piece than it is to pick a paint color and then try to make things fit around that color.”

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Home is where the barn is

LIFE ON THE ‘‘ROCKIN’ L RANCH”

PHOTOS BY SHERRIE NORRIS

One of the most unique dwellings in Ashe County belongs to Talmadge and Marianne Lawrence, situated on a sprawling farm that has been in the Lawrence family for at least four generations.

Talmage always dreamed of having a “nice barn” that included living quarters, he said, and after selling his home in 2006, he began setting plans into motion.

“I saw a photo of the plan I liked in a magazine for the outside with three dormers, so I started to get estimates.” The first three estimates were shocking, he said.

One day, however, while on the job as an engineer with Blue Ridge Electric Membership Cooperative, Talmadge met a man who was building a barn in Ashe County.

“He was Amish, but had left the Amish community to become Menonite, which allowed him to have automobiles and use electricity, while following a similar lifestyle to the Amish,” Talmadge says. “I gave him the photo of the idea I had, and in about two weeks, he gave me an estimate, which was about $25,000 less than the first three. I asked him, ‘When can we start?”

In June 2007, the building began. “Mr. Joe came on site with

Talmadge Lawrence, seated with Thelma, his 95-year-old mother, with wife Marianne and daughter, Brittany, standing.

his five sons who helped him. They were all highly skilled and very intelligent, and worked from sunrise until about midnight. At night, they would use floodlights.”

They house/barn was complete in three months, helping Lawrence quickly fulfill his vision.

At the same time, however, he was going through a divorce. “I had started praying that the Lord would send me a lady who likes horses and farm life — and he eventually did. Her name is Marianne.

We were married this past Christmas Eve in a small ceremony in the living room of our home. We have so much in common and we enjoy the barn/house, our horses, livestock and pets. We raise and train American Quarter Horses. My daughter Brittany also shares our love for the house and the horses.”

The Lawrences wouldn’t trade their “dream home” for anything in the world, they say.

“I know this magazine is about women and this story would not be complete without the most amazing women in my life: My wife, Marianne, my mother Thelma, and my daughter Brittany. I am one lucky man and I love these women so much.”

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Details Square footage: 1,800 in upstairs living quarters includes spacious living room, open gourmet kitchen, two bedrooms, two bathrooms and a laundry room.

3,600 square feet downstairs, which contains eight stalls with “swing-out” feed troughs; a double stall is used for a mare and her foal. Other special features include a hay room and work room for tools, a saddle rack that Talmage designed and built, a storage shed used for lawnmower storage, garage for one car, an office and halfbath.

Heat source: electric heat pump, gas logs/ central air Water source: well Other features: Tongue and groove walls, hardwood floors, three dormers and weathervanes

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More about the ̀man of the housè According to Marianne, Talmadge is always coming up with special projects.

“He just cannot be still,” she says. “Before he completes one project, he is thinking ahead about the next. “ Since retiring from Blue Ridge Electric, Talmadge has designed and built a riding ring for training horses, a five-tier saddle rack, a new hitching post and a coop for raising chickens. He loves working in the garden and taking care of the flowers around their home, and that of his 95-year-old mother, next door.

“Everyday, when I come home from work, there is something new on the ranch that he has done,” Marianne adds.

“As a horsewoman, living in the barn/ house is a dream come true for me. I love living in and around the same facility as my horses, and I love looking out the window, while doing dishes, and seeing the horses grazing and playing in the pasture.”

When the couple’s latest colt “Prince Harry Dun It” was born in April, “We could just go downstairs to the horse stalls to brush the mare and play with the colt,” Marianne says. “Or when a horse or cow is injured or sick, we can easily check on them —around the clock — because we are just steps away.”

It’s not unusual, Marianne adds, to be slipping her boots over her pajamas to run downstairs to check on everything before going to bed at night. Barn space is also shared with their two cats.

The couple often talks about turning the ranch into a riding center for children who possess a desire to learn the basics of caring for horses. Who knows what might be in store at the Rockin’ L? Time will tell.

sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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Mountain Living

Grace Will and her husband, Tom, moved full time to Boone eight years ago after spending the summers in the High Country and falling in love with the area.

Grace is a retired corporate CEO, Tom, a retired ASU “entrepreneur in residence.”

No stranger to the area, Grace served as the chair of the High Country Women’s Fund for two years, and was involved in the merge of the two women funds in the creation of the Women’s Fund of the Blue Ridge.

The couple will soon be leaving this beauty behind as they move to Denver, CO, to be near one of their two sons.

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PHOTOS BY FRAMED! PHOTOGRAPHY STUDIOS

AT ITS BEST

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About the home Described by its owner as “magnificent estate on the Watauga River,” the home offers a breathtaking setting, featuring unique and intricate architectural designs, evoking mountain living in the High Country at its best.

Built on a rock cliff overlooking Grandfather Mountain and Hounds Ears Golf course, the home is bordered by 1,700 feet of river frontage and wooded five acres right on the Watauga River.

There are many special quality features throughout its 6,000 square feet multi-level floor plan. The main living area features high vaulted ceilings, a massive stone fireplace and floor to ceiling windows overlooking the river and golf course.

The spacious gourmet kitchen features soaring ceilings, custom designed cabinetry work and granite countertops, while having a perfect view of Grandfather Mountain.

The huge master bedroom offers a stunning view and a spacious elegant setting with a marble fireplace, his-and her luxurious baths and custom cabinetry. Off the master suite is an English-style study, featuring walnut molding and marble fireplace.

The home is also perfect for outdoor living with three levels of decks, plus on the lower level boarding the river, a deck pavilion with a fireplace from an old homestead, and a fire pit to enjoy cozy bond fires and roasts.

The peaceful setting and special one-of-a-kind amenities, truly makes our mountain home a most special place to live in the High Country.

For more information, visit www. blueridgemountainestate.com.

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Sponsored Content

Boone Paint & Interiors a family-owned business that offers guaranteed customer service

Photo by Megan Sheppard

By Sherrie Norris

Boone Paint & Interiors, a locally owned and operated business, has been serving the High Country for nearly three decades. Having changed ownership a few times through the years, one thing that has remained consistent is its dedication to providing the best quality products and customer service around.

Current owners Doug Pratt, along with his daughter, Jen Pratt, general manager, strive to keep the “family” aspect in the business, in more ways than one.

Many of the area’s same contractors and individuals have learned to rely on the business for a variety of reasons, from topof-the-line paint and related products for interior and exterior work, to custom blinds and shutters.

Currently, with two locations and a third coming soon to Hickory, Boone Paint & Interiors offers free consultations, measuring and installation of blinds and shutters, something that no other location in Boone is able to provide. Trained professionals at both locations are able to help with everything from paint/stain matches, advice on products to helping prep your project to ensure that you get the results you desire.

“We also will ensure that our customers feel like they are part of our family, because they are,” said Jen. “From the contractor working on multiple projects, to the customer buying one gallon of paint, here at Boone Paint, we want our commitment and passion to shine through and reach every 34

JULY 2016 | AAWMAG.COM

customer. We do care that you get the end result that you want from your project/purchase and we will work with you through the process.”

As a family business, the Pratts strive to set themselves apart from “the big box business,” they say, and are passionate about what they do and the service they provide.

“Sure, you can go in one of those businesses and get a product, but there is no support beyond purchase of that product,” Jen says. “We are here to support you through the entire process. People want to feel like they’re listened to and that they are getting the best products for their money. We provide that. Our products are the best quality products you can get, hands down. We want everyone to walk away satisfied.”

A unique aspect of the business, the Pratts point out, is that not only do they offer what the contractors want and need, but also assistance with those do-it-yourself in-home projects.

“We are able to offer a wide range of products to fit everyone’s budget and that offer all the latest trends,” Jen says, giving as an example the new chalk paint line and other faux-finishes for sprucing up furniture or any room in the house. “It doesn’t take a complete remodel to add life back to a home.”

Beyond their stores, the Pratts are committed to the community around them.

They have generously donated to various

fundraisers, including classic car shows, school projects and local sports teams, among others.

“We believe that you take care of your own neighborhood and that it’s imperative that we all take care of those around us,” Jenn explains. “In a society that is often ‘self-driven and focused,’ we strive not to be.”

As families are by nature, the Pratts are invested in each and every person and project that comes through their doors.

“We want everyone to be satisfied and know that they are not just a number, Jen stresses. “Yes, we run a business, but it is a quality business.”

If you are looking for a business that offers quality products and guaranteed customer service, Boone Paint & Interiors is the place for you.

Business hours/operating schedule: Boone Location: M-F: 7:30-5:30pm Saturdays 7:30-1pm Banner Elk Location: M-F:7:30-4pm Contact info: Boone Store (828)264-9220 Banner Elk Store (828)898-2022 Jen@Boonepaint.com or Doug@Boonepaint.com www.Boonepaint.com Find them on Facebook, too, at Boone Paint & Interiors.

Enhance Outdoor Living Blooming Grove - 413 You don’t have to stray from a classic to add timeless and forward color to your home. Part of our Classic Color Collection, this beautiful green will bring light, elegance and life back to your home.

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Tropical Turquoise - 2052-30 This color is part of Color Preview. A collection of bold, saturated colors that brings spaces to life for those looking to illuminate their world with pure, extraordinary color. A great compliment to Classic Colors.

All Classic Colors from the Classic Color Collection guarantee a beautiful, usable color all the time, every time

Passion for Perfection

Arborcoat

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For decks, siding, windows and doors, Skikkens ProLuxe provides a distinctively rich and vibrant finish.

ARBORCOAT Premium Exterior Stains offer a variety of opacities in an array of captivating colors that let you express your own unique style.

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1852 Hwy 105, Suite 1 Boone, NC 828.264.9220

3587 Tynecastle Hwy Banner Elk, NC 828.898.2022

www.BoonePaint.com

Photo by Alison Idol

Molly Northern A passion for all things beautiful

Molly Northern is a name closely associated with home interiors in and around the High Country, but her talents go far beyond the latest trends found in some of the area’s most exclusive residential settings.

A loving wife, mother, daughter, sister, astute businesswoman and friend to many, Molly admits to having a passion for all things beautiful —among which she mentions art and flowers — but she is quick to say that any talent she possesses comes “directly from God.” A Boone native born to local contractor John Winkler and retired kindergarten teacher, Bain Winkler, Molly credits her parents for their influences early in life which helped lead her along her career path.

