August was an ongoing birthday celebration! As planned, I started the month with the long-anticipated Yo-Yo Ma concert in Brevard. He is on his farewell tour and was the closing act for this year’s Brevard Summer Music Festival. We had over 1,000 people enjoying the concert and his witty interactions with the orchestra, all Brevard students and faculty, and Giancarlo Guerrero, the conductor sitting in for Keith Lockhart from the Boston Symphony. After several encore presentations and a long-standing ovation, some of the students did a great job returning us to our cars in several golf carts, which were also used in bringing us from the different parking lots to Parker Concert Hall. It was a memorable experience, made more enjoyable by thoughtful transportation.
On another weekend I checked out the newly opened Two Kings Casino in Shelby, NC. This was a soft opening with no signs, which made it hard to find, still lots of construction going on and landscaping still in the works. The personnel at the information booth were not well informed and some of the machines were not working. It was just too early to visit. People watching was the best part! I spent some fun time shopping in Shelby and eating at my favorite China Buffet before driving home.
Of course, there was shopping with the ladies and dinner with friends, which always turns into a celebration. Binion Steak House in Hendersonville was a true stand-out, their rolls, BBQ, ribs and desserts are absolutely perfect. I had to add some extra walks and exercises to work off the special August delicacies!
As I mentioned last month, I received a vintage Hispanic wedding veil, which had been cut in half and was torn beyond repair. The customer had sent pictures and a detailed video for me to evaluate the possibilities. I was confident I could transfer all the components of the veil onto a new piece of 10’ tulle and recreate the original. So I spent some time online to learn about Hispanic wedding attire and customs. Veils are mostly beige or light brown and often other significant cultural markers, such as florals or horsehair (representing an equine connection to ancestors), are incorporated into the veil. Working on the two cut halves of the original veil, I carefully removed the embroidered section, which included brown horsehair with the embroidery floss. I transferred the embroidery to the new 10’ piece of tulle and rounded out the corners along the train and the head section, using the original veil as the pattern. Then I carefully removed and trimmed the original beige Chantilly lace border and reattached it to the new veil, making it meet in the center of the head section. Then I removed the remaining (some were lost) brown horsehair dots from the original tulle and spaced them a little further apart on the new veil. The upper section is simply held by a comb above the bride’s forehead and covers her shoulders and arms.
Both the customer and I were pleased with the outcome, and this family heirloom is ready to be used for many more generations. The original torn and cut-up tulle will be used to wrap the bride’s bouquet, which is a lovely way to use every bit of the original veil.
Before Restoration
After Restoration
This project took most of my August work time, but I was able to fit in a quick thread connector repair on a celestial tablecloth. Large and small stars are connected by delicate chain stitches, which carry the weight of the star design. Each time I return a completed tablecloth, I remind my customers to wash them only in a zippered mesh bag to distribute the weight of the water, which is the main culprit for breaking the chain stitches. Customers should also consider using a clear vinyl cloth over their treasure when food is served. It would make me less nervous as a guest to not have to worry about spills!
Another nice gift during my birthday month was an invitation to participate as a vendor in the annual Arts and Crafts Conference and Show in January 2027 at the Grove Park Inn in Asheville. I studied the videos provided of last year’s set-up as well as the 2026 catalog. This necessitated diving further into the Arts and Crafts Movement, which started in England around 1860 in opposition to industrialization, mass production and declining quality of decorative arts. The 2027 conference will include Wearable Art, which was the reason I was invited. My research showed that simple styles and warm, deep colors such as burgundy, brown, greens and golds were the mainstay of the Arts and Crafts fashion palette.
Two of our jewelers from the Southern Highland Craft Guild have participated for several years in the past and produce exquisite Art Nouveau style pieces every year.
Researching the Arts and Crafts Movement was quite a learning experience and any time I have available between now and early January of next year will be devoted to creating beautiful wraps, scarves, capelets and even children’s designs in those beautiful colors. I am honored to be included in this national show. I love John Ruskin and William Morris’ interpretation of the movement:
“Art should be crafted by the people for the people as a joy for the maker and the user and designed in a manner that integrates functionality with supreme aesthetic quality.”
Looking forward to September, I am excited about our annual Heritage Weekend at the Folk Art Center on the Blue Ridge Parkway on September 19th and 20th. The famous Whimmy Diddle Competition will be held on Sunday afternoon and there will be over 20 artists demonstrating their work. We have music, clogging and some surprises as well! It is always a terrific celebration of heritage and friendships.
For more information, please visit:
https://arts-craftsconference.com/
As I was getting ready for my last paragraph, I heard the news that Dolly Parton has left us and went on the stairway to heaven. She made our lives more special and was an inspiration to so many people of every age. As a young fiber artist, I loved her song Coat of Many Colors. She inspired me to design children’s coats in unusual color combinations. Go Dolly!
Enjoy every day and keep creating whatever gives you joy!
Happy late summer.
“ I do what I love and I love what I do”
– Rita de Maintenon
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