December 2017

own own T &G December 2017

Starkville Christmas Tour of Homes

A Leap of Faith and a Little Birdie

THE SOUTH’S LEADER IN ESTATE JEWELRY AND DIAMOND SOLITAIRES.

129 W BANKHEAD ST, NEW ALBANY & 124 COURTHOUSE SQUARE, OXFORD 1.866.VANATKINS | WWW.VANATKINS.COM

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Check out the recipe for these delicious Peppermint Meringues on page 25!

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on the cover..

On the

From the Starkville Civc League’s Tour of Homes, this is a sneak peak of one of the beautiful houses participating. Turn to page 16 to see more!

Cover

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In this Issue

Home, Garden and Lifestyle around Mississippi 10

Calendar of Events

12

Wishlist

16

Starkville Christmas Tour of Homes

20

J. Parkerson Jewlers

24

Taste & Toast

28

Steel Forest Furniture From Hobby to Home

32

Have a Healthy Holiday

34 38

38

34

Made in Mississippi: The Little Birdie Pillows DIY: Branch Wreath & Dome Light

42

Holiday Fashion

54

Events

42 November 2017 | 5

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A Product of Horizon of Mississippi P.O. Box 1068 | Starkville, MS 39760 www.townandgownmagazine.com

{ s taf f } Stacia King | publisher - sking@starkvilledailynews.com Courtney Cox| editor - editor@townandgownmagazine.com { acco un t exe c u ti ve s } Carole Ann Doughty - caroleann@townandgownmagazine.com

cont ributors {writ ers} Joe Lee Richelle Putanam Sarah Raines Karen Gerard Terry Word Pullen Carly Phillips Amy Myers {photographers} Margaret Mcmullen Brittney Dowell Sarah Raines Mary Barker Divian Connor {fashion spread} Hunter Hart - photographer Cromatix on Main - hair Merle Norman Luna Bella- Make-up Leslie Scott- Stylist {page design} Courtney Cox {adver t ising design} Chris Mcmillen Reproductions in whole or in part,without written permission,is strictly prohibited. No responsibility can be assumed for unsolicited manuscripts, articles or photographs. We reserve the right to edit submissions before publication. Town & Gown is a free magazine published monthly and distributed in and around Starkville and the Golden Triangle area. Subscriptions are available for mail customers. For subscriptions or inquiries,write Town & Gown Magazine, P.O. Box 1068, Starkville, MS, 39760, or call 662.323.1642.

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Dr. Gordon Castleberry and his team can assist you in dealing with painful kidney stones or other urology needs. If you are having problems, don’t hesitate to call for an appointment.

662-324-1097 1207 Hwy 182 W, Suite B • Starkville

November 2017 | 7

Letter from the

Courtney Cox, Stacia King, Carole Ann Doughty

Editor

The Holiday season is in full swing and 2017 is wrapping up in a hurry! I hope this December issue finds you well as you celebrate the holidays, reflect on the year and set your goals for 2018.

The Golden Triangle will be busy and bright this month and hopefully this issue will help you plan your holiday festivities. Find ideas for perfect little gifts in our holoday wishlist and checl out the December events calendar to plan your family outings. YOu can also catch a sneak peak at Starkville Civic League’s Christmas Tour of Homes that will be on Sunday December 3rd!

Of course, one of everyone’s favortie ways to celebrate...food! Check out this month’s Taste & Toast fir some ind some DELICIOUS new recipes to try at your Christmas party or family gathering.

May you all have a December full of peace, love and joy! Here is to the passing of 2017 and a happy New Year!

Courtney Cox

Let addiction recovery become part of your everyday routine.

Recovering from addiction is possible without interrupting your daily life. With work, family, and responsibilities, finding the right treatment often means finding the right fit. At Baptist Behavioral Health Care, we provide comprehensive care that recognizes recovery doesn’t happen apart from daily life. That’s why we offer an option that allows you to receive treatment in the evenings while continuing to work during the day. Say goodbye to your addiction and get better with Baptist.

goldentriangle.baptistonline.org 800-362-7902

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Get Better.

