Top Drawer

Buy local (art)

Many people look forward to the Carolina Designer Craftsmen Fine Craft and Design show each year on the weekend after Thanksgiving. The show, which has fine crafts and designs for every budget, offers an opportunity to buy unique gifts. Works include pottery, clay, sculpture, wearable fiber, blown glass, jewelry and more.

This year the show, which finishes its run today and Sunday, also has an exhibit of works by 20 high school students.

One of the student exhibitors is 18-year-old Nathan Creel, a senior at Northwood High School in Pittsboro . His work is a ceramic sculpture of a mustang charger that grew out of his high school graduation project. The mustang is Northwood's mascot.

See all the works by North Carolina artists from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. today and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sunday at the N.C. State Fairgrounds Exposition Center. Tickets are $7 www.carolinadesignercraftsmen .com

A walk in winter

Take a walk on UNC's campus and follow in the footsteps of William Lanier Hunt -- horticulturist, garden designer, writer and lecturer. In his tours, which he began in 1990, Hunt shared his love of the landscape and plants, including the holly species and cultivars and other broadleaf evergreens, on the UNC campus. From 2 to 4 p.m. on Dec. 5, guide Ken Moore will trace Hunt's footsteps and share stories of plants and people from the past. Tickets: $10; $5 for members and students. 962-0522 or visit www.ncbg.unc.edu/.

Fa la la la la - la la la look

The Oakwood neighborhood's annual Candlelight Tour offers a chance to learn about Raleigh history and architecture and get into the holiday spirit at the same time. The owners of 13 properties -- all decked out for Christmas -- will open their doors so you can take a look inside from 1 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12-13. The Carolina Harmony Sweet Adelines Barbershop Chorus will perform at a stop from 2:30 to 7 p.m. Dec. 12.

Buy tickets online or at locations throughout the Triangle. On tour days, get them at The Oakwood Inn, 411 N. Bloodworth St., $15 in advance, $20 on tour day. Get more information about the tour and related activities at www.historicoakwood.org/.

One Raleigh family's display

After our article about displaying kids' art appeared in this section Nov. 14, we heard from Raleigh reader Laurie Rosenfeld. "Loved your article about kids' art," she said. "Here's how we do it in our house:"

Framed art: Remove glass from wood frames purchased at thrift stores. Paint frames a uniform color. Use different shapes and textures for added interest. Hang frames on wall. Use painter's tape to adhere child's art to wall, centering inside frame. Change often, for maximum enjoyment.

Kitchen Gallery: supplies - small eye hooks, string, small craft clothespins (Michael's, AC Moore). Screw eye hooks into opposite sides of wall. Tie string horizontally through hooks. Secure art with clothespins. Creates an ever-changing gallery of art.

Thanks for sharing, Laurie.

One-letter statements

Forget complete sentences or even words. One letter is more than enough to make a bold statement, according to the Orlando Sentinel. Restoration Hardware's cast-metal letter collection, which features uppercase letters and includes the ampersand (&) and "at" sign, can be used as bookends or wall decor. Made of sand-cast aluminum, the serif font alphabet comes in chestnut bronze and four sizes. Cost for a 4-inch-tall letter is $10, 6-inch is $18, 9-inch is $39 and 12-inch is $69. Now all you have to decide is whether to display your favorite letter or your spouse's.