Always “in awe,” she says of her father’s “handsome, towering stature and debonair style,” it was while spending time with him on various projects that she developed an appreciation for problemsolving and architecture. Molly recalls how she was “first exposed to construction and how buildings came together” while riding around with her dad as he checked various job sites in the mornings before he took her to preschool.

“My sweet and beautiful mama Bain

Winkler has a great sense of style and really, really good taste,” Molly adds. “As my biggest encourager, she has always graciously allowed me to do absolutely anything I wanted to at her house.”

During Molly’s high school days, she says, “Our house was like a design laboratory for me — I learned how to hang wallpaper, paint cabinets, stencil on walls, make and hang window treatments. My mother never once said ‘no’ to one of my ideas.”

Additionally, Molly adds, “She also instilled in me a love for old houses and antique furniture.”

Of her older brother, Trae Winkler, Molly says, “He is also very creative and can do anything with his hands — he is so smart and incredibly skilled.”

Today, Molly’s husband of 21 years, Mike Northern, is a general contractor and owner of Blowing Rock Property Services, a full service property management company specializing in serving the needs of summer residents.

The couple has two sons, Austin, 19, who attends Liberty University, and Ridge, 17, a rising senior at Watauga High. Their daughter Georgia will be a fourth grader at Grace Academy in the next academic.

“Even as a very small child, I remember always drawing and coloring, and absolutely loving anything to do with art,” Molly recalls. “Much to my mother’s dismay, however, some of my first drawings were on the walls of my bedroom.”

She still loves to paint today — “when and if I can find the time,” she says.

Molly also spent endless hours at the home of her grandmother, Jean Winkler.

“She taught me all about flowers, flower arranging and my favorite — household tips and stain removal!”

Having always been “very observant of details in houses,” Molly says, “I can’t remember how the grandmother of my friend, Lisa, actually looked, but boy, do I remember her house and her cute little kitchen!” She also “vividly remembers,” as a sixth-grader, rearranging the bookshelves in the home of her friend Shauna’s grandmother.

“I can’t believe the things people let me do at their houses at such a young age,” she says with a chuckle, but she remembers being “keenly aware” of details and the style of friends’ homes she visited often as a child.

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The Northern family together for a special occasion: Austin, Mike, Molly, Georgia and Ridge.

Photo submitted

The home of her friend, Autumn Baker, was one of her favorite sleepover venues.

“Her mother, Marvella has always had a great sense of style when it came to decorating their adorable cottage by the pond,” Molly says. “I can still picture the way each room looked.”

Unlike any other family she knew, Molly says, the Bakers always had a renovation project going at their house.

“Before then, I hadn’t realized that people could actually modify what they had, rather than being stuck with what they had, or moving to a whole new house.”

Molly remembers well Marvella having “such unique pieces” in her house.

“She used things like wagons for coffee tables, and was shabby chic before shabby chic was a thing,” she adds. “I was intrigued by the way lots of homes I visited had their own unique style, but I have to say, Marvella’s was my absolute favorite.”

A few years ago, Molly says, she was able to finally tell Marvella that she had been one of her inspirations — “and that her cute house and her innovative ideas were some of the reasons I knew I wanted

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to be an interior designer.”

As Molly grew, she began to realize that she could change the furniture around in her bedroom — that it didn’t have to stay the way her mom had arranged it, initially.

“I especially loved rearranging the furniture in my dollhouse, painting the walls — and even painting faux rugs on the tiny floors.”

She was “probably 8 or 9” when she discovered that people were paid to do interior design. Since then, she says, “I have never considered doing anything else, although, I’ve often thought about how much fun it would have been to be a set designer for TV or movies.”

While watching TV as a child, instead of paying attention to the story line, Molly was looking at the way the rooms were furnished. “Little House on the Prairie, Guiding Light, you name it, I scrutinized the sets.”

She vividly recalls the day she realized that “someone’s job” was decorating the set of “Sanford and Son.” “It blew my mind,” she says.

While in high school, Molly worked at Tweetsie during the summers.

“When I got my first paycheck, I headed straight to Hickory for an unfinished armoire I immediately painted for my bedroom,” she says.

She taught herself how to sew, so that when she moved to college (UNCGreensboro), she could make window treatments and matching duvets for her and her roommate out of a set of sheets she had purchased.

“While at college, if I didn’t come home to Boone on the weekends, I would go to my Aunt Sharon’s 100-year-old farm house in Siler City, where I would change something here, or move something there, or paint this or rearrange that. I’m so grateful that she let me do whatever I wanted — anything I thought of, she would let me do. Her house was a wonderful place to experiment.”

Following Molly’s graduation with a degree in housing and interiors, she and Mike were married and moved to Hilton Head. There, she teamed up with local interior designers and worked as an artist painting murals in their clients’ homes.

“After we discovered we missed the mountains and our families too much, we moved back to Boone.”

While in college, Molly had completed an internship with Darlene Parker, owner of Creative Interiors in Banner Elk, with whom she reconnected after moving back.

“Darlene graciously allowed me to do freelance design work out of her studio,” Molly says. “After a few years, because we worked so well together, we decided to ‘partner up’ and open Northern Parker Interiors.”

Working with Darlene has been a joy and a blessing, Molly describes. “I’m so grateful to her for the wise council she’s given over the 15 years of our partnership.

She’s also been gracious and flexible with me as a mother of three — with a busy family schedule — and for that, I will always be so very thankful.”

(Read more about Northern Parker Interiors on page 42.)

Molly has an especially deep fondness for old houses. “When driving past them, I still want to go in every one I see. I want to see how the rooms are laid out, where the staircase is located. I have to know — is there any original wallpaper?

What do the bathrooms look like?”

That’s part of why she loves her home in Blowing Rock so much, she says. “It was built in 1926 and needed a lot of work when we found it. I’m still so grateful to Mike that he agreed to buy it — even though he was leery. He doesn’t like old houses as much as I do!”

Molly describes the home’s restoration, “and adding on to this old beauty over the past nine years,” as one of her absolute favorite projects she calls “a true labor of love.”

“When we needed some extra space for our two growing boys, I designed an addition that I think blends really well with the original house,” she says.

She also has an affinity for old chairs of all shapes and sizes — “so much so that Mike brought me one that he found at the dump one day!”

The Northern home was chosen for the Blowing Rock Tour of homes in 2008.

“After a lot of work, blood, sweat and tears, Mike told me we won’t be doing that again —ever, but a great thing happened from it,” Molly says. “The owner of CR Laine in Hickory, Sonny Roseman and his precious wife Adelle toured the house and liked what they saw. They approached us to help give their company a new look and design aesthetic.”

That chance encounter began a seven-year relationship with Molly and Darlene serving the company as their

western part of Watauga County.

“Through my years as an interior designer, I have been blessed beyond belief, and am so thankful to God that he has allowed me so many wonderful opportunities to help precious families all over the southeast with their homes,” Molly says. “At Northern Parker Interiors, we have met remarkable people and made so many wonderful friends. We also had the great pleasure to work for many local families in the High Country, and those have been some of our absolute favorite jobs.”

design conLeft: Through her father, John Winkler, Molly says she was “first sultants and exposed to construction and how buildings came together” while High Point riding around with him to job sites in the mornings before he took her to preschool. showroom designers!

Below: “The great sense of style and really, really good taste” she “We won learned from her mother Bain Winkler, Molly says, is a key factor to runner-up her success. Photo submitted to best

showroom design in 2011,” Molly says, “beating out some of the most recognizable names in the design industry. We were so excited!”

For 14 seasonal markets, Molly and Darlene chose their furniture frames and fabrics, and conceptualized and installed their High Point showroom.

“Our work with CR Laine has definitely been a highlight in my design career as we watched their business flourish and grow and become one of the furniture industry’s leading manufacturers,” she describes.

Another highlight was being featured in the December 2007 issue of Southern Living magazine with the main camp house they completed at Sunalei in the

To help someone make their home a place they love even more —“because of what we’ve done” — is a true blessing, Molly says. “We’ve had such a wonderful time, and look forward to many more years of helping make homes in the High Country and beyond a bit more beautiful.”

See more from The Northern Home on pages 40-41.

sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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Above: The Blowing Rock home of the Northern family after reconstruction.

Molly's Indulgent Tip 1

Indulgent Tip 2

“One of my most favorite indulgences — ironed sheets! A wonderful linen spray and nice sheets make for an irresistible combination. If you want to treat yourself, splurge on some nice sheets and linen spray. We carry a wonderful linen spray at Northern Parker. Ironed sheets also add the perfect crispness for a well-made bed. But be warned, once you try it, you won’t want to go back to wrinkled sheets.”

Molly’s little-to-no-cost design tip: Always keep your eyes open in unexpected places for fabulous (old) furniture finds. A can of spray paint can turn trash to treasure! Remember the chair Mike brought me from the dump?? Well here it is all cleaned up with a new seat hosting a flat of ferns at the shop.

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Above: Georgia Northern peers outside her playhouse, a favorite project of her mother, Molly, who “dreamed it up and drew it out” and sought the assistance of a man in Lenoir to build it. “I wanted it to blend with our house, but also be more whimsical,” says Molly.

Left: The interior of Georgia’s playhouse is complete with oil paintings and a chandelier, a yellow and white checkerboard floor, little cherry curtains with pom-pom fringe — “and of course, everything any little girl would need to host the perfect tea party,” says Molly. Photos submitted Below: Molly Northern’s artistic touch is evident in the interior design of the conservatory at the home of Corey and Ashley Furman. Photo submitted

It’s all about design at Northern Parker Interiors

Business partners since 2001, Molly Northern, standing, and Darlene Parker, seated, are well known throughout the southeast for their interior design projects. Photo by Alison Idol

Longtime friends Darlene Parker and Molly Northern have shared a lifetime interest in interior design. In 2001, the dynamic duo went into partnership and opened Northern Parker Interiors.

Both design partners have bachelor’s degrees in housing and interiors, and have enjoyed completing design projects throughout the southeast.

Northern Parker Interiors located in picturesque Banner Elk, is both a fullservice interior design firm and charming retail shop, offering the most current gifts, accessories, lighting, fabrics, furniture 42

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and wall coverings in the industry.

In addition to the fabulous retail and gift shop, Northern Parker Interiors can assist with any interior design project, no matter the size or scale.

