Hot Fun In The Summertime!!!

Is it hot enough for you?? The days of summer are upon us, but that's o.k. because there is so much fun stuff to do in the North Georgia Mountains!

First of all you can always come shop at Gatewood Hall, our AC is on and we have lots of new stuff to show you! This week we received some new rustic crosses from True Riches they created a new smaller size that we love (we asked them to create this new size for us and they did! Thank you Steve & Jill!!) We also received some new crosses that are made out of recycled Coke bottles they are so neat, that last time we got them in they never made it on the floor because one of our customers saw them as we were getting ready to put them out and she bought all of them! We also have a new line of glasses that are so beautiful! These colorful glasses have a brocade design and look great to mix and match; they are available in high ball and rocks sizes.

With Independence day coming next weekend there will be concerts in the park Friday night! Saturday July 3rd is the Annual Parade in downtown. The fun starts at 10AM so come get your spot early. After the parade come over to our back parking lot because we are told that the Amazing Seed and Feed Marching Abominable Band from Atlanta will be playing for your pleasure. Saturday night head out to lake Blue Ridge for the fabulous fireworks display!! It is sure to be a wonderful weekend and we can't wait to see you!! (Be sure to check out our Summertime Playlist below...some of our summer favorites!! Let me know what you think.)

Surf's Up Blue Ridge!

You have probably read about Stand Up Paddling in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal or even this months Southern Living magazine but, you might not have known that this fun and fast-growing activity is available right here in Blue Ridge. Thanks to Chris Tilghman and his company Surf Blue Ridge you can catch this new wave in water sports. This sport provides core strengthening, endurance, balance and oneness with the water and nature. With roots in Hawaii, SUP has expanded into mainstream surfing culture globally.

The sport has flowed inland from the oceans to our beautiful lakes and rivers. No surfing experience is needed. Whether you seek the peaceful enjoyment of nature, power paddling or a downriver rush, we are told that SUP is an activity for everyone of all ages!

Inspired by a lifetime of water sports, Chris Tilghman brings the first stand up paddle company to the North Georgia Mountains. Chris has over twenty years experience surfing some of the world’s best waves in Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, Cape Hatteras, California and Hawaii. He spent five years living on Kauai’s North Shore with his wife Rhonda and honed his skills on 15-20 feet high waves.

In 2006, our friends Chris and Rhonda made their home in Ellijay (and we are thrilled because they are great people!!). Wanting to provide a unique experience for enjoying the local waters, Chris is excited to introduce Stand Up Paddling with the Hawaiian spirit of aloha and surfing.

Stop by their cool, new store front on East Main Street in downtown Blue Ridge (near the train depot, beside Twigs to Furniture, The Real Estate Connection and Three Sisters Fudge). You can also call them at 706-889-9747 or check out the website at http://www.surfblueridge-sup.com/. You are going to love Chris and Rhonda be sure and tell them that we sent you!

Let's Celebrate Springtime in the South!

Is it just me or is this one of the prettiest spring seasons we've had in a long time? Shawn and I love the south in the springtime (hence the Indigo Girls song "Southland in the Springtime" on our blog play list). I love old southern Hydrangeas, Magnolias and Gardenias and it just seems that as I have been out and about I've noticed that the Hydrangeas this year are some of the deepest blues and purples that I can remember, and my Gardenias and Magnolias are going crazy at my home in Marietta. I take full advantage of this bounty and have bouquets throughout my home... I even haul them to our mountain house!

I moved to North Carolina in early May of 1973, I was only an infant (o.k. I'm lying but, I was pretty young). When I left Topeka, Kansas it was not great weather and things were still pretty brown, as our plane landed in N.C. I was overwhelmed by all of the green trees and quickly thought to myself this must be why they call it Greensboro.

We moved into an old neighborhood with huge trees, gigantic Magnolias, and enormous Gardenia and Hydrangea bushes. One of our neighbors introduced us to these wonderful unfamiliar flowers. To this day I can remember going into the Kale's old home (it seemed very large to me back then) with the attic fan running (yep, they had no AC!!) and the smell of these powerful flowers wafting throughout every room in the house...I have dearly loved the south ever since!

I remember telling Shawn's late grandmother Margie Hall about those Gardenias, they seemed almost elusive to me now because while I found those little "greenhouse" varieties I missed those big "rose-like" blooms found on the old fashioned, overgrown, southern kind. Margie had a green thumb (we know where Shawn gets it!) and she promised to "root" me some down at her little "getaway" place she had kept at the beach. She described a few different ways to do this and she made it sound very easy. Shortly thereafter she sent Shawn home with a few plastic gallon-milk jugs full of "rooted" Gardenias direct from the coast of North Carolina! Shawn planted them not knowing that a few weeks later we'd get a wild hair to sell our house and build another (same exact floor plan just a little bigger and with a basement, and a few upgrades we decided that we couldn't live without, literally only a few blocks away...it's a long story about loving your home that I'll share at a later time...) Anyway Shawn dug those little Gardenia bushes up and planted them at our new home, and they have flourished...actually almost overtaking one of our entrance gates to our backyard. We may end up selling that house but I pray that we can take some of those fabulous plants with us! We enjoy them so much, and they are such a wonderful reminder and celebration of Shawn's very special Grandma, Margie Hall!