November 2017 | 9

Starkville Ciivic League Christmas Tour of Homes 1-5pm MSU WOmen’s Basketball @ Oklahoma 1pm

Columbus Christmas Parade Main Street 7pm

A Stark Filled Christmas: Downtown Starkville 4pm MSU WOmen’s Basketball V. ULAR 21pm

MSU Men’s Basketball @ Cincinatti 6 pm

MSU Women’s Basketball V. Oregon 6 pm

MSU Women’s Basketball @ UNLV 4:30 pm

MSU WOmen’s Basketball V. Main 21pm

MSU Men’s Basketball V. Little Rock 7 pm

Christmas Day MSU WOmen’s Basketball @ Georgia 5 pm

West Point Christmas Parade 6:30 pm

Wassail Festival Downtown Columbus 5pm

Christmas Open House Palmer Home Columbus 5-7pm

Pop Up Art Show @ PopPorium 12-5:50pm Mississippi Made: Local Artists @ 929 Coffee 5-8pm

Frozen on Ice Bankcorp South, Tupelo 3pm MSU Men’s Basketball V. North Georgia 4 pm

Point of Grace Concert FUMC Columbus 7pm

Classic Movie Night “Miracle on 34th St” Starkville Library 6pm

MSU Women’s Basketball V. Syracuse 4:30 pm

MSU Women’s Basketball V. Mississippi Vally State 7 pm

MSU Men’s Basketball V. UT Martin 7 pm

Hope for Peace: Live Music @ Columbus Arts Council 7:30-9:30pm

MSU Men’s Basketball V. Southern Miss 6 pm

MSU Men’s Basketball V. North Florida 1 pm

Holiday Wishlist 1.

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November 2017 | 13

2.

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1. Liza Tye 511 Academy Rd 2.

2. Giggleswick 200 MS-12 3. Merle Norman 500 Russell St

2.

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4. Susan’s Hallmark 100 Russell St Suite 15

November 2017 | 15

Starkville Christmas Tour of Homes

Written by Sarah Raines • Photos by Brittney Dowell

Golden Triangle enters the heart of the holiday season, Starkville Civic League prepares to present a long-standAOnsingtheDecember tradition that helps get residents into the Christmas spirit.

3, from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m., three Starkville homes will be featured in the Starkville Civic League’s annual

Christmas Tour of Homes. The open-house type event is the league’s only fundraiser, supporting its community projects and endeavors for the year to come, but also providing an opportunity to local homeowners to entertain guests and show their decorative skills.

Throughout the year, the Starkville Civic League does various projects. One ongoing project is to provide two $2,000 college scholarships each year. Other projects vary and depend on what needs club members see in the community.

Chairman of the 2017 Christmas Tour of Homes and Starkville Civic League Vice President Chris Emplaincourt said funds last year were given to the Oktibbeha County Sheriff’s Department and Starkville Police Department to buy equipment. In past years, the league has provided new tables for the Starkville Public Library and added art to downtown Starkville, like the statue in front of the library and the Old Main Clock.

Emplaincourt was first asked to direct the tour in 2015. Directing the event involves pinpointing houses that have yet to be featured and seeing if the homeowners are interested in having an open house.

“It’s almost like opening a show, and the show goes on, which is the opening of the homes, and when the curtains fall at the end of the day, it’s just a wonderful feeling,” Emplaincourt said. “The homes this year are going to be beautiful. They’re different. The Civic League is really grateful to the homeowners for opening their homes.”

Residents featured on the tour decorate their homes for the holidays, designing their décor to show off their own personalities and flare.

“The people that do their homes that I have encountered have exquisite taste,” Emplaincourt said. “They truly could be interior designers. I think their imagination in the way they want things to look is there and has just got to come out, so having the tour allows them to really show off their skills.”

This year’s tour will feature three newer homes in Starkville. Each house is less than four years old, and each displays its family’s personalities.

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The Thomas House >>>> Browning Creek Charlie and Lisa Thomas are decorating their rustic home with fresh greenery, deer antlers, and pheasant feathers for the tour. Lisa Thomas said she plans to put the greenery together personally to showcase the lodge-like feel of her home.