“We are equally as happy to help with something as small as a throw pillow as we are to help a client conceptualize and furnish an entire home,” says Darlene.

“Our design team specializes in attention to detail, and the designers personally follow each project to completion.”

Defining “southern charm,” — whether it be a mountain cottage, a log cabin, a seaside or lakeside retreat, a country club

estate or a corporate office or restaurant, Molly and Darlene take pride in the ability to create interiors that are beautiful, reflecting the individuality of each client, while maintaining the quintessential comfort of the south.”

Current trends include: y “Cleaner looks” with less pattern on upholstery and a lot of neutrals. Bold, fabulous throw pillows and great color and pattern on window treatments. y More side panels and fewer valances. Valances tend to shorten the visual

height of a room, while side panels create the appearance of a higher ceiling. (Tip: When purchasing new side panels, make sure they are as long as your walls will allow, hanging the hardware as close to the ceiling as possible. By doing this, you will maximize the visual height of your room.)

“One of our favorite things we do as partners is our annual trip to the Atlanta gift market, where we go a little crazy and order every cute and wonderful thing we can find for the shop,” says Molly. “We carry everything from soap to sofas with items that fit into every price range.”

‘

y Wallpaper is back! And we have a great selection. Yes, we know —the waverly wallpapers and cutesy borders of the 80s have scarred us all for life! But don’t let that stop you from putting a fabulous paper in a small room — a powder room — for example. A bold pattern or color can breathe new life into an old space.

For Darlene and Molly, Trust is key to their business.

They advise: When working with a designer — while guidelines and suggestions from the customer are certainly necessary — be sure to give your designer the liberty and flexibility to come up with the design plan. Remember, you are paying them for their ability and creativity, and if you trust them, they will come up with something better than you could have ever imagined.

It is vital that clients at Northern Parker feel relieved that the design team can take care of everything — and that in the end, it will be beautiful. “A lot of people can be overwhelmed with decisions when it comes to their homes and, unfortunately, make costly design mistakes when they try to tackle it themselves,” the women say. “Again, trust is a big factor here. We want our customers to realize that it actually saves them time and money when they let a professional designer help with the decision making.

Customers have told us, time and time again, that they come to us because they don’t want to make any more mistakes on their own.”

It comes as no surprise, then, that Northern Parker sees a lot of repeat business, which the partners say is so gratifying. “That tells us that we did our job in such as a manner that we earned another opportunity to help one of our sweet clients.”

Even if you don’t have a design need at the moment, Darlene and Molly invite you to visit their shop. In addition to the design firm, one of the most gratifying parts of the business is the retail and gift shop.

Bold wallpaper and mirrored cabinets spotlight a small closet off a bathroom in the Northern home.

Photo submitted

Also, for those shopping in downtown Boone, the business has “an adorable little nook” (on the main floor in the rear left corner) at Farmer’s Hardware, where you will find a sampling of the precious gifts carried at the main shop.

Northern Parker Interiors is located in the Tynecastle shopping center near Banner Elk. Business hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. Mon. – Fri. ; 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Sat. For more information, call (828) 8989636, email northernparker@gmail.com, or find them on Facebook.

We want our customers to realize that it actually saves them time and money when they let a professional designer help with the decisionmaking.

Customers have told us, time and time again, that they come to us because they don’t want to make any more mistakes on their own.

’

- Northern & Parker

sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

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Keys to the castle On the job with Mary Methvin

Mary Methvin takes great pride in her work as a “custom design, remodeling, problem-solving carpenter and diplomat.”

Photos by Sherrie Norris Known as a woman who gets the job done, Mary Methvin stands in the shadows of the Scottish Highland castle (reproduction) at Tynecastle, where she is an integral part of the structure’s historic renovation.

It’s not everyday that a High Country woman is given keys to the castle, but for Mary Methvin, having the keys in hand simply represents just another day on the job.

As one of several current projects, Mary is working on “the castle” at Tynecastle near Banner Elk, an authentic reproduction of a Scottish Highland castle that has drawn much attention through the years.

Known in the local construction industry as a woman who gets the job done, Mary wears a variety of hats to accommodate her many talents and skills, but chuckles when asked to describe her career choice.

“I guess you could say I am a customdesign, remodeling, problem-solving carpenter and diplomat,” she answers.

“It’s kinda hard to explain what I do, but I learned a long time ago, the more you know, the better off every body is.”

Working in what has commonly been known as “a man’s world,” Mary will quickly convince you that’s not the way it is, at all, but she has much respect for the men with who she works on a daily basis.

Graduating from Appalachian State University in 1983 with a degree in art and a minor in industrial arts, Mary 44

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remembers her first construction jobs coming along only after working as a DJ, a camp counselor and a lift operator at a couple of the area’s ski slopes.

Not until after graduation did it dawn on her, she says, that she wanted to know how to build a house, determined to put her education to work.

“Once I realized the satisfaction I got from helping others create their space, I never looked back.”

But it wasn’t always easy, she admits.

“Back in the 80s, in a different area, I was told, ‘We can’t hire you. Women cause problems on the jobsite.’”

She not only was determined to prove that thought process wrong, but luckily, she found the High Country a bit more accepting of women in the trade.

“Since then, she says, “I have always encouraged any woman that shows interest to give it a try.”

It all started when she learned that a staff member at the employment security commission “had a special file” of shortterm jobs.

“To this day, I thank Harold Dellinger for helping me make that connection,” Mary says. “He called one day and said there was an out-of-town construction company preparing to put a new roof on

a one-story hotel here in Boone, and they needed a ground person. He also said something to the effect that I would not have to use a porta-john, since the motel was already in operation.”

Within a week, Mary says, she knew how to cut and install sheets of plywood, and how to lay shingles. The rest is history.

“I have done a lot of timber framing and loads of ‘hands on’ “design work.”

With a laugh she adds, “I’ve become the problem solver in many situations.”

With quality work that speaks for itself, Mary is regularly called on by some of the area’s most reputable contractors and developers, including Brett Swebke, for her expertise.

“I don’t like to turn down work, but if I know someone who can do the work better, I will pass it on to them,” she says.

The Louisiana native who came to study art at ASU was like many others, she describes. “I came and I decided to stay. I fell in love with Boone and the area, in general, as well as the people. I wasn’t sure, exactly, what I wanted to do at the time, but I knew where I wanted to do it.”

While few women in the area have the keys to a castle, Mary, in fact, does have access to the mountaintop oasis at

Tynecastle, which is currently undergoing an historic renovation, and has worked extensively on another dwelling in the gated community, originally built in 1967 by Julian Morton, brother to Hugh Morton.

“I am jazzed about what I do for many reasons,” Mary says. “Cooperation and teamwork are integral to getting things done. It can be stressful, but I come away with a sense of accomplishment and confidence. Every time I learn how to fix or create something new, it gives me the confidence that I need to figure out the next problem.”

Mary is grateful, she says, to those in the building trades— in this area especially, she says — “the developers, plumbers, electricians, designers, sheet rockers, landscapers, painters, stone masons, roofers, engineers, architects, realtors, appraisers and inspectors — for teaching me what they have learned. I would be nowhere without them.”

“After awhile, I knew enough about the steps in the building process, and more importantly, when and who in this

area to call for really special help when I need it,” she says. “That has taken years of being part of this community, and paying attention to who was doing good work on the sites where I spent time. I can’t stress the fact enough that every thing I know is because someone took the time to teach me.”

Mary recognizes that “every house has its story,” and says she has been “lucky enough” to be in on some really good ones and to work with some very creative and talented people, craftsmen, builders and homeowners, alike “We all need a space in which to cook, sleep and stay out of the weather — and to provide a place for loved ones. Making that space useful and pleasing has become my main focus,” Mary says.

“Regarding style and function, you get to use both sides of your brain and improve someone else’s life for a long time.”

As a very important side note, Mary encourages anyone who wants to be in the construction industry — “Be sure to learn ‘safety first’ on a jobsite.”

In her free time — what little she has

— Mary enjoys her personal artwork with watercolors, biking and fixing up a house she bought recently. She also loves plants and enjoys the beauty of nature around her.

While Mary is not fixated on company names and titles, she admits word of mouth has been her best means of advertising. You might not find Methvin Contstruction or (her tongue–in cheek business name) Frilly Construction in the yellow pages, but just ask around the Foscoe-Banner Elk area about her work.

The only thing that will disappoint you is learning she has all the work she can handle. “The only way I could accept more (work) right now is if I was cloned,” she says.

For more information, call (828) 2625951 or email fishingcarpenter@hotmail. com. sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

Celebrating 75 Years of Business We are the area’s oldest and largest cabinet company. Let us design your next project.

Banner’s Cabinets, Inc. 299 Watauga Street Newland, NC 28657 828-733-2031 www.BannersCabinets.com

BEAUTY

Beauty Through the Ages Chic Advisor lists the following as some of the more serious “to die for” regimens used in the age-old quest for beauty:

As a makeup artist I have always been intrigued and fascinated by the origins of self-grooming and beautification. Even in prehistoric times, men and women were interested in making themselves look more attractive. When I compare what we do to beautify ourselves today — with what was done in ancient cultures— my vote is for today, but let’s take a brief journey from how we got to where we are.

Yes, we suck fat out of our thighs, roll needles into our faces and inject deadly toxins to get rid of the wrinkles, but even all that pales in comparison to some of the practices in times gone by.

No doubt, our great great-great-grandchildren in 2122 will look at what we do today in the name of beauty and say, “What in the world were they thinking — or were they thinking at all?”

Funny how every generation loves to look back on the follies of past generations and laugh about the dumb things they did. We can learn a lot from past beauty rituals, including the fact that folks have always tried to improve their appearance. Ancient cultures around the world used coloring on their skin, hair and nails — pigments made from herbs, leaves, berries, bark, minerals, insects and nuts.

The very earliest use of cosmetics has been traced back to the ancient Egyptians. They were the first to develop methods for extracting herbal and flower essences through distillation, which is still the preferred method today. Cosmetics were an integral part of Egyptian hygiene and health. Men and women in Egypt use scented oils and ointments to clean and soften their skin and mask body odor. Oils and creams were used for protection against the hot Egyptian sun and dry winds. Myrrh, thyme, marjoram, chamomile, lavender, lily, peppermint, rosemary, cedar, rose, aloe, olive oil, sesame oil and almond oil are still used today. Kohl, a silver white metallic substance, as well as soot, was used to darken and line the eyes, darken brows and as shadow.

