Made In C-VILLE Magazines

Nature-lover

Llorel Eldridge was standing in a lavender field when she had the idea to start L’Essentials, her nature-inspired skincare and décor brand.  “I always stayed at my grandparents’ house during the summer and we were always outside,” Eldridge says. “I’ve been inspired by nature my whole life.” She launched in 2020 with hand sanitizer, floral […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Made In C-VILLE Magazines

Doggy treat

Longtime fiber artist (and communications consultant) Miriam Dickler knew her pit bull Frank was a big softy, but his serious face often said otherwise to strangers.  “I started putting him in fun bandanas I made to try and help communicate his friendly, loveable personality,” she says. “It seemed to work!” Eventually, she began to make […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Made In C-VILLE Magazines

Made with love

After graduating from Appalachian State University with a BFA in graphic design, Emily Wool was searching for her next step.  “Towards the end of the program, I had become pretty disenchanted with what I saw as the rigid world of graphic design and wanted to explore a more expressive way of art-making,” she says. She […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Modern romance

Phaedra Bradley & Paige Lucas July 2, 2021, at The Refinery at 120 When they set out to envision the tone and theme of their July wedding, Phaedra—who has a background in wedding planning—and Paige decided to veer from traditional summer wedding vibes, opting instead to utilize pops of darker colors. Black candles sat atop flowy […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

The beauty of love

Melanie Woods & Keith Bonds II July 18, 2021, at Keswick Vineyards The couple knew they wanted what they were calling “rustic glam” as the theme of their wedding, but after touring a bunch of different vineyards, nothing felt quite right (“They were too rustic—more barn-like,” Melanie says). But then they found Keswick Vineyards, with its stately […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Like a dream

Linnea White & Reo Revak September 18, 2021, at Eastwood Winery It’s hardly a surprise that custom and DIY details would factor prominently in the wedding of Linnea, the owner of downtown consignment shop Darling, and Reo, a woodworker at Gaston & Wyatt—at least not to anyone who knows them.  “My parents said that [the wedding] was […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Somewhere close to me

Jennifer Rose & Rob Valentine October 16, 2021, at Farmington Country Club  It would take Jennifer and Rob 15 years of dating off and on (plus a global pandemic!)—from the start of high school to after Jennifer finished her MBA—for the stars to finally align for them. In 2019, Jennifer had accepted a consulting job in Atlanta, […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Near and far

Charlotte Baird & William Crandall September 25, 2021, at Boxwood Villa For about 90 percent of their engagement, Charlotte says, she and her future husband were deployed overseas, adding a layer of complication to an already stressful process. They found their venue—Boxwood Villa—online, ordered silk flowers on Etsy, and hired a caterer they both already knew […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

Magazines Weddings

Table talk

It may seem fussy to worry so much about your wedding’s tabletop décor, but it’s a great way to carry out the vibe of your big day,from floral centerpieces to charger plates. Here are three ideas worth a second look.—Caite Hamilton Colorful tapers The days of romantic pastels and rustic details may never be behind […]

Caite Hamilton | July 14, 2022

434 Magazines

Follow the reader

Former librarian Flannery Buchanan had always dreamed of openingher own bookstore, but financial limitations forced her to get inventive: She bought a 1966 Banner camper and turned it into Bluebird Bookstop, a bookstore on wheels. The curated collection includes a little something for everyone—by design. “Right now times are hard and stressful and I’ve found […]

Caite Hamilton | March 17, 2022