30th Annual

'Hard Candy Christmas"

Art and Crafts Show

A Mountain Christmas Tradition

November 24-25 2017

Friday and Saturday after Thanksgiving

(Western Carolina University )

Ramsey Center

Cullowhee, N.C.  

Admission: $5.00 adults

Children Under 12 free 

Click here for  More Featured Artists 

Click Here For Current Show Exhibitor List

You will find it all here.

     Mountain Artisans Art and Crafts Shows provide a marketplace for customers and artisans to meet.  It is an amazing collection under one roof.  You would have to visit dozens of  shows to find what I have gathered at one place.

     Cullowhee, North Carolina is home to the Western Carolina University.  On the campus is the Ramsey Center arena that boasts 18,000 square feet of climate controlled comfort for everyone.  It is home to the Catamount's basketball games but two times each year, they move over for our craft shows.  A great set up crew makes it all look easy for me. 

     Quaint Cullowhee Valley nestles off Highway 107 that runs up to Cashiers, North Carolina  from Sylva.  It is a stop off the Southern Highroads Trail  highway. All around are big, soft mountains. A foot bridge crosses the Cullowhee Creek to get to the show from the parking lot.  It is peaceful to your soul just  to be here.  Click on the map to see how to get to Cullowhee NC from Asheville, Cherokee, and Atlanta.

    The show consists of craftsmen  inside and outside the Ramsey Center building:

Outside Artists: The sidewalk and surrounding area leading up to the big Catamount door entrance has a sample of the quality artisans inside.  Look for the following outside exhibitors: 

• Look for Woodcraftsman, Jerry Stanley NC Mountains Outdoor Furniture, with Adirondack chairs, swings, birdhouses (for real birds )and patio furniture . All constructed with Western Red Cedar and Cypress wood,  and stainless steel nails will be on the corner again with a quality selection for your house.
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• AW Ruff builds the best blue bird houses around.  Picky Mrs. blue bird is always happy with his creations. He will also bring, cutting boards at good prices.
• Stacy Redmon  Red Rock Photo Art captures the mountain area with an artistic eye.  Look for his Christmas collection of the four seasons.
• Kathy Cirkus  BackWoods Bakery's specialty is fine, organic Artisan Bread  made with stone-milled flour and baked in a wood fired  oven. She will have special offerings for this season : gingerbread houses and cookies, sugar plums drops to dream about and more .

• Kyle Owen Mountain chainsaw man  is returning with wood carvings and rustic furniture .
• Pam Fullerton / Larry Young Sweet Pea Crafters is a duo that will bring carved walking sticks and Pam's neatly  sewn  bags and more.
• Wallace and Donna Cole Gourds Galore take the simple gourd and turns them into little masterpieces .

•  Jim  Gunter Stone Dreamer uses his Native American heritage and carves nature  into the rocks of this area.

• Ed Hudgins Saw Mill Tables is here again with his beautiful rustic tables.
•  David Dick David's Handi Work is very unique pots and vases, draped in concrete. Also wood trays .(Hand draped Concrete -Textile     Jardiniers ) 

         Come inside.  The entrance tunnel has some exciting exhibitors:

• First artisan inside the door is favored potter Sue Malsnee.  She has many area collectors of her work who look for her unique creations at this show.  They will be glad to find her  nature designs and original glazes.
• Amy Ammons Garza Spirit of Appalachia will be selling books for their not- for -profit organization.
• Dogwood Crafters will be selling samples from their unique shop. They feature quality handcrafts from the mountain area. Visit their shop in Dillsboro, NC.
• Tom Livingston's Piece by Piece Intarsia takes many kinds of wood and shapes them into amazing  pictures.  He will have some neat choices for special giving or dressing up your home.

• Bobby Bearden Recycled Yard Art ! Who turns gas cans into fun pigs that fly better than Bobby Bearden ? He will have a neat collection  to bring smiles to your garden.    

Arena: It is 18,000 sq feet of cool, comfortable shopping area.

• Good live music brings cheer!  There will be live, guitar music floating from the fingers of Macon County's Ronnie Evans.  He plays the old songs that we remember.  He will be selling his CD's to enjoy all year.

