BERLIN- As it has for decades, the arrival of spring marks the annual opening of the Pine’eer Craft and Gift Shop in Ocean Pines.
The shop, located alongside White Horse Park on Ocean Parkway, will be open weekends from now until just before Christmas.
“Come see us,” said Carol Quinto, a member of the Pine’eer Craft Club. “For gift giving this is the place to come.”
The shop is stocked with arts and crafts created by Quinto and the other members of the Pine’eer Craft Club, a stalwart Pines community group for more than four decades. March 14 marked the shop’s opening day for 2015. Quinto was pleased to have several people stop in.
“Usually, holidays are very busy because we have unique gifts at great prices,” she said.
Gifts run the gamut in the shop. Some crafters supply jewelry. Others embroider hand towels, make pillows or sew doll clothes. The shop has an extensive array of clothing designed to fit the American Girl dolls. Quinto said those, priced under $30, were big sellers.
“The attention to detail is great,” she said, pointing to the lace veil, cross necklace and miniature Bible that came with the white Holy Communion dress. The shop also has a number of seasonal and home décor items.
“We have a lot of local talent,” Quinto said.
Quinto herself makes fabric decoupage plates. The glass plates, adorned with colorful fabric underneath, have proven popular. She says she saw the technique online several years ago and after a few modifications of her own perfected it.
“I was looking for something unique,” Quinto explained.
In addition to running the shop, the Pine’eer Craft Club hosts an arts and crafts festival each summer. The event attracts more than 100 artisans and crafters from throughout the Eastern Shore.
Each December, when club members close up the shop for the winter, the group uses its proceeds from the year to make a donation to the Ocean Pines Association (OPA) to be divided among various community programs. With the money generated from their 2014 activities, club members gave OPA $5,200. Much of it went to the Ocean Pines Volunteer Fire Department to help fund the purchase of cadet gear. A substantial amount also went to OPA’s recreation and parks department to be used for summer concerts, camp scholarships and special events. The police department was also given $1,500 to be used toward the purchase of an E-Tix printer. The Pine’eer Craft and Gift Shop is open Saturday from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and Sunday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. until Dec. 20.