“The style of my house is kind of Mediterranean on the outside with a little bit of hunting lodge on the inside,” Thomas shared. “I would say my great room is my favorite room in the house. That’s where the Christmas tree will be, and we’ll have a decorated mantle. That’s probably my favorite room.”

November 2017 | 17

The Martin House >>>> Browning Creek For Eddie and Kay Martin’s abode, Kay plans to incorporate her decorative collections in her cozy garden home. It will feature her Christmas village, an array of Nativity scenes bought from their travels around the world, and a collection of miniature churches.

Of the many rooms in the Martin home, Kay Martin said she is excited to showcase the porch and the dining area.

“I love Christmas and I’m all out to decorate,” Martin said. “It’s not anything fancy, but I’ll have my porch decorated. We do enjoy our porch, and we’ll have the tree out there.”

The Tabor House >>>> Country Club Estates Marilyn and Larry Tabor designed the house they think is perfect for them to grow old together in. Their Acadian-style home that sits within view of the Starkville Country Club’s golf course will be decorated with a collection of Santa Clauses, ornaments, and fresh greenery to welcome their first Christmas in the new house.

Marilyn Tabor most anticipates debuting her brand new kitchen and bathroom to the public.

“I love my kitchen,” Tabor said. “It has an island, white cabinets, and beams. It’s real bright and airy-feeling and the appliances are nice. The bathroom has a vanity split between the two sinks and a nice-size closet.”

Sunday December 3 1-4:30 pm Tickets and reception at the Starkville Public Library

November 2017 | 19

J. Parkerson Jewlers Jamie Parkerson comes off the Bench..... and into his own store Written by Joe Lee • Photos by Divian Connor

For Jamie Parkerson, some things haven’t changed much in three decades. He’s still working in the jewelry business in Starkville’s College Park Shopping Center, just as he was when hired by Barry Mixon at the Jeweler’s Bench in 1986.

But Parkerson and a team of investors from his hometown of Kosciusko opened J. Parkerson Jewelers several weeks ago, hoping – in the short term – to launch with a solid fourth quarter of 2017.

And, over the long haul, to seamlessly continue what Parkerson learned from Mixon and practiced with Jeweler’s Bench customers for years.

“I have always treated everyone the same,” said Parkerson, who moved to Starkville a generation ago after graduating from Holmes Community College in Goodman. “I have some that are millionaires and some that don’t have two nickels to rub together. My attitude or performance doesn’t change because of the size of someone’s bank account.”

“I’m a pretty straight shooter, and I’m personable. I think that is very important, and I am afraid that some in the millennial bracket are so consumed with their phones these days that they don’t know how to communicate with people on a personal level. I was asked once if I was a good salesman – to me it’s about making a relationship with the customer and going from there.”

An old Attala County friend, Terry Godfrey, got Parkerson interested at a young age in the jewelry business, especially the repair side. Parkerson credits Mixon, who closed the Jeweler’s Bench in early 2017, with not only teaching the essentials of repair but stressing the importance of good customer service.

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“Barry showed me the basics on minor repairs like soldering chains and ring sizing,” Parkerson said. “I was taught to take five more minutes and do it right, other than do a rush job. I really try to live by those standards with jewelry repair – take an extra step to make it look better. There is a great deal of trial and error, and just plain common sense involved in doing repairs, too. Wisdom equals experience.”

Parkerson, who lives with his family in West Point, was considering his next career move as far back as 2011 in preparation for Mixon’s eventual retirement – he knew his mentor wouldn’t run the Jeweler’s Bench forever – and began putting himself through Gemology School in 2007 at the Gemological Institute of America.

“Wish I would have done it sooner,” Parkerson said. “I know it would have been much easier when I was younger.

I completed all the coursework through distance education in December 2013 while still working full-time and passed my final exam in March 2014.”

“I did have a pretty good following from my customers at the Jeweler’s Bench. There was a large percentage that only wanted to deal with me – it has been a great feeling from the response I have gotten since opening the door at my new store. It really makes you feel good when someone says, ‘I’ve been waiting on you to open.’”

November 2017 | 21

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Technological innovation is something Parkerson has at his disposal that Mixon didn’t a generation ago, and the new College Park addition is making the most of it.