The pottery section includes :

• Customers looking for  Kim von Hedemann will be so happy to find  Clay Critters, back .Kim combines her love of cartoons and animals for this adorable art.  Shecaptures a whole menagerie  with clay, on mugs and trinket boxes.

• Balsam Mountain's Ann Suggs Stone house Pottery will be here with her Christmas  collection !
• Mike and Cindy Hart Hartworks Pottery will be back for all their collectors.
• Cory Plott Plottware Pottery is coming back for this show His cream and blue pieces are sharp this year .!

          Specialty foods and  sweets:

• Terri Cook's Delightful Dips customers line up for more of  Terri's homemade dips, mixes and southern meat rubs.
• Kathy Senft makes delicious Southern jams and jellies . She has rubs for your summer grilling .
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      Lin Johnson Mimi's Mountain Mixes is back with beer baking mixes . 

      Scotty M. Ellis Cold Mountain Toffee presents delicious toffee from a secret family receipe.

      Betty Davis CranberryHollow customers will be glad to stock up for the holidays from her tasty mixes.

         Heritage Soap:

• Bill Reed Freedom Farms is coming back with his popular goat milk soap and  personal grooming accessories.
• Laura Craig  Shade Tree Farm  soap maker always has  delicious new flavors and products.
• Cindi and Randy Beaver SleepyHollowFarm specializes in many things herbal : soaps ,herbal oils, extracts and natural products for your well being .

       Other special crafts : Bonnie and Denny Wallace have a big selection of lighted Christmas boxes ,wreaths and wood turning  by Denny.

     Dawn Maberly Jusbclause has hand painted pet ornaments and  hydrostone santas .

       Connie Gregory makes hard to find pinecone wreaths and other just Connie creations.

•  Heritage Artisans,  Betty Cabe  is making adorable Smoky Mountain Boutique Bears this year . Momma and  all the cousins will be coming  for the bear collectors. She will have some corn shuck flowers and dolls, too.

• Elly Davey Bird in Hand is almost famous for little folk figure with hickory nut heads and don't forget her whimsies.  She has many collectors who look for new creations each show.
• Alva Houston was our 'Featured Artist" last 2016  "Summertime " show.  Her little mountain folk dolls will be joined with snowmen gourd art and fresh canned jams and jellies from her summer garden.
• Roberta Brown-Roberts Pressed Flower Art  is  our Featured Artist this 2017 "Summertime" show.  She has the garden lovers favorite! They are going to love framed bouquets of  pressed flowers, grown in her own garden.
• Look for Tommy Hill with his hand tooled leatherwork. Replace that old wallet with a new one.
• The little log homes and churches that David Pruitt (2016  Featured Artist!) Another Place In Time are coming back . David is working now  on new ideas. His wife, Silvia Pruitt ,will have  hard to find  hanging kitchen towels and  coasters.
• Carla Parvin Coloring Book Mania has caught the coloring  book fun and designed her own.
• Suzanne Summers has  a flair to swirl  brilliant colors using ink and alcohol . Here comes her Christmas collection.
• Deb Woodward Sea 'n Stars uses Black Coral to create her shadowboxes . Also ,painted starfish  ornaments . 
•  Polly Wells Bread Clay Ornaments and miniatures creates little masterpieces with dough clay .
• Bud Werdelin makes an assortment of Christmas ornaments  and decorations.
• Mike Wilson Hand Crafted Knives and Antler Art . Master craftsman . Collectors buy his chef's knives for fast prepping
• Bill Radford Little Feather presents his Cherokee heritage crafts :knives and  carvings .
• Karen H. Monteith  presents Redrick Raccoon and the Christmas Mystery .Get a signed copy.
•  Sandy Jackson presents greeting cards and his publications .
• Monica Hoerl Rosemaling will be back with European Folk Painting.
• Dan Donaldson Broom Brothers is a master broom maker . We are fortunate to have his fine heritage craft. work
• James BoxermanJim'sLeathercraft has a good selection of all things leather .