Many of the beauty rituals from the past I can understand, even doing as the Romans did — putting barley flour and butter on their pimples and sheep fat and blood on their finger nails for polish.

What a mani! To get the J-Lo glow, women in the Elizabethan period wore egg white on their faces to achieve a glazed look.

In the middle ages, pale skin was a sign of a wealthy lifestyle.

Sixth- century women sought drastic measures to achieve that look by ‘bleeding’ themselves.

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Lead makeup: Lead was used as a foundation, of sorts. In the 18th century, it was mixed with vinegar to produce ceruse, a foundation that gave the very popular pale look of the time.

Lead is a poison, and as women used it, they suffered side effects, including gray hair, dried-out skin, severe abdominal pain and more.

Arsenic: Arsenic was used in many products, or taken to clear skin of freckles and pimples and to achieve generally paler skin. As mentioned above, arsenic is a poison, so consuming it might have lead to death. Arsenic also played games with your skin, so if you stopped taking it, it would react and make the skin react negatively.

Mercury: Mercury was a blemish cure, but along with curing your blemishes, it could cause birth defects, kidney and liver problems, fatigue, irritability, tremors, depression and a metallic taste in the mouth.

Deadly nightshade: Deadly nightshade was in the medicine cabinet of Italian women who used it as eye drops to dilate their pupils. The hottest trend, perhaps? Like the name suggests, it isn’t for a fun time. It causes visual distortion and sensitivity to light — and can kill you.

Radium: We now know that radium causes cancer, but back then, radium was the hottest skincare product for glowing skin.

X-Rays: Looking for a way to permanently remove hair?

Before laser hair removal, there were x-rays to get rid of unwanted hair. Some would go under x-rays for up to 12 hours!

While the x-rays did remove hair, those who partook also experienced skin thickening, atrophy, ulcerations and cancer.

Lard: Like the pageant queen saying goes, “The higher the hair, the closer to God.” It seems women in the 1700s also believed this, and to get the highest possible hair, they used wooden and iron frames, leather horsehair pads and extensions. Hair was curled with ‘hot tongs’ covered with lard to hold it in place, then powered with lead. Now, here’s where it gets super gross: vermin (rats and mice) would come to nibble on that lard. Cringe.

My best advice is to avoid the above — and stay beautiful!

Marion Edwards Marion Edwards is a Licensed Esthetician, Professional Makeup Artist and Certified Trainer for Motives Cosmetics. She can be contacted at 828.262.5954.

Creating Art for Your Home

Meachele Martin and her son, Eric Martin, stand in front of Meachele’s new house in Crumpler, which is nearing completion. Photo by James Howell

Meachele’s

‘TINY HOUSE’

Meachele Martin and her sons

are currently building a 150-square-foot “tiny” house on their property in Crumpler.

“I’m a long-distance hiker, and I live out of a backpack, so I’m already use to minimizing,” says Meachele “I’m actually upgrading.”

According to Meachele, she and her family have always believed in living a minimalist lifestyle, only using what they need.

“I’m a minimalist to the core,” she says “We’ve always lived according to what we need, rather than what we want. We never had the ‘American largeness’ dream.”

Meachele’s new 150-square-foot home will feature a living space, small kitchen, bathroom and a loft for a sleeping area.

The house will also include a 25-gallon water tank, which means minimal water use, and utilize a composting toilet, rather than a traditional septic system.

Meachele’s tiny house will not require an inspection, she says, as the square footage of the house will be lower than what the state considers to be a dwelling unit. Just one week after Meachele and her two sons Bradley and Eric began construction on the tiny house, major strides were made in transforming an old RV trailer into a functioning house.

However, the home will keep the trailer’s wheels and frame, giving Martin the freedom to take her home with her when she takes extended road trips.

With the help of her sons, Meachele anticipates that her home will be completed in three to six weeks.

Like his mother, Eric has decided to embrace the minimalist lifestyle, and has decided to build his own 250-square-foot tiny home next to his mother’s.

“I’m like my mom, we’re both true minimalists,” says Erik. “I don’t need anything fancy. Give me a bar of soap and a creek, and I’ll be happy.”

According to Meachele, anyone interested in constructing their own tiny home needs to live in tight spaces for a while first, to make sure they can handle it.

Also, Meachele advises, interested parties need to learn more about tiny homes and read up on local laws before building their own.

Along with her minimalist lifestyle, Meachele is a published author, and has written about her time hiking across the Appalachian Trail in “Healing: My Journey Home — An Appalachian Trail Journey.”

James Howell

Classic Stone Works The Kitchen & Bath Gallery www.classicstoneworksinc.com 1710 Linville Falls Hwy • Linville, NC 28646

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AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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58th Annual Blowing Rock Tour of Homes and Patron Party Beautiful homes with memorable architectural and interior design, lush landscapes and spectacular views, history and charm: It’s all part of the 58th annual Tour of Homes and an event you don’t want to miss.

Sponsored by St. Mary of the Hills Episcopal Church, the tour will showcase four homes on Friday, July 22. Transportation will be provided from the church beginning at 9 a.m. until 3 p.m. with the houses open until 4 p.m. Parking is available near the church in the deck at Wallingford Street, and on Laurel Lane next to the Blowing Rock Art and History Museum.

Featuring

Glen Brise is the home of Suzanne and Dayn McBee. A spectacular vista faces you as you enter this new home with views of Johns River Gorge, Table Rock, Hawksbill and Grandfather Mountain. The elegant decorations match the dramatic views!

Laura and Bill Coley’s home, Seven Gables is also a newly built home that combines the feel of an old English manor with that of a rustic mountain home. Beautifully decorated spaces distinguish the interior, and then there are the views!

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Ankers Away is the name of Beth and David Tuttle’s home, a charming 1960’s cottage with fabulous additions and updates.

The entire home is a treasure of artifacts and collections from the historic Virginia home of the Ankers family.

The homes, located in historic Laurel Park, are within easy walking distance of downtown, so a walking tour is possible, if desired.

According to Buddy Fore, tour chairman, “Blowing Rock embraces the spirit of community, and the entire town comes together for the tour to raise money targeted for those in need and for worthwhile area programs. Together, we can make a difference in the lives of others.”

Tickets are $30 and may be purchased online at www.stmaryofthehills. org, at the church office or the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce on Park Avenue. They may not be purchased by mail.

To make the day extra special, other activities will be offered at the church, including a $10 lunch provided by the Church Café, a French-themed baked goods booth, the Wall of Wine sale, a silent auction and tag sale offering opportunities to purchase unique items.

The event, which is expected to draw more than 1,500 people to scenic downtown Blowing Rock, is one of the area’s largest fundraisers for community outreach.

Co-chair Laura Page notes, “Net proceeds from the tour support area charities. Last year, the tour awarded grants to 19 High Country charitable organizations.”

The festive Patron’s Party, a much-heralded annual kick-off for the summer season, will be held July 7 at Watson Gap Pavilion at the Blue Ridge Mountain Club.

The Butler Home of Patty and Jim Butler began its life in 1891 as Blowing Rock’s first Episcopal Church, the Mission of the Holy Spirit. A private home since the early 1900s, this 19th century structure will wow you with its features and interior design.

This fun-filled evening will be catered by The Best Cellar, with dessert by Kilwin’s.

Transportation will be provided from the church and BRAHM beginning at 5:30 p.m. Come and dance to music provided

by Steve Franks’ Swing Set Band, and also enjoy an exciting silent auction.

For patron party tickets and additional information, contact the church at www. stmaryofthehills.org or Joe Dyer at joerd44@bellsouth.net. The party promises to be a night to remember!

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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youngatheart

Heather and Roger at BijBlauw. Photos submitted

Blue Curaçao

I like lizards — big lizards, little lizards, blue lizards, green lizards — and Curaçao is full of them. Large bearded iguanas lounge around the hotel pools, and tiny geckos scurry across sidewalks.

I have yet to convince one or more to either leave their island paradise to move north with me or to ride on my shoulder.

And, as I told Roger during our recent trip to Curaçao, “I have two perfectly good shoulders.” Roger laughingly agreed and patted me on one of my perfectly good shoulders.

Our trip in May was our second visit to Curaçao; our first was in 2011. Curaçao (kyoor-uh-SO), along with Aruba and Bon Aire, make up the ABC islands or the Leeward Antilles. Curaçao is the largest in both size and population — the island, eight miles at its widest point and 40 miles long, is home to around 150,000 and is located only 40 miles from the Venezuelan coast.

Curaçao has been inhabited for approximately 5,000 years, charted and colonized by Spanish explorers during the 1400s, and later in the 1600s by the Dutch. The Dutch founded the capital of Willemstad on a natural harbor and the island became a major trading center for the Dutch West India Company; plantations and the slave trade soon followed.

Despite disputes between the French, British and Dutch in the early 1800s, the Dutch won control; the island remained under Dutch rule until 2010 when Cu50

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raçao was granted independent status as a country within the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

The Dutch influence is still very visible — most evident in Willemstad, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1997. The city is divided into two sections, Punda and Otrabanda, separated by the harbor, but connected by the famous Queen Emma Bridge floating pedestrian bridge. The colorful buildings lining the harbor make Willemstad one of the world’s most photographed downtowns. The city is home to numerous historic buildings, notably Fort Amsterdam, built in 1635 to protect Dutch trading and oldest synagogue in continuous use in the Western Hemisphere, Mikvé IsraelEmanuel Synagogue, established in 1732.

Quaint cafes live side-by-side with touristy souvenir shops and high-end retailers. The popular Venezuelan floating market features a bounty of fresh fruits and vegetables; local craft stalls are filled with all variety of hand-made goods and a cacophony of languages is carried on the ever-present breeze. Most of the locals, and everyone who works in the hospitality industry, speak English, Dutch, Spanish and the local language, Papiamentu, at the very least. The average temperature is in the 80s, the desalinated water is safe to drink, the cuisine heavily features fish and Gouda and, yes, Blue Curaçao liquor, named for the island, is made there from locally-sourced oranges.

After a four-hour direct flight from Charlotte, Roger and I arrived to blue skies and lots of sun and rented a car for flexible travel.