“Probably the thing I am most excited about is our Custom Studio,” Parkerson said. “This is a 42-inch touch screen (on which) the customer can design any piece of jewelry they desire. No other jewelry store in the area offers such a feature. It also has a downloadable app, and from the app the customer can design the piece from home and send it to me to have it custom-made.”

“This is going to be a great asset, especially with millennials. A customer can take any picture found on Instagram, Pinterest or wherever and send it to J. Parkerson Jewelers and we can make it. CAD drawings (computer-aided design) are sent back to the customer for approval – or to make any changes – and we make it once everything is approved.”

Whether the purchase is big or small this holiday-buying season, Parkerson is glad to see every customer. He reminds them – especially his younger ones – that they’re getting hands-on experience and service that can’t be found when purchasing through the internet. And he’s thrilled to be where he is and have the legwork of actually opening his new venture behind him.

“The whole experience, even though it has been tough, has been great so far,” he said. “It’s a whole different outlook when your name is on it.”

Taste & Toast Article and photos by Karen Gerard

1 bottle Old South Red Noble 1 quart cranberry juice 1/2 cup brown sugar 2 cups pineapple juice 1/2 cup brandy 3 cups orange juice 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice 6 oz dark beer 2 cinnamon sticks 1 apple, sliced 1 cup cranberries This classic warm punch is pleasantly sweet, but not overly so..

If you would prefer a less sweet-tasting drink modify the winewith a dryer red and omit all of the brown sugar.

t n i m r e p Pep s e u g n i r Me

3 large egg whites at room temperature 3/4 cups granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon peppermint extract 1/8 teaspoon salt 1/8 teaspoon cream of tartar Red gel paste food coloring for stripes White chocolate and candy canes for bottoms Preheat oven to 200°F and line a baking sheet.

Combine egg whites, granulated sugar and peppermint extract in a heatproof bowl.

Set bowl over simmering water and stir until sugar is dissolved and mixture is warm to the touch.

Add the salt and cream of tartar and beat until stiff peaks from and meringue is cooled.

Remove half of meringue from mixing bowl and dye the remaining meringue with red gel paste food coloring.

Pipe 2-inch circles on parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake meringues until crisp on the outside, about 1 hour and 30 minutes - 2 hours.

This can take longer depending on humidity.

Cool completely before storing in an airtight container at room temp.

November 2017 | 25

Bourbon Pecan Cookies 1.5 cups pecans 3/4 cup butter 1 cup sugar 1/2 vanilla bean 1 large egg yolk 2 tbsp bourbon 1/4 tsp salt 1 cup all-purpose flour egg wash pecans

Preheat oven to 300°F. Toast pecans for 7 mins and cool. Process to a coarse meal and set aside.

Cream butter and sugar together.

Add vanilla, egg yolk, bourbon, salt, and ground nuts.

Add in flour and mix until just incorporated.

Shape the dough into logs and refrigerate 1 hour or until well chilled.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Slice and egg wash cookies. Decorate with pecan pieces and bake 7 mins.

Cool on wire racks.

Store up to 3 days, freeze 1 month.

Freeze raw dough logs in parchment paper and plastic wrap up to 1 month.

s

ll a B e s e ini Che

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1 cup chopped bacon 1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese 2 (8 oz) packages cream cheese, at room temperature 1/2 cup chopped pecans 1/2 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves, divided 1 chopped green onion 1 tsp garlic powder 1 tsp dried oregano 1 tsp Worcestershire sauce pepper to taste

Combine half of the bacon, pecans and 2 tbsp parsley.

Beat cream cheese with seasonings and remaining bacon and parsley until well combined.

Refrigerate for 2 hours or up to overnight. Shape into balls and press into the bacon-pecan mixture.

Serve with crackers and veggies.

November 2017 | 27

Written by Carly Phillips

Steel Forest Furniture Company From Hobby to Home

F

or Chip Gerber, Steel Forest Furniture Company started as a hobby that sort of spiraled out of control. He and his family relocated to Columbus about 10 years ago to begin his business; Mississippi Steel Processing. This is where he took an interest in turning scrap steel into intricate, one-of-a-kind pieces of furniture.

