Newspaper Page Text
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
The Braselton News
Page 7A
Social
Mulberry Park decor shop specializes in outdoor motifs
In Focus
with Fil
Fil Jessee
filwrites@aol.com
CHRISTMAS DECOR
Lauris Nance shows a potted silk orchid and bromeliad combina
tion in front of a space-saving half Christmas tree at Step Outside,
Braselton.
While most
interior deco
rators seem
focused on
making rooms
more livable
and inviting
by the art
ful use of standard home furnish
ings, fabrics, lighting, and wall
hangings, the owners of a small
Braselton shop are giving home
decor a whole new twist.
After years of punching time
clocks in the corporate world, John
and Lauris Nance got tired of long
commutes and the nine-to-five rat
race and decided to open a busi
ness that was a lot more fun.
They named it Step Outside, and
that label well describes what they
offer. Imaginative displays and
clever accessories here encour
age homeowners to experience a
closer communion with nature by
essentially bringing the outdoors
in and the indoors out until the line
of demarcation is far less abrupt.
Although the Mall of Georgia
area seemed like a good place
to launch their little shop four
years ago, it soon became apparent
that the majority of their custom
ers were based in the Braselton
area. So, in April of last year,
they relocated their business to the
Mulberry Park shopping center to
be closer to their patrons.
“I would rather commute to
England than drive to downtown
Atlanta,” Lauris said.
But for many years, she and
John were both locked into jobs
that kept them on the road a lot and
far too busy to run a specialty shop
on the side.
John was in the Navy for a long
time; then worked for IBM and,
later, for the federal government as
a poultry science inspector. Lauris
was employed for 30 years in tech
nical management, and worked
mainly with computer systems.
“I have always lived in places
with beautiful gardens, and greatly
enjoy turning a variety of materials
into unique works of art,” she said.
And now
she and her
husband do
just that.
The cou
ple enjoys a
less stress
ful sched
ule where no two days are ever
the same and individual shoppers
challenge their creativity. And this
business is far from just another
artsy-craftsy emporium of do-dads
imported from the Orient.
In addition to a plethora of
unusual gifts and stylish decora
tive items that change with each
season, the Nance’s create outdoor
living spaces, design and plant
flower beds and container gardens,
and address a number of technical
issues to make these additions as
trouble-free as possible.
This may include special light
ing to make decks, patios, court
yards, and entrances more inviting
at night or drip-irrigation systems
that make outdoor watering practi
cally effortless, at least until we
reached stage four of the current
watering ban and were forced to
rely more on recycled gray water
and wells.
DECOR AND MORE
Step Outside also addresses a
number of permanent and tempo
rary challenges created by higher
ceilings and spacious open floor
plans that are becoming more com
monplace in the Braselton area.
The Nance’s have addressed
second-story window boxes, too
high for living plants that require
constant moisture and grooming,
with non-fading acrylic foliage
manufactured to look surprising
real. Sometimes, they resort to
artificial topiaries too, sheltered by
rain-robbing overhangs or just a
little too shaded to healthy growth
on living shrubs.
While Lauris handles most of
the store displays and aesthetic
design work, John told me that he
serves primarily as “store go-fer,
sitter, delivery man and installa
tion trouble-shooter.”
And when special assignments
get too large or complex for the
Nance’s to handle alone, the
rely on Hamilton Mill neighbor,
Meghan Roberts, to help them on
a per-project basis.
“Meghan is currently a soph
omore majoring in early child
hood education at Georgia State
University, but she has been work
ing with us part-time since her
junior year at Mill Creek High
School. She’s a hard worker, very
creative, and a big help to us at
times,” Lauris said.
FINE FLORALS
Although Step Outside is not
considered a florist shop in the
traditional sense, it is often con
tracted to design and install a vari
ety of fresh and silk wreaths, gar
lands, and arrangements for spe
cial events and holiday decor.
And some of Lauris’ finest work
in this regard was recently fea
tured in the Chateau Elan’s tour
of homes and, earlier, for Dare
to Share charity functions. But
for the average shopper just look
ing for something different for a
gift, there are plenty of attention-
getters on the walls and shelves of
the store itself.
Among the items that caught my
eye, I noticed a fully-decorated
half Christmas tree, perfect for
placement against a blank wall
where floor space is limited. And I
also spotted some incredibly real
istic silk orchid plants attractively
arranged in a tiny ornamental iron
and glass conservatory stand.
Although Step Outside may not
be a macho place in which men
can get lost in a world of tools
and gadgetry like they can at The
Home Depot, it’s certainly a less
boring place to shop for wives.
No doubt, mine would have a
hard time pretending to like a
new power stapler or rivet tool for
Christmas, but I think she might
appreciate something as clever as
a flameless scented candle or a
Tortuga Caribbean Rum cake on
sale there in three different fla
vors.
For her, I also considered buying
a bronzed finished cast aluminum
sundial with a “you are my sun
shine” card attached, but changed
my mind because of its size. If it’s
too big for a gift bag or requires
more than half a role of wrapping
paper, it’s not going home with
me.
Fil Jessee lives in Braselton,
where lie works as a freelance
journalist. Fie can be reached at
filwrites @ aol. com.
Toys being collected for Peace Place
WayPoint Realty, Braselton, is hosting the Helping Little Angels Toy
Drive, which will benefit Peace Place.
Peace Place is a domestic violence shelter for women and children that
serves Jackson, Barrow and Banks counties. Peace Place offers victims
of domestic violence referrals for housing, jobs, education, medical,
counseling, clothing and food. The shelter also offers support groups and
legal advocacy for victims.