   Painters:

     Regnia Ford MountainMemoriesArt will be back with her original window paintings and ornaments.

      Jeanne Mack Southern Scenes collectors will be expecting her Christmas collection .

     Wendy Griffin hand paints on glass and wood . Christmas painting is her favorite.

• original Look online for my friend  Michael M Roger's , favorite watercolorist and avid hiker will be Sharing the Beauty of  his beloved mountains in his latest DVD of waterfalls and wild flowers. Visit his new online store at  www.michaelmrogersfineart.com You can purchase original art work, prints and photography on canvas.

    The Fabric and Fiber Art categories are looking good :

• Dora Reynolds  Designer Tableware is a hit each show with her bright colorful fabric plates and bowls.  She will have her Christmas collection  of winter birds and  Christmas  prints .
• Eva Tolotti Lara's Butterflies is working right now to have a lovely collection for special someone .
• William and Nancy Smith have crafted accessories for fiber artists and project bags and more .
• Here comes Ginger Rutland Gingerbread Land Christmas quilts, ornaments, dolls and table runners.
•  Barbara and Kevin Quinn  J and C Crafts have a big selection of embroidered towels, and caps.
• Donna McCarthy Tiera Tina is an artist in fiber.  She has alpaca socks and accessories.
• Tonya Johnson She'sCrafty  Let's see what this talented lady has made for us for the holidays .
• Sue Dial  HarvestMoon Handspun and Clay Cat is a multi talented lady .
• Karen Blair Guided Path of the Wolf is a mother-daughter team who have quality handcrafted items.
• Mary Jo Brown is a returning favorite for cold weather necessities.
• Karen Allen SewUnique sews quilts, ornaments, placemats and more.

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• Beverly Borchardt will have more space for her  Christmas  selection of quilted wall hangings and accessories.
• Susan Kennedy's quilted purses are collector's pieces. Drop by to see what's new for giving or you !. Don't forget Mark's photography taken on their travels. 
• Sabrina Miller and Janet Bennett  Beads and Bags Boutique team up to make handcrafted bags, scarves and matching fun jewelry and more .
•  Sharon K Drewyor is new this year with all things knitted. Get warm stuff  for winter chills.

    The Glass Artists Category :

• Neal Hearn Boxes by Neal is coming back with his summer collection of fused glass boxes and hanging panels with natural gemstones . He always sells out of his unique art.

     The wood craftsmen at this show : Wood toys  are coming :David S. Hedrick ,master toy maker ,will have trucks, trains and more.

•  Tonia Cannon Balsam Mountain Wood Works will be here with scroll saw work and original designs.
• Ken Rudd's Custom Woodwork has a big following.  He has worked all winter to  have potato boxes and trash cans that are  scarce.
• Steve Simonelli Simonelli Fine Woodcraft always pleases his customers with pieces made one at a time for them.
• Carson and Sonjia Gibson  create lovely stack jewelry boxes and snowmen . Welcome.
• Steve and Karen Waldroop create racks for your essential oils , Aspen Candles and quilt racks ,too.

      Our Mountain Photographers are tops"

• Ed Green Macon Green Photo has amazing shots of the Elk herds in the Smokies. He has prints and greeting cards of many mountain      themed views. 
• Stacy Redmon Red Rock Photo wows his customers with mountain themes. Spring, summer, winter and fall;  small and large sizes. Look for him outside .
• Jason Rizzo Fine Art Photo captures the mountain beauty with an artist eye.

We have some of the most skilled jewelers from our area and far away.

• Jaqueline Hatch Native American Jewelry artisan with original pieces and bullet bling.
• Angel Hudgins Hudgins Designs is back this year with unique, cool designs for the 20 something crowd.
• Coming back is Jacolyn Campbell,  Campbell Designs  master wire wrapper. She will have chain maille styles and gem trees, also.
• Lavada Anderson BornAgainCreations has some fine vintage silverware (and found items)  creations .Welcome Billy and Lavada !
• Ciara DeNardo LittleWoodlander Leather Jewelry. The leather cuffs with metal inset are hand stamped. They have cowhide clutches and fabric bags with leather accents.