“My love has always been fabricating with metal,” said Gerber, a 54-year-old business man. “I also do a little bit of woodworking and carpentry and a little bit of everything. I do a lot of different things that are trades with my hands.”

Gerber credits his start with furniture to the day his wife purchased and brought home a simple looking table about three years ago. “I said, ‘You can send that back because I can probably build you that table,’ and it became a challenge.”

Once word got out that Gerber had a knack for building furniture, a business was born. He started building things for friends and family – just for fun – and they pushed him to move forward. “People were encouraging me. They said, ‘You’ve got a unique style with the steel and the wood and all of that. You should open a store.’”

A walk down Main Street led him to Steel Forest Furniture Company’s first home, a 1,000 square foot space that just so happened to be for rent.

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Merry Christmas ÂŽ

Cory Lucius Agent

Nikki Richardson

Affiliate Agent

1103 Stark Rd, Ste B Starville, MS CLucius@ShelterInsurance.com November 2017 | 29

“I rented the store and had no idea what I was going to do,” Gerber said. “I actually had to create the company, so I challenged my two teenage girls to come up with an interesting name that obviously dealt with steel and wood and kind of blended the two so people would understand what we do.”

The building grew as the business did, and the new location allotted about 2,000 more square feet. The idea behind the space is for people to come in and get exactly what they ask for. Gerber and his team encourage people to bring in sketches, ideas and rough drafts so the piece to be created can feel like their very own. Once it is completed, it is very rare that the same piece will be made again. They are strictly unique.

“We do a lot of different things,” Gerber said. “Modern looking things. Rustic looking things. I lean more towards the rustic look, the rustic industrial look.”

People don’t always realize the things that can be made out of these types of recyclables. The group has designed and made wine racks, wall art, old ammunition boxes nestled into a steel framework, powder coated signs for the outside of buildings, bottle holders, a monstrous vault door for a wine room, burnt out letters, outdoor benches, metal countertops, bar partitions, custom tables, walls surrounding a bathroom, and more.

Another thing that makes Steel Forest Furniture Company and the work they do different from the norm, is their use of all local materials. The wood comes from Mississippi Farm Tables in Ridgeland, a mill in Caledonia, a collapsed tree in a local’s yard or an old barn. The marble comes from Columbus Marble Works. True Grit in Columbus does some of the paint and powder coat and of course the steel and metal come from Mississippi Steel Processing and Steel Dynamics.

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“Everybody says it’s something that has happened to me since I’ve gotten older,” Gerber said. “I’ve always built things.

I’ve never really thought of myself as creative, but apparently I’m considered creative. All of the credit certainly doesn’t go to me, I’ve got a great team.”

Layhill Precision Fabrication is another company of Gerber’s and a part of Mississippi Steel Processing. This is where a lot of the pieces are brought to life. “I always have graph paper with me,” Gerber said. “If I sit on an airplane. If I have down time. If I’m waiting for something. I come up with some ideas. And then I’ll take those ideas and have a general look with no dimensions. If I like what it looks like, I put some dimensions to it. Then I give it to our CAD (computer-aided design) guy. The equipment turns it into a type of file and that file is what the machine reads. It basically reads what we draw and burns that out of a flat plate of steel.”

The store started out as Gerber’s. It was a place for him to create and share with the community. Now, it is still Gerber’s, but he likes to think of it as more of a joint effort.

“I encourage people that work here to come up with ideas and develop some things,” Gerber said. “Throw it on the wall and see what sticks. Some ideas are great, some not so great.”

“I don’t want this to get out of control,” Gerber said. “The store supports itself. It supports the people that are here. I would love to have a group of people that are as passionate about it as me and I think I do for the most part.”

“It’s neat to have other people involved in it. I wouldn’t want to be the only one. It makes the whole process more enjoyable.”

steelforestfurniture.com

Have a Healthy Holiday Written by Terry Word Pullen

I

t is finally the time of year we have all been waiting for, the wonderful holiday season. For many, this is the time when the health goals they set at the beginning of the year get lost. The temperature starts to drop and the holiday parties start to flow. It gets hard to stay on track, and we usually end the year feeling worse than we did when we started it.