Driving is fairly easy once one becomes accustomed to the roundabouts, which are used in lieu of stoplights. One looping road serves most of the island, and signs are abundant. We easily navigated everywhere we wanted to go. We did get lost once, but only the one time and only briefly.

Arriving at the same hotel as on our previous trip, the Marriott Emerald Bay Beach Resort, we unpacked and reacquainted ourselves with the amenities — the beach, the pool and the pool-sized Jacuzzis. We had previously found restaurant options near the hotel to be lacking; those within walking distance were expensive, underwhelming or both. This, sadly, had not changed. Visitors can find better options in downtown Willemstad.

Famished from travel, we settled for a late lunch at the hotel. During happy hour, we happily indulged in a colorful, fruity cocktail complete with pineapple garnish and tiny umbrella.

The next day, the relaxation began in earnest. After marinating in sunscreen (me, not Roger, who chose instead to burn), we carefully selected our beachfront palapa, or thatched hut, and proceeded to lounge. I read, Roger listened to music, we took the occasional dip in the crystal, blue waters and I applied additional layers of sunscreen. I had forgotten how rocky Curaçao’s beaches can be. After stubbing a toe or two, I had to purchase a pair of water shoes to protect my feet from further injury.

Two days later, we felt the need to get out and explore. After breakfast of coffee and Johnny cakes, a savory doughnutlike pastry filled with melted Gouda, on our veranda, we packed our day bag with the essentials – sunscreen, water, snacks and first aid kit – and set out for Cas Abao beach, one of several fee-supported local beaches. We found a shady spot for our chairs and spent a pleasant morning swimming and snorkeling. Lunch at the café was less pleasant as the bees harassed Roger nonstop, wanting a taste of his ketchup-covered fries.

That afternoon, we visited Karakter, a newly-opened Dutch beach club with good snorkeling and a relaxing vibe.

After perusing their food options, I questioned the waitress about Bitterballen, having seen it on several menus. She described them as similar to a croquette and kindly brought us an order to sample.

It tasted like deep fried, panko-coated balls of shepherd’s pie.

After a snack and a libation, we hit the water. A word of warning about snorkeling: objects underwater are closer than they appear. I learned this lesson the hard way when my knee connected with a sharp rock. Noticing the blood running down my leg, I thought, ‘Thank goodness there were no sharks.’

After patching myself up with our first aid kit, we headed back to the hotel, happening, along the way, upon Curaçao’s salt flats and the pink flamingoes that live there.

That evening, we returned for the second time to Willemstad’s Pietermaai district for dinner. The area, popular with locals, is home to Dutch boutique hotels and a bevy of restaurants that Roger would describe as “chefy!”

Earlier stumbling upon the district and the appropriately-named Fishalicious, we enjoyed a starter of smoked eel on toast — so simple and so delicious. I also had the Caribbean lobster; Roger selected the swordfish, which he claimed was the best he had ever had.

Resisting the desire to return to Fishalicious, we, instead, made a reservation for tapas night at Kome. We sampled the house-made sangria, followed by a selection of small plates — pickled deviled eggs, goat cheese and fried eggplant stack and panko-battered calamari. We finished with Nutella gelato.

We lounged more the next day and explored again on Thursday, heading to the northern most tip of the island.

Our first stop was Christoffel National Park, which we had unsuccessfully tried to visit in 2011. We were again denied entrance. The first time the park was closed due to rain, this time, heat.

Disappointed, we returned to the other national park, Shete Boka. Fossilized coral and cacti litter the landscape and huge waves crash against the rocky cliffs.

Dusty, hot and hungry, we sought lunch at Jaanchie’s Restaurant, a Curaçao institution where we had eaten previously.

There is no menu; however, the owner makes rounds, sitting at each table to

explain the specials. I sampled the iguana stew last time; yes, it tastes like chicken, and yes, I still feel guilty. This time, I ordered grouper with beans and rice. Roger had a sampler platter of beef stew, garlic shrimp and all the fixings.

The blow hole at Shete Boka National Park

We continued on to Roger’s favorite beach, Playa Grote Knip, a white, sandy beach in a cove sheltered from the wind.

The sapphire water is calm and the fish are colorful.

We stayed close to the hotel on our final day, lounging and attempting to lure lizards into our luggage. We later returned for a final time to the Pietermaai district and BijBlauw for dinner.

The name of this ocean-side hotel and restaurant aptly means “at blue.” Seated at a table with a front row view of both the sunset and the crashing waves, there were one or two that made us wish we had been seated further back. Our final dinner did not disappoint —duck confit spring rolls, followed by grilled snapper over quinoa, as well as truffle risotto topped with a poached egg.

Several days after returning home, I shared pictures of our trip on Facebook.

Among the likes and comments, our friend Kristan, noted, “It’s so blue!” So it is, I recalled. That must be why they call it Blue Curaçao.

heather brandon Considers life to be one big anthropological field experience. She observes and reports.

She enjoys travel, food and wine and adventures with her husband, Roger.

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51

Today’s Spacious Modern Cabinet Shop in Newland.

Debbe Banner with the men in her life, from left: Jim, Joe and Joeph Banner, who represent three generations in the family business.

Banner’s Cabinets in “the good old days.”

Photos submitted

Debbie Banner Totally Custom Born in Minneapolis to educators Harry and Jerri McGee, Debbie Banner — despite her parents’ influence and passion for the world of academia — secretly longed to be a homemaker and enjoy her life as a housewife and mother.

An only child, Debbie and her parents moved to Elk Park when she was in sixth grade. A 1967 graduate of Cranberry High School, Debbie studied at both Milligan College and Lees McRae College.

However, when she met Joe Banner from Newland, while vacationing in Florida, her childhood dreams began to take shape.

As the couple prepares to celebrate their 48th anniversary in August, Debbie and Joe’s “chance beach meeting” laid the foundation for a lifetime of teamwork, commitment and a version of “homemaker” that Debbie didn’t anticipate. Joe’s encouraging words, when she worked with her first customers in their family business: “It’s sink or swim” has shaped both Debbie’s life and creativity in taking on a design that is totally custom.

After marrying in 1968, Debbie and 52

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Joe settled in Newland as Joe took his spot at Banner’s Cabinets, a family business of custom cabinet design started by his father in 1942. Following the birth of their son, Joseph, in 1973, Debbie briefly enjoyed her time as a homemaker and stay-at-home-mom. When Joseph began school, she started working in the office part-time three days a week. Soon this became daily and, eventually, full-time work.

Laughingly she says, “Part of my reason for working in the office was to get to see my husband, as he worked round the clock six days a week.” Starting out doing payroll and taxes, Debbie soon began sitting in on meetings with clients, in which Joe would ask her to “Come in and take notes.”

One day, when new clients were coming in to discuss plans for their home, the couple’s schedules overlapped, and Joe had to be away from the office. He encouraged Debbie to talk with them and take notes as she had been doing. This led to 30-plus years of working one-on-one with customers to bring to life bathrooms and kitchens that were once fleeting hopes

and ideas.

“I really love helping people choose their style and selling our products,” Debbie says. She explains that the most rewarding part of her job is to hear from her customers, “This is the best I’ve ever had.”

Through trial and error, Debbie says, she learned that her job was not only to make kitchens beautiful, but also functional. “The beauty comes,” she explains, “but you have to have the function first.”

Although Debbie does not draw the plans, she “space plans” and discusses this in detail with the three drafstmen at Banner’s Cabinets. She keeps the business aware of current trends through Internet research and in studying various new designs in magazines. The greatest assets of the Banner family business, she says, include the ability to be versatile and to always regard the “mindset of the client” as their top priority.

Throughout her years in the business, Debbie has continued to become more confident in her work with clients and in helping design something compatible

with their current lifestyle, she says. Also, she explains, much of her confidence comes from Joe. “My husband is my biggest promoter — he literally pushed me into this.”

“Being creative,” and “thinking outside the box” are Debbie’s favorite aspects of her job. “Giving people exactly what they want,” she says, carries an “intrinsic value.” Likewise, “the best advertising you can have is a satisfied customer!”

When asked about her favorite designing jobs, she quickly explains that each one is unique, requiring a shuffle in her skill set and relying on her ability to “switch modes,” for example, from a contemporary concept to mountain chic or to exotic woods.

In her small amount of spare time, Debbie enjoys working in her flower garden, walking and eating healthily. At one time, she and Joe frequently travelled up and down the East coast, and sometimes ventured farther to places like Italy and Austria. Most recently, they enjoy spending long weekends in Charlotte as a chance to get away and enjoy the city.

Moving away from Avery County, however, has never been in their plans.

They enjoy being close to family, working with people they have always known — and are still thrilled that Joseph joined their business after graduating from NC State University. Joe, along with his wife, Christina, and their daughter, Sophie, add great joy to their lives, she adds.

As her role in the family’s business has continued to expand, Debbie enjoys the relationships and connections she builds with her clients. As she becomes a part of their lives while their homes are under construction, Debbie’s clients become her friends as she shares in the tragedies and celebrations of their lives.

“It is wonderful when I connect with a client and he or she also becomes part of our family.”

The best advice Debbie has for someone who wants to start a business is, “Be willing to work hard and understand that commitment, honor, integrity and quality are not afterthoughts, but essential and at the forefront of success.”

Debbie’s perfect day would be to wake

up and “sell everything we had,” she says.

With the responsibility of their workers’ livelihood always on her mind, however, Debbie says, the knowledge that everyone would get paid well and families would be taken care of would make any day the best it could possibly be. “It’s all family at Banner’s Cabinets,” she says.

Gleaning from her parents’ pursuits as lifelong learners and supporters of education, her husbands’ constant measure of encouragement and support — and the joy of working with her son and spending time with his family — Debbie’s commitment to research, design, creativity and care for her clients have merged to form a beautiful output: Debbie Banner the totally custom homemaker of her own dream and that of others, too.

Hollie Greene Hollie Greene is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the mountains of North Carolina.

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Travel

Your Silence Will Come and Live With You Many years ago, I spent three days in a tiny hermitage, Shabbat Shalom, in a red pine forest of northern Michigan.

It was furnished with a bed, rocker, wood stove, broom, desk and chair, and had a huge picture window that looked out on rocks, lichen and scrub pines. I sat and watched the sun rise, crawl across the sky and slowly sink in the west. As I sat with my journal, words of poems and inspired prose poured through me.

