Arts and Crafts District

For our last full day in Gatlinburg, we decided to enjoy the area right outside our cabin door, so to speak.  We toured around the shops of the Arts and Crafts district, first, enjoying more local quirkiness! Our first stop was a little odd, as a very old woman was running a woodcarvers shop which demonstrated a severe obsession with both wooden birds and republicans (hundreds of pics on the wall!).

 

The second shop was a little more exciting, as it was a Magic shop.  Mike found some interesting books, and we had a nice conversation with the couple running the shop.  Turns out, the woman had been a professional clown, which gave her and I some things to discuss (thanks to Mom, and my interesting childhood), including how she was once sued by a woman who stayed in the bathroom for 3 hours, unbeknownst to the clown, because she was much to terrified to come out and walk past the face painting table.   The guy also did a cool trick with Titanic themed cards, and we bought a crystal growing kit from him. Also turns out that his son makes funny little side show displays, including the dead wood fairy up on the shelf in the shop, for haunted hours, etc. (www.sideshowgaffs.com)

 

A little later, we ended up in a belt maker's shop, and got the man measured for a fancy new built, complete with holster capability (I've been trying to get him a fancy belt forever!) for future ordering.  Next door was a shop run by a Native America woman whose ancestors were the name sake of the area (Gatlin), and where I finally got something I have been wanting since I've been old enough to love furry blankets... a sheepskin. It's luxurious, and poofy, and warm, and I love it! It's also washable, which rocks. Yay!

 

A little further down the street, we walked into a shop called "Hill People Crafts" to ask a guy about the inventive hammock chair hanging out front. He somehow pegged us as newleyweds, and gave Mike the advice that "the first 50 years are the hardest, after that it's all downhill" before convincing me to try out the strange chair thing, which was awesome, but I think we might be able to rig one up on our own!

 

Afterward, we went on to Ma's Kitchen to get some hot tea, which turned into hot tea and homemade coconut custard pie... good thing calories don't count on vacation! Yum!