A counter point: Wes Carter wants to top off your kitchen

After years of working with toxic chemicals in his bath tub repair and refinishing business, Wes Carter decided he wanted “a cleaner, less harmful occupation,” so he focused his attention on stone. “It could provide me not only with those options, but also a rewarding finished product,” he said. He opened Albemarle Countertop Company in […]

Mr. Fix It: Spotlight on Winston Yancey

An old, rusty fan sat in a building for 30 years before, thanks to Winston Yancey Jr., it got a second chance. The fan, which once belonged to Yancey’s grandfather, had withstood winter’s cold and summer’s heat before Yancey rescued it and brought it back to life with 10 hours of elbow grease, no tools, […]

The new custom: Carpenter Jeff Saine solves problems in wood

Jeff Saine has worked with wood for as long as he can remember. In high school, he spent most of his time in the wood shop and even helped his English teacher build a Japanese-style house on Lopez Island in his native Washington his senior year. After graduating from college with a degree in anthropology […]

Iron man: Spotlight on blacksmith Corry Blanc

Corry Blanc can’t remember the first thing he ever made. “Making ‘things’ is all I’ve ever known,” he said. A native of Georgia (he grew up in the Appalachian foothills in the northern part of the state), the blacksmith began welding after high school when he took a job at his uncle’s welding and fabrication […]

Princess brides: Seven sparkling gowns befitting a royal wedding

Whether it’s a crystal-covered shoulder, a silk-jacquard print, or a romantic bolero, it’s that little something extra that makes your dress—and your day—even more magical. Just ask Kate Middleton (lace sleeves, anyone?). Pretty in petals ERIN HOFFMAN (above) Date of her wedding: May 29, 2011 Groom’s name: Paul Gray Where she got her dress: Priscilla […]