Jun 22, 2011

Southern sisters open new gift shopBy Alicia BanksShelbyStar.com

Shelby — Combine 20 years of American Picking, an eye for creativity and a talent for handcraft. What does it give you? Down South Sisters.

Alabama sisters Debra Charles and Neva Howell own the uptown Shelby shop specializing in gift baskets, jewelry and collectible items.

“We’ve got a creative family and always been tinkers,” Charles said. “We got the creative gene from our mom.”

Howell specializes in decoupage; an art decoration that protects cut-outs and pictures. Decoupage tiles with jumbled puzzled pieces, making out a home and horses, sat on a shelf.

Charles is the creative of the two while Howell complements with American Picking collectibles and antiques from eBay, yard and state sales.

“I did this mostly in the South,” she said. “I have old and beautiful things.”

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