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North Carolina enjoys a vibrant community of makers, artisans, craftsmen, and artists. At the OUR STATE STORE, we travel the state hunting for local artisans who create special, handcrafted goods, and we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the creators of some of our most popular products. Sit a spell with us as we introduce you to some of our favorite North Carolina makers.

This month, we learned more about how pottery is made with BLUEGILL POTTERY.

North Carolina enjoys a vibrant community of makers, artisans, craftsmen, and artists. At the OUR STATE STORE, we travel the state hunting for local artisans who create special, handcrafted goods, and we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the creators of some of our most popular products. Sit a spell with us as we introduce you to some of our favorite North Carolina makers.

This month, we traveled west to Asheville to rendezvous with local jeweler RACHEL WILDER. 

North Carolina enjoys a vibrant community of makers, artisans, craftsmen, and artists. At the OUR STATESTORE, we travel the state hunting for local artisans who create special, handcrafted goods, and we’re giving you a behind-the-scenes glimpse at the creators of some of our most popular products. Sit a spell with us as we introduce you to some our favorite North Carolina makers.

This month, we went east to check out the pottery studios and gallery space of Morehead City's BLUSAIL GOLITZ STUDIOS.

It happens every year. At the first hint of crunchy leaves and dropping temperatures, we clamber for fall. After four months of sweating through North Carolina summer, we’re ready to put away our tank tops and pool toys to embrace cooler temperatures and shorter days, even when they haven’t quite arrived yet.

One of our favorite early signs of fall is when western NC apples begin to appear at the market in September. This year, we couldn’t wait to crack open our copy of Candler author Ashley English’s cookbook A Year of Pies. It’s a special cookbook because it encourages baking with the seasons, when each item of produce is at its unique peak. And of course, in September, it’s time for apple pie.

It’s been a scorcher here in the Old North State this summer.  Whether it’s a dip in the local swimming hole, a trip to the coast, or a frosty ice cream cone, we’re all looking for ways to cool off.  

Inspired by our latest selection of North Carolina-made pottery, we set out to use one of our favorite NC summer crops, blueberries, to make a cool and colorful lemonade.  Click through for the recipe!

To celebrate our new NORTH CAROLINA SEA SALT TRIO available only from the OUR STATE STORE, we decided to whip up a batch of our favorite chocolate chip cookies and finished them with this beautifully flaky sea salt, harvested by hand from the Atlantic Ocean near Wrightsville Beach. 

Click through to learn more about this very special sea salt and find the recipe for these sweet-and-salty chocolate chip cookies