This year I want to help you crush all of your health goals through the beginning of next year. I want to help you make this your healthiest holiday season yet! There is no foolproof way to stay healthy during the holidays, just like there is no button to make you skinnier, but I am sure you will have a healthier holiday season if you follow these tips.

1. Keep healthy food on hand

Make sure you keep your home stocked with healthy options so you will reach for the apple instead of the pie. It is much easier to make healthier choices when you already have healthy options in your kitchen.

2. Indulge for a night or two, not a season

I can already name at least five treats that I must have every year at Christmas, and I am sure you can do the same thing. We all know that when it comes to the holidays we never only have the few treats that are our favorite. The parties start rolling in, and we eat everything. This year I want you to make a list of the treats you know you have to have and try to only eat those when the holidays come around. It is okay to indulge a little, but do not let it be a two-month long binge.

3. Schedule a time to workout

Pick a time each day that you are going to workout. It can be a different time each day if you have different events and activities, but you need to schedule at least thirty minutes each day to be active. With work during the day, and holiday parties and Christmas programs at night, the best time for many people to workout might be first thing in the morning.

That might mean getting up an hour earlier, but if your goals are important enough you will do it.

4. Learn to love home workouts

At-home workouts can be your best friend when the temperatures start to drop. There is nothing worse than having to bundle up and venture out into the elements to go to the gym, which is why many people opt out of their workout when it is cold outside. Finding a great workout you can stream at home makes it so much easier to never miss one.

The holiday season is full of fun parties, gifts, sweet treats and time with friends and family, so it can be easy to lose site of your goals. Using some or all of the tips above will help you end this year with a bang and start the new year on a healthy note.

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November 2017 | 33

Written by Richelle Putnam

A Leap of Faith and a Little Birdie S

usan Hardin grew up in a manufacturing family, starting with her grandfather and filtering down to her father, who has operated Calhoun Apparel in Calhoun City, Mississippi for close to 40 years.

So, it’s not by coincidence she married Tony Hardin, a guy who went into manufacturing right out of college. The thing is, Susan never really wanted to be a part of the manufacturing world… but God had other ideas.

With six children, five biological and one child she and Tony adopted from Guatemala, Susan was a stay-at-home mom who liked to sew, smock, French hand-stitch and do creative things. “When everybody went to college, I went back to school,” said Susan, who already had a degree in banking. But she wanted to take an alternate route and become certified to teach English and art. “I went back to work teaching high school English here in Calhoun City at Calhoun City High School.”

While attending Mississippi State University, daughters Emily, Sarah and Reagan were also in sororities. “So, whenever they needed little sister gifts or friend gifts, they wanted to make something,” Susan said. The oldest, Emily, was in interior design. The second oldest, Sarah, loved to paint and do water color. And the youngest, Reagan, is “all over creative.”

“My husband, by this time, was printing signs and doing stadium seats and a variety of different things using a printing process. The girls said we could make pillows to give to friends,” Susan said.

Since Tony was already licensed to do Ole Miss and Mississippi State logos and mascots, they did a few pillows with those designs and sent them for licensing approval, which they received. They also created their own brightly painted colors and watercolor designs.

“People really seemed to like them,” Susan said. “We put them in a shop in Starkville and they took off.”

They also placed the pillows at the Mustard Seed in Oxford and sold those through spring while Susan was still teaching. Tony talked Susan into renting a booth and showcasing the pillows at the Mississippi Wholesale Market in Jackson. She went thinking that if she just got one order, it would be worth her while.

November 2017 | 35

“We were inundated with orders, so we felt like God had blessed us with this and he was leading our business in that direction,” Susan said. “We started making more designs. It was summer, so the girls were around and creating more.”

They decided to go to Atlanta to the gift market in July. “We did so well at that market I knew that I was going to either have to take the leap of faith and go with this or go back to school in August,” Susan said.

She took the leap of faith in 2015. She and her family started The Little Birdie Pillow Company and have been making pillows ever since. They use one durable, machine washable fabric, which they chose for the way vibrant colors show up on it. “We do custom works with zip codes, town names, weddings with bride and groom names, wedding dates, and holiday pillows,” Susan said. “We want to offer a product that helps people decorate their home for a reasonable price, and offer gift items that make people happy.”