Donations will be accepted Tuesdays through Thursdays, from 9 a.m.
to 2 p.m., until Dec. 22.
Toys or money may be donated. Monetary donations will be used to
purchase gift cards for older kids. The age range for donated toys is
newborn to teen.
WayPoint Realty is located at 81 Lagree Duck Road, off Hwy. 53,
Braselton. For more information, call 706-824-0318.
Angel Tree event to benefit
needy children in N. Georgia
Upper Cervical Health Centers of America, located in Hamilton Mill,
will host its annual Angel Tree event to benefit under-privileged children
in North Georgia.
Hebron Church is collaborating with the office to locate several chil
dren who may not have many gifts this year.
A Christmas tree in the office will be set up and feature ornaments
with a child’s name. Written on the back of the ornament will be the age
and gift idea specifically for that child. For each ornament that is taken,
the gift on the back is purchased and left unwrapped.
In return, Upper Cervical Health Centers of America will offer a free
health correction or a coupon to give to a friend or relative good for a
free consultation, X-rays, report of findings and their first correction.
An Angel Tree party will be held on Thursday, Dec. 13. Refreshments
and snacks will be served throughout the day.
Upper Cervical Health Centers of America is located at 3635 Braselton
Highway, Suite B-2, Dacula. For more information, call 770-614-9444
or visit www.uppercervicalcare.com.
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Celtic Christmas show to be
presented on Dec. 7 and 9
The Winder Cultural Arts Department will present “A Celtic Acoustic
Christmas Show” on Friday, Dec. 7, at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday, Dec. 9,
3 p.m.
The show will feature singers and songwriters Harry O’Donoghue and
Carroll Brown. The show will be fdled with traditional Celtic, Southern
and seasonal songs, complimented by stories and recitations.
Brown is an acoustic guitarist and singer/songwriter from South
Carolina with more than 30 years of experience in the music business.
O’Donoghue is from the east coast of Ireland and been performing
professionally for 27 years. He lives in Savannah, where he performs
locally, and is the co-producer and host of the “Green Island Radio
Show” for Georgia Pubic Broadcasting.
The show will be presented in the Colleen O. Williams Theatre, 105 E.
Athens Street, Winder. There will be an intermission and refreshments
and CDs from the artists available to purchase.
Tickets are $15 a person and are available at the Winder City Hall, 45
E. Athens Street, Winder. For credit card purchases, call 770-867-3106.
Santa to appear at Hoschton Depot
The Hoschton Women’s Civic Club will host its annual “Santa at the
Depot” on Saturday, Dec. 8, from 10 a.m. to noon.
Parents are asked to bring children to the depot to have their picture
taken with Santa and receive a stocking full of goodies. The event is free
and open to the public.
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Traditions of Braselton to host
Holiday Showcase of Homes
Traditions of Braselton is ringing in the holidays with its Holiday
Showcase of Homes Saturday and Sunday, Dec. 8-9.
The event will showcase seven custom-built homes, each profession
ally decorated for the season by an award-winning local designer.
“Traditions is a beautiful custom-home community with great ame
nities,” said Cindy Clark of Peggy Slappey Properties. “We will have
an agents’ day on Friday, Dec. 7. Agents can expect first-class service,
including chauffeured tours throughout the community.”
During the Holiday Showcase of Homes event, visitors can drive into
the community and follow the signs to the featured homes, or drive
straight to the on-site Discovery Center and pick up a map. A team of
sales professionals from Peggy Slappey Properties will be on hand to
answer any questions customers may have or to guide personal tours of
the homes.
According to Clark, Traditions of Braselton is one of the few metro
communities affordable for most home buyers, whether they’re looking
in the $200,000 range or the $1 million range.
Peggy Slappey Properties, a Buford-based company and one of
Gwinnett’s and Jackson’s leading marketers of new homes recently part
nered with the developer at Traditions. Peggy Slappey Properties was the
winner of Gwinnett Magazine’s 2006 Best REALTOR award.
Traditions of Braselton includes a championship 18-hole golf course,
a swim and tennis complex, on-site fitness center, green spaces, multiple
ponds and lakes, nature trails, children’s play areas, and a property own
ers’ clubhouse.
For additional information on Traditions of Braselton’s Holiday Home
Showcase, call the Discovery Center at 706-654-3606.
Blood drive set for Dec. 13
A blood and National Marrow Donor Program drive in honor of Jackson
Austin will be held on Thursday, Dec. 13, from 3-8 p.m. in Athens.
Austin is a Jackson County boy who has cancer.
The drive will be held at the Georgia Center for Continuing Education,
Hill Atrium, on the campus of the University of Georgia.
Donors are encouraged to give blood and/or register for the National
Marrow Donor Program. Since Clarke County has a grant, all testing for
the National Bone Marrow Registry is free and only involves a cheek
swab.
All blood donors are strongly encouraged to eat a full meal or snacks,
and drink lots of caffeine-free liquids before donating blood.
To make an appointment for the event, contact Danielle Austin at daaus-
tin@alltel.net or Janet Jarrett atjarrettja@usa.redcross.org.
For more information about donating blood, visit www.givebloo-
dredcross.org. For more information about the National Marrow Donor
Program, visit www.marrow.org.
The Georgia Center for Continuing Education is located at the comer of
Lumpkin and Carlton Streets, near the UGA track.
NORTHEAST GEORGIA BANK HOSTS SANTA
Northeast Georgia Bank, Braselton, will be host Santa Claus in the
lobby of the bank on Thursday, Dec. 20, from 3-5 p.m. Children
and families are invited to stop by to visit. Parents are encour
aged to bring their cameras. The bank is located at 5045 Hwy 53
in Braselton.
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