So- to get to the point (thank you for letting me share my happy spring memories!), let's continue to celebrate spring! Come out and enjoy a lovely spring evening in downtown Blue Ridge. Please join us at for our second "West Side Block Party" this Saturday June 12, 2010. Hopefully the weather will cooperate but, we are going to have it come rain or shine! We look forward to seeing you there! Happy Spring!!

Our Own Artists at Gatewood Hall Gracious Home

Since we will be celebrating Arts In The Park this weekend we wanted to do a posting featuring our exclusive GH Artists. The first is Marilyn Sparks who after following a successful career in the fashion industry, she discovered her passion for painting. Marilyn's experience with color, texture, and proportion are evident in the way she combines these elements on canvas. The self-taught artist is continually evolving, recreating and reinventing herself through her bold barns, bright florals, and peaceful landscapes.

Sparks paints in her studio in Cumming, GA., and happily sheds her fashion image for a painter’s smock. She has had several one-woman shows in Atlanta and in Highlands, NC and has participated in group shows in Charlotte, NC, Jacksonville, FL, Greenville, Columbia, and Charleston, SC. We especially love her barns, and still life flowers. Marilyn even has a couple bright, whimsical paintings that are meant to be hung outside on a covered deck or screened porch!

Kathy Pollard was born in Gadsden, Alabama and began private art lessons at age of 12. She has won various private contests throughout her painting career. Kathy now spends her time between Dunwoody and the North Georgia mountains. I love her pallet knife work.

We have two original oil paintings on linen she just brought in. One is a painting of the pink apple blossoms that she painted after she enjoyed this recent season at Mercier Apple Orchard, the other is Lake Blue Ridge both are absolutely beautiful.

Pollard believes the meaning of painting to be "The true freedom of your self-expression, meaning having the ability to express yourself. Through a dedicated study, we seek knowledge of the craft. As we grow, develop, and practice the skills and principles, our own unique expression and our signature comes forth."

Katherine Getty’s love affair with art dates back to nursery school when she discovered crayons. It was cemented by her kindergarten experiences with mud pies and the messy joys of sculpture. Although throughout her childhood and adolescence, she was always involved in something creative, she decided not to pursue art as a career and instead worked in healthcare for two decades. She began reconnecting with her art in the mid 90’s and attended the Santa Monica College of Design, Art and Architecture for two years. During this period, she primarily worked with three dimensional media.

Getty’s left the medical world in 2005 and moved to Georgia to change careers. She started painting in July 2005 and fell in love with oil paint. Katherine’s work deals with the loving bonds between humans and animals and with the healing power of the natural world.

Katherine's work is so beautiful and precise we have actually had people ask if it was an enhanced photograph.

Come in today to see and appreciate these Artist's wonderful talents.

This weekend only we will take 10% off of their work as part of our Art in the Park celebration. See you soon!

So Many New Arrivals This Weekend!!

WOW, DO WE HAVE ALOT OF NEW GREAT STUFF THIS WEEKEND! We received some new chairs and lamps from our High Point trip back in April! I especially love the two chairs shown here, they are wonderful and well priced! We have also received some new artwork, as well as some Lenny & Eva charms and sentiments.

Our great selection of new books is here just in time for your summer entertaining! I have to tell you, Paula Deen's new title Savannah Style is a beautiful book that pays homage to one of my favorite cities in the south! You will love the Lee Brothers cookbook, a fresh and simple take on great southern favorites! And because of his love for fresh flowers Shawn loves the new book Southern Bouquets.


This will be a wonderful weekend in downtown Blue Ridge! Come down to Arts in the Park and stop in and see us! Have a great Memorial Day! We'll see you soon!

Arts In the Park Festival This Weekend!

The 34th Annual Arts In The Park Festival is this weekend in beautiful downtown Blue Ridge! This is one of our favorite weekends of the year. The festival is sponsored by the fabulous Blue Ridge Mountain Arts Association who does an outstanding job bringing and keeping the arts in our beloved town. Their Mission is to:

Provide Opportunities in the Realm of Art for Personal Growth of the Individual and the Economic Growth of our Community

•Enhance and Preserve the Quality and Accessibility of the Arts
•To Honor Our Rich Heritage of Mountain Culture
•Promoting Contemporary Multi-Cultural Arts
•Catalyst for Economic Development in the Community

And they do a darn good job at striving towards reaching this goal! Arts In the Park is just one of several events that they have throughout the year and it is awesome.

This festival has grown over the years and boasts some of the finest arts and crafts in the southeast. As in the past, all applicants for the festival will be juried in order to maintain the tradition as a premier show. The quality and diversity of the arts and crafts presented improve each year. The festival will be May 29th and 30th, 2010 10AM until 5PM. Admission is $5 for adults, children 12 and under are free. Please do come out and support the arts you will have so much fun doing it!! And don't forget to stop in and see us too!!

Gatewood Hall Is Celebrating Their Fourth Birthday!!

Our wish is already coming true!! It is so hard for us to believe but it is already our fourth birthday! I guess the years fly when you are having the time of your life!! Thanks to all of you we are ready to roll into our fifth year in our new location and are we ever thrilled.

We will be celebrating this Saturday with lots of fun specials, and refreshments heck, we may finally have the design center open...who knows!! Please come in and celebrate with us, we look forward to seeing you!

TO OUR FAMILY, FRIENDS, CURRENT AND PAST TEAM MEMBERS THANK YOU FOR THE PAST FOUR GREAT YEARS WE COULD NOT HAVE DONE IT WITHOUT EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU!!

Corky & Shawn