On Friday, Dec. 3, Artist Alley will be hosting its annual Holiday Extravaganza and Celebration of North Carolina Art.

From 5 to 9 p.m., Christmas will be in the air at Artist Alley as artists meet the public. Refreshments will be served, and handmade North Carolina art will be given as door prizes each hour. The schedule for door prize drawings for the evening will include a variety of one-of-a-kind creations.

At 6 p.m. a handmade traditional hooked rug pillow, created by Southern Pines artist Karen Whidden, will be awarded. Whidden is a member of the National Guild of Pearl K. McGown Rug Hookcrafters, the Association of Traditional Hooking Artists (ATHA) and the Sandhills Rug Artists. She began traditional rug hooking in 2003 and has hooked well over 100 pieces to date.

At 7 p.m., the lucky winner will receive a handcrafted soap and lotion duo made by Ocracoke Soap Company. Ocracoke Soap Company offers a wide variety of fragrances for men and women. This environmentally friendly company even wraps each bar in a handmade sheet of wildflower seed paper that may be planted for an additional treat later.

At 8 p.m., a hand-forged vintage brass and copper ornament made by Artist Alley owner Jean Skipper will be presented. The winner of this piece may select from the variety of ornaments on display in the gallery, or they may opt to have a customized ornament created just for them.

And at 9 p.m., the final door prize drawings for the evening will conclude with a hand-forged pair of sterling silver earrings from Pinehurst artist Christy Clark, of Silverwear Jewelry. Clark earned a loyal following as the owner of a jewelry store, "Silverwear," that was previously located in downtown Southern Pines.

"This event represents Artist Alley's final First Friday opening of 2010, and we're planning a festive celebration to mark the occasion," says Jean Skipper.

Artist Alley is located at 167 E. New Hampshire Ave., in Southern Pines, and features the work of more than 75 North Carolina artists.

Information about this event may be obtained by calling (910) 692-6077, by e-mailing jeanskipper@jeanskipper.com, or by visiting the website www.artistalleync.blogspot.com.