For three days of what could only be called “kairos” time, I wrote, ecstatic.

But when the third night approached, I started to panic. The dark night of the soul had found me. Suddenly, I wanted to return to the bustling world of friends, food, dogs and light.

Sacred places have always called to me — so-called “thin places” — where one can step over from everyday life into a place where time stands still.

I imagine going to Abiquiu, New Mexico, where Georgia O’Keeffe painted, the stark island of Iona in the north of Scotland, the Isle Royale of moose and wolves in Lake Superior and a monastery in the redwoods of northern California.

My dear friend Hermittina, at age 85, discerned that she was being called to 54

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live as a hermit, a life of silence and solitude, under the care of a monastery. At that time, a woman named Mary Stamps was beginning St. Brigid of Kildare Monastery in Minnesota. Hermittina wrestled with her calling, knowing that her body, increasingly frail, would likely not be up to the rigors of a radically simple life.

About then, she and I met Maggie Ross, an Anglican hermit, who told Hermittina, “No matter what you decide, your silence will come and live with you.” Her words touched Hermittina, and seemed to be all she needed in order to settle into deep silence right where she lived, at a retirement village. Still, I love to imagine Hermittina lighting her wood stove fire each night and reciting the Psalms of Compline.

I am drawn to Thomas Merton’s hermit life at the Abbey of Gethsemane, W. Paul Jones’ monastic life, Henri Nouwen’s stay at the Abbey of the Genesee, Alex Kates Shulman’s solitary life on an island off Cape Cod and my own daily sojourn at Nunavut, my little writing cabin. I know that, without my housemate, my dog and my friends, I would be strongly led to close the door to my past and say aloud, “Now my new life begins.” I would

become a hermit.

But it would be hard to make my feet move to that tiny cabin. Such a commitment would mean leaving behind the following: my beloved journals, the writing I’ve done over the years, my retreat center in Ohio and my cabin in North Carolina, leading writing workshops, traveling around the world, raising money to support projects in Third and Fourth World countries, enjoying leisurely lunches and long talks with friends and my franticallybusy carefully-planned schedule.

Why be a hermit? To discover, Quaker that I am, radical simplicity, stillness and silence. To be closer to nature. To have sacred words poured through me, to be a vehicle for the mysterious word. To be one with the ground of being, touching the hidden God. To hold the world in the light. To be able to go beyond the third night. Would I dare? And, in Maggie Ross’s words, would my silence come and live with me?

sue spirit Writes poetry and essays about nature, spirituality, writing, and travel. She has a little cabin in the mountains. degreesoffreedom@frontier.com

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Taking Flight

In his book “Life, the Universe, and Everything” Douglas Adams writes, “The Guide says there is an art to flying —or rather a knack. The knack lies in learning how to throw yourself at the ground and miss.”

I thought a lot about flying as I prepared for the huge leap of my son Will graduating high school and setting forth on another amazing adventure in college, pursuing a degree in aerospace engineering at NC State University.

As the date rapidly approached, I replied the same to everyone that asked me how I felt about this huge milestone. “I’m ecstatic,” I would say. “I don’t know why everyone thinks I’m going to be sad.”

Then, a few days ago, I started pulling together old pictures, drawings and writings of Will’s for a collage I had decided to do for him, documenting his desire to design and build airplanes since he was 8 years old.

I found pictures of him in his diaper at the age of 17 months, building a huge layout with wooden train track in our living room after Christmas; him sitting, at the age of 4, naked on the couch, eating some snack, with a rocket made from paper towel tubes beside him; him building elaborate Lincoln log cabins and Lego

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castles; and then, pictures of him and the series of airplanes he designed as he went from paper to complicated wooden and foam constructions for various science fairs.

I found pencil drawings and sketches labeled “Fast Jet” and “Idea #3” with views of the aircraft from the top and bottom and side and careful labeling of all parts.

I found letters to Santa asking for a P41 mustang (World War II airplane) and a poem about being the pilot in this plane.

As I flipped through the papers, pictures and drawings that emerged from the depths of closets and boxes in all my packratedness, there was immense pride and joy, but also sadness.

Time is a crazy thing – it is like a shadow in your life that follows you along, as if you are always moving toward the sun and it is lagging behind you. Sometimes you round a corner and catch a glance of it, and you say, “Wow, I can’t believe it’s been a (month, year, decade, fill in the blank),” but the rest of your life you just keep moving forward.

Then you have an event like your child graduating from high school, and the memories fan out in front of you, like you’re looking at a photograph taken with prolonged exposure where the days,

months, years appear in one glimpse. It is overwhelming and awe-inspiring at the same time.

Will and I are in a dance right now as time keeps moving behind us. I prompt, ask, nag, pull back, pause and then start again. We debate approaches to the world’s unfairness.

Since I had to let him go away two years earlier than most mothers do, when he moved to the NC School of Science and Mathematics, accepting the fact that he is not under my roof 24/7 is no longer the greatest challenge for me personally.

However, accepting the fact that my innate desire to help ensure his continued success is no longer fundamental to his continued success is a harder pill to swallow. It is hard to let go.

My Type A personality instills an urge to message him, asking him if he remembered this or that, how did his test or paper go, when was he going to study, did he get enough sleep, and on, and on and on.

I want to validate his opinions and right to have his own perspective, but get tripped up on misunderstandings that sometimes erupt in a span of minutes.

I have pondered this compulsion to micromanage, and my worrying mind

that he might forget something major or not prioritize his work or take too many risks by pushing boundaries.

He is a brilliant student who has done exceptionally well. I may have been his cheerleader all these years, but his drive is most certainly his own and his intellect stretches into many concepts I can barely grasp.

Maybe, as a mother, the pain of seeing your child feel disappointed or face what they see as a failure, creates that inner push to try to protect. But failure is the impetus for change, growth, and strength.

In this context, this idea of flight involving throwing yourself at the ground and missing seems appropriate. For whatever reason, sometimes we are our own worst enemies when it comes to reaching our potential. We can try to self sabotage, have negative self-talk, and catastrophize our short-comings — and yet one day wake up and see that somehow, with the support and love of others and our own drive, the wind is under our wings and all those experiences that seemed to be holding us to the ground

are actually the reason we are lifting up.

When Will was just out of seventh grade, he went to an aerospace engineering summer study program for three weeks. The instructor of the course typically would contact the parents of the students to review how the course had gone. There were no grades — only feedback and comments. The instructor noted how devastated Will was when his plane did not perform as well as he thought it should have.

He made the point to Will (and me) that if Will wanted to be an engineer, he had to accept failure, because this is an inherent part of engineering — testing, retesting, noting observations, making modifications and testing again.

On the other hand, he said, if Will wanted it to always go a certain way, he should be a theorist.

Will opted the engineering route and has ultimately — for the most part — embraced the engineering process. Test, observe, identify limitations, modify, repeat.

In this context, it becomes clearer

that when you live your own life, this is the mantra that gets many of us through our difficulties. It’s not always that we observe other people’s challenges, and modify our life in response, but rather that we observe our own. The motherly desire to teach our children all that we have learned to protect, inspire and direct sometimes ignores the very fact that just as engineering is trial and error, so is the path to self-discovery and independence.

So, as I exhale after the amazing graduation festivities, I marvel at my son’s accomplishments. I sigh at my struggles to let go, and I remind myself that living involves decisions, choices, and risk— and as a parent we set the foundation but the flight is our child’s.

As Helen Keller put it, “Life is either a daring adventure or nothing.” Godspeed to my son on his adventure. heather jordan, CNM, MSN Comments or questions?

828.737.7711, ext. 253 landh@localnet.com

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Excellence begins in the Heart Cynthia Wilson Bolick puts the finishing touches to the latest of several projects she has done for Ed and Maritiza Greene of Greene Construction.

Photo by Sherrie Norris

At this vacation rental home belonging to Bill and Terri Saint, and located in the Blue Ridge Mountain Club at Blowing Rock, Cynthia Wilcox Bolick enjoyed painting the exterior, interior ceilings and doors; she also etched, sanded and hand stained the concrete floor of the garage, helping to create a wonderful game room.

Photos submitted

For nearly 25 years Cynthia Wilson Bolick has made a name for herself in the construction industry, first helping to manage a family business and currently providing a high quality of work independently that has gained the confidence of numerous contractors and homeowners, alike.

Through Dog Gone Painting Company, previously operating as C W Bolick Painting Inc., Cynthia offers everything from interior and exterior painting, knock down drywall, venetian plaster and drywall repair to pressuring washing houses and decks, concrete staining and finishing — a work of art in itself, she says.

Whether on new construction or remodeling, no job is too large or too small for this woman who strives to not only provide the best price scenario, but even more so, to leave her customers “100 percent content with the quality of work we do.”

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Referring to her business as a ministry, Cynthia says she wants to be known for being more than just a painter. Her faith in God is paramount to her success, she says. “I rely on him for everything. He has taught me so much about life. Anything that comes my way, I know it is from the Lord. He has given me a talent, and it is my desire to use it for his glory.”

She been blessed, she says, to have had some wonderful customers who have worked with her in bringing their own ideas and creativity to the projects. “It helps to know the vision they have for the work you have been hired to do,” she adds.

A “nontraditional student,” Cynthia received her degree in psychology at the age of 42, which, she admits, helps her better relate to her clients.

Operating her own business has provided a flexibility she needs, Cynthia says, especially as caregiver to an adult son

with autism.

Cythia’s greatest influence in business has been what drives her as an individual, she says. “It’s a simple biblical concept which suggests that we should live in such a manner as to do unto others as we’d have them do unto us. Basically, we should treat everyone with respect, listen to what they are trying to say and do all we can to support their goals, thereby helping them to accomplish their dreams. My greatest influence is the kingdom principles taught

by Jesus Christ. His teachings are those which are my lifestyle.”

What advice does Cynthia have for small business owners or start up companies?

“There is no problem too great that cannot be solved and managed. When

problems arise, my best advice is to research the problem and seek the advice of professionals. When interpersonal problems arise, be willing to ask questions, listen to all sides, believe the best about individuals, maintain professional boundaries — and use the situation to learn and to grow character.” It’s important, too, she says, to always take the high road and make every effort to satisfy customers. “However, never accept verbal abuse. Learn when to accept a project, see it through, and recognize when to turn a job down.”

