Shopping in Fayetteville

Sweetbottoms Baby Boutique stocks more than 6,000 natural, eco-friendly products for babies and their families. Caretakers can swaddle infants in cloth diapers and coverall gowns or dress them up for blind baby dates with stylish miniature shoes and hats. Handcrafted Little Alouette wooden teething toys and child-safe trinkets made from natural rubber or organic cotton protect emerging baby teeth or vampire fangs. New mothers and mothers-to-be can find their own apparel and parenting products in the boutique, including diaper bags and totes, breastfeeding accessories, and maternity garments.

Aberdeen Bead Company, whose menagerie of gleaming baubles and creative classes caught the attention of Star 102.5 FM, hosts crafters of all kinds in its contemporary, shabby-chic shop. The store shimmers with a kaleidoscopic range of semiprecious stones, Murano glass, and crystals waiting to adorn wrists, ear lobes, necks, and lackluster eye patches. Instructors demystify the art of crafting wire-linked bangles, multistrand necklaces, and chandelier earrings during classes for all skill levels.

Nestled in the Sandhills of Moore County, McDonnell Horticulture Inc.'s 220-acre nursery and 220,000-square-foot greenhouse propagate flowering plants throughout the growing season. The family-owned business's irrigated acreage lends itself to the production of woody ornamental shrubs, which can be used to landscape backyards or the mausoleums of melted snowmen. By manually misting vegetation, McDonnell Horticulture Inc. fosters the growth of more than 60 varieties of roses, including the disease-resistant KnockOut strain, as well as annual azaleas and perennial mums. All greenery grown onsite is tax-free.

With winter escaping like a bag of spilled gravy, now is the ideal time to throw open the windows and get home-care projects underway. Pick up a Steel Grip six-piece screwdriver set for $8.49, a VPT rip hammer for $6.29, and a whole bunch of screws, anchors, and bolts (prices vary), and you'll be ready to finally mount every buffalo nickel and steel penny in your coin collection. Illuminate the newfound décor with a 12-pack of Ace light bulbs ($21.48), the better to see by as you make use of a Wooster Painter's Choice roller kit ($10.49). If you need to match paint to a favorite coverlet or choose a hue that complements a pleather recliner, each store offers a paint-matching service free of charge. Get keys made, or clean a barnacle-encrusted carpet with the help of a carpet-cleaning machine.

Beth Massey is a double threat. Not only is she a framer with more than 15 years of experience, but she is also an artist and invokes her knowledge of art conservation on every piece she works with. She took care to draft expert team members for Wake Forest Art & Frame Shop, and they employ formal framing and design training to treat each assignment with equal emphasis on aesthetics and preservation. Beth and her staff channel their artistic experience into selecting the proper method for displaying each prized work of art, photo, or drawing of precious family heirloom tomatoes.

In addition to framing services, Wake Forest Art & Frame Shop also works closely with many local artists. During Art After Hours sessions, the artists present exhibits of their work or lead students in classes on painting or watercolors.

The News & Observer serves Raleigh and rest of the Triangle through its award-winning regional newspaper as well as ten community publications. Every day, readers catch up on local news, relevant national news, entertainment, sports, and business. Learn about restaurant openings in the Dining section, or get the latest on North Carolina State’s, Duke’s, and the University of North Carolina’s basketball, football, and foosball teams in the Sports section. The News & Observer’s writers are devoted to crisp, clear journalism that targets both national and local issues. In 1995, the paper earned the Pulitzer Prize Gold Medal for Public Service for an investigation into the effects of commercial hog farming on the region’s economy and environment.