With 30 years of manufacturing experience, Tony has perfected the printing process. The company, which wholesales to stores in all 50 states, has 20 full-time employees and about five teachers who come in to work after school. “One of our main goals is to put people in our town to work,” Susan said.

The whole family is involved with the business, including the boys, Hunter and Walker, who work after school, and Addie Grace, their 13-year-old daughter. “It’s definitely a family business,” Susan said.

Little Birdie Pillow is also a give-back company. “We believe it’s all God’s blessings. Sarah works with refugees,” Susan said, “So we are using part of our profits to help her in her ministry.” Part of the business is a fundraising effort to raise money for mission trips, adoptions, and things like that. “We’ve been blessed, so we need to try to help others too.”

www.thelittlebirdiearts.com

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November 2017 | 37

DIY

Branch Wreath

Article and photos by Amy Meyers

Materials:

• Bundle of tree branches

(roughly 2 feet in length)

• Spray paint of your choice

• Greenery and/or floral décor • Ornaments

• Ribbon or bows

• Fishing line or ribbon • Jute string 38 | TOWNANDGOWNMAGAZINE.COM

Step 1: Spray paint the branches

Step 2: Tie corners together, as shown

Step 3: Arrange the other three corners and tie together to make your square-shaped wreath. Use fishing line or ribbon to hang ornaments. Add any other finishing touches you desire. This wreath looks great on a door, a mantle, or as wall dĂŠcor!

November 2017 | 39

Dome Light *VERY IMPORTANT, BEFORE YOU BEGIN:

Make sure your existing light fixture is secure enough to hold the extra weight associated with this project.

Materials: • • • •

Wire hanging basket Faux greenery and/or floral décor of your choice Cutting utensils Floral wire (bag twist ties or paper clips also work) • Beaded garland (this hanging basket required a 200-foot roll) • Battery operated LED string lights (puck light could also work) • Spray paint, if desired

Step 1: Secure end of the beading on the basket rim where it will not slide, as shown.

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Step 2: Completely unroll the beading, loosely winding it around your hand, so as not to tangle it.

Step 3: This step can be tricky. If possible, have someone hold the basket for you as you wrap the beading through it, working your way around the entire basket.

Step 4: After covering the entire basket frame, secure beading with wire or twist tie.

Step 5: Place LED lights in the center, loosely securing wires to the inside. Use wire to attach the dome to the light fixture of your choice and decorate as you choose!

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Fashion for the Holidays

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Hair by Chromatix on Main Make up by Merle Norman Luna Bella Styling by Leslie Scott Photography by Hunter Hart Clothing Provided by Liza Tye & Libbey Storey November 2017 | 43

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Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Ceremony Photos provided by MSU Veteran Affairs • November 7, 2017

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Ford Vision Open House Photos by Mary Barker • October 31, 2017

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3. Dr. Reagan Ford and Dr. Tindall Morrison 4. Dr. Ford, Ginny Ford, Pam Reed, Haley Tomlinson, Tina Hunter, Linda Ford, Laurin Overstreet, Lydia Peterson, Dr. Morrison November 2017 | 55

RTabb Ribbon Cutting Photos by Mary Barker • October 26, 2017

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6 1. Brody Tabb, Rebecca Tabb, Grant Tabb, Doris Randall 2.Carolyn Coleman, Rebecca Tabb, Amanda Edwards, Kimberly Linley, Patrick Linley 4. Amanda Edwards, Rebecca Tabb, Jennifer Prather, Abby McCartney 5. Rebecca Tabb, Lynn Spruill 6. Slade Kraker. Rebecca Tabb

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Halloween at MSU Trial Gardens Photos by Margaret McMullen• October 30, 2017

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Wags & Tails Dog Show Photos by Margaret McMullen• October 28, 2017

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6 1. Mr. and Mrs. Thompson with Roxy 2.Alexandera Fikby and James Hill with Capucine 3. Lee Battles with Zepp 4. Rebecca Caruth with Sophie 6. Ashley with Kyra

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