Also, she says, “Choose employees carefully, ensure they function professionally and independently, maintaining company standards before trusting them to oversee a project which represent the company image.”

Current trends When asked about current trends, Cynthia is seeing a lot of gray and blue tones. “Cabinet makeovers are popular and are cost affective means to modernize a kitchen,” she says, with gray tones currently popular cabinet colors. The new color on the horizon for cabinets is navy blue, with floors and stains trending toward darker tones.

“Modernizing the traditional farm

house is also trendy and popular, utilizing shades of white, with sleek modern accessories and accent colors in blue tones,” she adds.

Cynthia’s best advice to those contemplating changing the colors of their home, is simply not to stress. “Colors express personality. Don’t be afraid to try new colors.”

Cynthia stays aware of new products, colors and design concepts, and suggests, for those in the planning stages, to simply look on the Pinterest Facebook site — “a wonderful application to search for color schemes and decorating ideas others have pulled together,” she says.

Cynthia’s business has taught her not to be afraid to learn new skills. “I’ve learned to trust in my abilities, thereby adding confidence to my persona,” she says.

Cynthia is currently completing a new construction in Deep Gap, and is working on several smaller, ongoing projects with a larger residential repaint waiting in the wings. Other recent jobs include painting the interior of Sherwin Williams in Boone and a remodeled home in Boone. She has also done extensive work at the chancellor’s house at ASU, as well as Shoppes on the Parkway.

“I love meeting new customers and helping select products and colors for

their projects,” she says.

It is important, Cynthia says, that a woman does what she loves — and does it well. “Never allow personal limitations to stifle and handicap your God-given talents and personal calling,” she says. “Learn new skills and don’t be afraid to utilize those hobbies you love to start up your own business.”

A multi-talented woman, Cynthia is the mother of four adult children who she has helped put through college; her youngest daughter is now a junior. She is actively involved in her community and church, loves to decorate and write, and is currently working on a daily devotional she hopes to have in print soon.

The name Dog Gone” is simply a saying,” she explains. “When one is forced to remodel, or freshen up paint, they call the dog- gone painters.”

For more information, call (828) 9645786, email cwbolick@aol.com or visit Dog Gone Painting Company on Facebook.

sherrie norris Editor, All About Women

A Day on the Job Cynthia by Wilcox Bolick “Today I traveled to my work site down Hwy. 421 to Hwy. 221. Another turn and a steep climb up a single gravel driveway, traversing tree roots and bumping over a few rocks. The space opens wide to a large green field with towering trees overshadowing a little valley tucked gently away from the bustle of town. Soon, this little house that I’m working on will welcome families and individuals who dream of the sanctuary of a small cabin tucked away between a couple of ridges where they can forget the daily responsibilities which weigh heavy on their hearts. There’s a dream in their heart. The mountains are the backdrop, and I’ve had the pleasure to work on the cabin, as well as hundreds of others.

Meanwhile, there’s a song in the mountains to which one must listen closely for its message, flowing gently in the breeze. Its message is hidden in the quietness of a sundrenched day or in the downpour of a summer rain. Its sound

resonates louder in the evenings, as a choir of katydids takes center stage, and lightening bugs illuminate the night sky in response to the rhythm.

I’m so blessed to work here in the Blue Ridge Mountains, and return home each night to my side of the ridge, to listen to nature’s song, which brings life to this tired ole body, and renews hope down deep in my heart, causing it to beat it’s own kind of song.

These mountains have raised me, and they’ve taught me lessons from the challenges I’ve traversed. I’ve found great faith here. I understand there’s a curtain that rises every night — where the invisible becomes visible, as spirit calls out to spirit.

My work in the construction industry is unique for a woman. The skills I’ve learned help me transform wood and sheetrock into a finished product where houses become homes.

I’d like to thank everyone who has given me the opportunity to work on

their personal visions, and to all the contractors and subs who’ve worked side-by-side with me, and to the supply companies who’ve taught me about products — and continue to meet me on a daily basic to provide product and recommendation for successful projects. Each of you is as beautiful as these mountains.

Thanks, too, to my family members who’ve waited patiently for me to return home each day, and to the Thursday prayer team that has prayed work my way.

I’m surrounded on every side by people who love me and support my family — and who’ve been the song in my ear and the breeze on my skin on a long work day. I’ve had the best crew, the best customers and the best friends any woman would want. This feature is “All About You” and how you support women who support their families. With love to each of you — you are the colors on my brush.”

AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

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DUAL School Boone’s Bilingual Preschool

by Lauren Stengele

The reason I’m passionate about bilingualism, especially getting started on the process as early as possible, all comes down to history.

Going back —way back — my roots are planted firmly in the soil of Guadalajara and Durango, Mexico. I am Latina, but you would never know it. My fair skin and blue eyes display only the Western European side of my history. I always joke that I’m white on the outside and Latin on the inside.

My grandmother started kindergarten in Los Angeles with no English skills.

None. To this day, she describes the experience as one of the most humiliating of her life. By the time my mom was born, my grandparents decided to drop Spanish from the home in an effort to acculturate. They didn’t want their children to be discriminated against. Then I came along. I always wanted to speak Spanish.

At the ripe age of 6, I told my grandmother, “I’m not talking to you unless you speak to me in Spanish.” She tried, but I didn’t understand. And so as soon as I could, I studied and studied. Now, I speak Spanish.

The combination of knowing how hard it is to learn a second language as an adult — and the stories I’ve heard of the stress involved in being thrown into kindergarten in a foreign language — fuel my passion for early bilingualism. Now, I have my own children.

In our previous town, we belonged to

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a Spanish immersion preschool. When we moved to Boone a year ago, I knew it would be up to me to continue our bilingual journey, since no such school existed here. So, I started a Spanish playgroup out of my home. I wanted to open our group to the community, but I wasn’t sure how.

Around the same time, I learned that the Children’s Council was working on creating a plan to start a bilingual preschool in Watauga County to meet the needs of our young children in the community. They graciously offered their space to host the playgroup and put their interns to work creating flyers and plastering them around town, inviting folks to come be part of our bilingual playgroup.

Since we moved our playgroup to the Children’s Council in March, we have had 12 families join us! On any given day, we have English-only, Spanish-only, and bilingual families all having fun together in a bilingual environment. Playgroup is wonderful, but we knew we could do more. Instead of waiting another year to begin the preschool, we have joined forces and will be opening the doors to a part-time preschool program this fall.

Much research has been done in recent years on the incredible effects of early bilingualism. Brain research shows that bilingual babies have more activity than monolingual babies in areas of the brain related to executive function — things like problem solving and shifting focus. In addition, research shows that

bilingualism enhances a child’s working memory, listening ability and multi-tasking skills. Bilingual children are generally more open-minded and sensitive toward others and less easily distracted. Not to mention the economic benefit bilingualism brings when entering the workforce.

However, the benefits of bilingualism are not only for the individual. It is my personal belief that much injustice — or indifference — in the world and at home, stems from a belief that people who are different from us are “other.” It is difficult to empathize with or care about people who are so very far removed from us, who we don’t understand, and who, sometimes, scare us. It is also my personal belief that one of the simplest and most effective ways to combat injustice is to step across the lines that divide, and make friends with those different than you.

What is DUAL School?

The first Diverse Unified Appropriate Learning School, or DUAL School, as it is known, will begin in August at The Children's Council. The classroom will serve 3-4 year olds and will be made up of four children who speak English and four children who speak Spanish. The DUAL School will have the children actively engaged in a developmentally appropriate curriculum that is based on the children's

interests and will support growth in both English and Spanish. Children's applications for the DUAL School are available at the Children's Council. Fees are based on a sliding fee scale. Spaces are limited and placement is determined by lottery and needs of classroom community.

Providing the bridge DUAL School provides a bridge for the children and families in Boone, and invites them to cross over and see things from a different perspective: To make friends. To see oneself in another’s reality and realize they are not as different from you as you once believed. To understand the struggles of the community are your struggles. The success of the community is your success.

My hope for DUAL School is to make the transition into kindergarten easy, fun and exciting for the Spanish-speaking children of Boone. It is also to see friendships made across racial, economic and linguistic barriers. After all, it is impossible not to care about your friends.

The Children’s Council of Watauga invests resources, information and training toward promoting the health and success of our greatest community asset — our children. We believe that every child deserves the opportunity to develop into his or her fullest potential in a community that supports, nurtures, and empowers children and families. Children from birth to five years old and their caregivers are welcome to participate in DUAL Playgroup, which meets on Friday mornings at the Children’s Council. DUAL School, a bilingual preschool for 3-and-4 year-olds, will launch this fall. For more information on these or other programs of the Children’s Council call (828) 262-5424, or visit www.thechildrenscouncil.org.

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Transcending the 'Color Norms'

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Just a short time ago, the fashion world was in awe when the "Colors of 2016" were revealed, kick starting the summer season with colors and color combinations that easily appeal to everyone. From soft to spicy, experts agree that the new seasonal colors transcend all cultural and gender norms.

Vivid brights give way to excitement and optimism, although quiet stability prevails in this season’s palette. Interestingly enough, there are truly no perceivable distinctions in color choices between men’s and women’s collections, both of which focus on a desire to breathe and reflect, then play.

Rose Quartz: Perfect for the lighthearted spring and summer months, this persuasive, yet gentle tone conveys compassion and a sense of composure.

Peach Echo: An all-encompassing shade emanates friendlier qualities, evoking warmth and accessibility, one which is a tempered companion in the playful orange family.

Serenity: A weightless and airy comforting color with a calming effect, like the expanse of the blue sky. A transcendent blue, serenity provides us with a naturally connected sense of space.

Snorkel Blue: Close to what we know as midnight blue, this is a maritimeinspired blue in the navy family, but with a happier, more energetic context. The name alone implies a relaxing vacation and encourages escape.

Buttercup: Summer perfection, one unlike the majority of the spring/summer palette trends, which appear calmer and a diversion which offers a striking and sunnier contrast.

Limpet Shell: A shade of aqua that leans towards the green family and is suggestive of clarity and freshness with its crisp and modern influences that evoke a deliberate, mindful tranquility.

Lilac Grey: One of my favorites! A neutral tone of a classic gray shade which embodies a subtle lilac shade of purple.

Fiesta: Full of fun and energy, it’s a

color of excitement. A strong and fiery, yellow-based red, the vivid fiesta provides a stark contrast to the calming, softer nature of this season’s palette.

