July 9, 2024
It could be said that artists and makers are the heart and soul of a destination, offering their creative DIY workshops as gifts to the community to both inspire and inform a sense of place. That’s certainly true of these four Downtown Concord makers, each of whom invite the public into their workspaces to learn new skills and perhaps discover talents of their own.
Kathleen Reeder
Jewelry Making at The Bead Lady
Kathleen Reeder is the owner and lead designer of The Bead Lady, a full-service bead shop and custom-design jewelry studio. Open since 2002, The Bead Lady serves as a jewelry supply store and so much more— colorful rooms display gemstones and crystals, pearls and baubles, ribbons and clasps.
Reeder admits that visitors can get overwhelmed at first. That’s why she suggests they look around to get a feel for the place, then meet her up front where she’ll lead them through the jewelry-making process. Not only does Reeder want guests to leave with a piece they love and will wear forever, she wants them to get in touch with their creative side.
“Any creativity is good for the soul. You’re not thinking about anything but what’s right in front of you,” Reeder says.
Candle Building at Her Candle Bar
For Bria Smith, creator and owner of Her Candle Bar, what started as a self-care project in her kitchen blossomed into a store and candlemakers space where customers can leave behind the day-to-day drudgery.
In early 2020, Smith found herself at home on maternity leave with a newborn. “Making candles was my safe haven,” she recalls. “Once the baby was down for a nap, I’d play around with scents. It kept me motivated and sane.”
Now Smith brings that same sense of joyful play to Her Candle Bar. The front of the store is retail: Smith’s custom-designed loungewear, ready-made candles and occasion cards. The back is a makers space lined with tables and stocked with scents, candle vessels, trays of supplies and a ‘candle curator’ to walk guests through everything from wicking the jars to pouring the fragrance.
Her Candle Bar is more than a store. “It’s experiential retail,” Smith says. “Self-care is at the core of everything we do. We create a relaxing, calm vibe where you’re focused on picking a scent and making the best candle you can make, not on the 50,000 other things waiting for you out in the world.”
Kirsten Darnell
The Art of Floristry at Cut at an Angle
When people step inside the moody and magical Cut at an Angle, owner Kirsten Darnell hopes they’ll be inspired by the artistry of floral design. With an organic style that elevates bouquets to works of art, Darnell’s skills — honed from a childhood helping at her grandparents’ flower shop plus 14 years designing arrangements for weddings and events — are on full display.
“I always have a cooler full of flowers where people can come in and pick out their own blooms for their bouquet.”
Kirsten Darnell, Cut at an Angle
Guests can purchase one of Darnell’s creations or make their own. “I always have a cooler full of flowers where people can come in and pick out their own blooms for their bouquet,” Darnell says. She also offers quarterly classes (check online for the schedule) such as Floral Design 101, which covers the basics from tools to techniques, wreath-making workshops and Dry Floral Designs.
Darnell adds, “Anybody can go to the grocery store and grab a bouquet, but learning the techniques, the proper care of flowers, the styles, the changing trends — that’s when you start to appreciate the artistry of it all.”
Leather Crafting at ShoeBeeDo
“I love working with my hands,” says Cindy Sheppard, owner of ShoeBeeDo in Downtown Concord. A leather artisan since 2005, Sheppard designs and makes everything in the boutique that sells handmade leather goods, shoes and bags.
“I love to create. The process starts in my head, with an idea,” she says. “Then I sketch it out on paper, and if it’s something I’ve never done before, I’ll do a prototype. I’m very particular about how I make things.”
That’s a good thing and a trait that’s not gone unnoticed. In 2018, a handbag designed and crafted by Sheppard won the top honor in the category of style for the statewide ‘Made in NC’ awards. When customers visit ShoeBeeDo, not only can they browse Sheppard’s beautifully made leather products, but they can also watch her work — her glass-enclosed studio is right in the store.
Customers can also learn the trade from Sheppard. She offers workshops to newbies interested in leatherwork. She provides the patterns, then attendees trace, cut and set the holes. Bookings for the 90-minute classes are available online and cap out at eight people.
“I hope these classes give people a chance to try something new.”
Cindy Sheppard, ShoeBeeDo
“I hope these classes give people a chance to try something new,” Sheppard says. “Working with their hands, working with leather. Leather is full of character.”
Stay and Play
For more things to do in Cabarrus County, visit our Attractions page, which includes everything from boutiques and movie theaters to farm tours and motorsports.