Iced Coffee: The perfect transitional color that will take us through the seasons. It manifests as another strong neutral color for the season with its natural earthy quality and softness.

Green Flash: It’s been said that this is a color that calls on its wearer to explore, push the envelope and escape the mundane, radiating an openness that combines with the rest of the palette in unexpected but serendipitous ways. The popularity of this brilliant hue is representative of nature’s persistent influence even in urban environments, a trend continuing to inspire designers.

Emily apple Emily Apple is an Appalachian State graduate with a degree in fashion design and merchandising.

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‘Her Jericho Heart’ by Sonya Davis In her debut novel, “Her Jericho Heart,” the High Country’s own Sonya Davis writes about the complexities of women’s hearts, the seemingly invincible walls we build as protection — and the loneliness hidden within their crevices that is only matched by our obstinacy and fear. “Her Jericho Heart” both explores and exposes the fragile and nuanced layers of women’s souls.

Quite early in her, life Sydney Cromwell has reached the status of “having it all.” Her career as a lawyer continues to advance in wealthy, prestigious New York City. Her leading rival in litigation is her handsome fiancé, Marcus Rosenbaum. Her closets are filled with designer clothes. Rows of shoes allow her to match every outfit. She is the embodiment of the modern, professional woman.

“When everything was finished, Sydney stepped back and looked at the finished product in the mirror. Her hair was swept up, and, for once, she was thankful for her natural curl, for the loose strands hanging around her face and curled ever so slightly, as if being commanded to do just that. Her makeup was heavier than she normally would have worn, but on this night she had to fit in — and she loved all of it: the whole package — her necklace and earrings sparking just right, her strapless tight-fitting dress with sparkles of diamond shapes around the bodice and down the center of the front — the whole outfit came together 64

JULY 2016 | AAWMAG.COM

beautifully. She was quite proud of herself for matching everything the way she did.

Now, all she needed was her prince, so off this princess went to her carriage to call for him.”

Shortly after accepting Marcus’ proposal of marriage, memories from Sydney’s past threatened the happiness and satisfaction she’s worked tirelessly to create in her present. After visiting Marcus’ family’s mansion during the Thanksgiving holiday, and walking through the mansion Marcus has prepared for their own family, Sydney surprises everyone by taking a leave of absence to drive to North Carolina and face the loss, anger and heartbreak of her past.

Unfortunately, a snowstorm waylays Sydney’s plans. Rescued from the automobile she’s driven into a snowbank, Sydney meets Bo and Livie, and recovers in the refuge of their home. Through the patient and loving care she receives from Bo and his niece during this time, the carefully constructed walls around Sydney’s heart begin to crumble and fall.

Throughout Sydney’s stay in Bo’s hometown of Turner’s Cove, she is reminded of the joys of her childhood as well as its simplicity — pleasures left far behind in her fast-paced, cut-throat life in NYC. Traveling further into the mountains of North Carolina, Sydney finds solace in her grandmother’s home and spends several weeks reflecting on her life, her faith and her future.

With a new mindset, she returns to NYC and begins to make changes in a world that she had once ruled with shrewdness, manipulation and, in some cases, lies and deceit. Refusing to fall into the pattern of old habits, Sydney no longer uses her mirror to gage her success and value; instead, she reconciles with the hurt and abandonment experienced in her past, and boldly moves into her future.

About Sydney’s journey, Sonya explains, “Overcoming life’s struggles makes us strong. We look back at where we have been, and then toward the future, the past a lesson learned, the future a promise of something new, uncharted territory.” And, this is what readers begin to recognize as a possibility for Sydney.

The romance between Sydney and Marcus, and Sydney and Bo, will keep readers turning the pages of “Her Jericho Heart,” but Sonya’s wish is for something more: “God is always right there waiting for you to come and ask for help. I hope readers connect with what this book is about — not just a romance, but also a message of God’s unchanging love.”

Just as in Sydney’s experience, life teaches each of us to build walls around our hearts for protection and, in many cases, we spend years patching holes and securing our personal fortresses, only to realize we are missing out on life’s most precious gifts: faith, joy and love. This book is more than a story, it is a chal-

lenge. It asks, “Just how much are you willing to let yourself live?

“Sydney put on her mother’s wedding gown, stood back, and looked into a fulllength mirror that Doris has brought to her just for this day. As Sydney looked at herself, she envisioned her mother wearing this gown. She saw her father waiting at the end of the aisle for her, smiling. She was so proud to wear her mother’s gown — and ashamed she ever threw it across the room as if trash. She was a completely different person, now. She would continue to prove it to herself every day.

Sydney started to put up her unruly hair, but changed her mind; she wanted to be herself walking down the aisle, not made up — just Sydney.”

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About the Author Spending the entirety of her life in the mountains of Western North Carolina, Sonya Davis, and Mike Davis, her husband of 33 years, have raised three children, and now celebrate the joys of having five grandchildren.

Sonya says, “God wrote this book. He gave me the story, the characters — and eventually — the title.” No matter what you write about, she says, “the point is — it’s all important. The wonderful thing is, once it is written, it is there. It has made a mark, somewhere on someone.”

Sonya’s hope for this book and any others in her future is “that someone may read it that does not know who God is, and that they will learn, as Sydney did.

God is there to love and forgive — no matter where and what your life has been before.”

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Alvin P. Jenkins, DDS, PA • Emily J. Stopper, DDS Hollie Greene Hollie Greene is an English teacher who loves stories, words and the mountains of North Carolina.

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Laser Dentistry • Zoom • 3D Impressions • Teeth Whitening • Invisalign • Same Day Crowns Implants • Mini Implants • TruDenta® • Extractions Root Canals • Cleaning • Dentures Insurance Filed • Financing Available • Hours: Mon-Fri 8:00 am-4:00 pm

www.mountaintowndental.com • 336-246-8888 AAWMAG.COM | JULY 2016

65

things we

LOVE

RING A sterling silver and 18 karat yellow gold Blue Topaz Ring. $375. There is a matching necklace and earrings available which makes a stunning set. Mountain Jewelers, Newland N.C. 828-733-0186 NECKLACE A sterling silver necklace with a Green Amethyst Pendant. $295. Mountain Jewelers, Newland N.C. 828-733-0186 BOOTS Corral ladies cowhide snip toe boot with embroidery. Watsonatta Western World www.booneboots.com THROW PILLOWS We are in love with these throw pillows in fabrics by Carlton V and China Seas. $275/ea. Northern Parker Interiors DRESS Scully Kirsten boot dress in ivory. Watsonatta Western World www.booneboots.com ART The Baird Farm Triptych custom oil painting with reclaimed door frame by Mabel Studios. $1,200. Town Home www.townhomestudio.com STOOL Copper Patina Stool. $174. Town Home www.townhomestudio.com CHAIR This fabulous spindle chair is a great look for the mountains! Chair is $1150. LaceďŹ eld designs pillow is $195. Northern Parker Interiors POTTERY 8 piece clay Punch Bowl set by Doc Welty $320. Parkway Craft Center www.southernhighlandguild.org

Affordable Custom Window Fashions

We Come to You No Expensive Showroom

YOU SAVE MONEY

We are a locally owned and operated family business.

From value price items, to the top of the line products, Blinds Direct can offer you a complete product line. Schedule a free consultation with one of our experienced team members.

BLINDS DIRECT 17 YEARS IN THE HIGH COUNTRY

• Wood Blinds • Shutters • Patio Shades • Honeycomb Shades

828.295.3323

your complete decorating source for over 31 YEARS! BEDDING • BATH • DINING WINDOW FASHIONS • ACCESSORIES

1950 Blowing Rock Rd • Boone, NC • Across from Holiday Inn Express OPEN: 10-6 Mon-Sat • 828-264-8321

We Cover the High Country CARPET • FLOORING • TILE

ST. MARY OF THE HILLS EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Tour of Homes 58TH ANNUAL

BLOWING ROCK

Major Name Brands Free Estimates Professional Installation Available

Friday, July 22nd 9am-5pm • Tickets $30

Four Wonderful Homes Featured for Tour this Year!

Tickets and additional information available at St. Mary of the Hills, the Blowing Rock Chamber of Commerce and online at stmaryofthehills.org

422 E Second St | West Jefferson, NC 336.246.2008 www.AppalachianFlooringandTileNC.com Mon-Fri 8:30am-5:00pm | Sat 9:00am-1:00pm

Not Your Ordinary Furniture Store!

Genuine Leather

5 Colors Available

Jim’s Corner Furniture 160 Northwest School Rd. Warrensville, NC 28693 336-384-2929 www.jimscornerfurniture.com

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JULY 2016 | AAWMAG.COM

Owners Trudy and David Shell

STORE HOURS: Monday - Friday 8:30am to 5pm Saturday by Appointment

1852 Hwy 105, Boone • 828.265.0472 • www.MountainTileNC.com

‘

life is like a river . . . it has twists and turns ups and downs And all of a sudden it can stop, so hold on tight and enjoy the ride.

Photo by Sherrie Norris

- unknown

’

We are proud to carry the following – CR Laine Upholstery Park Hill Currey & Co Mariposa Nora Fleming Lacefield Designs Wendover Art Group Bee Sieburg Original Art

4501 Tynecastle Hwy Banner Elk, NC 828-898-9636 northerparker@gmail.com Hours: Mon-Fri 10-5, Sat 10-4 Like us on Facebook Follow us on Instagram

15% OFF

CR LAINE ORDERS - JULY ONLY!

IF ITS COLOR STANDS UP TO THE TEST OF TIME...

Visit us today:

Boone Paint & Interiors 1852 Hwy 105, Suite 1 | Boone, NC | 828.264.9220 3587 Tynecastle Hwy | Banner Elk, NC | 828.898.2022 www.BoonePaint.com

$

5 OFF

Coupon valid for $5.00 off retailer’s suggested retail price per gallon of up to 5 gallons of Aura®. Redeemable only at participating retailers. Must present this original coupon to redeem - no copies will be allowed. Limit one per customer. Products may vary from store to store. Subject to availability. Retailer reserves the right to cancel this offer at any time without notice. Cannot be combined with any other offers. Coupon expires 08/31/2016. © 2016 Benjamin Moore & Co. Aura, Benjamin Moore, Paint like no other and the triangle “M” symbol are

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